A pregnant woman has lots of choices today about how she will handle labor and delivery. An experienced nurse and wildly popular influencer, Jen Hamilton, runs down all kinds of options--the trends in what mothers want, from "marinade-y water" to placenta smoothies, and expert recommendations about aromatherapy, saline locks, and "cascade of interventions." We two can't resist some candid anecdotes about our own birth experiences, with Jen sharing that she "went into it very naive."

Additional resources: Birth Vibes: Stories and Strategies for an Empowered Birth by Jen Hamilton, available May 5, 2026

Best-selling author Tim Elmore gives gobs of tips, stories, and insights on Gen Z, not just as employees, but as family members and students. Who should listen? Business owners, college administrators, parents--and maybe even Gen Z. Clock us.

Additional resources:

Book by Tim Elmore: The Future Begins with Z: Nine Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace

Jackie Vernon Thompson, expert on courtesy, shares very personally how releasing forgiveness toward her absent father launched her into her career in etiquette training--truly from the inside out. Leah asks pesky questions about manners--like at fundraisers, on airplanes, and when meeting new people.

Additional resources:

From the Inside Out School of Etiquette https://fromtheinsideoutsoe.com/www.jointhepolishedsociety.com

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/local-woman-aims-to-restore-the-art-of-etiquette-one-student-at-a-time/2968090/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudest-things-host-overnight-guests_l_6422537ce4b04efaae785b97

Like a birth doula, a death doula accompanies a person in a milestone physical transition by lending practical, emotional and even spiritual support to a dying person and their family. Laurel Nicholson is a "death and resurrection" doula. She shares with us stories and wisdom from companioning people from life into eternal life.

Additional resources:Laurelnicholson.com

International Fellowship Cafe (via Laurel's website)

Surprised by Hope--N.T. Wright"

Holy Saturday"--Malcolm Guite-- from his book, Waiting on the Word: a Poem a Day for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

Students and screens don't mix, says Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, and he has the receipts. Why old school (handwriting, textbooks, and phone-free classrooms) is better school. Ed tech is Big Business, but children's cognitive ability, privacy, health, and academic mastery are being sacrificed for profit. How does he make this all so fun to listen to though?

Additional resources:
The Digital Delusion by Jared Cooney Horvath

Learning Made Easy--LMEGlobal.net

Dr. Kerry Byrne suggests ways to maintain a long-distance relationship with tween and teenage grandchildren. Her research also shows us why this is so important. Check out her previous episode with us, about younger grandkids, and her website, which offers practical, encouraging tools for intergenerational connections.

Additional Resources:

TheLongDistanceGrandparent.com

Instagram @thelongdistancegrandparent

"A Little Goes a Long Way"--Episode 101, Conversation Balloons Podcast, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeUQYdP7Yho and https://open.spotify.com/episode/3pYFDX3Ysj8HIqLbhXQEX7

Award-winning journalist Vicki Larson shares her practical and compassionate insights on "living apart together"--with Leah focusing on older couples who are finding new romantic interests but needing to consider some very real limitations. They even discuss how the New Testament might apply.

Additional resources

--Books by Vicki Larson:

LATitude: How You Can Make a Live Apart Together Relationship Work

Not Too Old for That: How Women Are Changing the Story of Aging

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, lively neurosciencesplainer and educator, uses brain science to reveal why classroom technology is inhibiting our kids' attention, memory, and creativity. School teachers, students and their families should hear this!

Additional resources:

LME Global--Learning Made Easy -- lmeglobal.net

The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids' Learning--And How To Help Them Thrive Again, by Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD.