Morning Routines Made Easier – Ep. 430

September 28, 2026

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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.

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:

• When school drop-off meltdowns keep escalating

• Disclosing an ADHD diagnosis to your child’s school

• What a 504 plan is and when to ask about one

• Why leaving 10 minutes earlier changes everything

• Sensory triggers that derail a morning

• Scrambling for childcare when plans fall through

• Talking to kids about friendship conflict and repair

• Fifth-grade identity shifts and changing friend groups

• Peer pressure and mean-girl dynamics

• Using games and novelty to replace nagging

• Podcasts kids and parents can both enjoy

Products, links, resources mentioned in this episode:

• Greeking Out from National Geographic Kids

• Wheel of Names

• Daisy Chain Fields Festival

• Doechii

• Pigeon in a Peanut

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Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager.

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