In this episode, we discuss SO MANY THINGS including the pros and cons of sending your kid to school sick (1:00), daycare correspondence (5:45), the endless sick loop (7:30), wanting to quit life (13:00) how to parent through grief/sadness/depression/etc. (15:00) and freezing your kids poop (25:00). 

03: In sickness.

In today’s episode, we candidly discuss all things infertility related (shame, sadness, self-loathing, desperation, price tag, twins, causes, etc.), suddenly becoming “geriatric” and “high risk" at age 35, and the fear of having another baby after having a difficult time the first go round. 

05: When Are You Having Another One?

In this week’s episode, we talk to YA author, Jennifer Mathieu, about her family's conscious decision to only have one child. Stephanie is on the fence, so Jennifer debunks many popular one-child myths and we pro/con the one-child choice. We also talk candidly about the dark days of early motherhood and the transition back to yourself. Jennifer explains how motherhood actually made her more productive and gives us tips on how to be a super human who is able to write four novels, hold down a full-time job, and raise a bad-ass 5 year old at the same time. We love her. Enjoy!

P.S. If you guys love us, please follow us on Twitter. We have 14 followers. It’s pathetic. 

06: One and Done

In this week's episode, Steph and Abby talk about the horrors of what happens when the lights go out - your kids not sleeping. How do parents deal with sleep challenges? Should we let our kids cry it out? Attend to their every whimper? Get a yoga mat and sleep on the floor next to their cribs? Should you just take an Ambien, go meet the Ambien Walrus and sleep through the cries? Steph and Abby discuss all of this and how you make mimosas from Orange Fanta. Zzzzzz


10: Go the Eff To Sleep (Please)

In this week’s episode, Abby and Steph are schooled by Houston celebrity Tamarie Cooper who recently survived the complicated  process of getting her kid into Kindergarten.  Tamarie answers all of our burning school-related questions. Like, how do you get your kid into a “good" school? What makes a school “good”? Will our zoned school suffice? What’s a magnet school? What’s a vanguard school? What’s a lottery? Do we need to get a tutor from Dubai for our two-year-olds? Does any of this really matter? If our kids don't get into the school of Mommy's dreams, will they wind up broke and living in a dumpster? Find out all this and more on today’s episode. While the examples provided are mostly Houston-centric, we believe this stuff is happening everywhere and is relevant to any parent. Time to get schooled!


11: Schooled On School

This week Steph and Abby continue to learn about the ins and outs of public education from guest Tamarie Cooper. Can your parenting style ever match the school you send your kids to? And what the hell is up with all the testing going on these days? Are we all just forced to deal or perhaps you can be a rebel and fight the system? After the break, Abby chats with professor and anti-STAAR test advocate Sam Brower, whose daughter opted out of taking standardized tests this year. He talks about why his family made this choice and how your kid can, too. For the highlight reel, Iris pees on the floor. 


13: This Is Only A Test (Schooled on School, pt. 2)

This week, Steph and Abby welcome back (with open arms) their respective husbands! With so much parenting going on all the time, the two couples take a moment to try and reconnect (on a podcast with children screaming in the background). They challenge themselves by taking the very popular NY Times "The 36 Questions That Lead to Love" quiz and the results are ... well... listen and let them know! At the very least, you'll get a good laugh and at the very best, they hope, you might become motivated to reconnect with your own significant other. 

30: I Love My Spouse, Part 2

This week Steph and Abby welcome Maryocéane Guy (AKA Mary) to the show to discuss a number of crucial topics. For one, Mary is a single mom with an adorable 3-year old. She is also an amazing person, with an absurdly-leveled head about it all and a great approach to parenting. She chats about what it's like to be a single mom and how you date with a child (not go out on dates with your child, obvs). Do you put your kids on your Tinder profile or leave that bit of info until later? Also, the three talk about posting images of your kid online in general and then Abby gets all sci-fi/doomsday on everyone. It's a lovely conversation that Steph and Abby wished could have gone on forever! Hopefully you do too. And then you can write that on iTunes.

54: Single Moms (and Dads!) Rock

This week, in between the rambles, Staph and Abby try and figure out what it means to "have rules." When implementing them and setting boundaries--such as no TV--who is really being punished? What is a strict rule anyway? Like no eating food from the garbage can or... is that OK to break sometimes when no one is looking? Also, it's Mother's Day and the ladies chat about the things they want most. Sleep. That's all they want. They also want you to share Hands Off Parents with the other parents in your life!

57: Do You Have Any Rules In Your House?

This week, Abby wanted to get some advice from Steph about whether or not she's messing up two kids at once. How do you encourage one kid to make good choices while not making the other feel bad because he's already making them? Do you scold the one and praise the other, praise the one and then reward the other or do you reward the one and... dah!!! Steph offers some good thoughts on the topic--this is not just about twins but siblings as well. What do you think about this? Send them an email at handsoffparents@gmail.com or leave a comment on their FB page!

58: Messing Up Two Kids At Once

This week Steph and Abby discuss a Medium post that's been floating around for a while about a woman writing about her summer of sobriety and being a woman in a drunk world. Abby wants to chat about the parent angle to this story --- being a mom or dad in an alcohol-fueled world. Do we "need" to drink to make our lives better as parents? Are we trying to fit into some sort of cultural model of parenthood (moms drink wine, dads drink beer) or do some of us just want a drink? Is that OK? You tell us - handsoffparents@gmail.com

66: Mommy Juice

This week, Steph and Abby welcome the lovely Monica Danna to the show to discuss how she does it all (be a mom, a wife, juggle many jobs, community organizer, showering), and they are pleased to find out that she doesn't! Monica shares her absolutes and the things that she's dropped to the waste side (like laundry). It's refreshing to say the least. Drop the ladies some reviews on iTunes!

79: How Does She Do It?

Despite their better judgement, Steph and Abby decided to weigh in on the Aziz Ansari media storm. (Cue thunder) The ladies discuss why this particular case resonated so much with so many different voices and how they might think about this from a parenting perspective. It's a challenging conversation but an important one to have, they decide. And they also decide they are old, like "get off our lawns" old. Tell them how you might use this event in your parenting.

85: Fine, We'll Weigh In

This week Steph and Abby discuss anxiety, what it is, how it manifests, and all the ways parents pass it down to their children. Is it inevitable that our kids will get all the crazies that we have? Or is it possible to be mindful of the anxieties we are fostering in our children? Or maybe they are just being anxious over anxieties? Share your own anxieties on their Facebook page!

86: Passing Down Anxiety

With the conclusion of two major holidays, Steph and Abby get into a discussion of how religion plays a role in parenting. Steph grew up with one religion, but Abby grew up with none really--just a lot of holidays that overlapped and contradicted. How do you raise your own kids when you are unsure of where you stand? What do parents coming from multiple religious backgrounds do? How do you instill religious traditions without the religion part? Lots of questions! Give the ladies some answers on their Facebook page,

92: Gaining My Religion?

This week Abby shares some highlights from a recent road trip that her family took to Marfa, Texas. Sixteen total hours in the car with two kiddos, and she lives to tell the tale! Steph spent the weekend stuck in the house, making space for her new baby. Together, the ladies figure out that parents regularly need to take AND make space to keep our sanity. How do you make and take space? Let us know in the comments!

94: Making and Taking Space

The summer of maternity continues! This week Abby welcomes back Dennis Draper, a foster parent to a troubled teen. Dennis shares his touching story about the challenges to raising a teen, a foster, and a child that has mental health issues. These are all tough topics but so important to discuss. Mental Health issues are no joke. If you have any that you would like to share, post to the @handsoffparents Facebook page.

abigail koenig's Album

100: Parenting Through Mental Health

The summer of maternity rolls on! This week, Abby welcomes back the lovely Annie Stein. Annie is an old-pro at how to deal with a crew of kids over the summer, and she shares her tips. As helpful as this, Abby has way more questions for Annie that deal with control—of your kids, your life, your friendships? The ladies decide that summer is tough with kids, and, oh yeah, life with kids in general. What are you doing this summer?! Maybe writing a review on iTunes? That sounds awesome.

101: Summer: The Best of Times; The Worst of Times

This week Steph and Abby chat about a New York Times piece that's been making the rounds about parenting in a time of fear. This kicks off a lively and scattered conversation about leaving your kids in the car, shaming moms into thinking that they are not good enough and feeling bad about yourself in general. And organizational systems or the lack thereof. Oh, you forgot that Steph and Abby meander in their conversations? Well, welcome back!

Meander at them on their Facebook page!

106: Parenting Through Fear (or Shame?)

Are your kids back to school yet? Did you breathe a sigh of relief or is the back to school craziness making you...er... crazy? This week, Steph and Abby are joined by mother of 25 and all around amazing parent, Annie Stein. The three women share their first week of school successes and failures, among other back to school topics (make lunch the night before or...?) Share your own back to school stories on their Facebook page.

HOPE

108: Back to School Part Deux

This week, Abby breaks down a bit in her frustrations with disciplining her kids. What should you do to channel all of that kid rage? Why do you feel like you're being held hostage in your own home? How do you get kids to listen when you don’t even know how to talk to them? If only there was a book! Steph reminds her that there is and Abby should listen to this podcast named Hands Off Parents. So should you!

109: Dis-cipline

This week Steph and Abby discuss a recent Atlantic essay about throwing away your child’s art work. There’s just too much of it! But the question always remains: What to keep and what to toss? And are we keeping certain things in an attempt to hold onto the ephemeral nature of childhood or do we really want to preserve yet another picture of a stick figure with over-sized ears? What does it all mean on a deeper level? Is it really about a fear of our own mortality??? OH YES THEY DIVE DEEP TODAY, FRIENDS! They also talk about what we trash and treasure in our own lives. How do we as parents make room for what really matters? Let us know what you trash and treasure in the comments. And then go over to iTunes and write us a glowing review so we can treasure you. We also have a new Facebook group for "hands off parents." Find us and join today!

110: Trash or Treasure?

This week Steph and Abby are Thrilled (with a capital T) to welcome Marlon Hall to the show. Marlon is a renaissance man with a zillion jobs and talents: anthropologist, yoga teacher, lecturer, director of an arts nonprofit, AND he is a father. He also happens to have an amazing outlook on life and a tuned-in approach to parenting and being mindful. The ladies have been in a bad place of late, and they welcome his refreshing approach to seeing the world and parenting for what it is: a really crappy, hard, upsetting place but with so many silver-linings. Be ready to want to make Marlon your new BFF. And then go rate and review us on iTunes.

111: Mindfulness In Parenting

112: Is Something Wrong With My Kid?
This week, Abby and Steph discuss what to do when you are worried that there is something wrong with your kid, behaviorally. Abby has had some concerns and Steph talks her off the ledge (What? Stephanie is the positive one here?) They decide that the best thing you can do for your kids is to be informed.

HOPE 112

112: Is Something Wrong With My Kid?

This week, the ladies are thrilled to welcome back Rabbi Josh Fixler to the show! After a particularly tough few weeks living on this planet and parenting small children, Steph and Abby are in need of some serious hope, and Josh has some serious words of wisdom. Of course there are lots of laughs too and Steph really does her best to earn that EXPLICIT rating.

113: Having Hope

With the holiday season officially in full swing, Steph and Abby discuss some of their holiday stressors, buying the right gift, being the most merry, and over-spending/worrying/justifying/thenmorespending. They decide that their own best approach is to identify the things that get them worried, and do their best to avoid those things. Much easier said than done, but when all else fails, eat chocolate! What are you worried about this holiday season?

114: Holiday Stress

This week Steph and Abby answer your parenting questions posted to the Hands Off Facebook page, and they answer them very poorly with little to know supporting evidence. What to do with kids who won’t play alone? How do you handle other parents that you hate? How do you handle other kids that you hate? And probably the Instant Pot comes up at least twice. Tune in and then post your questions!

115: Your Most Burning Questions...

This week, Steph and Abby reminisce over the 2018 Hands Off season. Which episodes had the most listens, which episodes were most enjoyable, and remember that whole summer Steph was gone? What was that all about? (Lazy.) They also go off on several tangents about the holidays and probably television and/or the Internet WHICH THEY NEVER DO.

Happy New Year, love Steph and Abby! Thanks for sticking with us in 2019.

116: 2018 Wrap-Up

This week Steph and Abby are thrilled to welcome sleep guru, Nikou McCarra. Because Stephanie has seen so much improvement in her own baby’s sleep schedule, the ladies wanted to share some helpful tips to get your child sleeping through the night, too. Check out Nikou’s website for more information: https://www.thebabysleepacademy.com/

117: Go the F**k to Sleep

This week Steph and Abby are thrilled to welcome guru and founder of MommaStrong, Courtney Wyckoff. Courtney single-handedly developed MommaStrong as a result of being completely lost in postpartum haze and severe depression following the birth of her second child (sounds about right!). What came out of her own personal need is something that has resonated with thousands of other mommas, new mommas, and soon-to-be-mommas: a strength-training, community-oriented, wellness-focused, and all-out amazing fitness program! Her story is legit inspiring and she also curses. We love her. 

Pssst: Dads! She also has a PapaStrong program, so have no fear. You are loved and valued, too.

118: Momma Strong!

Probably best if you hear for yourselves. We love you, Steph and Abby

119: Hands Off Hands Off Parents

Hands Off Parents is a weekly podcast featuring the "momedy" stylings of Steph and Abby. Two moms, three toddlers, four hands off.

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