Are we bad parents for leaving our 2-year-old and 4-month-old with their grandparents so we can fly overseas? In this episode of @JonesFamilyPlaybook , we get brutally honest about the guilt, the doubts, and the moment one of us asked, "So why don't we cancel the trip?"

We've never spent a single night away from our boys. Holly has a physical reaction just talking about it, Keith thinks a strong marriage has to come first, and neither of us can fully convince the other.

We break down our plan for leaving the kids with grandparents, the "call me at 3 a.m." rule, and whether we'll be checking the baby cameras the whole time. We look at what the research says about separation anxiety, hear what our pediatrician said, and explain why bringing the boys on this trip was never an option.

Then we play "Haunted House, But It's Parenting," from 3 a.m. screaming to stepping on a rogue Hot Wheel.

Would YOU leave your kids for a trip like this? Tell us in the comments on YouTube. 👇

In this episode:

-Leaving young kids for the first time

-Mom guilt and parent guilt

-Leaving kids with grandparents

-First night away from your baby

-Traveling without kids

-Separation anxiety in toddlers and babies

-Should your marriage come first?

-Do couples need time alone after kids?

-Why we can't fly internationally with a toddler and a baby

-Missing holidays like Halloween

-Haunted House, But It's Parenting

Have an episode idea? Share it in the comments or email us at jonesfamilyplaybook@gmail.com

❤️ WATCH, LIKE & SUBSCRIBE — we're working toward our first 1,000 YouTube subscribers, and every subscription helps us keep growing The Jones Family Playbook.

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is a weekly parenting and marriage podcast hosted by Keith and Holly Jones, two broadcast journalists and working parents raising two young boys.

It's where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet — with honest conversations about marriage, parenting, family life, work, and everything that comes with raising a family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

#MomGuilt #ParentingTwoKids #Parenting #SeparationAnxiety #FamilyPodcast #DadLife #marriageafterkids #parenthood #motherhood #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook

What happens when Mom isn't just tired… but completely tapped out?

In this episode of The Jones Family Playbook, Holly opens up about something many moms experience but don't always talk about: mom rage, mental overload, and the feeling of being completely overwhelmed and overstimulated by the end of the day.

After a long day caring for two young boys, Holly reaches her breaking point when bedtime doesn't go according to plan. What follows is an honest conversation about postpartum emotions, the mental load of motherhood, parenting two children with very different needs, and what it feels like when your nervous system is simply done.

Keith also shares what it's like to watch the person you love struggle and instinctively want to fix the problem - only to realize that sometimes she doesn't need a solution. She needs space.

We talk about:

• Mom rage and the emotional overload of motherhood

• Why small frustrations can become overwhelming

• The mental load of raising two children

• Postpartum emotions and breastfeeding

• Why dads sometimes want to “fix” what moms need to feel

• Giving your partner space when they're completely tapped out

• The importance of communication and daily “touch points” in marriage

• Therapy, mental health, and asking for help

• Feeling like you're accomplishing nothing while raising your kids

• The reality of parenting two young children

And, of course, we eventually discover the unlikely cure for a terrible day: peanut butter, tiramisu, and Dancing With the Stars.

❤️ WATCH, LIKE & SUBSCRIBE — we're working toward our first 1,000 YouTube subscribers, and every subscription helps us keep growing The Jones Family Playbook.

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is a weekly parenting and marriage podcast hosted by Keith and Holly Jones, two broadcast journalists and working parents raising two young boys.

It's where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet — with honest conversations about marriage, parenting, family life, work, and everything that comes with raising a family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

#Parenting #Parenthood #MarriageAfterKids #Fatherhood #Motherhood #MomRage #Overstimulation #DadLife #MomLife #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook

Having kids changes almost everything, including who you are, how you spend your time, and how you experience your marriage.

In this episode of @JonesFamilyPlaybook , we get honest about something parents don't always say out loud: we love being parents, but we also miss parts of the lives we had before kids.

We talk about losing our freedom, struggling to find time for each other, date nights that feel rushed, and the challenge of making time for ourselves while raising two young boys.

We also look back at who we were when we first met, how becoming parents changed our identities, and whether it's possible to miss your old life while still loving the life you've built.

And then Holly shares the story of the first time she saw Keith at NBC10 in Philadelphia, a moment she says she'll never forget. ❤️

If you're a parent who's ever wondered, “Where did the old me go?” or “How do we find our way back to each other?” this conversation is for you.

Watch the full episode, then LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE The Jones Family Playbook with another parent who needs to hear this.

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is a weekly parenting and marriage podcast hosted by Keith and Holly Jones, two broadcast journalists and working parents raising two young boys.

It's where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet — with honest conversations about marriage, parenting, family life, work, and everything that comes with raising a family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

#Parenting #Parenthood #MarriageAfterKids #parenthoodgoals #Fatherhood #Motherhood #DadLife #MomLife #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook