Why play is key for child development with Dr. Kathy Hirsch-Pasek

Finding Calm in Summer Parenting with Courtney Phillips Spoehr

Courtney Phillips Spoehr, senior creative executive at Calm, joins Melissa and Esther to talk about summer parenting stress and the pressure of the “18 summers” mindset. This conversation explores what real summer parenting looks like behind the highlight reel—from juggling work meetings, summer camps, and travel logistics to the guilt of not feeling present enough amid the overstimulation of the season. They unpack the cultural pressure to “make every summer magical” and how that expectation often clashes with parents’ mental health and capacity. Each mom shares honest reflections on staying regulated in hard moments, what repair looks like after losing patience with your kids, and how it’s okay to grieve that things aren’t always as easy as we’d hoped. Despite the pressure to create the best family memories, they point out how these often happen in the unplanned in-between moments. By protecting alone time and having realistic expectations, we can feel more present for the meaningful moments we’ve been chasing all along. Learn more about our summer campaign with Calm: https://playpokpok.com/blog/this-summer-myth-gives-parents-core-memory-anxiety/ Write in to us at hello@parentingapparently.com Subscribe and follow Parenting, Apparently, a podcast by Melissa Cash, Esther Huybreghts, and the Pok Pok team: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingApparently] Pok Pok YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@studiopokpok?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playpokpok] Pok Pok helps raise the next generation of creative thinkers through non-addictive digital tools that encourage kids to think outside the box and learn through play. Learn more: https://playpokpok.com ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Donor Conception & Answering Kids Honestly with Freya Lyon

Freya Lyon — known online as The Queer Mama — joins Melissa for a chat about queer parenting, donor conception, and how to answer kids’ questions honestly about identity, death, and their bodies. Freya grew up donor-conceived in a two-mom family and is now raising her own two donor-conceived children with her wife, offering a second-generation perspective on queer family building. In this episode, the pair explore raising children when the world outside the home doesn’t always reflect their values — inspired by Freya’s personal example of her daughter’s school potentially pulling back LGBTQ+ inclusion. Freya shares how she’s navigating advocating for her family while not wanting to become “that parent at the school gates,” or intrude on her child’s safe space and autonomy. They also cover topics like: * Does being honest with kids help or confuse them more? * Why Freya’s post about donor conception honesty went viral * The intentionality that comes with creating queer families * Book recommendations for talking to kids about diversity and inclusion Follow Freya at: https://www.instagram.com/thequeermama/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/thequeermama/?hl=en] And check out her book recommendations: Mai Story Book Library - https://www.instagram.com/maistorybooklibrary/ [https://www.instagram.com/maistorybooklibrary/] Lucy Catchpole - https://thecatchpoles.net/books-by-lucy-and-james-catchpole/ [https://thecatchpoles.net/books-by-lucy-and-james-catchpole/] Nosy Crow - https://nosycrow.us/ [https://nosycrow.us/] Julia Donaldson - https://www.juliadonaldson.co.uk/ [https://www.juliadonaldson.co.uk/] Write in to us at hello@parentingapparently.com Subscribe and follow Parenting, Apparently, a podcast by Melissa Cash, Esther Huybreghts, and the Pok Pok team: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingApparently] Pok Pok YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@studiopokpok?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playpokpok] Pok Pok helps raise the next generation of creative thinkers through non-addictive digital tools that encourage kids to think outside the box and learn through play. Learn more: https://playpokpok.com ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How Boredom Led to a Global Line of Family Games with Elan Lee

This week on Parenting, apparently, Esther and Melissa sit down with Elan Lee, the award-winning game designer, storyteller, co-creator of Exploding Kittens, and, most importantly, a dad. Elan shares how becoming a parent changed the way he thinks about play, creativity, and game design—including how his 4-year-old daughter helped him create a successful line of preschool games. Together, they explore what makes a games fun for both kids and adults, why children are often the best collaborators in creative game design, and how play can help kids build confidence, executive function, problem-solving skills, and emotional resilience. From board games and puzzles to pizza-making, boundaries, and the joy of watching your child get better at something, this episode is a thoughtful conversation about family play, child-led creativity, play-based learning, and designing experiences that respect our kids’ intelligence. To learn more about Elan Lee: https://www.elanlee.com/ And follow his Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElanLee And find his games: https://www.explodingkittens.com/ Write in to us at hello@parentingapparently.com Subscribe and follow Parenting, Apparently, a podcast by Melissa Cash, Esther Huybreghts, and the Pok Pok team: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingApparently] Pok Pok YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@studiopokpok?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playpokpok] Pok Pok helps raise the next generation of creative thinkers through non-addictive digital tools that encourage kids to think outside the box and learn through play. Learn more: https://playpokpok.com ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why play is key for child development with Dr. Kathy Hirsch-Pasek

In this episode of Parenting, Apparently, Esther and Melissa sit down with developmental psychologist Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek to talk about why play is one of the most powerful ways children learn. From everyday moments like walking to daycare or waiting at a restaurant, to bigger questions about screen time, school readiness, and achievement pressure, they explore how parents can bring more curiosity, connection, and play into daily life without added stress. Dr. Kathy shares why kids do not need perfect parents, flashcards, or constant milestone tracking to thrive. Instead, she makes the case for open-ended play, human interaction, and child-friendly environments that support creativity, language, problem-solving, and emotional development. For parents wondering how to help their kids learn without turning childhood into a race, this episode offers a grounded, science-backed reminder: play is not extra. Play is the work. Learn more about Dr. Kathy's work: https://kathyhirshpasek.com/ [https://kathyhirshpasek.com/] And find her book: Einstein Never Used Flashcards [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/594245/einstein-never-used-flash-cards-revised-edition-by-kathy-hirsh-pasek-phd-and-roberta-michnick-golinkoff-phd-with-diane-eyer-phd/] Check out the study she mentions on human excellence and world class performance by Barth and Güllich: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41411418/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41411418/] And her book recommendation "Raising Humans" by Dana Suskind: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/811792/human-raised-by-dana-suskind-md/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/811792/human-raised-by-dana-suskind-md/] Write in to us at hello@parentingapparently.com Subscribe and follow Parenting, Apparently, a podcast by Melissa Cash, Esther Huybreghts, and the Pok Pok team: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingApparently] Pok Pok YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@studiopokpok?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playpokpok] Pok Pok helps raise the next generation of creative thinkers through non-addictive digital tools that encourage kids to think outside the box and learn through play. Learn more: https://playpokpok.com ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Building More Intentional Kids’ Tech with Ben Drury of Yoto

This week on Parenting, Apparently, Esther and Melissa speak with Ben Drury, co-founder and CEO of Yoto, the screen-free audio platform for kids designed to support independence, imagination, and choice in what children listen to. Together, they explore what it means to design intentional media for kids, how their own parenting experiences shape their views on children’s technology, and reflecting on growing up with different forms of media. The conversation moves beyond business into the real parenting questions behind products like Yoto and Pok Pok: how kids develop taste, why audio can support autonomy, and how families navigate screen time in a world of AI-generated content and addictive algorithms. Ben also shares how Montessori thinking and his experience as a parent shaped his approach to building for children. For parents thinking about balancing calm screen time for kids, screen-free activities, and more thoughtful children’s media, this episode explores how different types of technology can support a healthier relationship with tech as kids grow. To learn more about Yoto; https://www.yotoplay.com Write in to us at hello@parentingapparently.com Subscribe and follow Parenting, Apparently, a podcast by Melissa Cash, Esther Huybreghts, and the Pok Pok team: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingApparently] Pok Pok YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@studiopokpok?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playpokpok] Pok Pok helps raise the next generation of creative thinkers through non-addictive digital tools that encourage kids to think outside the box and learn through play. Learn more: https://playpokpok.com ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.