Parenting Podcasts
December 2nd, 2006 by 
adminBabies aren’t born with instruction manual, and their sleep-deprived, exhausted parents have little time to plough through thick books in search for answers. As many a new mom has lamented, childcare textbooks and comprehensive manuals on fevers and fussiness are helpful only if you have the energy to read them. And most parents thrown into the crazy, confusing world of caring for a newborn barely have the time to brush their teeth.
Enter one of the most convenient sources of information: parenting podcasts. While they tackle the same topics that you’d find in any trusty childcare book—like teething woes, bedtime struggles, and easy recipes for homemade baby food— they don’t require reading. In fact, all you have to do is download them, transfer into your trusty iPod, and push the “play” button. It’s that simple.
The advantage of parenting podcasts is pretty obvious, from a parents’ perspective. You can listen to them while breastfeeding. You can tune in during those mindless chores like washing the baby’s clothes or preparing the next meal. And on a sleepless night, trying your best to rock a colicky child to sleep, a parenting podcast can be just the thing to keep your mind away from the piercing screams, and make you feel just a little less incompetent and confused. (Screaming babies can do that to you.)
You can download a variety of parenting podcasts. Some are full of tips and ideas, shared by fellow parents and child experts. Others are forums that tackle controversial or confusing issues, such as the pros and cons of using the Babywise method. There are also podcasts that specialize in product reviews and consumer reports. These are very important considering the sheer number of products available, some of which are quite pricey—are they really worth it?
There are also podcasts that specialize in bulletins and safety reports, which can save a child’s life. For example, they give announcements of safety recalls, and give valuable advice on child proofing and first aid. They also discuss the best child safety products, such as reviews on car seats, and the importance of a five point harness.
Some podcasts also have interviews of child experts, who answer the common questions of frazzled parents. For example, when can you say that a child’s mischievous behavior is normal, or a sign of attention deficit disorder? What do you do when another child is jealous and refuses to acknowledge the baby? Or how do you balance work and family, and deal with the guilt that hits you when you leave your child with a caregiver for the first time?
The podcasts are also a great way for stay at home moms to feel connected to a broader community. It’s very difficult to socialize with a young baby at home, and the podcasts let them keep in touch with the news and trends, or hear the discussions with other moms, even when they’re alone. For working moms, podcasts are a convenient way of getting information as they juggle the demands of career and family.
Related categories in our Podcast Directory: Parenting : Family