That First year

We talked with American Atheists' State Policy Specialist, Victoria Anderson, about attempts to insert religion into public schools and what you can do about it. I really appreciated Victoria's reminder to think local and remind your kids that they have rights. (One more discussion topic for the list.) Now, the links: American Atheists  You can reach Victoria at [email protected] The Secular Education Association  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We start the episode with a discussion of the great activity re-prioritization that has been going down in our house. And then we talk about talking - specifically how we've gotten into big conversations with the kids.  Now, buckle up for the links: You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty and Other Things  Lucifer  Good Omens  D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths  The Misewa Saga  Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We begin the episode with some updates on the end of summer and start of the school year. Then we discuss what it was like when the kids were babies. And we finish up talking about money and how we want to address it with the kids. Now the links: Elizabeth Newcamp on Instagram  The Alisa Childers Podcast  The Death, Sex, and Money Podcast  The Starter Trek Podcast - My only complaint with this podcast is that they keep covering episodes I haven't seen yet, so I have to skip them. The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We start the episode discussing our visit to a local Ren Faire. And then we talk about needing to be the squeaky wheel - particularly when it comes to the kids. How often do you reach out? How annoying are you willing to be? What's the emotional cost at the end? What are the possible consequences? And I realize we gave no update on Camp Quest from the last episode. Despite having to leave a day early due to sickness, both kids had a great time.  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes. The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

When we recorded this, the kids were away at Camp Quest and we had feelings. Also, we discuss Moms' plan of paying the kids to read chapter books over the summer. Finally, we talk about the deluge of social media posts about adult child estrangement.  Now the links: Camp Quest  Care and Feeding Podcast: Bribing Kids to Read?  My Favorite Thing Is Monsters  Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story  Attack of the Black Rectangles  Demon Slayer Warrior Cats Hemant Mehta on adult child estrangement  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We begin with a story about our new car trip media consumption. Then we talk about how hard it can be to be intentional in parenting. And finally discuss some of the things that we think it's important to bring up with your kids - even if they don't broach the subject first. Other things on that list for me - the dangers of the manosphere, how common suicide is and how it's incredibly important to not be afraid to ask for help if you're struggling with depression, consent, what's it's like for women in the world (especially for young men), how differently sized bodies aren't just okay but also beautiful, how hard it is to exist in capitalist systems and how the amount of money you have or can earn has no bearing on your worth as a human being - the list goes on and on. Now the links: The Allegedly Ian YouTube Channel  In Vox Machina they find the Deck of Many Things News on Nolan Wells Mr. Williams PreK post on Nolan Wells.  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We begin with a few stories about how fun it's been seeing Reader really get into their interests. Then we return patriotism and how religion gets in the way of the wackiness that makes America great. And we finish up digging into a topic inspired by an awful take on gentle parenting. But are people bad or good? I don't know if you can tell from the tone, but I don't know if Pops and I have ever disagreed more on a single topic. Now the links: The clay artist Reader has been following is North of the Border. Our previous episode about patriotism: This Land Is Your Land.  Alisa Childers Podcast: The Dark Side of Gentle Parenting (Don't listen unless you want to be very mad.) Dear Old Dads Podcast  Sword swinging sermon.  Ward of the State: A Memoir of Foster Care  For Crying Out Loud  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We begin the episode talking about the decision on whether Jaeger will skip fifth grade. And then we run through our feelings on secular traditions and how we feel about adapting religious traditions in a secular way. And finally, we check in with Jaeger himself. Now the links: Data Over Dogma's episode with Jeremy Steele talking about his book, Rituals for Heretics  Institute for Secular Leadership  Relax, It's Just God  Your Career Homecoming  Sunday Assembly  Oasis Care and Feeding  One Line a Day Journal The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10!), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes. The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We interviewed Steve Ghikadis about his book, Humanism from the Heart. We talked a lot about humanism, curiosity, reaching out to have conversations with people who don't agree with you, and so much more. And then we finished up with a little story about Jaeger and humanism. Now the links: Steve Ghikadis  Humanism from the Heart Steve on Facebook  Recovering From Religion  Sunday Assembly   Oasis The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (10!), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.  

We begin the episode talking about some big decisions for Jaeger. Then we answer a listener's question about Patriotism. Or do we? I ended that discussion with so much more to say. And I forgot to mention the National Parks! And then we included a little more with Alastair Lichten, a humanist activist and community organiser, about when kids want to speak up about politics and other sensitive issues. Now the links: A Humanist Dad  A Humanist Dad on Facebook Under the Influence with Jo Piazza's episode: Gen Z Men Are Getting More Conservative. What the Hell Happened?  Janelle Hanchett's Substack  Fred Smith's Concrete Park  The Family Skeptical: We're a married atheist couple raising two wonderful, strange children. We ask big questions, dissect weird parenting moments, and examine how society ignores or misrepresents families like ours. If you're any stripe of non-believer who's involved in raising children, welcome! You are our people. Our kids are Reader (12) and Jaeger (9), and if you want to find out how we arrived at these peculiar pseudonyms, go back to Episode 1 and 61. Please reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us everything we got wrong. This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. See a list of our episodes here. Follow us on Instagram @thefamilyskeptical for more weird stories that Moms can't figure out how to fit into episodes.  The Family Skeptical Cover Photo is by Jesse Valvasori Photography  Our theme music is by Jonathan Zalben and First Frame Music  Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe and tell a friend to check us out.