Big Fat Positive: Pregnancy and Parenting (BFP)

In the special segment “Just You Wait,” Laura and Shanna share some of the things that get better as children grow up, including delightful developments on the playground, at birthday parties, in the car and more! Also, Shanna reports on a summer-camp dilemma that kept her up at night, and Laura checks in on her family's second week doing a screen-time ban. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 7.5 and 10 years old, and Laura's kids are 7.5 years old and 5 years old.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• When summer camp drama requires a midnight solution

• Trusting your gut when something feels off

• Week two of a screen time ban

• Building your child's tolerance for independent play

• When can you trust your kids with paint and Sharpies?

• Kids swinging themselves at the playground: when does this happen?

• Actually talking to other adults at kids' birthday parties

• When your kids become generous with their own money

• Getting in the car and going places without a production

• Occupational therapy: what it looks like and why wait lists are so long

• Kids' drama camp: writing and performing an original play

Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode:

• Steve and Kate's Camp

• Hurricane Harbor

• Kids Empire

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid animated film

• Chuck E. Cheese

Connect with Us:

• Become a Patreon member to access ad-free episodes, bonus content, live hangouts and more!

• Follow us on social: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook at @bfppodcast

• Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey.

• Visit our website: bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Email us: contact@bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Send us a voice message: speakpipe.com/bfppodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, help spread the word by sharing the show or leaving a review. Thank you!

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.

In the special segment "OMG, I'm Freaking Out," Shanna and Laura share what's currently keeping them up at night, including a dental mystery that may require an unpleasant solution and a screen time wake-up call that was impossible to ignore. Also, Laura reports on her 7-year-old's mysterious trend of not eating lunch at summer camp, and Shanna recaps her girls' "Seussical the Musical" performance. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 7.5 and 10 years old, and Laura's kids are 7.5 years old and 5 years old.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Sending your kid to a STEM/STEAM summer camp

• When your kid won't eat lunch at camp

• ADHD medication and appetite

• What it's like watching your kids in a musical theater performance

• When your child has a missing tooth that won't come in

• Screen time and ADHD

• Signs that screen time has gotten out of hand

• Screen-free playdates

• Buy Nothing groups: a great resource for gardening

Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode:

• Camp Galileo - Auggie's STEM/STEAM summer camp

• The Executive Function Playbook by Mike McLeod - what Laura was reading that informed the screen time decision

• Cap'n Crunch Chicken recipe - Planet Hollywood copycat recipe

• Shane's Inspiration - inclusive playground where one birthday party was held

• Buy Nothing Project - Shanna's source for free succulent cuttings

Connect with Us:

• Become a Patreon member to access ad-free episodes, bonus content, live hangouts and more!

• Follow us on social: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook at @bfppodcast

• Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey.

• Visit our website: bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Email us: contact@bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Send us a voice message: speakpipe.com/bfppodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, help spread the word by sharing the show or leaving a review. Thank you!

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.

In the special segment "Stump the Moms," Shanna and Laura embark on a tour through history, grilling each other with surprising parenting trivia that takes them from prehistoric cave paintings to a 1974 marketing disaster to a present-day TikTok trend. Also, Shanna recaps a 4th of July fireworks adventure that almost didn't happen, and Laura shares an unexpected summer camp development that required some quick problem-solving. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 7.5 and 10 years old, and Laura's kids are 7.5 years old and 5 years old.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Taking your kids to their first 4th of July fireworks show

• When summer camp isn't the right fit: how to handle it with your child

• To tell or not to tell: navigating difficult conversations with kids

• Prehistoric cave paintings

• The invention of finger painting

• The TikTok trend that stops toddler meltdowns cold

• Pattern interrupt as a parenting technique

• Why Gerber's attempt to launch a new product line failed spectacularly

• How kids across the world draw people the same way at age three

• How many minutes per year parents spend driving kids to school activities

• Spirit days at camp: making them inclusive and fun

• Preschool yearbooks

Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode:

• 4th of July Extravaganza at Warner Center Park

• Ruffignac Cave / Cave of 100 Mammoths

• Ruth Faison Shaw

• Ziplock finger painting

• Gerber Singles

• The "Jessica" TikTok trend

• Camp Galileo

Connect with Us:

• Become a Patreon member to access ad-free episodes, bonus content, live hangouts and more!

• Follow us on social: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook at @bfppodcast

• Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey.

• Visit our website: bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Email us: contact@bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Send us a voice message: speakpipe.com/bfppodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, help spread the word by sharing the show or leaving a review. Thank you!

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.

In the special segment "Why Is My Kid Crying?," Shanna and Laura explore the things that have caused their little ones to melt down recently, from snack-related disasters to household accidents. Also, Laura reports on life after her trip to Italy, including a backyard helper who couldn't be stopped and a tooth that went missing in the night, and Shanna shares insights on what separates a good summer camp from a great one after her girls return to a longtime favorite. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 7.5 and 10 years old, and Laura's kids are 7 years old and 5 years old.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Recovering from jet lag with kids at home

• Getting kids involved in household chores

• The tooth fairy in 2026: is cash still exciting for kids?

• What to look for in a kids' summer program

• Handling your child's disappointment

• Wound closure strips: why it's a good idea to have them in your medicine cabinet

• Professional theater with kids: is it worth it?

• A classic, must-read chapter book for your kids (and you!)

Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Nocturne Theater

• The Little Mermaid at The Nocturne Theater

• The BFG by Roald Dahl

• Giant - the Broadway play about Roald Dahl

• Wound closure strips / Steri-Strips

• Seussical the Musical

Connect with Us:

• Become a Patreon member to access ad-free episodes, bonus content, live hangouts and more!

• Follow us on social: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook at @bfppodcast

• Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey.

• Visit our website: bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Email us: contact@bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Send us a voice message: speakpipe.com/bfppodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, help spread the word by sharing the show or leaving a review. Thank you!

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.

Shanna and Laura sit down with Mike McLeod, founder of GrowNOW ADHD, co-host of "The ADHD Parenting Podcast," and author of "The Executive Function Playbook," to learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They dive into common misconceptions about ADHD, when parents might start to see signs of ADHD in their children, how screen time affects neurodivergent kids, how to navigate the ADHD medication journey, and so much more. Mike also breaks down exactly what executive function is and shares practical strategies parents can start using today to help strengthen their kids' executive functioning skills. This episode is available one week early for Patreon members at the Friends and Besties tiers.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Mike McLeod's background and how he became an ADHD expert
• Why ADHD is not a superpower, and why that framing can be harmful
• At what age to start evaluating your child for ADHD
• What executive function actually is
• The four pillars of executive function
• Working memory: hindsight, foresight and why ADHD kids are stuck in the present moment
• Practical strategies to strengthen executive functioning at home
• Screen time and ADHD: what the research actually says
• EdTech in classrooms
• ADHD medication: safety, effectiveness and navigating trial and error
• Common ADHD myths busted
• Why ADHD kids need authoritative parenting
• How to stop carrying the mental load alone

Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode:

• GrowNOW ADHD - Mike's organization, parent training and student skills coaching
• "The Executive Function Playbook: Building Independence in Kids with ADHD" by Mike McLeod - Mike's book, frequently referenced in this episode
• "The Executive Function Playbook in Action: Activities and Exercises to Support Kids with ADHD" - the companion workbook
• "The ADHD Parenting Podcast" - co-hosted by Mike McLeod and Ryan Wexelblatt, founder of ADHD Dude
• GrowNOW ADHD on Instagram
• Dr. Russell Barkley on YouTube - recommended for more on working memory and executive function
• Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP - also recommended for more on executive function
• "The Digital Delusion" by Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath - a must-read for parents and educators on edtech
• BookThinkers - the event Mike attended in Boston

Connect with Us:

• Become a Patreon member to access ad-free episodes, bonus content, live hangouts and more!

• Follow us on social: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook at @bfppodcast

• Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey.

• Visit our website: bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Email us: contact@bigfatpositivepodcast.com

• Send us a voice message: speakpipe.com/bfppodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, help spread the word by sharing the show or leaving a review. Thank you!

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.