The Longest Shortest Time

The, Like, Show: Deadass Edition

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Talking to teenagers is different from talking to grown-ups. We wanted to know: what advice they would give to parents? We convened a panel of three t...

Wanna Peek Inside Our Inbox?

12 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The rumors are true… we have the best listeners! Andrea and Jackie share some favorite emails and comments. Plus, an update from Hillary. … Join L...

Child-Free… With Children

05 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Even though Glynnis MacNicol doesn't have kids of her own, her life is far from child-free. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, a...

Kidtrepreneurs

29 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Kids today have the chance to become real entrepreneurs and sell to the masses thanks to the internet. We’re going to explore who some of these kids...

Becoming a Single Dad While Trans

22 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The thing CJ Kemal wants most in life? To be a dad. But when you’re trans and single, it’s hard to know where to start. … Join LST+ for communit...

Parenting In The Animal Kingdom

15 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve been thinking, there’s so much parenting media out there, but it's pretty species-ist, right? It’s all about how to get your human baby to...

Does Family Size Matter?

08 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As an only child, KJ Dell’Antonia always wanted a big happy family… but once she got one, she found out the “happy” part doesn’t come standa...

Welcome Home! Meet the Mongoose

01 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When 9-year-old Meera was adopted from Korea, there were lots of new things that would take some getting used to… starting with her new mom’s exot...

Dear Mister Rogers

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Ben was a kid, his mom helped him write an innocent letter to his favorite television friend. The reply took Ben by surprise, and changed the way...

The 36 Questions to Ask Your Partner Before Having Kids

20 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie never wanted kids.... but then she met Joey. Tune in to hear them answer a series of questions intended to help them determine if they want ...

When Al Letson Met His Sons

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Al Letson was 23, he found out he was the father to a 6-year-old boy he’d never met. Years later, another son entered his life, and this one wa...

How to Hear a Smile

06 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Kristen's son was 5 weeks old, she got an email from BabyCenter saying that all of her hard work would soon be repaid: she'd get to see her baby'...

Cecile Richards on Troublemaker Moms

30 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cecile Richards, former head of Planned Parenthood, is a troublemaker -- a quality she got from her mom, Ann Richards, who went from frustrated housew...

Imaginary Friends & Grown-ups

23 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The imaginary friends you have when you’re little can be great practice for dealing with very real hard stuff as a grown-up. … Join LST+ for commu...

Imaginary Friends & Kids

16 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A glimpse into the weird, fun, and often dark world of imaginary companions. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, another show in ...

A Killer Story

09 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For our special Mother’s Day episode, poet and writer Rachel Zucker explores her complex relationship with her mom, Diane Wolkstein. … Join LST+ f...

Black Lives Matter for Middle Schoolers

02 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the novel Ghost Boys, a twelve-year-old unarmed black boy is shot by a white police officer. Jewell Parker Rhodes talks about why she wrote this st...

Car Births, Call-In Style

25 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re expecting a baby, it’s common to take some time to write out a birth plan. (Well, more like birth wishes.) But you know what no one ev...

The Scary, Beautiful Teenage Brain

21 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Why would a sweet kid from Minnesota try to join ISIS? Reporter Dina Temple-Raston fills us in on the complexities of the teenage brain, with help fro...

Forget Childbirth

14 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For generations, women elected to forget the pain of childbirth with help from powerful drugs called twilight sleep. Author Randi Hutter Epstein helps...

Let's Get Unladylike

07 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Andrea talks to Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin, hosts of the fabulous Unladylike podcast, about abortion, nannies, and counting your eggs before th...

The Sisterhood of "Donor Don"

21 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sister wives, a fertility cult, and New Kids on the Block: A listener initiates us into the strange world of sperm donation. … Join LST+ for communi...

I'll Be Watching You

14 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

NY Times tech writer Farhad Manjoo is on a quest to capture his kids’ important childhood moments… by installing around-the-clock cameras all over...

His Id Speaks English

07 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Research shows that kids who learn languages early have lots of advantages. This week, a dad who speaks five languages makes the case for teaching his...

Choose Your Own Mom-venture

31 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Andrea’s opening up. A lot. She’ll be sharing the plan she’s always had for becoming a mom, and why she’s just realizing now… the...

The Handoff

24 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard? We've got a new host. We get to know the fabulous Andrea Silenzi, with help from some very important people in Hillary's life. There'l...

Awkward Adventures in Infertility

13 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Silvija Ozols and John Murray, the creators of Infertile: A Sketch Comedy Show, tell us what it was like to take one of the most vulnerable experience...

The Parents' Guide to Affairs with Esther Perel

06 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Couples therapist Esther Perel talks about why people cheat, even when kids are in the picture. Or, sometimes, *because* kids are in the picture. Plus...

It's a Real Mother, Part 4: Leave

29 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Lots of American moms desperately need access to paid parental leave, and can’t get it. Meanwhile, lots of dads can -- and don’t use it. We look a...

The Accidental Gay Parents 5 (UPDATE)

22 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Audience faves Trystan and Biff’s new baby was born in July! We get an update from these Accidental-On-Purpose-Gay-Parents about life with baby Leo,...

BONUS: Pentagram's Michael Bierut on #ItsARealMother

20 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Our #ItsARealMother campaign was made by Pentagram, the world's largest independent design firm. Mastermind Michael Bierut tells us why he wanted to w...

It's A Real Mother, Part 3: The Cliff

15 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Hillary tells her own story about becoming a working mom, and the career cliff she faced as a result. Then, we travel to a company that’s flipping t...

It's A Real Mother, Part 2: Ideal Worker

08 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why do stock images of working moms look frazzled, while stock images of working dads just look like... guys at work? Author Brigid Schulte gets to th...

It's A Real Mother, Part 1: Governor Mom

01 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Discrimination against mothers in the workplace is illegal but it still happens every day. We launch our four-part series, It’s A Real Mother, with ...

Zombies, Caillou, and Other Creepy Things

25 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In Honor of Halloween, Hillary’s bringing her husband Jonathan out of the shadows for his LST debut! They’ll be talking about a few of the spooky ...

A Is For Afrocentric

18 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Choosing a preschool can feel high-stakes, especially when you add culture to the mix. We talk to co-host of The Nod, Eric Eddings, and his wife Carla...

W. Kamau Bell Meets The Daughter Of The Dragon

11 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian W. Kamau Bell has been geeking out about kung-fu legend Bruce Lee since he was a teenager. Today, he guest hosts and sits down with someone e...

Bubble Boy

13 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gregory Warner and Sana Krasikov have traveled all over the world. Now, they have to help their five-year-old son Joseph adjust to an exotic, foreign ...

Shpitzle's Secret

06 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frieda Vizel spent her childhood imagining the world outside of her devout religious community. It wasn’t until she finally left, with her five-year...

White Guilt and Other Crazy Sh*t

30 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are continuing our conversation on how to talk to kids about race and racism, especially when you’re uncomfortable talking about it wit...

How To Make A Fella Feel Relaxed

23 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

That… and other lessons of American Sex Ed. An actual historian walks us through the decades. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know Wha...

Alex and the Oracular Lamb

16 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Alex was itching to ask her partner Ben a big, scary question. To muster some courage, she turned to an unexpected ally: a tiny stuffed lamb that can ...

Genetic Future-Telling

09 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Thanks to genetic technology, you can know if your child has an increased risk for disease before they are even born. But is more information always a...

Parent Spies

02 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Stories of two parents who spy on their kids — one on purpose, the other by accident. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, anoth...

My Dad Was My First Oprah

26 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

When she was growing up, writer Ashley C. Ford’s dad showered her with praise, through nearly 100 letters. Which he sent from prison. In this episod...

Casey Wilson, Jessi Klein and a Dinosaur Dick-Punching a Bear

19 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Two funny moms walk into a hot, foam-lined room; bonding over epidurals, antidepressants, and baby boy apparel ensues. Actress Casey Wilson guest host...

Win!

12 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

LST editor Peter Clowney joins Hillary in the studio to help break some exciting news. Plus: John Moe, host of The Hilarious World of Depression, tell...

Katz In The Cradle

14 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Katz is known for his fearless reporting on New Jersey governor Chris Christie. But when it comes to telling his 5-year-old daughter the truth ab...

When "I Do" Makes You A Parent, Too

07 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Forget evil stepmothers and The Brady Bunch; it's time for a more realistic view of stepparents. Join us for a roundtable discussion with three parent...

The Accidental Gay Parents 5

31 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Audience faves Trystan and Biff are back… and they’re having a baby! We talk about what it’s like to be a pregnant man, and to share that news w...

When Mom Says Oy! And Dad Says ¡Ay!

24 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What traditions should you pass down to your kids when you and your partner come from completely different cultures? And why does keeping those ritual...

The Weird History of Judgy Parenting

17 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Nicholas Day wanted to know why he felt like a failure when he gave his kid a pacifier. The answer took him down a rabbit hole into the bizarre, hilar...

Surprise!

10 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For some people, parenthood takes a lot of planning; for others… it just sorta sneaks up on them. This week, one woman's unexpected path to motherho...

Family Jam

03 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It doesn’t matter if you play Americana, hip hop, or death metal—everybody comes from a family of some kind. Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of the pod...

Eggs Over Freezy

26 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What to do when your biological clock is ticking, and the closest you’ve gotten to parenthood is caring for an elderly chihuahua? One option: egg fr...

Single, Female, Seeking Baby Daddy

19 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Andrea Silenzi, host of the podcast Why Oh Why, is single, living in New York, and... looking for a man to be the father of her child. Which is tricky...

All The Feels With Rob Huebel

12 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Actor and comedian Rob Huebel talks about sneaking onto airplanes, why he doesn't share a bed with his wife, and what it was like to have their daught...

Coming of Age with Down Syndrome

15 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The day Sophie got her period, there were phone calls and high-fives all around. Sophie was psyched. But her mom, author Amy Silverman, felt torn. Wha...

How To Not (Accidentally) Raise A Racist

08 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What's the best way for white parents to talk to their kids about race? We called in Dr. Brigitte Vittrup, who studies children's racial attitudes, to...

The Scarlet A (UPDATE)

01 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Pratima Gupta is a mom with the rare job combo of both delivering babies and terminating pregnancies. And in the year since we last talked to her,...

Babymaking While Queer

22 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It's roundtable time! Two couples talk about family planning as queer people of color. And how their own parents and cultural backgrounds inform their...

The Fun and the Chaos, 2

15 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when you realize you're more like your parents than you want to be? Hillary's friend Kirsten tackles the problem head-on. The 2nd in a ...

The Fun and the Chaos, 1

08 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Hillary's pal Kirsten gets a lot of her magic from her dad. But she inherited some less-fun things from him, too. The first in a two-parter on the stu...

Kids Ask Negin Farsad Unanswerable Questions

01 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian Negin Farsad on esoteric allergies, the power of fire hydrants, and growing up Muslim ... all in this edition of Kids' Unanswerable Questions...

Risky Birth-ness

25 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

When you give birth by cesarean, doctors are required to warn you of the risks. But not so with vaginal delivery. Hillary interviews Kiera Butler abou...

More Boobs

18 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Last week: boobs gone awry. This week: boobs gone just how you'd expect. But that's kinda the problem. Abigail Keel has the story. … Join LST+ for c...

Boobs

11 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories about boobs. Because, duh—boobs come in pairs. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, another show in the Longest Sho...

The New You, It'll Do (UPDATE)

14 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Parenthood changes people. Beauty guru Jane Marie gives tips on how to (mostly) accept the new you. Plus, an exciting update with a mom whose post-bab...

When You Tell

07 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Zoe Zolbrod grew up with a secret. Now, after 4 decades, she's sharing it with the world. In this episode, find out how telling her secret has shaped ...

Uterus + Sperm + Uterus

30 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We pick up where we left off with Kiely, Jenna, and their sperm donor Dominick. This time it's Jenna's turn to get pregnant. And, unlike last time, th...

Uterus + Sperm

23 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How do you make a baby when you’ve got a uterus and your partner does, too? We hear how one family did it, in this two-parter. And how some of their...

Real Teens, REAL Babies

16 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Breaking robot baby news! Join us as we try to make sense of a study that sheds some shocking light on our This American Life collab from 2 years ago....

W. Kamau Bell Asks His Mom About Sex (UPDATE)

09 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

For most of his life, comedian W. Kamau Bell assumed his single mom never had sex after she made him. Today, he gets the real story. Since this episod...

Kids' Election Questions

02 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Comedians Hari Kondabolu and W. Kamau Bell attempt to answer YOUR kids' questions about the 2016 US presidential election. … Join LST+ for communit...

Is 100 That Exciting?

26 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of our 100th episode, producer Abigail Keel talks to some centenarians about the good and the bad of 100. … Join LST+ for community and ac...

When Grace Lin Realized She Was Chinese

19 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When Grace Lin was a kid, she hated being Chinese. In this interview, the Newbery-award-winning author talks about how a handful of boring books and a...

Casey Wilson on Mothering Without a Mother

12 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Actress and comedian Casey Wilson's mom died before Casey made it on TV, got married, and had a kid. Casey talks about the long, messy process of grie...

Behind the Scenes at LST with Peter Clowney

21 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Get a peek behind the scenes at LST, as our editor Peter Clowney challenges Hillary to describe a smell better and asks a very important question abou...

The Parents' Guide to Doing It with Esther Perel

14 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How do you keep the fire alive? Can motherhood awaken your inner lesbian? Couples therapist and author Esther Perel answers YOUR sex advice questions....

The True History of a Child Chef & His Mom

07 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Judah is 12. He makes a mean beef wellington. Hear how he became a child chef, and how his mom had him when she was just a kid herself. … Join LST+ ...

Raising A Transgender Child

24 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Marlo Mack from the wonderful "How to Be a Girl" podcast joins us to talk about raising a girl who seems to have the body of a boy ... and what a girl...

Anna Sale on Becoming a Mom

17 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Death, Sex & Money host Anna Sale on her parents, her baby, a trampoline, and potato chips. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, ...

I Ate My Placenta for My Best Friend

03 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When you're lucky enough to have a best friend, you'd do anything for them. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, another show in t...

A Childless Man Makes Edible Placenta

27 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Radiolab's Latif Nasser learns how to turn a placenta into pills, and why it’s become a trend for new moms to consume this organ. … Join LST+ for ...

When Katie Couric Became A Single Mom

20 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Couric had her dream job, her dream husband. After he died of colon cancer, Katie was left to raise their two girls young girls on her own—all...

W. Kamau Bell Asks His Mom About Sex

13 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

For most of his life, comedian W. Kamau Bell assumed his single mom never had sex after she made him. Today, he gets the real story.  … Join LST+ f...

The Mortality of Motherhood

14 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We check back in with NPR's Kelly McEvers on what it's been like to readjust to American life with her 7-year-old, after a long stint as a Middle East...

The Secret Life of a Deaf Superhero

08 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Cece Bell lost her hearing at age four. In this interview, the Newbery-award-winning author and illustrator talks about how she's used her hearing aid...

Dispatches from Black Motherhood

01 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Anthonia Akitunde went looking for websites about Black working moms that broke stereotypes. She came up empty. So she started her own. … Join LST+ ...

My Best Friend's Baby

25 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Two friends try to figure out how to stay friends after one of them has a baby. The one without the baby hatches a secret plan. … Join LST+ for com...

How to Parent Like a Clown

17 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

A clown reveals the secrets of how to trick your kids out of tantrums. Plus, the magical power of farts. … Join LST+ for community and access to You...

There's No Place That's Home

10 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In this update, Wicked makeup artist Christina Tracey talks about settling down after two decades on the road. Plus her recent relapses. … Join LST+...

The Accidental Gay Parents, 4

04 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We pick up where we left off with Trystan and Biff, and their passive-aggressive standoff. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, an...

The Accidental Gay Parents 3

27 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Audience faves The Accidental Gay Parents return. This time Trystan is pregnant. To join the conversation about this episode, go to longestshortestti...

Terry Gross on Not Having Kids

20 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Public radio icon Terry Gross talks about why she chose to never have children. And her recurring nightmare about a baby. … Join LST+ for community ...

Lauren Lapkus Answers Kids' Unanswerable Questions

12 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Lauren Lapkus fields questions about unicorns, poop, and a well-kept secret about Darth Vader. … Join LST+ for community and access to You Know Wha...

Behind Family Lines

08 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Darlene's childhood dream was to join the military. She didn't imagine she'd also be raising three children solo. … Join LST+ for community and acce...

Kicking Ass While Pregnant

01 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When Marvel asked Dennis Hopeless to create a new story for Spider-Woman, he knew he wanted her to be pregnant. In this episode, he explains why. And ...

Outnumbered By Animals

23 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like to nurse piglets in one hand and your own baby in the other? Life on a farm, with baby. … Join LST+ for community and access to You ...

The Scarlet A

16 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What it's like to be a mom with the rare job combo of both delivering babies and terminating pregnancies. … Join LST+ for community and access to Yo...