Parenting Roundabout

On our latest weekly roundup, Terri shares some decluttering success stories, including finding a loving home for her vintage record albums.What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building's season finale, "Opening Night" (episode 9), we learn whodunit (that is, the multiple whos who done it) and question the wisdom of having very serious conversations in the wings while a show is underway on stage. Plus, of course, the next murder in the building happens, so we're ready for season 4.On Dancing with the Stars, it was Latin Night, or as Terri called it, "Dresses with Sleeves Night." Bruno continued to impress (?) with his collection of mesh shirts, and there were quite a few enjoyable, well-done dances.​Catherine's library find this week is books on the amigurumi craft craze. Therein, you can find instructions on how to crochet everything from a doughnut-shaped unicorn to Mr. T to a whole family of dinosaurs. In the archives, we revisit episodes in which we discussed how volunteering can be a runaway train

On our latest weekly roundup, we are once again grateful that we don't have to deal with all the logistics surrounding high school events (even though we have a front-row seat to some of them).What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building's "Thirty" (episode 9), the trio started to close in on Ben's killer (killers?). We were quite proud of some of the predictions and connections we made last week, as well as those discussed over on Drinks with Broads, the Substack from the Fug Girls.We also did get the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars after all, and found it enjoyable even at two and a half hours long. So many dances! Mentioned: Jason Mraz's songs "Lucky" (featuring Colbie Caillat) and "I'm Yours."​Catherine's library find this week highlights the cozy mystery phenomenon, especially the punnily titled food-themed books. There's one for everyone!In the archives, we revisit episodes in which we discussed what cheers us up (October 8, 2020), Apple Watch features for parents (October 7, 2019, and

On our latest weekly roundup, we checked out a celebrity charity auction on eBay. Proceeds are going to support striking actors and writers, but we think the potential for awkwardness is rather high.What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "Sitzprobe" (episode 8), set at a rehearsal for Oliver's musical, was fittingly filled with drama. The highlight was Charles successfully singing the "Pickwick Triplets" patter song, which you can view on YouTube (earworm alert!!). You can also check out the lyrics on Mashable or listen on Spotify.We also previewed the 32nd season of Dancing with the Stars, which is set to premiere tonight (September 26), but is in danger of being disrupted by the aforementioned WGA strike. ​Catherine's library find this week is a two-fer: For adults, we're intrigued by a niche nonfiction title called Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close by Hannah Carlson. And for kids, who wouldn't want to read about an anthropomorphic ball of lint called Linty? That's Lint

On our latest weekly roundup, we celebrated some decluttering triumphs (even as we know this is a job that never ends).What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "CoBro" did bring us some more details that we should probably use to figure out what happened to Ben. But we were more excited by the return of some old favorites (Theo! Uma!) and a few superstar guests.Continuing our theatre theme, we checked out Ben Platt and Molly Gordon's Theater Camp, a mockumentary set at ... well, you can guess. It was fun and funny, but not exactly fresh. Mentioned: Return to Me.​Catherine's library find this week (speaking of stars) calls back to one of our previous TV watches, Parks and Recreation. Did you know there's a children's picture book called Parks and Recreation: Leslie for Class President? There is! You can also check out The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary. In the archives, we revisit episodes in which we discussed tag-team parenting (September 20, 2021), managing stress and worry (Septemb

On our latest weekly roundup, we don't have any kids in public school anymore, but we can still complain about back-to-school issues like traffic and loud robot voices.What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "Ghost Light" was entertaining but entirely expendable; we're no closer to knowing whodunit. On The Afterparty, we do now know whodunit, although we're not exactly convinced the show's writers didn't just throw a dart at the murder board and then work backwards from there.​Catherine's library find this week shifts to nonfiction for adults, with two titles of note. One is scary (100 Animals That Will F***ing End You) and one sounds like an absolute delight: Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator. It's by Keith Houston, who also wrote Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks. Terri is very disappointed that she can't listen to these immediately as audiobooks.In the archives, we revisit episodes in which we complained about

On our latest weekly roundup, we have questions about when to notice someone else's hairstyle, and what to do when someone notices yours.What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "Ah, Love!" upended two relationships and (maybe) kicked off a third, while (maybe) exonerating one suspect and lining the next one up. On The Afterparty, "Isabel" finally allowed Elizabeth Perkins to have some fun, and cast some serious shade on murder victim Edgar.​Catherine's library find this week is another questionable nonfiction series for kids: Scary Places, with titles like Creepy Castles, Eerie Parks and Playgrounds, Abandoned Insane Asylums, and many, many more.In the archives, we revisit chats on reality-show challenges for parents (September 6, 2021), making our kids' lives easier (September 5, 2019), and sibling jealousy (September 8, 2017). ​We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday. Our TV watch will cover S2 E10 of The Afterparty ("Zoe and Vivian," the season finale) and S3 E6 of Only Murders in the B

On our latest weekly roundup, we have a special guest star. Nicole is back for a cameo appearance!What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "The White Room" was not about expensive Manhattan real estate, but about stage fright (and there was a catchy song). On The Afterparty, "Feng" brought some surprising subtlety from Ken Jeong, even in the midst of a lot of TikTok videos.​Catherine's library find this week is another nonfiction series for kids that she found disturbing—actually, there are at least two series in the same vein, so we have concerns. Mentioned: "The Wolverines" on Saturday Night Live from October 11, 1975, and whether gophers and groundhogs are the same critters.In the archives, we revisit chats on our best school strategies (September 2, 2021), back-to-school emotions (September 3, 2020), and what was left out of the parenting manual (August 28, 2015). ​We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday. Our TV watch will cover S2 E9 of The Afterparty ("Isabel") and S3 E5 of Only Murde

On our latest weekly roundup, we check in on a couple of milestones: losing a landline and gaining a new capacity for passive-aggressive commentary.What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "Grab Your Hankies" brought some quite awkward efforts at investigating Ben's murder (involving hiding in curiously roomy furniture and asking transparent questions). On The Afterparty, "Ulysses" gave us a melodramatic dance movie send-up and some shady behavior from Zoe's family.Catherine's library find this week is Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker. This mystery/thriller novel's flap copy grabbed her attention with its talk of bloodthirsty, murderous four-year-olds. Yes, preschoolers!In the archives, we revisit chats on spending priorities (August 22, 2022), the costs of raising kids (August 21, 2019), and the school-supply scavenger hunt (August 27, 2014). ​We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday. Our TV watch will cover S2 E8 of The Afterparty ("Feng") and S3 E4 of Only Murders in the Building (“The Whi

On our latest weekly roundup, we check in on social events, with kids and without; at this point, sharing a fast-food lunch with a friend is a special treat.What we're watching: Only Murders in the Building is back! Season 3 started with a fake-out death and then a real murder that was, conveniently, in the building. We're looking forward to following along as our heroes solve the mystery. On The Afterparty, this week's episode, "Danner's Fire," gave us very little to go on in terms of mystery-solving, so we felt pretty cheated.Catherine's library find this week is a children's book that you have to see to appreciate. It's Lou, the story of an anthropomorphic fire hydrant.In the archives, we revisit chats on pride and parenting (August 15, 2022), college in the olden days (August 16, 2021), and kids' activities we enjoyed (August 17, 2018). ​We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday. Our TV watch will cover S2 E7 of The Afterparty ("Ulysses") and S3 E3 of Only Murders in the Building (“Grab Your Hankies”)

On our latest weekly roundup, we check in with our furry family members. Terri's dog is making friends, and Catherine's are making enemies.What we're watching: On The Afterparty, this week's episode, "Sebastian," was a heist caper, complete with double-crosses, switcheroos, and high-stakes Connect 4 games. On Brothers & Sisters, "Prior Commitments" brought us another wedding, and another secret sibling?!Catherine's library find this week is a heavy, expensive-looking coffee table book featuring black-and-white portraits of chickens accompanied by quotations from literary classics. How are the two connected? Literary Chickens leaves that up to the reader.In the archives, we revisit chats on the emptying nest (August 12, 2021), those little-kid days (August 13, 2018), and summer transitions (August 7, 2015). ​We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday. Our TV watch will cover S2 E6 of The Afterparty ("Danner's Fire") and the season premiere of Only Murders in the Building, which is back for season 3 (the

On our latest weekly roundup, we start with the unavoidable cultural onslaught that is Barbie, the movie (which allowed us to reminisce about the Barbies of our youth). Mentioned: One of Greta Gerwig's previous movies, Lady Bird, which we discussed back in 2018.What we're watching: We continue with The Afterparty's "Hannah," a pitch-perfect take on Wes Anderson films that introduces some important new information, but doesn't seem to bring us closer to discovering the killer. On Brothers & Sisters, season 2 hurtles to its conclusion by tossing out or reversing just about everyone's storyline.Catherine's library finds include one cynical pick, the Behind the Brand series for young titans of industry, and one adorable one: The fruit and veggie tales of Jared Chapman (Vegetables in Underwear, Vegetables in Pajamas, and Fruits in Suits).In the archives, we revisit chats on what's keeping us up at night (August 3, 2022), our teamwork dreams (August 4, 2021), and household hacks (August 3, 2020). Mentioned: Oat

On Parenting Roundabout's weekly roundup this week, we chat about the generational divide when it comes to laptop stickers (Terri's sticking with Gelaskins, but Catherine's pondering some individual stickers, like a young person).What we're watching: We continue with The Afterparty's "Travis," a film noir from the POV of Grace's ex, hat-wearing Travis. Then, on Brothers & Sisters, the Secret Sister plot that drove the story from almost the very first episode is upended, leaving us wondering what we've been doing this whole time.Catherine's library find brings us to the world of Amish romance novels and mysteries. Who knew? Wanda Brunstetter, for one; she's written over 100 novels set in the Amish world. In the archives, we revisit chats on competitive mom bragging (July 24, 2019), shared responsibility for projects (July 27, 2022), and family bonding (July 27, 2020).​We'll be back with a new episode next Tuesday. Our TV watch will cover S2 E4 of The Afterparty ("Hannah") and S2 E15 of Brothers and Sisters

Welcome to Parenting Roundabout 5.0! (4.0? 6.0? Who knows!) Now that we are just a duo, and the last of our collective children has turned 18, we're going to discuss parenting in a more roundabout way. Each week, we'll bring you:Parenting chat and updates, since parenting never ends. This week: a new driver and dorm décor.What we're watching, a continuation of our Round 2 episodes. This week: The Afterparty, season 2, episodes 1 and 2 ("Aniq: The Sequel" and "Grace") and Brothers & Sisters, season 2, episode 13 ("Separation Anxiety").Catherine's library finds, a new segment highlighting some of the interesting and unusual items that Catherine encounters at her workplace. This week: Les Miserables, a BabyLit French Language Primer.What were we talking about?, a stroll through our extensive archives. This week: Kids and money—some things never change—with stops at 5 Ways to Annoy Teens and Young Adults (July 21, 2022); The Slow, Bumpy Road to Independence (July 22, 2020); and Kids and Money, Money, Money (J

Nicole is leaving us (sob!), so this week she is sharing some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. Today's farewell memory comes from March 23, 2020. Remember March 2020? This is a historical document! We check in on life under lockdown in California, New Jersey, and the Midwest. We're united in our lack of toilet paper and our surplus of people in our space while we try to work.Terri and Catherine are not going away, but they will be changing up the podcast format. Tune in on Tuesday, July 18, for a new episode.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement

Nicole is leaving us (sob!), so this week she is sharing some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. Today's farewell memory comes from January 8, 2018; we've piled on a lot more episodes since then.We reflect on our 200 podcast episodes to date. My, how we've changed, and grown, and spent a whoooole lot of time talking.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement

Nicole is leaving us (sob!), so this week she is sharing some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. Today's farewell memory comes from June 13, 2022.Nicole's dog, Missy, passed away recently. Since she's been a presence on the podcast over the years, today's episode is all about Missy and her exploits. It won't be the same without her.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we followed Sally Field from Pasadena to Boston and watched the movie 80 for Brady (also starring Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Lily Tomlin). It's pure cameo-filled fantasy, but also a lot of fun.As usual, Brothers and Sisters was less fun, but both Sarah and Kevin did seem to get a win so we'll take it. Next up, S2 E13, "Separation Anxiety." We'll also get into season 2 of The Afterparty with the first two episodes (dropping July 12), "Aniq 2: The Sequel" and "Grace." After that, we'll watch one episode a week, as they drop. We'll also be dropping a new format next week, so stay tuned for that!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement

Remember last week, when Nicole mentioned driving all over the state of California? That's due to her new work schedule, and it means she won't be able to podcast with us anymore. So this week she is going to share some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. Today's farewell memory comes from April 12, 2021.It's our version of the old TLC show "A Baby Story"! Your three podcasters have three very different birth and adoption stories, each with their challenges--but all with a happy ending. Listen for our tales of hives; hyperemesis; planes, trains, and automobiles; and Johnny Depp.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's listening to the Something Was Wrong podcast on long drives. Terri's keeping her new dog clean with Well & Good Gently Clean Dental Wipes and Deodorizing Dog Wipes. And Catherine's keeping her feet happy with Allbirds Women's Tree Flyers.​Thanks as always to Jon Morin for our fun in-and-out music, which you hear on every episode.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement

An article about a mom who's taken up skateboarding to share that activity with her kids got us obsessing about how far we would (or, more likely, would not) go to get that quality time. Mentioned: The Finland Ice Marathon.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3680863/advertisement