Two Parents & A Podcast

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Friday!! As you guys know, last Saturday we spoke at Dear Media by Day, and our panel was called “Having It All-ish: Career, Kids & the New Reality of Balance.” We had SO much fun up there that we knew before we left the stage: we had to bring it to you guys. So consider this the run-back.. and if you were there, act surprised lol

Here's the premise: we were told we could have it all. The career, the relationship, the family, the social life, and somehow eight hours of sleep. But like HOW?! For us, the honest answer is a system we've never fully explained on the pod until now: our FAMILY FRAMEWORK. The six buckets we value most as a couple, ranked 1 to 10, monitored constantly. When they're full, we're happy. When one dips, we don't wing it.. we name it, and we play offense.

We get into how the buckets came to be (Harrison's observation that the richest people he knew weren't the happiest.. the most balanced ones were), and then we deep dive ONE bucket (relationship) as an example (but NOTE: the same principles can be applied across all!!). You'll hear how the framework catches the slow slide before it becomes resentment, the exact language we use to bring something up without putting each other on defense, and the math for deciding where the energy goes: taking a bucket from a 3 to a 7 beats polishing a 9 to a 10. And if you're someone who gets overwhelmed easily, this might be the most useful part: "I'm overwhelmed" becomes "THIS bucket is overwhelming me," and suddenly it's solvable.

Then the career section: how having kids changed our ambition (short version: career ambition unchanged, LIFE ambition never higher), the sacrifices we have and haven't made, and the misconception we each had about kids before vs. after.

And your questions from the panel: do we still believe in balance now that we have kids (more than ever, actually), what Alex has stopped feeling guilty about in motherhood, what to do if you're scared kids will derail your career momentum, and how to decide what deserves your energy.. which turned out to literally be the buckets hahaha

Tell us in the comments: which bucket are you focused on right now?

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, and happy weekend :-)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:54: Why we're running the panel back for YOU (if you were there.. act surprised lol)

00:01:23 Introduction to our family framework

00:05:45 How the 6 buckets came to be…

00:09:24 Bucket deep dive: Relationship

00:14:01 How we decide which bucket gets our energy

00:15:55 THIS is why the family framework is so helpful

00:18:09 Career Q: How has having kids changed your ambition?

00:27:17 Career Q: The career sacrifices we have & haven't made since kids

00:25:09 Career Q: One misconception we had about kids.. before vs. after

00:27:03 Audience Q: Now that you have kids, do you still believe in balance?

00:28:15 Audience Q: What have you stopped feeling guilty about in motherhood?

00:29:56 Audience Q: I'm scared kids will derail my career momentum.. help?

00:33:18 Audience Q: How do I decide what deserves my energy?!

00:34:43 Our closing thoughts

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

#twoparentsandapod

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Wednesday!! Getting ahead of this: YES - Alex & Harrison are in the wrong seats (#SocialDistancing). We open with the moments you realize you're THE parent of the house: Alex packing a pizza-and-banana lunch for dance class, Harrison standing in the yard with the plumber feeling like his dad.. and the one that reminded Alex of her childhood: clacking around in heels before Dear Media by Day, hoping Tate remembers the sound the way she remembers her mom's. Plus a DM that's changing our vocabulary: when you're putting on makeup (or heels!!) in front of your daughter, say mom is getting FANCY, not pretty.. because she's always pretty, with or without it.

Then we break our own podcast rule to talk about the weather (a storm is coming and Jules flies out in the THICK of it), padel lesson one is complete (drenched, humbled, hooked), and Jules walks us through her Europe itinerary.. or total lack of one. Milan to Florence to a wedding to Santa Margherita to the south of France, with essentially nothing planned. Send her your suggestions!!

On the homefront: SLEEP UPDATES! Rocky's progress and Tate's new move of joining us in bed.

Then our internet convos: the unspoken rules of men's handshakes (dap, shake or bro hug??), and the big one: hosting in America has collapsed from 42% of people hosting monthly in 1975 to 12% today. We get into why, and our whole case: hosting does not need to be complicated. Monday we texted friends "we're having burgers tonight" and that was the invite. DoorDash counts. Paper plates count. Bring back hosting!! Next: OU vs. Texas week in a house divided (Tate is picking who Harrison bets on lol), the Brooklyn bathroom with a 10 minute TIMER, the case for revisiting your childhood hobbies (what was yours?!), and should we do a Survivor bracket?!

And we close with the one we really want your input on: if your kid gets hit or bitten, what do you teach them to do? We walk through the options, where we've landed for now, and why this might be a Dr. Brown question. Tell us what's worked for your family.

Hope everyone has a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:14 The moment you realize you're THE parent…

00:02:47 Swapping "pretty" for "fancy"

00:05:20 We're breaking our podcast rule to talk about the weather…

00:06:44 Padel lesson one: COMPLETE

00:07:49 Jules' Europe itinerary.. or total lack of one (send suggestions!!)

00:18:42 Rocky’s sleep update

00:23:43 Tate’s sleep update

00:25:48 The unspoken rules of men's handshakes (dap, shake or bro hug?!)

00:30:38 The death of hosting in the U.S.

00:37:12 OU vs. Texas week in a house divided

00:43:05 The Brooklyn bathroom with a 10 minute TIMER

00:46:52 The importance of revisiting childhood hobbies

00:55:20 Should we do a Survivor bracket?!

00:56:38 If your kid gets hit or bitten: what do you teach them to do?

01:01:59 LOVE YOU GUYS

#twoparentsandapod

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Sources:

*The death of hosting: https://www.derekthompson.org/p/the-death-of-the-american-host

*Revisiting childhood hobbies: https://time.com/article/2026/09/22/revisiting-childhood-hobbies-is-a-way-to-learn-who-you-are-as-an-adult/

*The Brooklyn bathroom timer: https://time.com/article/2026/09/22/revisiting-childhood-hobbies-is-a-way-to-learn-who-you-are-as-an-adult/

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*FORA Travel: Become a Fora Advisor today at https://www.foratravel.com/twoparents

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Monday!! We are STILL buzzing from Dear Media by Day.. Saturday was AWESOME: panels all day, brand activations, happy hour, and our first time ever doing something like this as a couple. Talking about “having it all (ish)” in front of 300+ people?? SO cool.

One of the best parts: our friends were in that crowd. Even better? We never asked them to come. They found out, bought tickets, and showed up for us. Which is EXACTLY why this week's PSA on friendship felt so timely: you need to start being a "high effort friend." The internet spent years teaching us to cancel plans and call it self care, and the pendulum is officially swinging back (& we're here for it).

As for the panel itself: we talked all about our "family framework." Consider this episode the sneak preview (what it is, how we rank each bucket out loud every week, why it's changed how we bring things up with each other).. and we'll do a FULL episode on it this coming Friday!! Pop questions in the comments and we’ll hit them friday!!

Life stuff: Tate had an "I need cuddles" night and ended up back in our bed.. and we need to know: will THIS ruin our toddler's sleep habits?! Our honest answer: some nights can be just for the memories. Jules is off to Europe, which sparks the great travel debate: do you bring food on a flight? Safety sandwich rules are discussed at length (Italian, NO tomatoes, you're welcome). And our date night giveback winner is announced!!

Then two things we DMed that we're still processing: the "butter" on movie theater popcorn isn't butter (it's soybean oil in a trench coat.. we feel lied to??), and third places are disappearing. Starbucks and McDonald's traded the cozy / fun hangout for the pickup shelf, and we need SOMEONE to figure out balancing vibes with efficiency.

To close: the best investment one mom made once her kids left for college (plane tickets.. go to THEM), and should we go to Japan on our honeymoon?! (aaaand should the neighbors be invited hahaha)

Hope everyone has a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:27 Our Dear Media by Day recap (thank you to everyone who came!!)

00:03:17 Sneak preview: our "family framework" (full episode coming FRIDAY!)

00:14:57 How we both got over hating public speaking (the reps theory)

00:22:23 Retiring "fake it til you make it"

00:23:33 You need to start being a “high effort friend"

00:31:49 Jules is off to Europe!!

00:34:29 Do you bring food on a flight?

00:37:42 Will THIS ruin our toddler's sleep habits?!

00:43:28 Date night winner!!!

00:44:30 The "butter" on your movie theater popcorn isn't butter?!

00:47:26 Where did all the third places go?!

00:51:38 The best investment once your kids leave for college: plane tickets

00:56:12 Should we go to Japan on our honeymoon?!

00:58:24 LOVE YOU GUYS!

#twoparentsandapod

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Sources:

*High Effort friends: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdzGNTIjICy/?stkn=MXMzMjZnc2FjOWUzag==

*Movie theatre “butter”: https://x.com/TipOfTheBanana/status/2104234088802451546?s=20

*Texas Roadhouse “butter”: https://www.aol.com/articles/texas-roadhouses-famous-honey-cinnamon-181100000.html

*Third place convo: https://x.com/herrmanndigital/status/2103849448254390750?s=20

*Best investment once kids in college: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddtu16RmzSJ/?stkn=MWhheWo1MG81aWM0bw==

*Japan reading club nights: https://x.com/_3emeOeil/status/2104109416672838128?s=20

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Honest: Shop Honest on Amazon, Walmart and Target.

*Little Spoon: Give them meals + snacks that are actually right for where kids are developmentally—balanced, intentional and made to support real growth. Go to https://www.littlespoon.com/TWOPARENTS and enter code TWOPARENTS for 30% off your first order.

*GOODLES: Pick up GOODLES Twirly Mac online or on your next shopping trip… Available nationwide at major grocery stores and retailers.

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Friday!! We shared a bit about our street this week on socials, and the comments had one big request: "please dig deep on the community y'all have created on the pod." So hi! We get into when it all started, the little ways everyone shows up for each other.. plus the couples trip we just booked with THE neighbors (who we realized we've somehow never hung out with 1:1..) AND, if you want one place to start with YOUR street: host the street-wide barbecue.

Before all that: do you remember the first time your parents embarrassed you in public?? Harrison has a convertible pickup memory, Alex genuinely cannot think of one, and all Jules could come up with was that Nori (Minich) wore a lot of brown LOL.

Then Jules is back from New York with a story we're still processing: she caught her pilot LYING. Pilots need a full 8 hours of rest, hers fudged his timesheet, and someone caught it because the math didn't math. Rules are rules!! (No public shaming.. but a strongly worded DM is coming lol)

On the home front: we are officially a couple who "padels" together, we're going BIG on Halloween because Tate APPROVED the skeletons, and Rocky is giving us 5 to 6 hour stretches since starting the nanny share. There's something to babies being busy and around other babies!!

Plus our coffee GIVEBACK winner is announced (s/o Jetta.. enjoy Hattie's Coffee House in Whitestown, Indiana!!) and the next giveback is live: comment your favorite date night idea and we're treating one of you to it.

Rapid fire: McDonald's says GLP-1 users are their next big opportunity?!, where's the first place you drove when you got your license, the big one: are you a rule follower or a rule breaker?!, handedness is decided in the WOMB?!, the most popular Uber Eats restaurant in America, ergodic theory, and Harrison's AI update: Meta launched Muse (and the rollout is a masterclass).

Come see us at Dear Media by Day TOMORROW!! Sold out, but if you have a ticket: we can't wait!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:32 Do you remember the first time your parents embarrassed you in public?

00:02:19 Jules caught her pilot LYING?!

00:10:38 We are officially a couple who “padels” together

00:16:40 We're going BIG on Halloween

00:21:36 Rocky sleep update: the nanny share effect

00:23:55 Coffee GIVEBACK winner announced!! (+ our new date night giveback)

00:27:23 We've never hung out with the neighbors alone??

00:29:27 How we’ve created community within our neighborhood

00:35:27 Favorite Halloween costumes (yes, we know it's September lol)

00:37:01 McDonald's says GLP-1 users are their next big opportunity?!

00:41:01 Where's the first place you drove when you got your license?!

00:42:49 Are you a rule follower or a rule breaker?!

00:47:03 Handedness follow up: it's decided in the WOMB?!

00:50:21 The MOST POPULAR Uber Eats restaurant in America?!

00:53:51 Ergodic theory ( a fun life lesson from TikTok)

00:55:39 Come see us at Dear Media by Day TOMORROW!!

00:57:13 Harrison's AI update: Meta launched Muse (a masterclass in product launches?)

00:59:22 LOVE YOU GUYS!

#twoparentsandapod

#twoparentsandapod

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Sources:

• • • Handedness in the womb: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202006/does-left-handedness-develop-before-or-after-birth

• • • Forcing left-handers to switch: https://www.press.jhu.edu/newsroom/stuttering-and-retraining-left-handed-children-mid-century-us

• • • Padel growth: https://athletechnews.com/padel-growth-us-report/

• • • Meta Muse launch: https://www.benton.org/headlines/meta-debuts-muse-its-long-planned-personal-ai-agent

• • • • McDonald's GLP-1 "next big opportunity”: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/article/mcdonalds-exec-says-glp-1-boom-is-an-opportunity-204354994.html

• • • • • • • • • McDonald’s Stock Price: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimosman/2026/09/25/mcdonalds-stock-fell-29-its-turnaround-plan-could-make-things-worse/

• • • • • • The Uber Eats most popular restaurant: https://x.com/BarredinDC/status/2102364966187680053?s=20 https://x.com/BarredinDC/status/2102364966187680053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2102364966187680053%7Ctwgr%5Ede9349122d54bf21483e99d0db8fffab1e1aa826%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.notion.com%2Fp%2FWEEKLY-EPISODES-39dabaf47b5180d9831ce94c7f5877b8

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Honest: Shop Honest on Amazon, Walmart and Target.

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Follow Two Parents & A Podcast:

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Wednesday!! We open with the question every woman has wondered: do men ACTUALLY notice makeup? Harrison's honest answer confirmed what we suspected (the answer being "no") hahaha. We get into the levels of makeup (1, 2 and 3.. and how "you're so beautiful without makeup" is usually said to a level 1), what the "right" age is for kids to start wearing it, and the getting-ready gap: his entire routine is teeth and deodorant, hers is a production with a budget.

Next up, a weaning update from Alex: the fog is lifting!! Things that felt really big are starting to feel manageable again, and for anyone in it right now: they say the hormone transition can affect you for 1 to 3 weeks. The only way out is through, and it DOES get better. (Oh and Harrison’s excited he can not eat my food)

We also have a debate we need your help settling: what causes a kid to be left-handed?! Harrison is going full speculator mode (his smudge theory involves ink, school desks, and a prediction that computers will create MORE lefties), and we need every left-handed listener to sound off in the comments. Plus a quick pause for panel outfit planning.. (come see us at Dear Media by Day THIS Saturday!!)

Over in the internet section: a PSA that the algorithm cannot tell your hate comments from your love comments (if you don't care, don't engage!!), Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is back for Season 5, and Jules' DWTS corner: the pregnant pro, a prediction we're putting on the record, and her rec for making any reality show better: a "watch party" group chat. Plus the iced coffee at an interview saga continues.. the recruiters found Alex's TikTok and they are MAD.

And Harrison's corner: the best performing stock in the S&P 500 over the last 45 years will genuinely surprise you (hint: "something with jugs" lol), and the New York Times covered a trend we can't stop thinking about: parents are hiring "concierge moms" to check on their college kids?! Errands, energy drinks, X-ray rides.. we get into whether this is genius or a step too far.

And a giveback to close: comment your favorite LOCAL coffee shop (on YouTube or Spotify) and we're randomly giving one of you a $100 gift card to that exact spot (HOT COFFEE ONLY lol)!! Finally, the sweetest thing we learned this week: matching with your toddler isn't just cute, it's a visual cue that you're on a TEAM.

Hope everyone is having a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:38 Do men ACTUALLY notice if a woman is wearing make up?!

00:01:58 What’s the “right” age for kids to start wearing make up?!

00:03:39 How men get ready vs. how women get ready

00:06:30 Update on weaning from breastfeeding

00:09:46 This is NOT an ad for Kevin’s Natural Foods

00:12:41 What causes some people to be left-handed?!

00:18:07 Quick pause for panel outfit planning (come see us at Dear Media by Day Saturday!!)

00:20:38 PSA: the algorithm can't tell hate comments from love comments

00:21:40 What we’re watching: Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5

00:23:48 Jules’ DWTS corner: Pregnant ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Witney Carson + Reality TV group chats

00:32:52 Iced coffee at an interview cont…

00:47:01 The best performing stock in the S&P 500 will surprise you

00:51:16 $100 COFFEE SHOP GIVEBACK: comment your favorite LOCAL spot!!

00:52:42 Parents are hiring "concierge moms" for their college kids?!

00:55:47 Matching with your toddler is more than just cute

00:58:29 LOVE YOU GUYS!

#twoparentsandapod

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Sources:

*The Highest-Returning Stock of the Last 45 Years Is Home Depot - WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/home-depot-acquired-podcast-stock-returns-cbdf037f

*Worried About Your College Kid? Now You Can Hire a Local Mom - NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/well/college-concierge-mom.html

*Unemployment Rates - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Honest: Shop Honest on Amazon, Walmart and Target.

*Zenni: Use code PODCAST15 for fifteen percent off your first order at https://www.bit.ly/41onx2O #Zennipartner

*SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces at http://www.skims.com/twoparents

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Listen to the pod on YouTube/Spotify/Apple:

https://www.youtube.com/@twoparentsandapod

https://open.spotify.com/show/7BxuZnHmNzOX9MdnzyU4bD?si=5e715ebaf9014fac

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-parents-a-podcast/id1737442386

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Follow Two Parents & A Podcast:

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Follow Alex Fugman:

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TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@justalexfugman

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