Tangential Parenting - 008 - Don't Play Operation with Surgeons

We have another deep cut from the vault! Last summer Rachel decided I wasn't good enough as a co-host, so she press-ganged my wife, Jenny, into service. Besides bad-mouthing me, they talk about how to plan for summer, keeping kids busy while school is out, and their shared enjoyment of The Greatest Showman.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

A lively discussion between Eric and Rachel about an article from Parents.com titled, PSA: Dad is Not the Babysitter. Who knew Rachel would get upset being told that it's her fault that she does so much to raise her daughter? While Jenna Autuori Dedic tries to use her own reluctance to let go and let Dad do things around the house, we both agree it doesn't make for a good premise. It whistles past the realities that many families face and instead squarely places the blame on moms for dads who don't help parent. Rachel talks about some of those realities and why, even once circumstances change, it can be very hard to establish new roles and responsibilities around the house.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

  Want to leave your kids? (We won't judge). It can be hard, especially when it's your first time. Depending on the age, traveling without your kids can be difficult on both you and your children. Eric and Rachel talk about their very different experiences and how they coped (or helped their kids cope). As usual, they wander off to other topics. There's an exploration of Doctor Who, and Eric reveals once again how he remembers a thing, but not the details. He also makes up a podcast called Exploding Armchair, which we can only guess is a mashup of Exploding Unicorn from James Breakwell and Armchair Expert with Dax Sheppard. They also talk about Batman's nutritional deficiencies, spoiler-free Captain Marvel, and a few other things.  Remember to subscribe and rate the show.     Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

We're back! And this time, neither of us work. Rachel attempts to get Eric to talk about how things are going as a new at-home dad. Instead, Rachel learns just how bad Eric is at pop culture, SNL references, and naming movies or actors. Between the the Chim Chimney cleanse, Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, and the Zeus method of conception, they are all over the place. Eventually, Eric gets around to his at-home dad experiences, how he's coping, and the weirdness that is being a dad performing a role many people think is the realm of moms. While Eric doesn't have many stories yet, a lot of other dads do.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

It's a lost episode! While gearing up for another round of recording, Rachel found a lonely file on her computer. It turned out to be an episode we recorded back in July. We start off the rails, as usual, then talk about our experiences with potty training. My boys had just started, while Rachel's then-6 year-old had been done for a bit. We continue with some more fun and awful transitions, then end the show discussing things artists do with stuff they get from their body.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

You time. Do you get it? Or do you spend your few moments not taking care of kids, cleaning, or other chores mindless scrolling through Facebook? Get some tips on how to maximize that time, as well as learn from Rachel that as kids get older, they can join you in things like video gaming sessions or crafting. Not all hope is lost... just missing for the first 5 years or so. And in case you think it's all advice and helpfulness, we also talk about Smallville cults, cooking karma, and what surgeons do in their free time.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

Eric's new facial hair results in Rachel's declaration that we are in a mirror universe. Things go downhill from there. Topics this week include the weather, Sci-Fi vs. Fantasy, Star Trek books, the Great British Bake Off/Baking Show, lutefisk, and getting kids in the kitchen. This show is a good example of how parenting causes you to develop an attention span similar to that of your toddlers or school-age kids. *SPOILER ALERT* Starting at the 36:00 mark, the last season of Game of Thrones is discussed, so skip to ahead to 38:00, where we discuss the value of audio commentary on BluRays. *SPOILER ALERT*   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

Eric and Rachel (attempt) to discuss gardening with kids. Living up to the name of the podcast, however, things go off the rails rather quickly. Filling in the gaps between Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, and the proper technique for transitioning between topics, they talk Rachel's experience with her daughter in the garden. Eric goes over his (ill-advised) plan to have his toddlers help. We also go over Rachel's crush from Star Trek and why 'shipping is something Eric will never understand. We also learn what happened to the pigeon that Rachel was supposed to work with in college. Let's just say that when the professor gets sick for a long time, all bets are off.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

Rachel and Eric review Iowa! Not really, but they share their opinions about the state's roads and visual appeal. Iowa happened to be between a lot of destinations for them while driving with their kids. Travel with kids is a challenge, whether they are infants or preschoolers. Rachel and Eric share their experiences with car trips, what worked, and how things changed as their kids got older. They also share planning tips, and why trips take longer. When it comes to air travel, Eric takes a backseat to listen to Rachel share her many stories. She talks about flying solo with your kid, getting through security, and cautionary tales about packing.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook

Parents pour a lot of time and energy into their kids. It's what you do. But sometimes, especially for parents of young children, this can greatly alter the dynamics with your partner. Whether it's keeping the house tidy, romance, or just talking to each other, your relationship can change in ways neither of you were prepared for. Rachel and Eric discuss their own experiences with those changes and go over strategies that work (or didn't) to keep the magic alive... or at least in state of healthy hibernation.   Get The Modern Father straight to your inbox! - Sign Up The Modern Father: Website // Twitter // Facebook Starship Suburbia: Website // Twitter // Facebook