Listen Now

Kids are bananas. Some particularly so. But why are some kids seemingly born to scale the kitchen cabinets before they can walk? And are there are any future upsides to having been a “danger baby”? In this episode, Molly and Blaire discuss the many benefits of “free play,” the differences between danger and risk, how we can teach our little ones to be safely courageous, and what child development specialist Rebecca Weingarten calls “constructive failure.”Here are links to some of the writing on the topic and other things discussed in this episode: https://health.usnews.com/wellness/for-parents/articles/2017-05-11/9-ways-to-cultivate-courage-in-kidshttps://www.todaysparent.com/kids/kids-health/why-our-kids-should-take-risks-sometimes-even-slightly-dangerous-ones/Shakira’s song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” https://youtu.be/pRpeEdMmmQ0Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Lovevery's play kits are designed by experts for your child’s developing brain, with unique, one-of-a-kind activities and playthings that are built to endure plenty of play. Get free shipping when you sign up to receive your Play Kits at lovevery.com/laughing.

Help a new podcast out! Hit "Follow" or "Subscribe" wherever you listen to Toddler Purgatory! Why are little kids obsessed with the most random things? If your little one has ever insisted on sleeping with a hairbrush, or going to preschool every morning with the same tiny school bus clenched in her fist, you know exactly what we're talking about.Turns out, kids' brains at this age are wired for what psychologists call "extremely intense interests." These obsessions offer dependability; order and control ,in a world where our kids don't have much of either; and even social icebreaking, since that other 3-year-old playing with dinosaurs is probably just as interested in a deep-dive discussion of their many types as your kid is. In the case of construction vehicles and garbage trucks, there's also "cathartic destruction," and who can't use a little of that when they're having a bad day?In this episode, Blaire and Molly discuss their own kids' extremely intense interests and why they make their little ones tick.They also refer to the "Dinosaurs and Trains and Superheroes and Nerf Guns: Boy Obsessions" episode of What Fresh Hell, which you can find here: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/dinosaurs-and-trains-and-superheroes-and-nerf-guns-boy-obsessions/

The sun is out, the masks are coming off, and we’re just beginning to come to terms with what the heck that all was. For our little ones, pandemic life *was* normal life. In this episode, Molly and Blaire talk about their toughest pandemic moments and what worked to get their families through. Molly mentions What Fresh Hell's interview with Dr. Harold Koplewicz- you can find that episode here: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-dr-harold-koplewicz-on-the-best-way-to-support-our-kids/Check out the first three episodes of Toddler Purgatory right now- and help a new podcast out hitting "subscribe" or "follow" for Toddler Purgatory in your favorite podcast player:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/toddlerpurgatorySpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nYMJbsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vV0ZIMTcyMzIwMDk5Mg==iHeart: https://iheart.com/podcast/81711771/Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/toddler-purgatoryYou can also find us at toddlerpurgatory.com or on the socials at #toddlerpurgatory.New episodes every other Tuesday!

Kids whine because it works– studies show that the human brain is uniquely unqualified to tune it out. Because it’s a “low-power strategy of dominance.” And because we often cave to it pretty quickly– which unfortunately leads to more of the same. In this episode, Molly and Blaire talk about when their little ones whine, and what they've been doing to escape from Whine Town.Check out the first three episodes of Toddler Purgatory right now- and help a new podcast out hitting "subscribe" or "follow" for Toddler Purgatory in your favorite podcast player:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/toddlerpurgatorySpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nYMJbsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vV0ZIMTcyMzIwMDk5Mg==iHeart: https://iheart.com/podcast/81711771/Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/toddler-purgatoryYou can also find us at toddlerpurgatory.com or on the socials at #toddlerpurgatory.New episodes every other Tuesday!

Aren’t toddlers just the best? Are they not also, at times, the WORST? Blaire Brooks and Molly Lloyd welcome you to Toddler Purgatory, where life with littles is not all bad, but definitely less than perfect.In this premiere episode Blaire and Molly discuss the many challenges of life with the tiny, ruthlessly honest, tantrum-having, often stinky carbon copies of themselves they have running around their respective homes.Check out the first three episodes of Toddler Purgatory right now- and help a new podcast out hitting "subscribe" or "follow" for Toddler Purgatory in your favorite podcast player:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/toddlerpurgatorySpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nYMJbsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vV0ZIMTcyMzIwMDk5Mg==iHeart: https://iheart.com/podcast/81711771/Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/toddler-purgatoryYou can also find us at toddlerpurgatory.com or on the socials at #toddlerpurgatory.New episodes every other Tuesday!

Welcome to Toddler Purgatory. Parenting little kids isn't awful. It's just... intense. With Blaire Brooks and Molly Lloyd as your guides, raising little ones just became a lot more fun.Molly's the mom of a 4-year-old. Blaire has 2 and 4-year-olds. They're both hilarious, smart, and ready to tackle new parenting topics in every episode with some real talk, some expert advice, and a ton of laughs.If you're a fan of What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood and have kids six and under– or have just been wondering where to find another fun, funny, and helpful podcast–you're going to love Toddler Purgatory.New episodes every other Tuesday. Thanks for following, subscribing, and listening!You can also find us at toddlerpurgatory.com, and on social media #toddlerpurgatory