Weirdly Helpful (formerly The Best Advice Show) is a short, weekly infusion of delightful, unexpected and strange ways to make life slightly and sometimes profoundly better. In each episode a different contributor offers an odd experiment, a silly ritual, a curious practice that you’ll find weirdly helpful. Stuff like howling when you're despondent, eating oranges in the shower and metaphorically flushing your adversary down the toilet!
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Zak Rosen Podcasts
Zak Rosen, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Lucy Lopez share triumphs and fails and offer advice on parenting kids from toddler to teens. Want more Care and Feeding? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive advice. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Care and Feeding show page. Or, visit slate.com/careplus to get access wherever you listen.
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For over a year, Zak Rosen and his wife, Shira Heisler, discussed whether or not they wanted to have children. They conferred with friends, family, writers, and scientists along the way. Pregnant Pause is their intimate account of making the most important decision of their lives (so far).
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A school for sharing ideas and inspiration around good storytelling. “What makes a good story?”, “What excites us most about stories?”, “How can we be better at engaging with this fragile and robust art form?” Each week Phoebe McIndoe and Redzi Bernard speak with a well-known storyteller to receive their golden insights and advice. Like all good schools, at the end of each episode there will be homework; a unique storytelling challenge for you to join in.
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What We Learned From Our Biggest Parenting Triumphs and Fails
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26:49On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are looking back on 2025, but keeping an eye on 2026. They discuss their biggest parenting fails from this year, and what they’re looking to learn and improve on in the new year. Then, it’s poetry night! Each of the hosts wrote poems for the others to cap off 2025. You’ll laugh, you’ll c…
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From What Next: What Kids Aren’t Learning About US History
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30:16The hosts are on vacation this week! But we’ve got an episode from What Next for you that we think you’ll love. Conservatives have long complained that teaching American history with slavery and genocide and systemic oppression is just too negative, and the Trump administration has gone as far as attacking the Smithsonian for focusing too much on “…
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How to Take Control of your News Diet with Rekha Murthy (PLUS: How much does Zak earn from Weirdly Helpful?)
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17:07Rekha Murthy is a podcast strategist with more than 25 years of experience in podcasting, public radio, and other digital media. SOURCES MENTIONED: -On Tyranny by Tim Snyder -You Need a Manifesto: How to Craft Your Convictions and Put Them to Work by Charlotte Burgress-Auburn -The.Ink by Anand Giridharadas -Letters from an American by Heather Cox R…
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The Great Holiday Crafting (And Drinking) Episode
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46:22On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are drinking, crafting, and answering listener questions. Find out how to make a Gin Snowball, learn Elizabeth’s surprisingly easy paperbag snowflake method, and learn who Ray Keith is. While getting festive, they talk about toys of yore that changed their lives, ponder how necessary San…
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The World Is On Fire. How Do We Tell the Kids?
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57:23On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have been trying to stay on top of the news…but they’re getting bogged down and worried about it impacting their kids. Luckily What Next host Mary Harris’s literal job is keeping up on the news, and she’s got kids of her own. So, they all sit down to talk about how much to share with the…
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Friendship Conflict, Grief Practices, Family Cookbooks, Guilt-Free Gift Giving and more with Zak on Michigan Public!
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19:39Zak went on Michigan Public's daily show Stateside to share some weirdly helpful end of year rituals and practices. He shares that segment today. Stateside covers what you need (and want) to know about Michigan. You hear stories from people across the state—from policymakers in Lansing, to entrepreneurs in Detroit, to artists in Grand Rapids. Tune …
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are saying goodbye to clutter! Elizabeth just made yet another massive move to Hawaii and she’s revealing all her hacks, tips, and tricks for unpacking and organizing in a new house. Lucy and Zak weigh in with their own tips for keeping their houses from being overrun with clutter - espe…
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This is Our First Holiday Without My Husband. How Do We Cope?
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50:28On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have a listener in the midst of a Blue Holiday. A long-time listener and her kids are grieving the loss of her husband this holiday season. She wants thoughts about navigating this time of year while still feeling such a big loss. To navigate this sensitive topic, the ‘Rents are joined b…
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A Fun Alternative for Surviving Our Disastrous Times with Austin Kleon
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10:21Austin Kleon is a writer who draws. He’s the bestselling author of Steal Like An Artist and other books - Austin's essay on Meeker's work, The Comedy of Survival. Ann Friedman (@AnnFreidman) is the co-author Big Friendship and creator of the excellent The Ann Freidman Weekly newsletter. Sign up here. For an ad-free Weirdly Helpful listening experie…
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Is It The F**k You Fours? Or Something More?
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33:14On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are doing a double listener question episode! First up, a parent is OVER their current television show rotation. The ‘Rents give recommendations for shows in the eight-year-old to fifteen-year-old range that aren’t overly preachy or totally mindless. Then, they sympathize with a parent d…
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My Friend is Going THROUGH IT. How Can I Support Them?
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40:20On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen take a listener question about how to be there for a fellow parent who is going through a hard time. The listener’s friend’s kid is acting out and causing lots of stress. They toss around ideas about ways friends have shown up for them, ideas for support without smothering, and more. But…
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Let's Meet at the Corner of Mindfulness and Playfulness
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13:05Zak's Weirdly Helpful guru, Laura Hawley, returns to the show to share a transcendent and fun gift-giving practice. Hear Laura on howling and bus art. BECOME A WEIRD HELPER and GET AD-FREE EPISODES @ https://www.patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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Everyday Carry for Parents: Never Leave Without These
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50:24On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have animal talk! They’re joined by zoo consultant Megan Sanders to talk about ways to help kids feel or involved in making the world a better place for animals. But first, the hosts have an Every Day Carry segment! They share everything that’s currently in their bags - from favorite sna…
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From What Next | Is the Peanut Allergy Dead?
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23:30On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are handing the show over to Slate’s news podcast, What Next. Thousands of children may be avoiding peanut allergies thanks to research indicating that early exposure to—rather than avoidance of—the legume is key. Now there’s reason to believe this is true for tons of allergens – and tha…
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Weirdly Helpful advice on today's episode comes from Lainey, Margo, Rabbi Yoni and Zak! --- If you have a response to Morty's voice memo, send me something at [email protected] or call the hotline @ 844-935-2378 --- Become at Weirdly Helpful Supporter @ https://www.patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful --- This episode is brought to you with support fro…
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are trying to take some of the holiday stress off your shoulders. They have gift recommendations for every type of kid, from the sports obsessed (tickets to a game are always a win) to the young scientist (science kits like those from Kiwi Co. are sure to be a hit), they have ideas to he…
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How To Navigate Strained Relationships Around the Holidays
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56:56On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are joined by mother-daughter writing team Leslie and Lindsey Glass. They share their estrangement and reconnection that led to their book The Mother Daughter Relationship Makeover. They give advice for how to deal with toxic personalities around the dinner table and at parties, talk abo…
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Make a List of Your Enemies to Articulate Who You're Not! with Emma Martin
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7:16Emma Martin is a painter and workshop facilitator from Chicago. Check out her work! She was last on the show dishing on indecision. Become a WEIRDLY HELPFUL Patron @ https://www.patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful --- Past episodes referenced in today's episode... Try These Witchy, Water-based Maneuvers to Improve Your Life with Dr. MLE Manifesting Someone …
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How to Get Through (Or Help Someone With) Postpartum Depression
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45:41On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen share their experiences with postpartum depression. Then, Elizabeth is joined by Danielle Learner to talk about Danielle’s experience with postpartum depression, her activism to raise awareness on the issue, and a lot of tips and advice for people who struggle with postpartum depression …
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are joined by Sydney Bassard from The Listening SLP to dig into everything you need to know about hearing loss, practical speech, language, and literacy with your kids. But first, Lucy weighs in on the great flower girl controversy. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Join us on Facebook …
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What's the Deal with Handshaking in 2025?
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13:01Lizzie Post is the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, and author of Emily Post's Etiquette - The Centennial Edition, and Higher Etiquette, as well as Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette 6th edition, and The Etiquette Advantage in Business 3rd edition. She is a co-president of the Emily Post Institute focusing on publishing and business development…
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are doing a deep dive on child safety at home. They bring on expert Holly Choi from Safe Beginnings to talk about the most dangerous parts of your home, tips for safety classes, why those de-choking devices aren’t worth your money, and more. But first, it’s mailbag time! We read EVERY em…
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen dig into a listener letter that hits close to home for Elizabeth. A military mom wants to know how specific she should be with her kids about her spouse’s upcoming deployment. They commiserate, and offer suggestions for how to keep the absent spouse involved even while they are away. But…
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A weirdly helpful way to deal with the negative voice in your head with Dr. Ellen Hendriksen
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12:14DR. ELLEN HENDRIKSEN (she/her) is a clinical psychologist who will help you calm your anxiety and be your authentic self. She serves on the faculty at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) and is the author of HOW TO BE ENOUGH: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists. Tell Zak what YOU ARE FINDING WEIRDLY H…
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Everything You Need to Know About Homeschooling
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44:12On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen dig into homeschooling kids. They bring on special guest Julie Bogart from Brave Writer to dig into the history and current day trends of homeschooling, who should homeschool and who shouldn't, why people choose to homeschool, and so much more! Join us on Facebook and email us at careand…
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When Alcoholism Impacts the Children In Your Life
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40:04On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have a tough listener question about what to do when a relative is an alcoholic and don’t think the environment is safe for the relative’s kid. To answer this question, they’re joined by Lisa Smith from Parallel Recovery. They unpack how to set real boundaries with family members without…
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The Best Advice Show is Dead. This is Weirdly Helpful!
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12:46Zak is excited to present Weirdly Helpful, the spiritual successor to The Best Advice Show. On this first episode, Zak talks to artist and therapist, Laura Hawley whose advice from 2020 inspired the new show title. --- This episode is brought to you with support from Uncommon Goods. Toget 15% off your next gift, go to www.uncommongoods.com/podcast/…
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Welcome to Weirdly Helpful. It's like The Best Advice show just weirder. In each episode a different contributor offers an odd experiment, a silly ritual, a curious practice that you’ll find weirdly helpful. Stuff like howling when you're despondent, eating oranges in the shower and metaphorically flushing your adversary down the toilet! What are y…
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are joined by ICYMI host Kate Lindsay to discuss viral slang like “67” and “41” and what it all means. They unpack the difference between “bro” and “bruh” (it’s huge!), why the harmless bit of brain rot might actually be good for kids, and more! Later, they discuss a listener's question:…
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“It’s Not Easy!” Parenting After a Bad Fight.
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46:07On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have a triple…fail. Lucy clapped back to her teen, Elizabeth said the thing to her kids she promised she never would, and Zak is now dealing with injuries from a bike accident. Then, they get a listener triumph with a game-ified way of doing chores and earning allowance. The ‘Rents dig i…
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If Ambition Is Making You Unhappy with Courtney Daniels
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34:41This is an episode of a new podcast I really like called Gen X at Midlife. The show was created by TBAS contributor, Courtney Daniels. In this episode she talks to her longtime friend Tess Hawes about her experience of midlife crisis, Courtney's self-rejecting ambition, Tess' divorce and career pivot, and how to get out of depression. They touch on…
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On this episode: Friend of the show Jamilah Lemieux tackles helping kids get a better night's sleep. She’s joined by gentle sleep coach Macall Gordon. They discuss what to do with “live-wire kids”, how to avoid burnout when trying to get your kid to sleep, why we need to stop blaming parents for kid sleep issues, and more. But first, Care and Feedi…
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On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are tackling picky eating. They’re joined by Jennifer Anderson from Kids Eat In Color to talk about helping kids navigate diet culture, how to tell if your kid is a “normal” picky eater or a problematic picky eater, why you shouldn’t try to sneak foods into foods they like, and more! But…
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The True Meaning of Discipline with John Cage and Mason Currey
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16:23Today's episode is based on Mason Currey's piece, John Cage on the true meaning of discipline. You should subscribe to Mason's essential newsletter, Subtle Maneuvers. And here's his piece about totally insane, unhinged, helpful strategies. Mason's book, Making Art and Making a Living is available for pre-order here. The John Cage interview excerpts…
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From How To! | How to Quit IVF (and Start a New Chapter)
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39:14Care and Feeding is on break, and is bringing you an exciting episode from Slate podcast How To! After seven years of trying to conceive, Lauren is ending fertility treatments and starting a new journey: adoption. She’s excited about this unexpected detour into parenthood—but she’s also grieving the loss of something deeply personal that she desire…
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On this episode: Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth joins Zak Rosen and Elizabeth Newcamp to debate wedding ceremony etiquette. A listener’s kid is the flower girl at a friend’s wedding. But now it turns out the flower girl is NOT invited to the wedding reception. Is this fair? They dig into whether kids make a wedding better, logistics, and more. B…
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Dogs and Berries Are Miracles. Why Not Combine Them?
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4:04Leora is a doctor and dog lover and berry lover. This advice originally aired back in August of 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Zak Rosen
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