Life Kit: Parenting

NPR

Raising awesome kids takes help. NPR has science and experts to get you through the toughest parenting moments. Updated every time we have Life Kit episodes on parenting.Want another life hack? Try Life Kit+. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks an exclusive sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit

  • 19 minutes 38 seconds
    How to maintain your friendships after kids
    It can be tough to navigate adult friendships when kids come into the picture. Parents assume their child-free buds don't want to hang out with them, and vice versa. To overcome this divide, reporter Emily Siner speaks with three experts about what makes friendships work across parenting stages. So whether you have kids, want kids, have friends with kids, or know anyone who could have kids someday, we've got you covered.

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    6 May 2025, 7:00 am
  • 22 minutes 17 seconds
    How to raise kids in a multilingual home
    There are a lot of benefits to raising a child speaking two or more languages: a better understanding of their culture and their relatives, cognitive benefits and expanded job opportunities. But raising a kid is hard enough in one language. How can a parent be expected to do it in two or more? Reporter Julia Furlan explains that raising a kid in a multilingual household isn't a burden — it's a gift.

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    27 March 2025, 7:00 am
  • 27 minutes 12 seconds
    How to combat parental burnout
    Today's parents are more involved in their children's lives — and more stressed out — than they were two decades ago, according to an advisory from the 2024 U.S. Surgeon General. So how can they catch a break? Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle explains why parental burnout is a public health crisis and offers realistic ways to ease the pressure.

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    4 February 2025, 8:00 am
  • 21 minutes 39 seconds
    Should you let your kid quit something?
    You signed your kid up for the soccer team (or swimming lessons, or piano or art), paid the fee and now they're begging to quit! In these moments, it's difficult to know what decision will help your kid grow in the long run. Do you ask them to tough it out and develop perseverance? Or trust their emotions? In this episode, Life Kit visuals editor Beck Harlan talks to two family psychologists about what to do when your kid tells you they're never going back to that extracurricular.

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    24 October 2024, 7:00 am
  • 21 minutes 5 seconds
    Your kid is having a tantrum in public. Now what?
    Meltdowns, refusing to share, hitting other kids. Every child has bad behavior sometimes. At home, it's easier to deal with. But what about in public? Psychologist Celina Benavides explains what to do in the moment — and how to get ahead of bad behavior.

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    26 September 2024, 7:00 am
  • 17 minutes 38 seconds
    Up your lunchbox game
    Sulhee Jessica Woo's love language is packing lunch. When she sends her three kids off to school, she includes themed lunches, snacks cut into cute shapes, and sweet notes to give them some support while they're away. If you want to level up your kid's school lunches, she has some suggestions. This episode, Sulhee Jessica Woo shares advice from her new cookbook, Let's Make Some Lunch: Recipes Made with Love for Everyone.

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    17 September 2024, 7:00 am
  • 22 minutes 36 seconds
    How to help your Gen Z kid cope with their back-to-school emotions
    Today's teens struggle with perfectionism and mood swings, and their parents struggle to have hard conversations with them, according to a recent survey. Teen psychologist Lisa Damour explains how parents can better support their kids as a new school year begins.

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    27 August 2024, 7:00 am
  • 24 minutes 6 seconds
    How to babyproof your relationship
    With a baby on the way, you'll need to babyproof your home — and your relationship. In this episode, how to strengthen your connection with your partner and survive the newborn phase. Learn how to navigate fairness in domestic responsibilities, keep a cool head on little sleep, and your new roles.

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    18 July 2024, 7:00 am
  • 17 minutes 59 seconds
    Why you should connect with your kid, not correct them
    Psychologist Becky Kennedy, author of the book "Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be," urges parents to spend more time raising thoughtful humans instead of fixing their behavior. This episode originally published September 26, 2022.

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    8 July 2024, 7:00 am
  • 22 minutes 26 seconds
    Keeping intimacy alive after having a baby
    It's hard to find time for anything with a newborn at home. And in the months after having a baby, intimacy with your partner may fall to the wayside. But sex and relationship experts say that maintaining your intimate relationship with your partner is a worthwhile challenge. In this episode we'll talk strategies for reconnecting with your partner, exploring your desires, and expanding your ideas of sex and intimacy.

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    27 June 2024, 7:00 am
  • 18 minutes 4 seconds
    These water safety tips can save lives
    Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. To prevent drownings, make sure there's always a designated adult watching the water whenever kids are swimming. We'll cover other water safety tips to protect young swimmers safe this summer.

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    3 June 2024, 7:00 am
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