Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Is it possible to raise a child without losing yourself—if you live in a country that actually supports parents? In this episode, we sit down with journalist and author Abigail Leonard to talk about her powerful new book Four Mothers, a narrative that follows four women across four countries through the highs and heartbreaks of their first year of motherhood. From Finland’s robust family leave to Japan’s intense cultural expectations, from a grieving new mom in Kenya to an American mother who steps away from the religious community that raised her, these stories reveal how deeply the system shapes our experience of becoming a parent. We dig into what Leonard learned by reporting across cultures, why so many mothers feel like they’re doing it alone, and what it might take to build a better way forward—wherever you are in the world. If you've ever wondered whether motherhood is universally hard or just made harder by policy, geography, and culture—this one’s for you. Get ⁠Four Mothers⁠ Here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever feel like gentle parenting only works for gentle children—and yours were born throwing punches? Same. That’s why this week, I sat down with science journalist and parenting sanity-saver ⁠Melinda Wenner Moyer⁠, author of ⁠How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes⁠ and the new book ⁠Hello, Cruel World: How to Parent with Hope in an Era of Anxiety and Doom⁠. We’re diving deep into the hard stuff: screen time panic, why discipline doesn’t mean dictatorship, and how to build actual resilience (hint: let your kid be bored). Melinda brings research, realism, and a refreshing amount of empathy to the parenting chaos. We also unpack why most parenting influencers should probably be legally required to disclose their lack of qualifications—and why your 8-year-old flipping you off at school pickup doesn’t mean you’ve failed. ⁠Subscribe to Melinda's substack here⁠. ⁠Join our newsletter community here⁠. ⁠Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here⁠. ⁠Visit our lovely sponsors here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do writing a thriller, running a marathon, and raising small humans have in common? At some point, you’re convinced you’re doing it all wrong. This week on Sunday Nice Things I down with bestselling author Andrea Bartz (The Last Ferry Out) to talk about the messy middle of any creative process—when everything feels like garbage and your brain is screaming “just quit.” If you've ever felt stuck in the middle of something hard—writing a book, parenting, being a human in the world—this episode is for you. Check out Andi's newsletter here. GET IT WRITE Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were told there’d be a village. A built-in crew of support, solidarity, and sanity that would show up the minute the baby did. But what if the village never comes? In this episode, Jo talks to Melissa Wirt—mother of six, founder of Latched Mama, and author of I Was Told There’d Be a Village—about what it means to build connection in a culture that isolates mothers by design. They dive into the science of loneliness, the labor of making friends as a grown woman, and why an adult swim team might just save your sanity. It’s equal parts cultural commentary, raw confession, and parenting survival guide—complete with a backseat birth story, a breakdown of small business politics, and a plea for real community in and out of the workplace. If you’ve ever wondered where your people are—or how to find them—this episode is your blueprint. Follow Melissa on Instagram here. Order her book here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when you're not 100% sure you want to become a mother—but you go ahead and do it anyway? In this episode, we explore the space between certainty and regret, love and ambivalence, and what it means to mother without a clear road map. Host Jo Piazza sits down with journalist and author Ruthie Ackerman, whose new book The Mother Code unpacks her own winding path to motherhood—through egg freezing, fertility treatments, donor eggs, and a lot of self-doubt. They talk about why our culture demands total clarity from women about becoming mothers, how shame and silence shape that decision, and what it looks like to write your own "mother code" instead of following the one handed to you. Get Ruthie's book The Mother Code here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If your kids are into listening to podcasts (mine are...we are massive Greeking Out stans) then you are going to want The Ten News in your rotation. The Ten News podcast explores topics that kids care about most including events, sports, science, gaming, pop culture, entertainment, and more! With new episodes bi-weekly on Wednesday, it’s a great way for you and your family to stay connected with what’s going on in the world. The Ten News also features some pretty awesome guests; LEGO Masters Judge Amy Corbett, America’s top doctor Dr. Anthony Fauci, Sarah Natochenny, the voice of Ash Ketchum for Pokemon fans, and many more. Today's episode is a deep dive into LEGO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do a novelist, an Olympic triathlete, and a healthcare entrepreneur have in common? In some families, they share a childhood. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Susan Dominus joins us to talk about The Family Dynamic, her riveting new book on how multiple high-achieving siblings emerge from the same home—and what that means for the rest of us. We talk about the science of sibling influence, the myth of perfect parenting, and why stepping back might be the best thing you can do for your kid’s future. Get Susan's book here. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for videos of all episodes here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when your kids start asking the Big Questions—about death, morality, and the meaning of life—and your only answer is... "I don't know"? This week we sit down with the anonymous duo behind The Family Skeptical podcast—two parents raising their children without religion in a world where Christian values are increasingly entangled with politics, community, and parenting culture. They dive into what it means to teach critical thinking instead of catechism, how to build moral frameworks without ancient texts, and why parenting without a religious script often requires a lot more work—and a lot more imagination. From Star Trek to Christmas movies to Greek mythology, this conversation explores how secular families are inventing new traditions, new values, and new ways of saying “I don’t know” with confidence. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt envious of the ready-made community that comes with religion, but still wants to raise kind, curious kids—without the dogma. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dropping an episode of The Family Skeptical in your feed today. It's a show by a married atheist couple talking about raising kids in non-belief. They talk about navigating the challenges and joys of raising open-minded, compassionate kids in a world where religious beliefs often take center stage and dive into topics such as teaching critical thinking, fostering empathy, celebrating diversity, handling religious questions, and much more. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it really take to ask for what you want—and actually get it? Jenny Wood, former Google executive and author of Wild Courage, breaks down why fear of judgment, failure, and uncertainty keep so many people stuck. This episode dives into the surprising science of ambition, why women are still penalized for being "bossy," how guilt and comparison steal more from us than failure ever could, and why being a little shameless might be the smartest move you make. Plus: what chasing a stranger off a subway platform can teach you about betting on yourself. Buy Wild Courage here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices