Parenting, apparently

Have you ever felt like the thing you really want for Mother’s Day is not flowers or macaroni art but… a break from your parental duties?Melissa Cash and Esther Huybreghts are back for a new season of “Parenting, apparently” (FKA “We’re Doing Great). This new name embodies the kinds of honest conversations they feel we could all use more of—like acknowledging the complicated feelings around Mother’s Day. They explore what it means to be a mom while also trying to stay connected to the person underneath it all. Like how this experience is affected by everything from their respective countries, hormonal changes, and career ambitions, to more systemic factors like parental leave.In the spirit of this new season, you will not be sold solutions or spewed off advice, but rather given permission to accept that there is nothing to solve. The uncertainty and constant evolution is parenthood, and normalizing that is how we find more peace on the journey.If you’re interested in the research Melissa mentioned from the TED Talk with Susana Carmona, Michael Feigelson, and Lee Gettler, you can explore more here:The Maternal Brain ProjectSusana's writingsDecreased Testosterone in Fathers Study

What happens when you stop directing your child's play and simply let them lead?In this episode, Esther sits down solo with multidisciplinary artist and mom Mills Brown to explore the deep, sometimes surprising, places where play, creativity, and parenthood overlap. You'll hear about Mills's sensory play sessions for children as young as six months at Modern Art Oxford, her upcoming solo exhibition, and the Montessori philosophy that shapes everything she does, including why the most powerful thing you can do in a play environment is step back and say nothing at all. Whether you've been wondering how to nurture your own creativity or simply how to make more space for truly free, open-ended play at home, this conversation is warm, curious, and full of gentle reminders that you're doing better than you think.Mills Brown is a multidisciplinary artist whose work lives at the intersection of painting, illustration, animation, and sculpture, with play as the thread that ties it all together. She's the Producer of Early Years and Young People at Modern Art Oxford, where she creates sensory play experiences for children as young as six months old, and is the creator of the upcoming immersive solo exhibition Where We Overlap. She's also a mom to an 18-month-old, which means her studio, her gallery, and her living room all tend to blur into one big creative experiment.Thank you to Mills Brown for being on our show!Learn more about Mills at https://www.millsbrownart.com/ or by following her Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mills_brown_

How much of your parenting anxiety is influenced by what you read and see online?Melissa Cash and Esther Huybreghts sit down with Vanessa Grant to explore how parenting has become something you do in public. They unpack the pressure created by media, social platforms, and endless advice, and how it affects the way you show up for your child. You will walk away with permission to tune out the noise and trust your instincts more.Vanessa Grant is the editor in chief of Today’s Parent, where she blends journalism, data, and real parent needs to shape modern parenting conversations.Thank you to Vanessa Grant for being on our show!Learn more about Vanessa and Today's Parent: https://www.todaysparent.com/

Are you carrying invisible responsibilities that no one else even realizes exist?If your brain feels like it has forty tabs open at once, this episode will feel painfully familiar in the best possible way. Melissa and Esther have an honest, funny, and thoughtful conversation about the invisible labor of parenting, the resentment that can build around it, and the ways parents sometimes add pressure to their own plates. You will walk away with a sharper way to think about mental load, more compassion for yourself, and a few simple ideas for talking about it at home.

Can you love your kids deeply and still wonder what life without them would have looked like?This episode is an honest, funny, and unexpectedly deep conversation about what motherhood asks of you and what it gives back. You will hear Melissa and Esther talk through the daily chaos of raising young kids, the tension between work and family, and the quiet questions many parents carry but rarely say out loud. If you have ever wondered whether you are handling the mess, the guilt, and the love of parenting “right,” this conversation will feel both comforting and refreshingly real.

Are you parenting with confidence, or parenting with commentary from the entire internet in your head?What happens when you put a 90-year-old great-grandmother, a 60-something mom, and a toddler-raising millennial at the same table and ask them what “being a good parent” actually means?You will hear what motherhood felt like between the 1950s and the 1990s, before Google, before gentle parenting scripts, and before everyone was performing family life online—and you just might walk away feeling lighter about your own.Melissa’s Bubbie, Falia Marcus, and mom, Debbie Cash, join for a three-generation conversation about motherhood, boundaries, and what has changed over time. With decades of lived parenting experience, Debbie and Faila offer perspective on confidence, common sense, and raising kids without constant outside input.Find the Gentle Parenting video mentioned in this episode here: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSmHBmqgC/

Could the limits we place on neurodiverse kids, like screen time or alternative learning, actually be the very tools helping neurodiverse children thrive?When it comes to autism awareness advocacy, there is a growing need for understanding, support, and inclusive practices in our society. As more individuals are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is crucial that we take the necessary steps to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for neurodiverse individuals. In this episode, you’ll learn how to better support neurodiverse kids, use tools that help them grow and communicate, and create environments where they feel understood and able to thrive. Sara Southard joins Melissa and Esther to share her experience raising an autistic daughter, using technology to support language and regulation, and teaching families and kids to be more inclusive and supportive of neurodiverse children.Sara Southard is a devoted advocate for autism awareness, drawing on her experience as both an elementary educator and a mother to foster understanding and acceptance.Thank you to Sara Southard for being on our show!Learn more about Sara and Amazing Autistic Abby: https://www.amazingautisticabby.com/Follow Sara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amazing.autistic.abby/Shop Amazing Autistic Abby: https://www.amazingautisticabby.com/shop

How can connection lead to more cooperation from your toddlers?Toddlerhood can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be a constant battle. In this episode, you’ll learn how play, connection, and mindset shifts can transform everyday challenges into opportunities for growth. Devon Kuntzman joins Melissa and Esther and shares practical tools to help you navigate tantrums, transitions, and big emotions while building trust and resilience with your child.Devon Kuntzman is the creator of Transforming Toddlerhood, an author, and a trusted guide for parents navigating the toddler years with more connection and confidence.Thank you to Devon Kuntzman for being on our show!Learn more about Devon and Transforming Toddlerhood: https://www.transformingtoddlerhood.com/Follow Devon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformingtoddlerhood/Get Devon’s book, Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums, End Power Struggles, and Raise Resilient Kids, Without Losing Your Mind: https://www.transformingtoddlerhood.com/book/