Parenting Roundabout

While Terri waits for her central air to be repaired, she's collecting tips on how to hack some chill, or just general gripes about the difficulty of keeping one's cool when things get hot. (Mentioned: our earlier episode on Thermostat Wars [https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18922528].)

We complain about a kid being rejected for a credit card (come on, Kohl's! Otherwise, we love you!) and discuss how and when they should start building that all-important credit history. Mentioned: The "I have a credit card" scene from The Sure Thing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8APe-KV0vIM].

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, we're all about the tea. Terri's drinking a delicious chamomile blend from Gold River Trading Company [https://goldriverco.com/products/tea-bags?variant=42900815577316], and Catherine's listening to Normal Gossip [https://defector.com/introducing-normal-gossip-a-podcast-where-we-will-gossip-as-a-treat/], a podcast that spills the tea on people she's never met. It's surprisingly satisfying!

A British outdoor education company created a calculator that lets you determine how many times you'll say "No" to your kids by the time they turn 16 [https://www.pgl.co.uk/yesparent]. While that ship has sailed for us. we do think that using your "no"s wisely is a sound parenting strategy.

Terri spotted an article titled "Dads are often IT guys when couples divide chores" [https://www.wsj.com/articles/dads-are-often-it-guys-when-couples-divide-chores-11655520474], and she laughed, then cried, then complained--because she's the only IT guy in her house, and she's not getting paid enough.

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Only Murders in the Building is back for season 2, and we're in. We have to show solidarity with our fellow podcasters, right? And also, Shirley MacLaine! Next: Season 2, episode 3, "The Last Day of Bunny Folger" (episodes drop on Tuesdays on Hulu, so listen to our discussions to prepare you for what's next).We're also going to return to the Mike Schur-iverse (since we are fans of Parks and Recreation and The Good Place) and watch Rutherford Falls on Peacock. While season 2 of that is out now as well, we'll start with season 1, episode 1, humbly titled "Pilot."

On this Independence Day, we talk about declaring our independence from holiday rituals and traditions that don't work for our families. Like, you know, fireworks (loud! flashy! lots of waiting around! No thanks).

Catherine and Terri ponder whether they prefer trying out new TV, movies, and books or revisiting beloved favorites. Doesn't help that it's never been easier to find that old stuff, or just watch memorable scenes on YouTube over and over and over again.

Thanks to this roundup of campaign slogans from moms [https://wokesloth.com/mom-campaign-slogans/masha/], we brainstormed our own (Nicole had a little help from SloganGenerator.org) before deciding we probably—no, definitely—do not want any job we'd have to campaign for.

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine shouts out Shout--specifically, Shout Color Catchers [https://www.shoutitout.com/en-us/products/color-catcher-dye-trapping-sheet]. These dye-trapping sheets will save your red-and-white clothes from a pink future. Terri's recommending a cute children's book [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/stanley-the-dog-the-first-day-of-school-bobby-bones?variant=40051461685282] from her fave Bobby Bones, starring his bulldog Stanley.

Terri's family recently said a sad goodbye to their 21-year-old Jeep. Yet they shed nary a tear over the loss of a similarly dependable and long-tenured toaster. So we obsessed about what makes some objects meaningful, while others can be kicked to the curb without a second thought. Mentioned: The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park, where you can visit cool objects like old-fashioned typewriters [https://www.menloparkmuseum.org/].

Wall Street Journal columnist Julie Jargon reeled us right in with a story titled "Moms are struggling with burnout. Is it more work to let dads help?" [https://www.wsj.com/articles/moms-are-struggling-with-burnout-is-it-more-work-to-let-dads-help-11654314523?st=jsdxio4of2nvye6&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink]. That headline was all we needed to share our own rants about the division of labor in our homes.

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Girls5Eva season 2 ends with a knock-down, drag-out fight between two unlikely characters, and it's a joy to behold (and is being added to "Janet Kicks Some Demon Butt" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJoJaRHtwhc] on Terri's fire-me-up playlist. This show is a delight and we're in for season 3 if there is one. Mentioned: Interviews with Renee Elise Goldsberry to read [https://www.vulture.com/article/renee-elise-goldsberry-girls5eva-season-two-interview.html] and listen to [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-story-details/id1625012023].Next: Another show we enjoyed is back for season 2: Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. We'll start with the first episode, "Persons of Interest."

Dancing With the Stars pro Sharna Burgess recently did a sexy maternity photo shoot [https://www.today.com/parents/parents/brian-austin-green-sharna-burgess-maternity-shoot-rcna31473], so that got us talking about whether we'd ever want to do the same (uh, no) and what other milestones should be commemorated by a professional with a big camera. (And if you want to hear Catherine talk about her super non-sexy pregnancy rash, that episode is here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/parentingroundabout/how-we-became-mom.)

Nicole brought to our attention an article about American Dream Miami [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5862329/USs-biggest-mall-gets-ahead-Florida.html], soon to be the biggest mall in America, but not exactly our dream of the perfect mall. We'd skip the amusement park rides and ice-climbing wall and focus on things like roaming nail technicians, golf carts, and the ability to shop in peace. (Mentioned: Mall of America [https://mallofamerica.com/], West Edmonton Mall [http://www.wem.ca/], and American Dream Meadowlands [https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2018/05/american_dream_megamall_opening_next_year.html], coming soon to Terri's neighborhood, yikes.)

Today, true confessions about obsessions: Not ours, but those of our husbands. Catherine's and Nicole's partners are kindred spirits with a similar level of extra-ness when it comes to kitchen gadgets. Terri's, meanwhile, is happy with an old TV show—but he needs to watch every single one, thank you very much.

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine reviews two airplane-watch-quality movies: Death on the Nile and House of Gucci (mostly, she's just proud to have watched two relatively new movies). Terri shouts out Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Breaking Fences, a book by Walker Hayes and Craig Allen Cooper that inspired an episode of the podcast a few weeks back. Mentioned: The Tender Bar, a movie we watched for Round 2, and the book that it's based on. Visit https://parentingroundabout.com for links to everything discussed.

Nicole is away this week, and Catherine and Terri are feeling the effects of having been away (read: a ton of extra work). So this week, we're talking, complaining and obsessing about jobs and work by revisiting, and updating, some past discussions on that topic. Today, we return to a question we first asked in September, 2021: "What's your retirement plan?"

Nicole is away this week, and Catherine and Terri are feeling the effects of having been away (read: a ton of extra work). So this week, we're talking, complaining and obsessing about jobs and work by revisiting, and updating, some past discussions on that topic. Today, we hop back to "The Work-Life Seesaw," from July 2020, and see how it's going on that teeter-totter today.

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we're into the second half of Girls5Eva season 2, and the girls are busy working on their album. Also getting questionable cosmetic procedures, pursuing questionable theories about their lost bandmate Ashley, and staging a questionable Star Search rematch with Mario Cantone. Plus, Daniel Breaker finally gets to sing! Next: The final two episodes of this season, "Returnity" and "Tour Mode."