parenting

National

Need A Child Care Subsidy? This Mom Would Tell You Not To Hold Your Breath

5:01pm May 27, 2019

by Katie Orr

Nationwide, the demand for subsidized child care exceeds the supply: Only 1 in 6 eligible kids actually get subsidies. In Sacramento, mom Jacquelyne Gettone has been on the waiting list for a decade.

Queue Listen Now

Hitting puberty at age 7 or 8 — a couple years earlier than average — can cause long-lasting anxiety for kids. But the right kind of parental support can help.

How To Help A Kid Survive Early Puberty

9:41am May 16, 2019

by Juli Fraga

Around 15% of girls begin menstruation by age 7. The challenges of puberty can rock anybody, but being the first of your friends to go through it can be especially stressful. Good parenting helps.

"We go into parenting expecting something like parity ... but it doesn't manifest," says psychologist Darcy Lockman. "Our expectations are really not being met and that leads to a lot of anger."

Books
Arts

'All The Rage' Isn't About Moms Having It All — It's About Moms Doing It All

8:25am May 12, 2019

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Psychologist Darcy Lockman says there's been progress since the 1950s, but equal partnerships are a long way off. Her book All the Rage explores uneven distribution of childcare and domestic labor.

Queue Listen Now

What My Mother And I Don't Talk About, edited by Michele Filgate

Books
Arts

What Don't You Talk About With Your Mom?

6:01am May 01, 2019

by Danielle Kurtzleben

A book of essays from a diverse, accomplished array of writers reveals the ways our mothers fail us and we fail them — and poses the question of how much a tough conversation could close those rifts.

Nanaville: Adventures In Grandparenting, by Anna Quindlen

Books

In 'Nanaville,' Anna Quindlen Writes Of Her Adventures In Grandparenting

7:53am April 24, 2019

by Heller McAlpin

For decades, Quindlen has been channeling Baby Boomers' concerns, from motherhood and life-work balance to aging and downsizing. Her new book comes with a stern warning: Grandparents, know thy place.

How do you tell the good parenting advice from the bad? When producer Selena Simmons-Duffin's daughter was ready to start solid food, her parents encountered wildly conflicting advice about what to feed her.

Drowning In Parenting Advice? Here's Some Advice For That

4:43pm April 23, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

In her new book, Cribsheet, economist Emily Oster offers a lifeline to parents overwhelmed by contradictory parenting guidance. She offers a data-driven, and common-sense, approach to raising a baby.

Disciplining Kids Without Yelling: Readers Tell Us Their Tricks

3:19pm April 20, 2019

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Our readers share ways to get your children to listen without raising your voice — sometimes without saying a word.

Student Journalists

A Fatherless Void

1:58pm March 15, 2019

by Samiya Arrington

According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, one in four children under the age of 18 are being raised by single mothers.

For younger kids, understanding why their family structure is different than their classmates or friends can be particularly challenging.

Radio 101 student Samiya Arrington shares her experience growing up without her father.

Queue Listen Now

Inuit parents value the playful side of kids even when disciplining them. Above: Maata Jaw and daughter.

How Inuit Parents Teach Kids To Control Their Anger

3:51pm March 13, 2019

At the top of the world, the Inuit culture has developed a sophisticated way to sculpt kids' behavior without yelling or scolding. Could discipline actually be playful?

Given supportive, nurturing conditions, highly reactive "orchid" children can thrive when tackling challenges, pediatrician and author Thomas Boyce says, especially if they have the comfort of a regular routine.

Is Your Child An Orchid Or A Dandelion? Unlocking The Science Of Sensitive Kids

7:34pm March 04, 2019

by Dave Davies

Some kids seem resilient from the start — readily able, like dandelions, to cope with stress and adversity. But pediatrician Thomas Boyce says biologically reactive kids need more support to thrive.

Queue Listen Now