Parental digital distraction, traveling with friends & childcare plans for baby #2

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast — we’re back in ATX and easing into 2026 (our christmas decorations are still up). We kick it off by talking about why traveling with friends (especially with kids) is the ultimate compatibility test, how wild it is that a one-year-old can actually ski (like WHAT), and why our current neighborhood setup feels like college (in the best way!!!). Then we get into the thing everyone keeps asking: our childcare plan for baby #2. We talk about Maria’s mom (Peggy!! our angel), how the cross-house setup actually works, and what we’re looking forward to most with this set up! Then we spiral into airline-mile skepticism, childhood “world-class” foods that absolutely do not hold up, and our early thoughts on Heated Rivalry (NOTE FROM JULES: it’s 9pm wednesday night and they’ve texted me that they’ve already changed their minds). Alex explains her beef with dramatic New Year’s resolutions, and Harrison shares the four phone-reduction rules he’s committing to in 2026 — no phone before 8am, no phone at dinner, no phone in the bathroom, and no doom-scrolling in bed. We also talk couples who work out together, our current coffee-order identity crisis, babysitter etiquette (and the horror stories you sent in), “technoference” and how parental phone habits affect toddlers, Illinois’ new paid pumping-break law, and whether caviar really is “breast milk for adults”???? LOVE YOU GUYS and thanks for listening! Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast! 00:01:32 You learn a lot about people when you travel with them (ESPECIALLY with kids) 00:05:11 Our childcare plan for baby #2 00:11:23 Are airline miles worth it or is the points game a scam? 00:15:05 When “world-class” childhood favorites don’t hold up 00:21:01 We’re watching Heated Rivalry 00:25:42 What’s Alex’s beef with New Year’s resolutions? 00:28:36 Harrison’s 4 phone-reduction goals for 2026 00:33:50 Couples who work out together are 600% more likely to hit their fitness goals 00:36:30 We’re switching up our coffee orders?! 00:40:10 Babysitter etiquette & horror stories 00:46:50 Things We DMed Each Other: “technoference” & parental digital distraction 00:49:22 Things We DMed Each Other: paid pumping breaks for moms in Illinois 00:50:40 This Week I Learned: Is eating caviar for adults kind of like breast milk for babies? 00:53:06 LOVE YOU GUYS! #twoparentsandapod --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to our sponsors this week: *Ollie: Cozy up with your pup this season! Go to https://www.ollie.com/twoparents and use code twoparents to get 60% off your first box! *Nutrafol: Get $10 off your first month’s subscription plus free shipping at https://www.nutrafol.com with code TWOPARENTS. *Quince: Go to https://www.Quince.com/ALEX for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices