The 15 Best Parenting Podcasts for Busy Moms and Dads to Follow Right Now
When you're tidying up or on a long drive, these podcasts will give you much-needed parenting pep talk.
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Parenting and podcasts go hand-in-hand. You can throw on a podcast whenever you're doing any of those endless, day-to-day parenting tasks — folding clothes to save space, washing bottles, putting blocks and action figures back in their toy storage — and feel like you're somehow doubling your productivity. All you have to do is listen and let the parenting knowledge wash over you.
Of course, you don't have to listen to a podcast specifically about parenting — sometimes you might want a mental escape, or just want to listen to some of the best podcasts around. But if you're looking for that feeling of camaraderie, these best parenting podcasts (listed here in alphabetical order) will do the trick. Raising kids can sometimes be isolating, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic still in our midst, closing off some social circles where parents used to gather and commiserate. These make parents feel like they're not doing it alone. Some are hosted by experts who will help you get over your biggest parenting hurdles. Some offer stories, tips or advice for how do to the big juggling act, keeping up with work, school and kids. And still others are designed to get you to laugh in the way you only do when someone truly gets you.
Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting
Parents of older kids swear by Lisa Damour, Ph.D., and her books about stress and teenage girls, Under Pressure and Untangled. Now, she's teamed up with journalist Reena Ninan where she can cover all sorts of parenting topics, from healthy and disordered eating to how to parent when you feel like you're drowning.
Cool Moms
For a dose of inspiration about all the cool work moms are doing out in the world, host Elise R. Peterson uses her podcast to interview parents about their passion projects. Recent episodes have featured Jodie Patterson, co-founder of beauty brand Doobop, and vegan chef Jenné Claiborne.
Dads: The Podcast
From comedian Conan O'Brien's Team Coco, this show is, obviously, geared toward dads. In it, actor, comedian and writer Rory Scovel talks fatherhood with funny friends like Andy Richter, Ron Funches and David Cross.
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The Double Shift
This reported podcast focuses on working moms — but don't expect simple parenting hacks or tips about things like packing lunches. Instead, this one delves into meatier issues, like the state of childcare in America, or what a matriarchal society would look like.
Good Moms Bad Choices
For raw and unfiltered parenting opinions, there's Erica and Milah, the self-described "sex and cannabis positive" parents trying to change perceptions about single motherhood. With episodes titled "Zoom School Sucks" and "I Cheated," this is for parents looking for something a little more R-rated.
The Longest Shortest Time
This podcast ended in December 2019, but it's still one of the ones parents turn to first when they learn they're expecting a child. Host Hillary Frank is an alum of This American Life, and she offers in-depth interviews about everything from breastfeeding to vasectomies. (Frank fans should be happy to know she's got a new podcast in the works — this time about middle school.)
The Modern Dads Podcast
Like The Longest Shortest Time, this hasn't posted a new episode since 2019, but dads still tune in to hear from guests like screen-time expert Anya Kaminetz and How to Raise a Boy author Michael Reichert, Ph.D. It comes form the City Dads Group, which helps dads socialize and find support. They are currently gearing up for a new season, so watch for more coming soon.
Mom and Dad Are Fighting
Slate parenting experts Jamilah Lemieux, Dan Kois and Elizabeth Newcamp give their advice to parents of all stripes. Their conversations prove that, when it comes to raising kids, sometimes there's no one, right answer.
The Mom Hour
This is the podcast where you can find all those real-mom tricks and hacks. The hosts, Meagan Francis and Sarah Powers, have eight kids of all ages between them, so they've seen and heard it all. If you're not sure where to dip in, they've also come up with a list of their most popular episodes, sorted by age group.
Motherhood in Black and White
The conversations between hosts Kaanji Irby and Tara Campbell and their guests cover race, motherhood and pop culture — great for parents who want to learn how to talk to kids about racism. One week, they'll talk about something like their favorite TV moms, and the another they'll discuss how to achieve equality.
Motherhood Sessions
Host Alexandra Sachs, M.D., is a reproductive psychiatrist and an expert in “matrescence,”or the process of transition a woman goes through when she first becomes a mother. In her podcast, Dr. Sachs sits down with women and helps them navigate this identity shift.
Parenting for the Future
For her podcast, host Petal Modeste is concerned with raising the next generation, and the specific challenges they're going to face. From climate change to emerging technologies, the podcast looks to the future and interviews developmental psychologists, scientist and educators to talk parenting in the 21st century.
Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled
Parenting expert Janet Lansbury is known for her books on parenting and discipline, especially No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame. In her podcast, she brings her advice off the page and helps real-world moms and dads with their parenting problems. Its good for listeners who love advice columns.
School for Mothers/School for Fathers
Danusia Malina-Derben is an entrepreneur, a C-Suite consultant — and a mother of ten children. Her podcasts — one for moms, one for dads — focus on the issues surrounding working parenthood, and they all have a one-word theme, like "Slay" or "Mess." And even though the conversations are empowering, they're also really honest about how hard the juggle can be.
Zen Parenting Radio
For a podcast with more of a self-help bent, there's Zen Parenting Radio. Mom-and-dad team Todd and Cathy Adams focus on themes like mindfulness, self-awareness and wellness. It's an ocean of calm in a chaotic parenting world.
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