Shows
Top of the PyramidJoffrey Part 2 Part 2 Fresh off auditions at the Joffrey the girls book it to New Jersey where the humiliations keep piling up. Maddie finally crumbles under the pressure, Cathy and her Candy Apples come by to rub salt in the wounds, Holly calls out Abby's blatant favoritism and Abby makes us all uncomfortable when she asks Holly to spank her. As Abby flees the scene in tears, we're all left wondering... Can the ALDC survive 10th place?
2025-11-0959 min
Lords of LendingSeller Financing for Business Acquisition | LoL #15Seller notes are reshaping how deals get done. In this episode, the Lords of Lending sit down with Abby Shemesh of Seller Edge Capital to explore the evolving world of seller financing, note sales, and how liquidity is changing the psychology of buyers and sellers. If you’re in acquisitions, lending, or advising, this is a masterclass in structuring smarter deals.📌 Timestamps:00:00 - Opening: Why seller notes are the overlooked weapon in M&A 04:31 - Abby's origin story: From Bear Stearns to disrupting Main Street finance 10:04 - The liquidity problem: Why 44% of sellers...
2025-10-0346 min
Top of the PyramidIf you can't beat 'em, shoot 'em. (S2, E7)The girls are given guns and instructed to "blow the competition away." Literal murder instructions or fun wordplay? We can never be sure with Abby Lee Miller. Jill continues to offer unhinged gifts in hopes of winning Abby's favor, Paige bears the brunt of Abby's wrath, and Maddie fights her way back to the top of the pyramid. Join us, won't you?
2025-05-211h 21
The Flower Prophecies13. Writing Our Own Stories With Steph Lianos Of EnergiaIn this episode of The Flower Prophecies I am speaking with Steph Lianos Of Energia.Â
She is an Energy Healer, and psychic channel and her work is focused greatly around all things frequency. Steph is definitely an embodiment of what she talks and teaches and her energy speaks loudly of it.
In this episode Steph shares how she re-membered her gifts of many previous life times of being a healer. How she followed her own intuition with conviction, which has led her into creating her own way of living, working and facilitating for others.
2024-01-2554 min
Edit Undo#58 Peership & Developing a personal information Architecture | Abby Covert
In this engaging episode, we sit down with Abby Covert, a renowned Author, Information Architect, and community organizer. Abby's expertise in Information Architecture (IA) has been transforming how we organize information, making it accessible to everyone. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of IA and discover how sensemaking can be applied to our personal lives. Explore the profound impact of sensemaking on self-discovery and learn valuable insights on how to articulate your personal journey to colleagues and friends. Don't miss our discussion on Alfi & Abby's workshop series, where you can further explore these concepts and enhance...
2023-11-061h 02
The Sexy Scoop with Abby TaconEP18: Admitting your not ok, breaking the norms for the next generation and the importance of mum friends with Steph SkinnerTRIGGER WARNING: this episode talks about mental health issues and miscarriage.
If you need assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or PANDA on 1300 726 306
Wow, this was such an amazing chat with Steph and we covered SO MUCH! We talk about mental health, reaching out to you're partner and admitting you're not okay. We also talk about teaching our kids what an equal partnership looks like and bringing up the next generation.
To connect with Steph, you can find her on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/_steph.skinner/
Or book...
2023-05-1655 min
Pop Nerd LoungeS12E12 - Being A Creative Allows Me to Speak - Abby FenwickYou might know our season 12 finale guest from TikTok. With over 700,000 followers on the platform, Abby Fenwick has built a base with her eye-catching dancing, hilarious lip-syncs, and relatable commentary on life. Our conversation was a fantastic dive into the highs and lows of social media, her ambitions as a dancer and choreographer, and growing as creatives. Stay Connected with Abby Fenwick www.instagram.com/fenwickal • https://henrytalents.com/portfolio/abbyfenwick • www.twitter....
2022-06-2746 min
The Ope PodcastThe Ope Girls Make a PodcastNicki and Abby introduce themselves to the listeners. Nicki talks about her life with Sam, being a dog mom and briefly introduces her trauma from growing up in an overly conservative religious household which eventually led her to rebel! Abby introduces her experiences living with childhood trauma, growing up with a single parent and how her abandonment issues have affected her life. She briefly tells a story about her first love. Nicki and Abby tell their friendship story and their hopes for the podcast! Special thanks to Steph for being the resident Ope Girl and Austin Robinson for being the...
2022-05-1652 min
I'm a RescueEpisode 52: Abby Bural, nutritional scientist discusses Herbalife's unethical business practicesSteph chats with Abby Bural, a nutritional scientist with first hand experience witnessing the unethical business practices of Herbalife after working at two Herbalife stores/gyms, not as a distributor but as a fitness coach and scientist. Abby talks about being physically cornered by her boss at work to join Herbalife and how one Herbalife store would recruit essential healthcare workers with false promises of financial freedom.
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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support
2021-02-0243 min
Talking to Strangers (About Music)Tutorial: How to Talk to a StrangerMy intern, Abby, and I were talking about self expression. She is 16 and admittedly quiet. "How do you do it? Talk to strangers?" she asked. So I decided to show her. We went to Barnes & Noble. We looked around, and I told her I would buy her a journal, and a pen so that she could better connect to her thoughts. We first need to connect to what we think before we are ready to express it. Abby spent a while choosing the journal and pen she wanted. We bought them, and then headed to the...
2020-01-0825 min
Pop Nerd LoungeS3E5: Dancing Without Fear - Abby ChungStepping into Pop Nerd Lounge this week is Abby Chung! This delightful young lady has accomplished A TON at such young age. She's danced with legends like Janet Jackson, set up her own foundation - For Kids By Kids, and she's been a successful choreographer and dancer at only 19. We bonded over Justin Timberlake, spoke about typecasting, and she gave me some insights on how social media impacts a dancer’s career. Abby's Instagram
2019-09-0629 min
Fuel Your StrengthUsing Your Challenges to Find Purpose w/ Abby CorriveauHolding tight to your values when life gets hard can help you stay calm through a storm. Today's guest, Abby Corriveau, has been through a lot over the past couple of years. Her dedication to creating community, holding tight her values, and practicing gratitude has had a tremendous impact on her life. Community, Values & Gratitude Abby is a strength and sustainable movement coach who's life was turned upside down when she found out her husband, also in the fitness industry, was cheating her. She felt she didn't have anywhere to turn but ended up building her own...
2019-09-031h 05
I'm a RescueEpisode 8 - Kimia Behpoornia from NBC's Abby's & Unicorn StoreThis week we interview Kimia Behpoornia. Kimia is one of the stars of the ensemble comedy Abby's on NBC and will soon be appearing in Brie Larson's Unicorn Store (Netflix on April 5th). We talk to Kimia about her high school years building robots and doing improv, how she lost her manager because she gave her too much information, and losing one of her first big roles and how she handled it. Kimia is definitely someone you're going to be hearing big things about...so why not learn how it all started.
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Support this...
2019-04-021h 02
Hands Off Parents119: Hands Off Hands Off ParentsProbably best if you hear for yourselves. We love you, Steph and Abby
2019-03-0700 min
Hands Off Parents118: Momma Strong!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...
2019-01-2800 min
Hands Off Parents117: Go the F**k to SleepThis 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/
2019-01-1500 min
Hands Off Parents116: 2018 Wrap-UpThis 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.
2019-01-0200 min
Hands Off Parents115: Your Most Burning Questions...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!
2018-12-1900 min
Hands Off Parents114: Holiday StressWith 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?
2018-11-2900 min
Hands Off Parents113: Having HopeThis 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.
2018-11-1200 minHands Off Parents112: Is Something Wrong With My Kid?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.
2018-10-2900 min
Hands Off Parents111: Mindfulness In ParentingThis 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...
2018-10-0800 min
Hands Off Parents110: Trash or Treasure?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 abou...
2018-09-2400 min
Hands Off Parents109: Dis-ciplineThis 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!
2018-09-1400 min
Hands Off Parents108: Back to School Part DeuxAre 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.
2018-09-0300 min
Hands Off Parents107: Back to School (Again!)In honor of the fact that it's the first day of school here in Houston, and Steph and Abby are having all kinds of trouble getting their s**t together, we present a rebroadcast of an episode from TWO years ago! It's the Hands Off Parents Back to School Throwback episode!
On this episode, Steph and Abby are joined by a very special guest: elementary school teacher and parent of two, Brooke Smith! Brooke shares with the ladies all of the darkest secrets from the depths of the teachers' lounge: What makes parents really, really annoying? How can we form...
2018-08-2800 min
Hands Off Parents106: Parenting Through Fear (or Shame?)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!
2018-08-1500 minHands Off Parents105: The PTO: Tales From the Dark SideThis week Steph and Abby welcome Tish Ochoa, mom, business owner and PTO officer. With Abby entering "real school" she has many questions about the PTO, starting with, "So... what's the PTA then?" Tish shares some horror stories but also some of the reasons she feels it's worth being an active school parent. Are you in the PTO? PTA? Do you know the difference? Share in the comments!
2018-08-0800 minHands Off Parents104: We Got Stephanie!The summer of mat... JK! Stephanie returns!! Huzzah!
Yay! Stephanie returns!! Abby and Steph discuss all the things you might not want to hear: maternity, quitting dairy as a nursing mother, postpartum blood, "wait, you also have a toddler?!" and Ugh you are still wetting the bed? It's a classic Hands Off episode if you ever knew one!
2018-08-0200 min
Hands Off Parents98: Hands Off, Eyes OnHoly Crap We're Back... but not officially because Steph is being lazy "breastfeeding" and "not sleeping" and "raising a baby" (Whatev!). So, Abby is spending this summer of maternity leave having co-hosts and special guests. This week, she welcomes back the amazing Nancy Wozny, mom of two babies who are both pushing 30. Abby has been very freaked out after binge watching the teen drama "13 Reasons Why" and asks Nancy how you raise teens who talk and don't hate you. Nancy is a pro on both fronts and offers some solid advice on when to hover and when to leave well...
2018-06-2000 min
Hands Off Parents97: The Rabbi Is In the House!This week Steph and Abby are thrilled to welcome Rabbi Joshua Fixler, who just happens to be a new dad AND an amazing human being. Don't worry! This is not a religious conversation, but rather one about how a rabbi dad does it all (HINT: His wife is amazing). But then, yeah, they spiral into the meaning of life and explore how to MAKE meaning in your own family. At the end of the day, it seems like marking the good moments in your life and simply being grateful for them is what makes for good parenting - and just...
2018-05-0800 min
Hands Off Parents95: A Culture of AppreciationThis week Steph and Abby welcome author and mother of two teens (12 is teen-ish), Katherine Center! Katherine's sixth novel, How to Walk Away, will be released on May 15th but she's already hard at work on her 8th book right now. Yes, she is human. Maybe. Katherine imparts some wisdom to the ladies on how to juggle it all and have fun at the same time. Raising young adults is much different than dealing with toddler tantrums and Katherine assures the ladies that their goals of raising nice people is a good approach. Finally, some validation! Speaking of, write us...
2018-04-2300 min
Hands Off Parents94: Making and Taking SpaceThis 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!
2018-04-1600 min
Hands Off Parents93: Down the Google Rabbit HoleSteph had a rough week: kid challenges, pregnancy challenges, and she needs to put a bunch of Ikea furniture together before she has this baby! She found herself traveling down an all too familiar Google rabbit hole of worry and anxiety. Abby remembers the pregnancy Googling well and wonders if this is just a byproduct of being pregnant in this day and age. People say, "don't Google your symptoms," but perhaps it's more empowering to be in the know then in the dark? Did you Google everything about your new baby or no? They also ramble on about a variety...
2018-04-0900 min
Hands Off Parents92: Gaining My Religion?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,
2018-04-0200 min
Hands Off Parents91: Mean GirlsThis week, Steph and Abby address a listener's request to chat about what to do with (little) mean girls. To help them, they have brought back the lovely Maryocéane Guy, an educator and mom of four-year old Margo. Mary tells the ladies about how she wants to handle mean girls as a mom, but what to actually do from an educated (READ: rational) perspective. This leads the women to talk more about bullies and how to address negative labeling in general. Overall, the three decide the best moves as parents is to talk, talk, talk! Talk to Steph and A...
2018-03-2800 min
Hands Off Parents90: The Hardest Decision I’ve Ever MadeThey're back, and boy are they back with a doozy! This week Steph and Abby talk with Bev Caplan about the most difficult decision she ever had to make: terminating her pregnancy. Once Bev found out that her baby had a chromosomal abnormality that would ultimately end the baby's life within the first year, or even the first hours, she made the toughest choice of her life. It's one of those stories that will take your breath away but needs to be shared. Share your own stories on the Hands Off Parents Facebook page @handsoffparents!
2018-03-1900 min
Hands Off Parents89: Scheduling Time for YourselfThis week Steph and Abby are thrilled to welcome mom, business owner, amazing person, and good smeller, Aimee Woodall to the show. Aimee owns and runs a highly successful cause-driven branding and strategy agency (Black Sheep Agency) that has serviced the likes of the Obamas! (Yes, the real ones). Aimee is also a mom of a 16-month old, a wife, and a human being with a lot going on. She imparts some sage advice that she got from Michelle (yeah, Obama) on managing your time as a whole and making time for yourself, which Aimee now lives by. Send yourself...
2018-02-1900 min
Hands Off Parents88: The Problem With Our SchoolsThis week, Steph and Abby welcome parent, advocate, and activist, Sarah Becker. A former school psychologist, Sarah and her husband founded HISD Parent Advocates, a local organization that keeps parents in the loop on issues related to our school district, board, and policies that directly affect our kids. Sarah discusses many of the recent (and dare we say, controversial) proposals to reorganize Houston's public school system. She also describes the choice her own family made to move their children out of a highly coveted, disproportionately white (relative to HISD as a whole) magnet school and into an under-enrolled school with...
2018-02-1200 min
Hands Off Parents87: How To Talk So Kids Will Listen (JK!)This week, Steph and Abby dive further in the topic of getting kids to listen. They delve into the (often frustrating) world of kid emotions...and tantrums and meltdowns and whining and crying and screaming and irrational behavior and how you deal with it. (Wine.) Steph has been reading a book on the subject and shares this with Abby and their listeners. The idea is to have several approaches in your parenting toolbox, some more direct than others, but in the hopes that one of them will get your kids to do what you want them to. Do they work...
2018-02-0600 min
Hands Off Parents86: Passing Down AnxietyThis 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!
2018-01-2900 min
Hands Off Parents85: Fine, We'll Weigh InDespite 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.
2018-01-2300 min
Hands Off Parents84: No Year's ResolutionBefore the new year, Steph and Abby vowed to have a more cohesive approach to the podcast and they immediately broke this resolution. Instead of cohesion, they discuss lice. Yup, lice. These pesky buggers will outlive us all! To address their lack of resolutions, they cover CNN's 2018 Parenting Resolution list, which is just completely ridiculous. Mock it along with them. Did you make any resolutions? Parenting or otherwise? Share in the comments!
2018-01-0900 min
Hands Off Parents83: Let Your Garden GrowThis week the ladies discuss a recently published parenting book that advocates that parents act like gardeners -- plant the seeds and then let your kids grow! It is about creating the right environment and letting kids be themselves, as opposed to trying to build your kids into what you want them to be (like a carpenter). The ladies wonder if they think they are gardeners but really they are more like the carpenters. Is any parent a true gardener? They also discuss two other books they've been reading, Steph's is about how to talk to difficult children; Abby's is...
2018-01-0200 min
Hands Off Parents82: HolidayzOh it's the obligatory holiday episode, where Steph and Abby discuss how many teachers they need to buy presents for, what their kids want and what they won't get for them, and the Alabama election results! Also Steph shares some BIG news. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Spread the joy and write them a review on iTunes.
2017-12-1900 min
Hands Off Parents81: Parenting Through TransitionsThis week Steph and Abby are honored to welcome Lisa Stanton, mother to a transgender daughter named Maya. Lisa's story is heartwarming and heartbreaking, as she details the struggles that Maya had with being born a boy. Lisa and her husband realized that Maya knew who she was better than anyone else, and that they would support her in becoming the person she wanted to be. Get your tissues out because this episode will definitely make you cry (Steph and Abby were hysterical half the conversation).
2017-12-1200 min
Hands Off Parents80: Thanks...oh and giving.This week Steph and Abby describe all the things they are thankful for: Their fear of impending doom, death, the break down of social civility... wait, that doesn't make sense. They are thankful for all their listeners and pie. Lots of pie. They wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving; let your kids eat all the junk food, watch all the TV and be thankful that distractions exist!
2017-11-2100 min
Hands Off Parents79: How Does She Do It?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!
2017-11-1600 min
Hands Off Parents78: Sticking to Your PrinciplesThis week Steph and Abby try very hard to discuss a podcast sent to them by a listener, in which a couple raise their daughter without conforming to gender norms. It's a great story which makes the ladies consider how far they go in support of their own principles. As much as this topic demands discussion, it become very difficult because Steph's daughter is with them and she also demands a lot. She adheres to her own set of principles, which prohibits cohesive conversation.
2017-11-0600 min
Hands Off Parents77: “Men”tal LoadAfter a in-depth discussion last week about the mental load of moms, Steph and Abby are thrilled to have Aaron Reese (back!), super-dad of twins, who emailed the ladies about his own take on the mental load. Aaron shares his load and how he and his wife have (attempted) to share the burden. According to Aaron, it kinda works-ish. Email handsoffparents@gmail.com to share your load!
2017-10-3100 min
Hands Off Parents76: The Mental LoadThis week Steph and Abby discuss a topic that's been making its way around the internet: The Mental Load of parents (mom specifically). The mental load is that never-ending to-do list that runs through your brain daily that no one really knows about but you. Is it draining the life out of you or what!? And how about the mental load of fathers? What's that list look like? Share your absurd mental load list with them by liking them on Facebook, and then you can cross that off your list of things to do today.
2017-10-2300 min
Hands Off Parents75: Kids as Guinea PigsThis week Abby shares a story of her current experiences with the public school system. Her neighborhood school has some growing pains, and the activist in her wants to support by enrolling her kids but is also worried about being a guinea pig. Steph offers some sage advice, as always, filled with sarcasm. Then they share some good things that have happened with their kids lately and they struggle to think of any! How does your school system work? Share in the comments.
2017-10-1800 min
Hands Off Parents74: Having the Second KidBecause of a recent email the ladies received about having a second child. Steph and Abby are stoked to welcome back a friend and previous guest, Nyala Wright Nolen. Nyala has a three-year-old and an 8-month old baby. The three ladies discuss "how that's all going," as it may seem like a nightmare to some. Nyala has some great tips about dealing with a toddler and a baby and some things she didn't anticipate (the three year old wants to sit in the baby's car seat!). It's a fun conversation and might just help you decide if you should have...
2017-10-0400 min
Hands Off Parents73: Girls Can Be Pretty AND SmartThis week, Steph and Abby discuss a recent article arguing that we should not call our daughters pretty. Instead, they should be smart and brave and hardworking. The ladies wonder, well, can girls be all of those things and be told they are pretty too? This leads them down a path of their own childhoods and what those labels may have done or not done for them. Do you call your daughters pretty and your sons handsome? Email them about it at handsoffparents@gmail.com. And please share if the spirit moves you!
2017-09-2500 min
Hands Off Parents72: My Two DadsThis week Steph and Abby welcome Jay and Joe Bostick, an amazing couple, who share their stories of fostering, adopting, and parenting children who don't look like they do. Their stories are heroic, to say the least, but also funny and heartbreaking. They squash some of the misconceptions about the foster-care system, too. Steph and Abby ultimately wish these guys would adopt them. Or maybe you will? Or just rate them on iTunes.
2017-09-1800 min
Hands Off Parents71: Let's Talk AdoptionThis week Steph and Abby welcome the incomparable Dennis Draper, an amazing person and father of adopted teenage son, Blue. Dennis shares his story, a sad and heartwarming one, of how he came to adopt his cousin's son, a young man in and out of foster homes for most of his life. It has been a struggle but so worth it. Dennis is a plethora of heart and knowledge about being a single gay man who is learning how to thrive in his new role.
2017-09-0600 min
Hands Off Parents70: Weathering the StormSteph and Abby, currently in the middle of the nightmare that is Hurricane Harvey, wanted to discuss just that via Skype. The city of Houston is in crisis mode, and while they have fared pretty well, their hearts hurt for other parents who are in unimaginable situations. How do you do this with kids? How do you sit on your roof in the rain with small children waiting for a rescue boat? They are having a tough enough time dealing with toddlers trapped in-doors! Their love goes out to all those dealing with this catastrophe! Please give a shout and...
2017-08-2800 min
Hands Off Parents69: Happy Endings (JK!)This week Steph and Abby discuss an article published in the @lenny blog about infertility. True, they've discussed this before, but this article was different: It doesn't end with a baby. Certainly, not getting what you want is a topic they've gone over but finding your own happy ending is personal. How do others do it? The ladies cover this among (yup) other ramblings ("what is the name of that show about your mother?") and have some laughs at the same time.
2017-08-2100 min
Hands Off Parents68: Save Your iGenerationThis week Steph and Abby discuss a startling new piece from The Atlantic about the iGeneration -- those kids who grew up with social media. some of the statistics on their levels of depression and anxiety are shocking. The ladies ponder what this means for them as parents. Do they hide their kids away from social media in bunkers underground? Is the next generation doomed? Will everyone become obese and live in pods like in WALL-E? Probably, yes. Oh, right, and now can you like them on all the social medias?
2017-08-1400 min
Hands Off Parents67: All The Things You Do Bother MeThis week Abby shares a story about a wonderful visit from her sister that was overshadowed by her mother's attempt to thwart their connection. This is nothing new, but it made Abby question at what point a family member becomes so destructive you want them out of your life. Steph shares her wisdom, and the two think about it as parents, who may one day have to deal with angry children themselves. It's a big question with few answers. To quote the wise-beyond-her-years Iris: "I know that you're my family, but all the time you do things that bother me."...
2017-08-0200 min
Hands Off Parents66: Mommy JuiceThis 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...
2017-07-2600 min
Hands Off Parents65: Magic Movie MomentThis week Steph and Abby are joined by mother of one and all-around awesome lady, Lauren Friedman - AKA Steph's Soap Opera Friend. Lauren's got a pretty unique story about how her marriage took a turn for the worse after her daughter was born and life was not the magic movie moment she'd imagined. Divorce ensued. A year or so later, after co-parenting, Lauren and her husband realized they wanted back in, so they got remarried. Have a listen and share your own crazy marriage stories with us on Facebook @handsoffparents!
2017-07-1800 min
Hands Off Parents64: You Too Can Live in Ecuador (Or Not)This week Steph and Abby discuss a recent article by a mother who up and moved her family to Ecuador to live their #bestlife. At first the ladies are intrigued, then pissed, then ashamed, then pissed again, then ultimately, they turn it into a conversation about themselves (as they are wont to do). How does a family, with children, plan so well to make a goal such as "move to Ecuador" a reality? Are Steph and Abby just bad planners? Could you all do such a good job of executing a plan? Let them know on Facebook at @handsoffparents
2017-07-1100 min
Hands Off Parents63: Back After BabiesThis week Steph and Abby welcome two PTs, Ingrid and Hallie, who have recently launched a new online service for moms, Back After Baby! They developed back after baby to give women easy access to rehabilitation before and after having a baby. Steph and Abby have some serious questions about what these dang kids do to our bodies and, also, how these busy working moms have jobs and lives and kids and then launch a new business! Got any back after baby questions for them? Tweet at @handsoffparents
2017-07-0400 min
Hands Off Parents62: Advocating For Your KidsThis week Abby shares a story of what could have potentially been a parenting disaster and how the whole situation has encouraged her to become a better advocate for her kids. And herself? To Steph, fighting is second nature. Is there a good balance between the two? When their health is on the line, do parents just step in the ring and fight? Tell them about your battles at handsoffparents@gmail.com.
2017-06-2700 min
Hands Off Parents61: Self Care (Not Like That Kind!)This week, Steph and Abby discuss a recent article about trying to have it all, failing miserably and then coming back from it. They focus on the idea of taking care of yourself -- moms and dads, we need to do this better! But maybe, they aren't sure of what that even means. They also decide self care is a terrible word that implies masturbation. If you want to show them some love, rate them on iTunes!
2017-06-1900 min
Hands Off Parents60: Hands On Life (Before Kids)This week Steph and Abby welcome the two ladies in the world who are funnier than them to the show, comedians Stacey Daniels and Hoja Lopez. And guess what: they have no kids! Huh? No kids? Why have them on the show? For exactly that reason. Remember life before children? Remember the "Do I want kids?" endless list that ran through your head? These ladies share some of their fears of potential parenting (you can't just up and go to Paris on a whim) and fears of not having kids (who will take care of you in old age?). The...
2017-06-1200 min
Hands Off Parents59: Twin DadThis week, Steph and Abby got lucky enough to welcome a living, breathing listener of the show as a guest: Aaron Reese -- and he's a dad! Of Twins! The three chatted about everything from sleeping issues, to international travel with two babies in tow, to the sainthood of his wife. What Steph and Abby learned (kinda happily, though not to be jerks) is that dads have lots of guilt too! Any dads who want to dump some guilt down, post on any of their various social pages @handsoffparents.
2017-06-0500 min
Hands Off Parents58: Messing Up Two Kids At OnceThis 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...
2017-05-2300 min
Hands Off Parents56: Dance MomsThis week Steph and Abby welcomed Lydia Hance to the show! Lydia is the mother of a one-year-old and also runs a dance company (and dances often in shows), and the ladies were wondering, so like, how does that all happen? Lydia's approach: incorporate the kid into your craft! Check it out, share with your friends, and rate us on iTunes!
2017-05-0800 min
Hands Off Parents55: She's Having a Baby (Tomorrow)Not only were Steph and Abby lucky enough to get the very pregnant Katy Hamor Cartland on the show, but they got her on LITERALLY the day before she was to give birth to her new baby girl. As you are reading this, she is no longer pregnant and chugging that bottle of wine she told the ladies she was planning to bring in her hospital overnight bag. The three ladies talk all about the excitement and fear of new motherhood, having a second child with a toddler in the house, and that time Katy moved to France with a 6...
2017-04-3000 min
Hands Off Parents54: Single Moms (and Dads!) RockThis 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 a...
2017-04-2300 min
Hands Off Parents53: Everything ZenWhen thinking about this week's topic of conversation, Steph and Abby decided that no topic was to be their topic, as this is true to parenthood. As such, they cover a wide variety of parenthood dilemmas: Pooping on the floor and stepping in it (the kids, not them), the meaning of Easter (which they both get very, very wrong), kids eating parsley, and '90s alternative music. In the end they decide: "Everything Zen" is a horrible song but a great motto in life.
2017-04-1500 min
Hands Off Parents51: Getting Involved?This week Steph and Abby tried to have some semblance of a conversation about boundaries: how do you handle when kids are mean to yours, when should you call a teacher, when your child tells you something happened, do you take it as gospel and get involved? But during this highly important topic, they keep getting interrupted by their kids. Talk about boundaries! This conversation is all over the place just like parenthood. Oh, and, Abby is trying to potty train two 3-year old boys and it's the worst ever. Like them on Facebook and make them feel better about...
2017-04-0200 min
Hands Off Parents50: Bomb ThreatThis week Steph and abby are joined by mom and all-around superstar, Jill Patir. Jill chats with the ladies about her bouts with anxiety and OCD, and how they manifested after her first child. To add insult to everything, Jill also recently dealt with a horrific bomb scare situation in her son's daycare and shares her harrowing experience. All of this is serious and they don't laugh or make jokes about their kids at all (JK!)
2017-03-2400 min
Hands Off Parents49: #Adulting #SucksThis week Steph and Abby talk about the pains of being an adult. Yes, it's taking care of a family, but it's also those pesky things like paying bills and making doctor's appointments. Don't parents have enough to deal with already? Why do we also have to do things like fold clothing and open mail? Is it a problem with organization? Time management? Abby suggests making unrealistic lists and Steph thinks we need to take it 15 minutes at a time. How about we just go back to being kids...? Here is something very adult that Steph and Abby have done...
2017-03-1700 min
Hands Off Parents48: Structured Time or Down Time?This week Steph and Abby discuss that viral video that's been making the rounds - "dad interrupted" - the BBC interviewee who gets an uninvited visit from his kids. This leads them to a conversation on structuring children's time. Is more better? Do kids need to be entertained all the time or can we give them their down time? Is down time TV time (like it is for grown ups!), though, and is that so bad? Despite this conversation being about structure, take note at how completely unstructured it is.
2017-03-1200 min
Hands Off Parents47: Live From The Secret GroupThis week Steph and Abby were thrilled to be invited to tape before a live audience at Houston's downtown hotspot and comedy club, The Secret Group. It was so weird. People were staring at them as they rambled on about ten reasons to have or not have kids. Most of them stuck around for the whole conversation and some even laughed! In the end, they acknowledge that the whole thing is a wash - so just have the kids! The best part was that the proceeds of the evening were donated to Gulf Coast Planned Parenthood! The worst part was...
2017-03-0300 min
Hands Off Parents46: Stop Yelling!!!!This week Steph and Abby discuss the topic of yelling. Nope, not about their kids yelling, but them yelling at their kids. They don't like that they do it, but they've been having a hard time NOT yelling. They chat about being yelled at by their own parents, being scolded by their children for it, and when yelling can turn into something worse (like washing out mouths with liquid soap). Yell at them on iTunes (but nicely and with your inside voices).
2017-02-2400 min
Hands Off Parents45: MOMS ClubThis week Steph and Abby are joined by a very special guest, food writer and mom of an adorable 18 month old, Joanna Prisco. Joanna is a listener who thought the ladies needed some schooling on the value of mom's clubs. Joanna recently moved to a new town and found solace and friendship in an official "MOMS clubs," which happens to be a national organization (Right? Who knew?). Finding other moms to hang with and get support from and talk about pooping and (potentially) drinking some wine afterwards? Sounds like Handsoffparents! Are you a member of any mom/parent clubs? Tell...
2017-02-1800 min
Hands Off Parents44: To Judge or Not to Judge (Giving Advice)This week Steph and Abby discuss when it's OK to give and get advice on parenting, and when you should just STFU. Is it cool to tell new moms that they are doing it wrong? Why do we always feel the need to compare our parenting to that of others? And moreover, is every parent sitting around judging each other all the time, wishing they could give advice? We know we are! JK we aren't judging you. Judge us on iTunes with only positive feedback.
2017-02-1000 min
Hands Off Parents43: SAHM (Stay At Home Momming)This week Steph and Abby welcome special guest Rosie McGregor to the show, who just happens to be a fabulous person and a stay at home mom. The ladies ask Rosie the ins and outs of what it takes to be a SAHM (because they certainly couldn't hack it) and how it feels to spend all day dealing with your own child! Rosie gives some great advice about keeping sane and reaffirms what we all already know: Parenting is freakin' hard.
2017-02-0200 min
Hands Off Parents42: Parenting Through SetbacksOnce again, we tried, we really really tried... to not get into a discussion about the inevitable downfall of society. So Steph and Abby start off on an important topic: how to talk with children about set backs and from what perspective should a parent offer. But then the setback turned into the world and life and oh no there was some wine involved! We love you for listening.
2017-01-2500 min
Hands Off Parents41: Stop Hitting! Stop Whining! (Please?)This week Steph and Abby welcome a special guest parenting expert - Annie Stein - to discuss tactics top stop hitting and whining. What makes her an expert? Well, she has three kids and they're all still alive. Annie offers the ladies some great suggestions on taking action to combat aggression, as well as her own hands off/hands on approach to raising a good human being. Plus, hear all about Steph's ovaries!
2017-01-1400 min
Hands Off Parents40: This is 40Hands Off Parents 40th episode! Steph and Abby are as shocked as anyone that they have kept at it. They have continued because they've been getting some fantastic and helpful emails/messages, so this week they discuss YOU! Just kidding, they discuss themselves. But the topics are directly sourced from messages you sent including: using a treasure chest to get your kid to sleep, boring mom clothing, and Pinterest craziness. Send them more messages. They love it so much! Thank you for listening for 40 episodes! Share if you want them to keep at it.
2017-01-0500 min
Hands Off Parents39: The Big D (as in Divorce)This week Steph and Abby welcome a very special guest, Abby's sister Rachael. She joins the ladies to discuss the tough topic of parenting through divorce and then as a step parent. Rachael gives her honest take on the challenges and how she has found success as a parent with children from two different marriages, as well as a step child adding to the mix. It's an insightful and eye opening conversation, with only one Brady Bunch joke.
2016-12-3000 min
Hands Off Parents38: Holiday Traditions (Keep 'em or Ditch 'em)Back by the popular demand of three people, Steph and Abby welcome their husbands again to the show to talk about holiday traditions. For four people, of which 3/4 are Jewish, they spend a lot of time talking about Christmas. We all discover some fun traditions that each family had and some that we want to incorporate into our new families. Some surprises: Surprise, Steph's husband, you guys are really celebrating Christmas. And some confessions: Eww, husband used to get so excited about Christmas he would throw up the night before. Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday whatever...
2016-12-2300 min
Hands Off Parents35: A Type-A Determined Mother Can Do AnythingThis week, Steph and Abby tried to take a Parenting Magazine quiz about discipline styles, but they weren't disciplined enough to deal with the results. Instead, they chat about day care nightmares, dog park disasters and ... well... disciplining their children. If you want to take the quiz, share your results with them on Facebook or Twitter.
2016-12-0100 min
Hands Off Parents32: RegretThis week Steph and Abby discuss a growing trend of parents voicing their regrets about becoming parents. The trend has been featured in several national publications, recently in a Marie Claire article. Steph and Abby discuss how hard parenting is but can't honestly say they've ever felt regret about having kids. Having a second piece of cake the other night, yeah, they regret that. What about you? Any parenting regrets? Don't regret not liking them on Facebook.
2016-10-0500 min
Hands Off Parents31: It's Your Party and I'll CryThis week Steph and Abby discuss the ever-dreaded birthday party! The season is upon them, as Abby has two within a week's time. So what's the deal with birthday parties? Do you need to invite the entire class? What happens if you don't and someone finds out? Are you a terrible parent? And (Abby wonders) what about when you have twins? Two presents? Ugh for everyone involved. Lastly, the ladies decide that if we are stuck dealing with all these birthday parties, at the very least let's all decide to do away with the goodie bag (unless it has beer...
2016-09-2200 minHands Off Parents29: Family FirstFresh from visits with their respective families, Steph and Abby discuss the pros and cons of having family nearby. Both ladies loved having their kids hang with family and watching all the cousins play, but how important is being around family, really? Is the desire to have family around a necessity for happy kids or not having them around a necessity for their sanity? It can go either way! They both love their respective families, BTW. Oh, and at some point Steph's kid poops in the potty all by herself.
2016-09-0700 min
Hands Off Parents28: Picky EatersThis week Steph and Abby are thrilled to have special guest, personal trainer, author, and #DietAbolitionist, Sarah Hays Coomer. Sarah chats with the ladies about how to deal with picky-eating children by introducing everyday, small changes. The ladies throw a "mac and cheese only" diet at Sarah and she comes back swinging, with alternative pastas, sneak-in-healthy-​​stuff recipes and an all-around better approach to eating. Sarah also offers insights into how parents can incorporate these same types of changes into their own diets to get healthy without (really) trying. Steph and Abby walked away converts. Check out Sarah's new book, Ligh...
2016-09-0100 min
Hands Off Parents23: Time Out! (or Time In?)This week Steph and Abby talk about the age-old question of whether or not to send your kid to Time Out. When your kid is being an a-hole, what else can you do? Abby's in, Steph's out. But is Time Out really bad for your child's development? Are "Time Ins" better in the long run? After the break, they consult the "experts" who argue in both directions. Some docs say a good old Time Out for age appropriate kids is fine, while others say that Time Outs might be screwing with your kid's brain elasticity? What?! Take a drink before...
2016-07-2700 min
Hands Off Parents20: Are American Parents Miserable?This week Steph and Abby discuss a new study that argues that American parents are the most miserable in the world. The ladies kinda get why this might be, and they discuss how workplace constraints take a toll. But is this a new phenomenon or are U.S. 'rents just particularly miserable people?
In the second half of the show, Steph is joined by her amazing mother who is filling in for a sick Abby to continue discussing how parenting has changed over the years (mostly because of the INTERNET!). They discuss when the happiest times of parenthood occur and...
2016-07-0600 min
Hands Off Parents18: Body Image UghThis week, a very tired and loopy Steph and Abby try to tackle body image (somewhat unsuccessfully.) Should parents care about their own body image? How do we talk about body image to our children? Is it okay to just love our bodies as they are? We really want to be healthy, but we are also very lazy. We also talk about where all of this body image stuff comes from - and naturally we wind up back at the internet. The internet!
Steph and Abby decide the root of all evil is the body shaming on social media, but...
2016-06-2100 min
Hands Off Parents15: Dude, Where's My Kids?Today’s episode kicks off summer break with a Skype convo between Abby and Steph. Abby is currently away from her children for TWO WEEKS! More importantly, she’s away from Steph for two weeks, which is the real tragedy here. Abby describes the highs and lows, ups and downs of life without kids. She misses them terribly but also enjoys being able to park a car and run into a corner store for gum. It’s the little things. But, mostly, there’s guilt - lots of guilt. Steph spends much of the call distracted by Iris and wishing she was...
2016-05-3100 min
Hands Off Parents13: This Is Only A Test (Schooled on School, pt. 2)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...
2016-05-1700 min
Hands Off Parents12: Potty BreakIn this episode, we talk potty-training: pooping, peeing, potty products, readiness, accidents, methods, nap time, night time, fears, triumphs, fails, frustrations, boys vs. girls, etc. IT’S ALL HERE, GUYS. Then, the potty talk leads to real talk. Steph seriously injured herself in the potty-training process, steroids are the magic beans of the prescription world, and all of this has made her realize it’s time to make self-care a priority like Abby does. Basically, everyone in the world should be like Abby. And, then we talk about Lena Dunham.
2016-05-1000 min
Hands Off Parents10: Go the Eff To Sleep (Please)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
2016-04-2600 min
Hands Off Parents07: I Love My Spouse (80% Of The Time)In this week's episode Steph and Abby's husband's join the podcast to explore some of marriage and parenting's deepest, darkest questions: How do you rediscover your marriage post kids? Can you blame your children for making you just want to watch TV at night instead of having deep, philosophical conversations? Are married couples still happy and should they love their spouses more than their children? Or is it just a different type of love? What do dads worry about? Do dads have feelings even? Finally, Steph, Abby, Mike and Rob get to the heart of marriage, which just might be...
2016-04-0500 min