The holidays can bring out the good, the bad, and sometimes, the ugly. Join us as we talk all things holidays, including what old traditions we are re-living with our children, our thoughts on Santa and American consumerism, gift for our kids, and how growing up in a blended family affected some of us as kids and what that looks like now as adults. Also, there’s a big discussion (debate!) about whether or not ham should be at the holiday dinner table.  The Revolving Fall Sicknesses (1:20) A Ham-less Christmas? (3:25) Bringing Back Hallacas (8:08) Giving the Turkey his time (11:01) A Different Perspective about Thanksgiving (13:05) Fake Trees are in (15:17) Don’t eat Pablo! (19:56) Old & New Traditions (24:14) The Santa Dilemma (29:03) Experiences vs. Stuff (36:15) Holidays with Divorced Parents (46:00) End of Year Reflections (1:03:32)

The college admissions process is not what it once was. Accessibility to college has increased, making college admissions more competitive. The old “formula” of good grades and extracurriculars as a fool-proof way of getting into college no longer serves students. So what’s the new wave of college admissions? What’s the secret sauce? We’ve invited Thomas Caleel, former MBA Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, (podcaster and dad!) to break it down for us. Who is Thomas Caleel? (1:24) College admissions is at boiling point (2:43) Why has it become so competitive? (4:45) Crafting a Cohort (7:58) Passion goes a long way (8:57) You don’t need all the bells & whistles (17:12) Is there a secret sauce? (18:38) Success Looks Different for Everyone (22:12) College is More than Curriculum (28:15) First Generation Students (29:07) “AI” is not your authentic voice (34:39) When Adriana used Chat GPT to tell someone off professionally (38:59) Adriana’s college admissions experience (41:40) Admissions looks at the whole picture (43:12) Thoughts on affirmative action being axed (44:40) “Who are you at this point in time?” (49:29) Self-awareness at 17 (50:45) How a famous criminal case helped Amy’s dad pick her career (54:00) Raising an adult (56:30) Is College at 18 reasonable? (58:51) Growth happens outside a college classroom, too (1:04:01) When Thomas feels like he’s winning at parenting (1:13:22)

Cultural identity can be a tricky thing to understand & develop. Luckily, we invited Dr. Sabrina Mendez Escobar, born in the Dominican Republic, to explain how cultural identities develop and what role we can play to help develop that sense of ‘latinidad’ in our children. She received her doctorate with her research in ‘ethnic racial socialization’ and she offers actionable tips and tricks for children of all ages, and discloses if there really is “one way” to do this right.  Who is Dr. Sabrina Mendez Escobar? (0:50) The Biggest ‘Aha!’ Moment (2:55) Miami’s Uniqueness (3:59) Is Latinidad the Default? (7:32) Do we get “watered-down”? (11:13) Becoming More Intentional (14:26) The Subtle Blending (16:45) The Judgment (20:45) ‘Yo No Sabo’ Kids (21:48) Books & Stories (23:40) La musica! (27:34) Is there a “right” way? (31:42) Latinos have their differences (34:02) Some Resources (36:57) The Unspoken (but spoken) Competition (39:56) Pressures of Teaching the Spanish Language (43:18) Socio-Political Traumas of Latina America (52:30) You’re not alone! (59:17)

Interracial relationships can be tough on their own – now imagine adding a different generation to the mix? The relationship with your (or your partner’s parents) can become difficult when you set a boundary. So how do you establish limits without crumbling the family dynamic, especially with a generation who does not receive boundaries well? Tune in as the hosts continue their interview with Rocio Garza and dive deep into these topics. Boomers Struggle with Boundaries (2:01) Liberation through Therapy (3:35) Keeping Traditions Alive (11:06) A Not So Jolly Christmas (13:15) When Parents Don’t Like Your New Traditions (17:43) “Pink Eye is Fine!” (18:58) Your Kids Grow Up One Day (21:02) From Coach to Teammate (22:52) Traditions in a Non-Cultural Place (24:25) Teaching Kids Spanish (28:09) You want what you don’t have (31:45) Proving Your Latinism (33:09) I’m a POC? (40:23) All the Boxes (41:00) Diversity in Schools (44:29) Loving their Latin Side (47:45)

Raising a child poses challenges on its own, now imagine raising a child with someone from a completely different culture or a different race than yours. There tends to be a lot more explaining than you might have expected, you may need to paint the picture for your partner about why a certain perspective is important to you, or why you want to pass on cultural traditions down to your child. Join the three hosts, along with Special Guest, Rocio Garza, a proud Latina, and lifestyle content creator who married a “gringo,” as they discuss the joy and challenges of being in an intercultural marriage while raising children who also feel their “latinidad.”  Who is Rocio Garza? (1:23) Rocio Meets her Non-Latino (4:13) Leaving a Big City for a Small Town (5:51) Family Opinions (8:50) So Much Explaining (11:43) Lance did his Homework! (13:40) The Backhanded Comments (15:10) The Confusion about all the Gatherings (18:30) Family Reactions & Side Comments (20:28) The In-Laws (28:26) Unexpected Conversations (39:30) Estranged Relationships (42:15) The Burden of Pride (45:12)

In a society that doesn’t allow boys to cry because it’s viewed as a weakness (or feminine), what are we really teaching our boys? Humans are born with the capacity to feel the full spectrum of emotions, yet men are only allowed to show happiness and anger. In the long run, men are being harmed both physically and mentally by repressing emotions, and are less likely to seek help when needed. Does crying automatically mean there’s a lack of strength or resilience? Or can both coexist without canceling out the other? Find out what the hosts think on this hot topic! What is toxic masculinity? (1:57) Gender Stereotypes (6:14) The Three Tenants (7:17) Can feelings and toughness coexist? (8:05) A good cry needs a good follow up (10:00) Crying helps communicate when we can’t (10:37) Opposite Male Perspectives (12:20) Were you allowed to cry as a kid? (13:58) Men as providers (15:30) One thing doesn’t cancel the other (17:26) What did you see growing up? (20:00) Healthy Masculinity (21:46) Level the Playing Field (23:23) Lady Training (31:30) Adriana’s Thoughts on a Man Crying (33:30) We can’t have it both ways (35:06) Boberias! (36:27) Parents’ Triggers (40:48) Seeking Help (42:13) The Magna Tile Meltdown (47:24) Therapy Resistance (49:41) Cross Cultural Toxicity (54:17) Letting our kids see us cry (56:22) Tug of War with Yourself (58:28) Not wanting to worry others (1:00:12) Yay for Therapy! (1:01:12) Closing Remarks (1:03:47)

Summer break is a fun time for the kids, but can cause a lot of undue stress for parents. Between the costly expense of summer camps, and also trying to make fun memories, parents may find themselves in the trenches trying to do what’s best for their family. Tune in as we discuss what decision we made, moving to a new home, how summers in the US compare to other countries, and how we are handling Back To School season. The Digital Glitches (1:21) Summer Struggles (2:24) The Snarky Email Signature (6:53) Sometimes it's Cheaper to Quit (10:04) The Family Shuffle Pt 1 (12:16) Do we get rid of long summers? (14:17) Where did the Summer go?! (16:56) New Home. New School. New Anxieties. (18:03) Preparing your child for change (22:30) Older Kids Feel School Stressors, too (23:40) Leaving a home behind (26:31) Preparing Yourself for Big Changes (30:45) School Summer as Child Care (31:44) Family Bonding Time (32:55) Summer Memories (37:15) Building Immunity is a Scam! (40:50) Speech Therapy & Ear Infections (43:25) Rest is not a luxury, it's a necessity (47:39)

This is part three of a three-part series as each host interviews their husband to get the man’s perspective on the topics discussed over the first three episodes. Tune in as Amyasks her husband, Greg, some deep questions regarding how he felt about dating a Latina, his painful experience with psoriasis, the generational curses he wants to break, and the thing he hopes his children can do once they are adults. “Latinas are hot!” (1:37) The Darts Picture (4:17) Zero Doubts (6:05) Amy’s Clock Ticked for a Month (8:20) The First of Three Losses (9:36) The Positive Half (11:29) When Fatherhood Felt Real (14:07) “He’s real!” (15:35) Greg’s Experience with Psoriasis (16:33) The Science Experiment (19:53) Adding Espumita to the mix (23:15) The Challenges (27:42) Breaking Cycles (31:40) To Spank or Not to Spank? (39:49) Good Dads are Feeling Excluded (42:12) Winning! (47:02) Favorite Part of being a Dad (48:56) The Googly Eyes (50:22) Some Advice from Greg (52:05)

This is part two of a three-part series as each host interviews their husband to get the man’s perspective on the topics discussed over the first three episodes. Tune in as Jenn asks her husband, Bill, some deep questions regarding how he knew he was ready to become a father, a unique and haunting experience in a parking garage, and his thoughts on being a stay-at-home dad, and what spanking really does to a child. Bill, the Super Stay-At-Home Dad (2:02) Billie has FOMO (2:36) Did Bill ever see himself as a dad? (3:45) Being Father-ish (6:35) From Friends to Lovers (7:44) Latina Wife Expectations (8:10) Who’s the initiator? (9:22) So much sh*t going on (11:18) The IVF Story (13:09) The Worst 26 Minutes Ever (13:46) A Parking Garage Nightmare (17:30) Sticker Tag Shock and a Dose of Positivity (21:07) Getting Over Needle Phobia (25:29) Bullseye! (29:12) Lucky Number 13 (30:08) Doing Things Differently (31:04) “You’re not the boss of me” (34:10) Adding Affirmation & Affection to the Mix (35:50) Challenges for Dad (36:50) Lessons Learned (39:36) Some Advice from Bill (43:00) Be Present (45:10)

This is part one of a three-part series as each host interviews their husband to get the man’s perspective on the topics discussed over the first three episodes. Tune in as Adriana asks her husband, Jorge, some deep questions regarding how he felt about dating a woman with children, their unexpected and sudden transition into parenthood, his “sexpectations” after the arrival of their son, and a difference of opinion on the effectiveness of old school parenting (Spoiler: Happy Wife, Happy Life). The Online Meet-Cute (1:51) The Plunge Into Parenting (3:16) Scratch Off Surprise-ish (6:31) The Headstrong Child (8:23) Pregnancy from Jorge’s View (10:11) Sexpectations After Baby (11:42) “Are we masochists?” (17:08) Intimacy without Sex (19:50) What gets Adriana Going (22:21) What gets Jorge Going (23:04) Why Adriana is always tired (23:27) Miscarriage & Grief (25:20) The Rainbow Baby (29:08) Challenges for Dad (32:30) Winning! (36:56) Consequences (40:10) The Spanking Rift (43:21) Patience & Self-Regulation (49:08) Time Can Be a Thief (51:04) Some Advice from Jorge (53:45)