Shows
The Montvale MuseEpisode 17: Looking For a Few Good MentorsHost Joe DeProspero and brand new cohost Gail Smith-McCarthy talk about how mentoring relationships - both formal and informal - have impacted their careers.2023-11-2224 min
A Parent ChaosS2 E24: Uncomfortable MilestonesOn the season 2 finale, Joe and Justin discuss their favorite moments from the season, parent milestones they've hit - and ones they're dreading - as well as a sneak peak at their next podcast venture!2020-11-2400 minA Parent ChaosS2 E23: Mom's the Worst (with Becky Bradley)The hilariously honest Becky Bradley (@Momstheworst on Instagram) joins the show and gets real about her dark early days as a mom, what sucks about parenthood (but makes us laugh anyway), fighting with gym teachers, and much more!2020-06-2937 minA Parent ChaosS2 E22: Quarantine DiscoveriesThe guys discuss what they've discovered about themselves - and society - while stuck in quarantine at home. Also, what their listeners have discovered and Name That Tune - COVID edition!2020-05-0542 minA Parent ChaosA COVID Operation (with Dr. Payal Shah)On a special episode of the podcast, Dr. Payal Shah - an OBGYN practicing out of Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, NJ, talks candidly about working in what has been considered the epicenter of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S., the unforgettable sights and moments she's experienced along the way, and how she juggles her job as a doctor with her job as a mom.2020-04-3015 minA Parent ChaosS2 E21: Refusing to SettleThe guys celebrate their 21st episode this season by detailing their first experience getting drunk - and the brutal lesson Justin learned from his dad. Also, a female guest! Tana joins the show to discuss refusing to settle for the wrong guy, pressure from family to get married and have kids, and the crazy experiences she'd had on dating apps!2020-04-1628 minA Parent ChaosS2 E20: Coast to Coast Quarantine (with Jason Zumwalt)Actor/writer/Grand Theft Auto voice artist Jason Zumwalt joins the show from California to discuss dark parenting moments during COVID-19, the importance of romance with your spouse, being a consultant on Legomasters - and his beautifully offbeat Christopher Walken impression!2020-04-1044 minA Parent ChaosS2 E19: Single and 40The guys bring bachelor and serial dater Drew on to discuss what it's like being single at 40 - how rejection works in 2020, what about becoming a parent scares him, and a LOT of intimate detail of his adventures along the way!2020-03-2335 minA Parent ChaosS2 E18: A Very Special Coronavirus Episode of A Parent ChaosQuarantined in their homes amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, Joe and Justin discuss TV in the 80s - discreetly recording R-Rated movies on Cinemax, "A Very Special Episode of Diff'rent Strokes" (yes, that one), and how we are consuming shows in 2020. If you're a parent stuck home with your kids, this one's for you!2020-03-1634 minA Parent ChaosS2 E17: The Soundtrack of Our LivesThe guys discuss how music shaped them as kids and what songs first resonated with them - and the lost art of listening to music on a Discman. Also, they revisit the number one song from their 10th birthdays, the music they want their children to listen to, and they play a game of "Two Truths and a Lie," with Donald Trump tweets!2020-03-0934 minA Parent ChaosS2 E16: A Matter of TrustThe guys discuss the challenging process of trusting other people with your kids. Also, they take listener questions about letting your children use iPad on full blast in restaurants, and more!2020-02-2430 minA Parent ChaosS2 E15: Why Can't We Be Friends?The guys discuss how difficult it can be to make and maintain new friends as being dads takes over their lives - Joe makes a confession about how he "grades" potential friends. Also, Joe grills Justin in a game of Name That Tune - One Hit Wonder edition!2020-02-1731 minA Parent ChaosS2 E14: Putting Your Marriage First...or Second (with Ryan)The guys welcome Ryan back for a conversation about how parenthood can negatively impact a marriage - and Ryan goes on the record to tell one and all whether he loves his wife...or daughter more! Also: texting etiquette, "useless baby products," and more.2020-02-1030 minA Parent ChaosS2 E13: Bringing Home BabyJoe and Justin go back in time to discuss how they prepared mentally and logistically to bring their first baby into their homes - what they wish they knew, did, etc. Also, Joe goes on a rant about a specific song from the year 2000 that makes him illogically furious.2020-02-0333 minA Parent ChaosS2 E12: IVF + Hair Metal (with Ryan)Special guest Ryan joins the pod to discuss his and Justin's common experience of conceiving children via in vitro fertilization (IVF) - the good, the bad, and the awkward. Also, the guys battle in a game of Name That Tune - 80s hair metal style!2020-01-2744 minA Parent ChaosSpecial Edition: Farewell to My Grandmother, the LegendJoe pays tribute to the very first guest on A Parent Chaos, his grandma Eleanor, who passed away on Sunday. He talks about the importance of connecting with your parents and grandparents in a meaningful way and reads the eulogy he'll be delivering at her funeral.2020-01-1715 minA Parent ChaosS2 E11: What'd You Just Call Me?If your face is your billboard to the world, your name is the writing on that billboard - so make sure it's not going to haunt your children forever. Joe and Justin discuss the process of naming their kids and how parents can ruin their children's lives by making a disastrous decision.2020-01-1235 minA Parent ChaosS2 E10: Highs & LowsExhilaration. Guilt. Laughter. Sadness. That's 2019 in a nutshell for Joe and Justin, who discuss their highs and lows of the year as parents. Also, they dive into their favorite and least favorite songs and TV shows of the year - spoiler alert: Joe's least favorite song is from Frozen 2.2019-12-3038 minA Parent ChaosS2 E9: Taking Your QuestionsWhat do you do when you don't like your kids' friends? Would you call the teacher or the parent if your child is being bullied? Why didn't Laura Linney bang that hot guy from her office in Love Actually? All questions we'll answer on this mailbag edition of the podcast.2019-12-1641 minA Parent ChaosS2 E8: It Takes a VillageJoe and Justin discuss the difficulties of getting on the same page as your spouse...and parents, when it comes to the upbringing of your children. Also, the guys play "Name That Christmas Movie."2019-12-0935 minA Parent ChaosS2 E7: Santa BabyAs the Christmas season officially begins, Justin chastises Joe for his decision to change a long-standing tradition, as the guys discuss the harsh ways they found out about Santa and theories on why his physical girth is so important to his legacy (Santa's, not Joe's).2019-12-0224 minA Parent ChaosS2 E6: Grief and GratitudeThe guys start this episode with a hilarious confession, end it with random things they're grateful for ahead of Thanksgiving, and in the middle they talk about death - how they handled it as kids, how they'll discuss it with their kids, and how the sudden death of Joe's mother changed him and his family forever.2019-11-2533 minA Parent ChaosS2 E5: The Sibling InfluenceHaving brothers and sisters (or not) helps shape and define us. This week, Joe and Justin discuss how their sisters influenced them growing up, how being the older vs. younger child is as different as night and day, and how having siblings prepares you for life in ways we don't even realize.
Also, Joe goes on an epic rant about his team - the New York Jets, that any long-time fan needs to hear!2019-11-1729 minA Parent ChaosS2 E4: The TalkYou know which talk. The one you're currently dreading having with your kids someday. In this episode, Joe and Justin wax poetic on their introduction to sex as young men, how they plan to tell their kids about it (if at all), and thoughts on seeing our parents naked - includes Q&A with listeners!2019-11-1133 minA Parent ChaosS2 E3: Raised by TabletsIn this episode, laugh along with Joe and Justin's tech-free childhoods - and how comically different today's culture is, governing our kids' screen time, great new music you're probably not listening to as parents, and find out which of our hosts got walked in by their mom!2019-11-0332 minA Parent ChaosS2 E2: I'll Drink to ThatShould we be okay with our children seeing us drinking alcohol, cursing, arguing with our spouses, crying, etc.? Joe and Justin discuss this and some "useless baby products."2019-10-2726 minA Parent ChaosS2 E1: The 21st Century DadJoe DeProspero returns for season 2 of A Parent Chaos, this time joined by co-host and fellow dad Justin DiMinni, to discuss the evolving role of the father in the 21st century, and specific ways they've corrected old-fashioned instincts.2019-10-2128 minA Parent ChaosSeason 2 TeaserSeason 2 of A Parent Chaos is coming in the new year - with a different conversation altogether!2018-12-1801 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 13: The Sperm Donor"I decided that the only birth mother that wouldn't change her mind...was me."
After several adoption attempts fell through, and in her mid-40s, Carol decided to conceive with a stranger - an anonymous sperm donor, that is.
Listen to Carol's journey from a single businesswoman in LA to sifting through donor applications, then later, the trials of being a single mom.2018-05-2123 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 12: The Bodybuilding SupermomAs a working parent, I consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator an accomplishment.
Meet Allison of FitMomsofNJ.com, working mother of two, and find out how she grew up as a "big-boned" girl and then later dedicated herself to building - her body (for competitions!), her career, and her family.2018-04-3016 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 11: The Call That Changed it All"I don't know that there's anything more difficult that I've ever experienced than that hour drive home."
Joe Loonam was working when he received a call from his wife with one simple, tearful request: "Joe, can you come home?" Without another word, he knew that something had gone terribly wrong with his son.
This week, I sat down with Joe, to discuss how that harrowing one hour drive home changed his life, the perspective he gained through loss, and how he turned to altruism in his time of darkness.2018-02-1250 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 10: My Stepdaughter is Now My StepsonThis episode was originally scheduled to be about the challenges of being a stepmom. Then I discovered that the stepchild in question was transgender.
Meet Johnette and Fred, as we talk about the moment their daughter came out to them as gay, and then later, transgender. It's a thought-provoking, honest, and occasionally hilarious conversation about reacting openly to the surprises parenthood throws at us.2017-09-1847 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 9: When Mom Brings Home the BaconIn 1950, it was not a thing that happened. It's a whole different familial landscape in 2017, where moms out-earning dads is commonplace.
Meet Amanda, who fits into that category, but has experienced that, with empowerment comes its own set of responsibilities and unique challenges.2017-09-1121 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 8: She Changed Her Mind"It's over. It's done. I thought she was ours, but she's not."
Meet Katie, a 33-year old who couldn't get pregnant, so then decided to adopt.This is her story of joy, heartbreak, and how she finally arrived at the happy ending she never saw coming.2017-08-1642 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 7: Getting Real About MiscarriagesStatistics show that between 15 and 20% of women who become pregnant will miscarry. But still, we don't want to talk about it, because it makes us uncomfortable.
On this episode, Christina N. joins us to discuss her experience having a miscarriage, how she felt afterwards, and the conversation that's not happening.2017-08-0922 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 6: Weight of the World"If I had started going through this and I didn't have a daughter, I would've done it until I killed myself."
This is Christina's story. And it's a fascinating look at the intricacies of battling an eating disorder and depression, all while trying to be a role model for her daughter.2017-07-2635 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 5: Adopting a Positive Attitude"It's gut-wrenching. Because you're meeting this person and you're eventually going to take their child away from them."
Listen to the inspiring story of Elaine: Divorced, working single mom, breast cancer survivor, and the adoptive parent of a young boy.2017-06-2815 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 4: Every Parent's Worst NightmareChris D'Amico joins the podcast to discuss the tragic death of his 10-year-old son, becoming a father again in his 40s, and using Facebook as a coping mechanism. Warning: It is raw, and it is powerful.2017-06-2134 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 3: Singled OutA single dad joins the pod to discuss maintaining civility with your ex, the "feminizing of males" in 2017, and why he enjoys being a father, but not a parent.2017-06-1529 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 2: The Death of PatienceJoe sits down with a stay-at-home dad / funeral director to discuss how being in "the death business" affects his parenthood, opting out of religious ceremonies, and more.2017-06-1319 minA Parent ChaosEpisode 1: The Birth of a ShowOn the very first episode of A Parent Chaos, Joe sits down with his 90-year-old grandmother to discuss disciplining our children, maintaining a healthy marriage, and that night her brother fell off the roof.2017-05-2221 min