🎙️ In This Episode:

Parenting is full of surprises—some great, some messy, and some downright chaotic. In this candid episode, we’re talking about the raw, unfiltered truths of raising kids that no one warns you about.

What We Cover:

🤷 What We Wish We Knew: Surprises and lessons from our parenting journeys.

😂 Funny Fails: The parenting moments that didn’t go as planned.

💡 Learning As You Go: Tips for embracing the unpredictability of family life.

🛑 No Sugar-Coating: Honest conversations about the highs and lows of parenthood.

Time To Unplug

Michael: X-Men '97 (Disney+)

Sara: Under the Bridge (Hulu)

Mike: Mike gets a Steam Deck

Links:

Article mentioned on show Parents Teen Slang Words in 2024: A Dictionary for Parents https://www.parents.com/teen-slang-dictionary-for-parents-8547711

A 43-Year-Old High School Teacher Has Been Keeping A Personal List Of "Gen Z" Slang Terms He Overhears His Students Using - There are a LOT more words here! https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyachen/43-year-old-teacher-has-google-doc-of-gen-z-slang-terms

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

*Question of the Week? * How many words did you know? What did you get WAY wrong?

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

🎙️ Mother’s Day Survival Guide: Enjoying the Day While Balancing Family:

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the incredible moms in our lives, but it can also come with its share of challenges. We’re sharing creative ways to show appreciation, fun family activities, and tips to make the day stress-free for everyone.

Lastly, a big Happy Mother's Day to Sara D, Our Wives and Moms, and of course to all of our listeners and friends!

What We Cover:

💐 Thoughtful Gifts: Ideas that go beyond the usual flowers and cards.

👩‍👧‍👦 Family Activities: Fun ways to spend quality time together.

💆 Self-Care for Moms: How to ensure moms get some much-needed rest and relaxation.

😂 Our Mother’s Day Stories: Heartwarming and hilarious moments from our own lives.

Time To Unplug

Michael: The Twenty-Sided Tavern Theatrical Experience https://thetwentysidedtavern.com/

Mike: Star Wars - Tales of the Empire (Disney Plus)

Links:

Article mentioned on show 5 Ways to Make Mother's Day Special for a First-Time Mom https://www.marthastewart.com/8250058/how-make-mothers-day-special-first-time-mom

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

*Question of the Week? * How do you make mothers day special? What is something SMALL that you do that has a big impact?

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

S01E028: Disney World Food Guide for Parents: What to Eat with Kids

On this episode we are giving you some insight on the food and rides of the four Disney World Parks. We will be discussing our favorite attractions and some of our favorite quick order or sit down eats that worked best for our families. We are hoping to help out Sara D and others like her who haven’t gone as a family yet. Mike Levine has been a number of times and I went over the summer so I think we are going to learn a lot from each other on this second part of our Disney World Run of episodes.

Big thanks to Liam & Bridget of our Camp Pain podcast for some Disney Food recommendations and the reminder you can enjoy some Disney goodness regardless of your age! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/camp-pain/id1725529161

Additional thanks to Mike, Maria, & Christopher for some Disney Food recommendations, life saving tips including popcorn and some Monday Motivation!

Random Tips -Don't forget about Rider Swap when traveling with young kids -Book those rides at 7am (Individual Lightning, Virtual Queue, Genie Plus if staying on property) and 1pm (Virtual Queue) -Check for cancellations on reservations (2 hour cancellation policy might open up some food 2 hours before you want to eat) -Soarin' Around the World (1st Row Concourse B - Avoid Motion Sickness) -When lines present two directions, try going left instead of right -Free Ice / Water at Quick Service locations (transfer cups of water to your water bottles and bring powdered liquid iv / gatorade etc)

Magic Kingdom Cinnamon Rolls, Cheeseburger Spring Rolls, Dole Whip, Cheeseburger Bites, Kitchen Sink Ice Cream, Turkey Legs, Liberty Tavern

EPCOT Festival Food Share & Go (Food and Wine Festival), The Garden Grill Restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris

Hollywood Studios Woody's Lunchbox Grilled Cheese and Lunch Box Tart, Blue Milk, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, Docking Bay 7, Oga's Cantina

Animal Kingdom Yak and yeti, Boma - Flavors of Africa Breakfast Buffet

Off Campus Disney Springs - Gideon’s Bakehouse, Morimoto Asia, Rainforest Cafe (beware volcano), Enzo's Hideaway Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter - Scat Cat's Club - Café Disney's Contemporary Resort- Chef Mickey (Character Meal)

Food, rides end of night celebration 13:05: Magic Kingdom (Food, Rides, Happily Ever After) 43:00 EPCOT Theme Park (Food, Rides, Luminous The Symphony of Us) 58:15 Hollywood Studios (Food, Rides, Fantasmic - Don't mess up with projections / check into dinner package) 1:28:30 Animal Kingdom (Food, Rides, lit up tree) 1:35:00 Off Campus (Disney Springs, Disney Port Orleans Resort, Chef Mickey Contemporary Hotel)

Time To Unplug (returning after Disney Episodes)

Links:

Fantasmic Dinner Package Info: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/fantasmic-dining-package/

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

**Question of the Week? ** What rides are you most excited to go on? What food are you most excited to try?

Contact Us:

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

🎙️ Disney World Tips for Parents: Must-Do Rides & Magic Hacks:

Planning a Disney vacation is exciting but can also feel overwhelming. We’re here with tips and tricks for making your trip magical, from navigating the parks to finding the best food and rides for families.

What We Cover:

🎢 Top Attractions: Must-visit rides and experiences for kids and adults.

🍔 Dining Tips: Where to find the best family-friendly meals and snacks.

🎟️ Planning Hacks: How to save time and money while making the most of your trip.

😂 Our Disney Fails: Lessons learned from our own adventures.

Time To Unplug (returning after Disney Episodes)

Links:

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

**Question of the Week? ** What was overwhelming about visiting Disney? Are you nervous about something?

Contact Us:

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

A Note To Our Listeners

This is going to be a different kind of episode for us at Hey Other Parents. On this episode we will be talking about some of our experiences with family planning. Some of these topics that we are discussing today can be triggering for some of our audience. Some of these topics may be triggering for us as well.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Parenthood comes with a lot of expectations—some from society, some from family, and some we place on ourselves. Join us as we discuss how to manage these pressures and focus on what really matters.

What We Cover:

🤔 The Pressure to Be Perfect: How to let go of unrealistic expectations.

🛠️ Parenting Your Way: Finding the confidence to do what works for your family.

👶 Handling Outside Opinions: Dealing with advice (wanted or not) from others.

😂 Funny Moments: Stories of when expectations didn’t match reality.

We are going to try our best to speak from our experiences in an effort to normalize the conversation around things such as:

• difficulty in getting pregnant
• high risk pregnancies
• adoption
• miscarriage and other hardships
• pressure of having kids or having more kids
• rainbow babies
• tough choices when mother and baby are at risk
• breast feeding pressures
• Epidural complications
• VSD (heart complications)
• How to support friends and family through distress

While there are a number of positive areas of today’s show, we want to be upfront with you at the top of the show because like us, each of us has our own experiences and works through difficulty and hard times in our own ways. In this episode more than ever, it’s the three of us and all of you.

Expectations of Expecting (Family Planning &

Hardships)

Time To Unplug

This week we are focusing on support this week through various articles relating to this week of Hey Other Parents. Don't forget the importance of checking in with friends and family.

Links:

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-537-5437 559-537-KIDS 559-LESKIDS

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Article mentioned on show:

Please Stop Asking Me When I’m Having Another Baby Here’s why the question is terrible on so many levels. https://www.thebump.com/a/stop-asking-about-another-baby

Please Stop Asking If I’m Going To Have More Babies https://theeverymom.com/please-stop-asking-me-if-i-want-another-baby/

Miscarriage, loss, and grief https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/miscarriage-loss-and-grief

What is a Rainbow Baby? - American Pregnancy . ORG https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/pregnancy-loss/what-is-a-rainbow-baby/

5 Ways to Support a Family Expecting a Rainbow Baby https://www.huffpost.com/entry/5-ways-to-support-a-family-expecting-a-rainbow-baby_b_7222608

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

**Question of the Week? ** What do you want to tell us related to this week's topic?

Contact Us:

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

🎙️ Decluttering with Kids: How to Organize Your Home (Without Losing Your Mind):

A clutter-free home can make parenting a little easier, but where do you start? In this episode, we’re sharing practical tips for organizing your space and creating systems that work for your family.

What We Cover:

📦 Decluttering Tips: How to tackle the chaos one step at a time.

🏠 Family-Friendly Systems: Ways to keep everyone on the same page.

😂 Organizing Fails: Our funniest stories of when things didn’t quite work out.

🌟 Quick Wins: Simple changes that make a big impact.

Time To Unplug

Michael: Back To The Future I & II Rewatch

Sara: The Brothers Sun (Netflix)

Mike: (Out this week)

Links:

Article mentioned on show How to Stay Organized when You Have Kids https://justagirlandherblog.com/how-to-stay-organized-when-you-have-kids/

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

**Question of the Week? ** Do you have any suggestions or strategies for organizing your life and your home?

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

#024: Playdate Etiquette 101: How to Be the Parent Everyone Wants Over

This week we are revisiting playdates for a part two! This time we discuss what happens when you go to someone else's house. Michael's family from Texas visits and Jacob loses his AirPods. We discuss manners, calling adults by first names, house tours, Zelda cartridges get glitched, shoes off or on, toy chests and cleanup, riding a friends bus home, a sleepover gone wrong, D&D and more. We also discuss bringing snacks, sending activities with your kids, iPhone hangouts with tweens & teens, "Coffee Date" playdates, not overstaying your welcome, Sara D is low key clipboard and more!

Time To Unplug

Michael: Trader Joe's Creamy Toscano Cheese Soaked in Syrah + 1000 Day Gouda Cheese 

Sara: Watch List with Blurb in Notes App

Mike: (Out this week)

Links:

Article mentioned on show Teach your child how to behave when visiting other people's homes https://www.babycenter.com/child/parenting-strategies/teach-your-child-how-to-behave-when-visiting-other-peoples-h_10305052

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

Question of the Week? ** What do you before a playdate to help your kids have a good hangout?**

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

🎙️ The Great Playdate Debate: Structured vs. Unstructured Fun:

Playtime isn’t what it used to be! Join us as we explore the pros and cons of structured vs. unstructured play for kids, the role of playgrounds in childhood development, and the lessons we’ve learned from our own wild playground adventures.

What We Cover:

🌟 Structured vs. Unstructured Play: Finding the right balance for your child.

🏃 Benefits of Playgrounds: Social skills, physical activity, and creativity.

😂 Our Playground Memories: The good, the bad, and the funny.

🤝 Building Friendships: How play can help kids connect and grow.

Time To Unplug

Michael: Kalamata olive bread Sourdough 2.0

Sara: Love is Blind (Netlflix)

Mike: Gardening backyard redo

Links:

Article mentioned on show: Unstructured Play for Children https://www.verywellfamily.com/unstructured-play-2764971

Sourdough Starter (for White Bread Flour) https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2019/03/beginner-sourdough-starter-recipe/

Sourdough Bread Masterclass With Patrick Ryan - Baking Instructions https://ilovecooking.ie/features/sourdough-bread-masterclass-with-patrick-ryan/

The Clever Carrot - adding olives to sourdough https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2021/06/how-to-add-fillings-olive-sourdough-bread-recipe/

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

Question of the Week? ** What do you before a playdate to help your kids have a good hangout?**

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

🎙️ Bedtime Battles Solved: A Simple Guide to Sleep Training:

Sleep is essential for kids (and parents!), but getting everyone to bed isn’t always easy. We’re sharing tips for establishing consistent bedtime routines, dealing with nighttime battles, and making sure everyone gets the rest they need.

🛌 Why Sleep Matters: The science behind sleep and its impact on kids.

🎯 Bedtime Routines: Practical steps for smoother nights.

🕒 Late-Night Struggles: Strategies for dealing with interruptions and resistance.

💡 Parent Self-Care: Making sleep a priority for yourself, too.

Time To Unplug

Michael: Baba Is You (Switch/Mac/PC/iOS/Android)

Sara: Experience with Invisalign

Mike: (Mike is out this week)

Links:

Article mentioned on show

Bedtime Routines for Children https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/bedtime-routine

Harvey Karp (YouTube Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkRlvPGywM

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

Question of the Week? ** What routines do you have in your household? Are you more go with the flow or stick to steps?**

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-LES-KIDS 559-537-5437

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

🎙️ Easy & Fun School Lunch Ideas Your Kids Will Actually Eat:

Packing school lunches can feel like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be! We’re here with tips for making lunchtime easier, healthier, and more fun for your kids (and maybe even yourself).

🥪 Creative Lunch Ideas: Recipes and hacks for picky eaters.

🥤 Balancing Health and Fun: How to pack lunches your kids will actually eat.

🍎 Packing with Efficiency: Save time and reduce morning stress.

😂 Our Lunchbox Fails: Lessons learned from lunchtime disasters.

Heit’s Ultimate Lunch Daves Good Slice Bread Natural Peanut Banana slides long way then in half Kosher Salt Mike’s Hot Honey (or Trader Joe’s)

Time To Unplug

Michael: Zelda Tears of The Kingdom

Sara: One Day (Netflix 2024)

Mike: Shogun (FX)

Links:

24 Healthy Snacks for Kids and Toddlers That Are Fun and Easy to Make https://www.thebump.com/a/healthy-snacks-for-kids

Support Hey Other Parents: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents

Call Leave a Voicemail: 559-537-5437 559-537-KIDS 559-LESKIDS

Email Us: (Keep it short, keep it weird, ?, funny moment, comment etc) [email protected]

Instagram: (@heyotherparents) https://instagram.com/heyotherparents

Bluesky: (@heyotherparents.bsky.social) https://bsky.app/profile/heyotherparents.bsky.social

Our Intro Our intro voice recording was done by the one and only Koltrane.

Leave Us a Review Apple Podcast App click ratings and reviews.

Support Hey Other Parents by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/heyotherparents