Regretful Parents, Part 1 of Many

If you’re in your 20s or 30s, there’s a good chance you’ve lost friends as people you knew started to have kids. In today’s episode, Kristen and Erika chat about how to cope when you’re the last childfree person in your friend group, and the best and worst advice the internet has to offer on maintaining friendships with friends after they become parents. Have a question? Email us at dinkypod@gmail.com. Read “Hi, From Your Childless Friend” by A Cup Of Jo. More stats on being childfree: https://time.com/241/having-it-all-without-having-children/ On parents staying friends with childfree folks: https://archive.nytimes.com/parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/can-parents-stay-friends-with-the-child-free/ To buy yourself fresh flowers, visit bouqs.com To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster: https://www.redlobster.com/ To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

16 Aug 202256min

What defines a family? To some, family is about blood relations. For others, family is something you develop with people you love and trust. If you’ve ruled out having biological children, what other options are there to form alternative family arrangements? In this episode, we discuss adoption, foster care, and other “unconventional” family structures. Have a question? Email us at dinkypod@gmail.com. To learn more about adoption and the trauma adopted children experience, buy a copy of ‘Primal Wound’: https://bookshop.org/a/56255/9780963648006 If you’d like to learn more about celebs who were adopted, visit Popsugar.com: https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Celebrities-Who-Were-Adopted-37979874/amp To read on about celebs who were estranged from their parents, visit Ranker.com: https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-estranged-from-their-parents/celebrity-lists Our research on family structures came from ifstudies.org: https://ifstudies.org/blog/more-than-60-of-u-s-kids-live-with-two-biological-parents/ On adoption: https://adoptionnetwork.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-adopt-a-child/ https://adoptionart.org/adoption/private-adoption-vs-agency-adoption/ https://time.com/6051811/private-adoption-america/ https://adoptionswithlove.org/adoptive-parents/how-long-does-it-take-to-adopt https://www.holtinternational.org/top-10-myths-about-adopting-from-china/ https://childrenofallnations.com/adoption-programs/asia/china-adoption/#requirements On fostering: https://www.childrensrights.org/newsroom/fact-sheets/foster-care/ On childfree alternatives: https://thesocietypages.org/ccf/2014/08/11/childfree-is-family-friendly/ To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster: https://www.redlobster.com/ To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

9 Aug 202255min

Imagine a red button that, when pressed, would instantly end human life and suffering. Would you press it? Kristen and Erika debate this concept in a special bonus episode from the cutting room floor of our Antinatalism episode. Enjoy!  Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinkypod@gmail.com. If you’re a fan of the show, please remember to subscribe — bonus points for the extra special fans who leave us a glowing review. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

5 Aug 20224min

Grab some oat milk, because this episode is spicy! This week, Kristen and Erika ask a tough question: is procreation morally wrong? In other words, they discuss the philosophical topic of antinatalism: a controversial perspective that argues that “humans should abstain from procreation because it is morally wrong.” We chat through the theory’s major concepts, as well as everyone’s favorite topics: veganism, depression, and human suffering! (Look, it might sound like you’ll need to double up on a dose of Zoloft before tuning into the episode — but trust us, we keep it fun.) The data about unintended pregnancies can be found at: https://www.unfpa.org/press/nearly-half-all-pregnancies-are-unintended-global-crisis-says-new-unfpa-report To learn more about Antinatalism, visit Stop Having Kids: https://www.stophavingkids.org/ To read more from David Benetar (truly no relation to Pat Benetar), check out his argument in The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/the-case-for-not-being-born Watch Mr. Smith’s monologue from The Matrix (since we know you ran here for this, specifically) visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrBdYmStZJ4 To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster: https://www.redlobster.com/ To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

2 Aug 202246min

Fencesitters, unite!! If you’re questioning whether having kids is right for you, this episode has got you covered. We’re covering the top tools — from workbooks to influencers and beyond — to explore in order to make a decision and get off the fence. To read the article by parenting clarity therapist Ann Davidson (not Pete Davidson’s mom…), visit Vox.com. For more on the declining millennial birth rate. Snag a copy of ‘The Baby Decision’  Snag a copy of ‘Motherhood: Is It For Me?’ To follow Cleo Abrams on TikTok, visit: https://www.tiktok.com/@cleoabram To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster. To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

26 Juli 202251min

This week, we’re talking about everyone’s favorite topic: MONEY. We share our hot takes on baby showers, unpack how much it really costs to raise a child, and compare the financial tolls of having a child biologically vs adopting or fostering. To buy a Peloton for yourself, visit onepeloton.com and use code BX7RW2 to get $100 off your purchase. To read more about the pay disparity between men and women after giving birth, read these articles: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/16/womens-earnings-drop-after-having-a-childbut-mens-do-not.htmlhttps://www.nber.org/digest/apr11/how-childbearing-affects-womens-wages To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster: https://www.redlobster.com/ To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

19 Juli 202243min

Parents often say that the happiest day of their lives is the day their children were born… But is that true? Do kids *actually* make you happier — or lead to more meaningful lives? This week, Erika and Kristen consult the stats to see what the research reveals about the impact parenting has on your happiness. (Spoiler: it’s not great.) To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster: https://www.redlobster.com/ To reference the study about Texas mothers: https://www.amazon.com/All-Joy-No-Fun-Parenthood/dp/B01L9E1R66 To read the additional data we reference, visit these links: https://positivepsychology.com/parenthood-paradox/https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202102/why-many-single-women-without-children-are-so-happy To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

12 Juli 202244min

This special bonus episode is only for the truly deranged souls who want to listen to the BONUS EXTENDED full quiz on if you're ready to become a parent.  TAKE THE QUIZ: https://www.thequiz.com/are-you-ready-to-be-a-parent/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

5 Juli 202224min