
Man Eyes, Emoji Fails and School Volunteering - Ep. 433
Big Fat Positive: Pregnancy and Parenting (BFP)Show Notes
In this week's "Out of Context" segment, Shanna and Laura trade screenshots of text messages that need some explaining, including an emoji mix-up from an unexpected sender and a running joke about husbands who can’t see what’s right in front of them. Also, Laura finds out what it takes to get approved as a school volunteer these days, and a lottery win at school takes a real bite out of homework stress at Shanna’s house. They also share this week’s BFPs and BFNs.
Kids' ages: Shanna's kids are 7.5 and 10.5 years old, and Laura's kids are 7.5 and 5.5 years old.
Topics discussed in this episode: • What it takes to become a school volunteer now • Live scan fingerprinting and background checks for parents • Completing mandated reporter training • Background checks for youth sports volunteers • After-school enrichment lotteries • Getting homework done before you get home • Working with a teacher to get assignments early • When an emoji goes wrong • How different generations read emojis • Why your husband can’t find the thing that’s right there • Reading aloud in your kid’s classroom • Taking a solo hike to feel like yourself again • Hiking spots in Los Angeles
Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode: • The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Adam Rex • The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt • What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak • Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder • Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb • Strange Planet: The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature by Nathan W. Pyle • O’Melveny Park • California Mandated Reporter Training
Connect with Us: • Become a Patreon member for ad-free episodes, bonus content and more. • Follow @bfppodcast on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, or join our Facebook community group.
Loved this episode? A quick rating or review helps other parents find the show. Thanks for listening!
Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
More from Big Fat Positive: Pregnancy and Parenting (BFP)
Shanna and Laura answer listener questions about lying down with kids at bedtime, how to handle a child’s sleep anxiety, and the systems they use to keep track of every story they want to tell on the show. Shanna describes her bedtime routine now that her kids are older, Laura makes peace with the kid who lands in her bed at 2 a.m. every night, and both share the apps and docs holding this podcast together.
In this week’s “Internet Insanity” segment, Shanna breaks down the NeeDoh squishy toy craze that’s led to store fights, police involvement and a 243% spike in poison control calls, and Laura finally solves a months-long mystery about the bot-like comments appearing on the show's Spotify episodes. Also, fall activities ramp up for Shanna’s family, while Laura rides an unexpected wave of productivity around the house. They also share this week’s BFPs and BFNs.
Homework season starts and goes about as badly as Laura feared, leaving her looking for a way to get it done somewhere other than the kitchen table. Shanna's brutal mornings turn around after an unexpected discovery at urgent care. In this week's "Loose Ends" segment, Shanna and Laura revisit the stories they left dangling: whether a months-long screen time ban is still holding up, where a nine-month-overdue front tooth finally landed, and whether a head wound is going to leave a scar. They also share this week's BFPs and BFNs.
Shanna's drop-off struggles with her youngest escalate, so she lands on an unconventional solution to improve her family's morning routines. Laura scrambles to find last-minute babysitter coverage so she can attend an all-day music festival without the kids. In this week's "Throwback" segment, Shanna confesses to a split-second decision in fifth-grade band class that hurt a friendship, and shares what she hopes for her own fifth grader, who's navigating similar terrain. They also share this week's BFPs and BFNs.
Choosing between charter, magnet, public and private schools is overwhelming, and so is the trial-and-error process of finding the right ADHD medication for your kid. In this Ask-Us-Anything minisode, Shanna and Laura answer listener questions about how to narrow down school options when you don't know where to begin, and what their families' ADHD medication journeys have actually looked like, including what didn't work and why. Laura also shares an ADHD update of her own.