Slate Advice

We're off for Thanksgiving but still got together to share some things we're grateful for — and then, Zak is grateful to share an episode of his other show with you... all about being grateful for friendships, even in the rear-view. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we shou...

More than half the population will experience menopause if they’re fortunate enough to age. Yet so much of this full-body transformation remains a mystery. Journalist and filmmaker Tamsen Fadal is out to change that.  Her new documentary The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause premiered on PBS earlier this year. In it, her team interviews patients and health experts worldwide about the la...

‘Tis the season of gathering with friends and family. It’s also a time where some of us yearn for a closer community, like this week’s listener. Morgan is looking for a way to hang out with friends in a consistent, meaningful manner. On this episode of How To!, Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, explains how to transform a lackluster hang-out where people just sit around drinking beer i...

On this episode: we’re weighing how to teach little ones about the dangers of germs… without making it sound too scary. We’ll talk about how to explain why eating off the floor is bad… without unlocking some new fears. We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re calling a meeting of the C&F weed caucus to order....

Guest Prudie Cheyna Roth is joined by Steven Ray Morris — best known for his work on My Favorite Murder, but now producing and hosting See Jurassic Right. Together, they answer letters from a listener hurt by her boyfriend’s comments that “marriage isn’t on his radar,” another hoping to support her partner through work conflicts without adding to her own stress, and a listener whose husband doesn’...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak share advice for weighing whether you want your kids on Roblox. The company just announced some impending safety enhancements to the mega-popular online multiplayer game… but, as the hosts and our Slate Parenting community will tell you, the platform might still be a wild west. After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.  Joi...

Regular movement is crucial for lifelong health, but finding a routine that fits well in your life can be challenging and overwhelming. On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak to retired volleyball player Gabby Reece on transitioning out of professional sports and talk about ways to realistically bring performance-level fitness to every kind of exercise routine. If you liked this episode, che...

Ezra is adrift in his early 20s. He craves a life of meaning, community, and love. But he’s struggling to find those things in a world that seems increasingly uncertain and discouraging for young people. On this existential episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings in Andrew McPeak, author, podcast host, and vice president of Growing Leaders. He tackles Ezra’s big questions and explains how Gen Z...

On this episode: Zak sits down with Zach O’Hora and Lisa Whittick – respectively, the creator and director of the new PBS Kids show Carl The Collector. They’ll talk about crafting a kids’ show with neurodiverse characters… and what it means to tell a good story. We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re celebra...

Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by longtime Slate-ster June Thomas — author of A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Have Shaped Queer Women’s Culture. Together, they answer letters from a boyfriend who has been financially supporting his girlfriend but can’t afford to anymore, a spouse whose younger partner is mocking part of their aging, and a friend struggling to support someone in their l...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak talk about the aftermath of the presidential election — from the policy issues that freak us out to handling grief in front of our kids. And we’ll share a ton of amazing thoughts, advice, and reassurance from the Slate Parenting community. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of...

How do women gain social influence?  Understanding this is crucial because research shows they often face unique challenges in having their voices heard and their expertise recognized, even in highly qualified fields like medicine.  The consequences of this could be dire, both for female patients and their healthcare providers. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, Kavita and Maya talk with psychol...

Contraception is a huge burden for women and people with uteruses to bear. What would it look like—on a personal, cultural, and medical level—if more men took on that responsibility? Today on How To!, a conversation about gender equity for reproductive care, from changes in sexual education to more accessible vasectomies to the development of new contraception methods. Carvell Wallace welcomes two...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose toddlers are at each other… Constantly. We’re just glad they don’t have cartoon hammers. We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re talking about the long history of making stuff with your kids. If you’re not part...

Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by journalist and host of Vox’s Explain It To Me podcast JQ Hill. Together, they answer letters wondering when is the right time to start dating in a new city, how to let your friend know you’re tired of listening to them complain about their job, and what’s the best way to tell your boyfriend that you’d prefer alone time when you’re sick.  Want more Dear Pru...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak crack open our mailbag. You’ve been sending a ton of emails about everything from Zionism to the Red Light District to Lucy’s Impala impulses… so today, we’re sharing all that and more.    And then, of course, we’ll share some triumphs and fails.   Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thou...

Hormones influence everything from mood and energy levels to fertility and long-term health.  Yet for many, hormonal health remains shrouded in mystery. When women do seek guidance from their OBGYNs, they’re often told birth control is the only option for treating hormone-related issues like PCOS and endometriosis. But that wasn’t going to cut it for Alisa Vitti. On this week’s episode of Well, No...

Heather recently joined the board of her local library, a beloved institution from her childhood. While continuing to balance her day job, she is excited to be an active and engaged member of this community-led organization. But she’s also grappling with time management and effective communication with her fellow board members. How can she express her ideas and opinions without overstepping bounda...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak share how they’re talking to the kids about tomorrow’s election. We’ll offer tips for cutting through the noise to talk civics… and also how to address the serious, nasty, and scary.  Elizabeth’s book recommendations:  V is for Voting by Kate Farrell Equality’s Call: the Story of Voting Rights in America by Deborah Diesen Usborne: Politics for Beginners  Th...

Guest Prudie Ashley C. Ford is joined by entertainment writer and comedian H. Alan Scott. Together, they answer letters from a sibling who’s trying to understand a boundary, a parent worried about how their spouse speaks to them in front of their child, and someone feeling deep regret about a lost friendship.  Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus epis...

On this episode: Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth answer a listener's question about something that happened last Halloween… when an older gentleman might’ve taken a photo of her young kid. We’ll talk about whether it’s as creepy as it sounds — and also, why Elizabeth is over Halloween.  We’ll also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails — including an update on Lucy’s mama.  Join us on Facebook and em...

Nearly half of states – 24 and Washington, D.C – have legalized recreational marijuana. As more people report regularly using it, physicians are seeing patients with alarming side effects related to their cannabis use. On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya sit down with internist and pediatrician Dr. Brittany Tayler to better understand these conditions and who could most likely get...

Katie is terrified of dying. As the youngest in a big family, she can’t stop thinking about the fact that all her loved ones may die before she does. Katie is a comedy writer who knows how to get laughs, but her obsession with death is real, and getting in the way of living. In this episode of How To!, we bring on Rachel Menzies, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Sydney and author...

This week, author and podcaster Kendra Adachi explains how she took perfectionism and strict time-management way too far and was forced to radically change her ways. Her new book is called The Plan: How to Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius, and it aims to be what most time-management books aren’t: flexible, kind, and applicable to people with busy schedules and loved ones to care for.  To learn...

We’re always getting questions about puberty. And even if we’re not dealing with a question explicitly about puberty, it seems like this topic always finds a way to come up anyway… like in last Thursday’s episode, for example. And puberty is always in the news – just this year, the NIH published research about precocious puberty caused by chemicals in personal care products. And Harvard researcher...