Two Parents & A Podcast

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Wednesday!! We start off with the HARD-HITTING question everyone is talking about: what’s the perfect pool temperature? (lol) But really, Harrison started the morning with a 6:55am father/daughter swim (pool heated to a magnificent 92 degrees), so now we NEED to know.. comment yours, and nobody ask about our heating bill hahaha

House updates: the fence is officially in fabrication!! The front yard should be done in two weeks (check back with us then), and the outdoor kitchen behind the pool is “best case Thanksgiving”.. or best case Christmas, depending which one of us you ask. Which, speaking of the holidays, this is your friendly reminder to book your flights NOW.. they’re up 31% from last year (Christmas flights too, up 23%!!)

Jules has a baby shower this weekend, which gets us into the best baby shower gift that isn’t on her registry (the answer involves a monogram, and we stand by it). And things are THRIVING on our block: our neighbors celebrated their 25th anniversary by swapping the Halloween decorations for hearts for ONE week (she tried on her wedding dress for everyone in the neighborhood.. we’re obsessed with them), postcards are officially the lost art we’re bringing back, and the booing is spreading.. our neighbors are Googling the rules and taking it seriously!!

A follow up on the budgeting app Harrison built us with AI: it’s WORKING (a text every morning with yesterday’s spend, the month to date, and how we’re tracking against budget).

In an effort to bring some structure, we’re calling this next section “What’s on the table?!”. And on the table TODAY… The Coterie Golf Digest ad, which we’re giving a 10/10: the first baby brand to EVER advertise in a golf magazine, because moms carry 71% of the mental load and dads can’t share the load if no one’s talking to them. In pop culture: the DWTS pregnancy announcement (and live gender reveal!!) that had everyone crying. Plus the Victoria’s Secret fashion show comeback: the fantasy bra is back, 15 of the 60 models were moms, and Harrison is mostly mad he missed the stock run hahaha. And another great debate: custom license plates, cool or cringe?!

We close with a question from the audience: the grandparents have been drinking on babysitting duty.. is that normal?? Which gets us into our babysitter non-negotiables and why clear is kind. Tell us yours!!

Hope everyone is having a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:01 We started the morning with a swim…

00:03:36 What are the chances our home updates will be done before Thanksgiving?!

00:04:45 Friendly reminder to book your Thanksgiving flights!!

00:08:11 The best baby shower gift (that isn't on her registry)

00:15:04 On our block: a 25th anniversary, postcards & booing

00:20:48 Harrison built us a budgeting app with AI (and it’s working!!)

00:26:47 Coterie's Golf Digest ad is a 10/10

00:38:27 DWTS: the pregnancy announcement that had everyone crying

00:45:11 The Victoria's Secret fashion show comeback

00:50:26 Custom license plates: cool or cringe?

00:57:25 Question from the audience: grandparents drinking on babysitting duty

1:00:52 LOVE YOU GUYS!

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Sources:

*Coterie ad: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuNlIvG4-L/

*Breadwinner stats: https://x.com/Kalshi/status/2112234825361084726?s=20

*Thanksgiving flight stats: https://media.hopper.com/research/2026-holiday-travel-index

*DWTS announcement: https://www.instagram.com/p/DevTy-iCL5Y/

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*EllaOla: Try it risk-free with EllaOla's 45-day money-back guarantee; go to EllaOla.com/TWOPARENTS for 20% off your first purchase

*Tonies: Visit tonies.com to learn all about Toniebox!

*TinCan: Go to tincan.com/TWOPARENTS to get $10 off your first order!

*Quince: Find the fall pieces you’ll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/ALEX. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too!

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Monday!! We’re back from the parents-only trip to Jackson Hole!! And we were greeted with the sweetest thing Tate has ever said (“I missed you”).. so naturally we’re never leaving again hahaha

Which kicks off the kids corner: can a 2 year old ACTUALLY miss their parents? Why do kids save their meltdowns for YOU (spoiler: it’s actually a compliment)? And the take we stand by: we don’t FaceTime the kids while we’re away.. it’s for you, not them (discuss). Plus Tate spent the day playing with the 5 year old across the street and we watched her level UP in real time (the sharing song WORKED and we’ve never been prouder), and Rocky started solids on his half birthday!! (And we think he likes food more than his sister??? hahaha)

The trip itself: 72 hours of undivided attention with the neighbors (who shall now be known as Mr. & Mrs. Bears), an activity-based itinerary with one non-negotiable per day, and Alex solving a live influencer brand-trip mystery at lunch like a detective. All of which leads to the real question: what makes a good travel companion? Oh, and the Tetons are named after.…. you’ll have to listen.

In other news: Abercrombie is CRUSHING college apparel, we need to STOP saying “go to market” (and all corporate buzzwords), Harrison is building us a family budgeting app (if you have one you love, comment it!!), we need to see the Elizabeth Holmes documentary, and we design our fence LIVE on the pod.

Then we’re in full holiday mode: an audience question on keeping a Christmas party adults-only, planning OUR Christmas party (black tie.. with bbq??), family Halloween costume ideas, and the debate we need you to settle: is November 1st too early to decorate for Christmas?! (Pls let us know in the comments)

Hope everyone has a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:40 Can a 2 year old ACTUALLY miss their parents?

00:02:33 Why kids save their meltdowns for YOU

00:06:20 Abercrombie is CRUSHING college apparel

00:08:56 Rocky started solids (HALF BIRTHDAY YAY!!)

00:12:45 THIS is why your kids should play with older kids

00:24:33 We need to STOP using corporate buzzwords

00:25:58 IRL home update: designing the fence LIVE

00:30:27 Our parents-only trip to Jackson Hole

00:36:03 What makes a good travel companion?

00:40:40 We need a family budgeting app…

00:42:22 Going deep with your friends

00:44:06:23 The Tetons are named after WHAT?!

00:45:14 What Alex is reading: City of Girls

00:45:37 The Elizabeth Holmes movie everyone's talking about

00:52:53 Question from the audience on adults-only party invites

00:56:11 Planning our Christmas party (black tie.. with bbq?)

00:57:03 Is November 1st too early to decorate for Christmas?!

00:59:57 Halloween costume ideas for families

01:01:26 LOVE YOU GUYS!

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Sources:

*The Tetons - https://www.nps.gov/places/000/grand-teton.htm

*Elizabeth Holmes documentary - https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/you_can_see_everything (Rotten Tomatoes), https://abc11.com/post/the-dropout-elizabeth-holmes-theranos-amanda-seyfried/11617331/ (payment), https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/you-can-see-everything-box-office-nathan-fielder-elizabeth-holmes-huge-start-1236915640/ (debut)

*Anna Sorokin paid for Inventing Anna - https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-paid-anna-delvey-sorokin-tv-series-victim-fund-2021-1

*Why kids save meltdowns for you: https://www.tapouts.com/learn/after-school-meltdowns

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Skims: Shop my favorite loungewear and pajamas at https://www.skims.com/twoparents

*3 Day Blinds: For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to https://www.3DayBlinds.com/TWOPARENTS.

*Ethos: Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/twoparents. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

*Veracity: For up to 65% off your order, head to https://www.VeracityHealth.co and use code TWOPARENTS.

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Friday!! We have a special guest: Victoria Thain Gioia, co-founder & CEO of Perelel, Harvard MBA.. and most importantly, a working mom of 4 (ages 9, 7, 6 & 2!!)

We start with the story behind it all: a 20-week scan that didn’t go as expected, and how obsessing over the “why” sent Victoria deep into prenatal nutrition research.. deep enough that she pitched her OB a company idea mid-appointment (from the stirrups!!) The big takeaway: one-size-fits-all doesn’t work for women.

Then we get into the part we know you guys most want to hear: what it actually looks like to run a company with 4 kids at home. The 5am wake-ups, white-knuckling it from 7 to 7:50 every morning, the 2.5 year old who interrupts her work calls for a scheduled cuddle (we’re obsessed), and the mom guilt conversation we think every working parent needs to hear: “I’m a better mom because I work.” Plus why her answer to “is this worth it?” lives in a photo from her daughter’s school project.

We also talk about why there is NOTHING more powerful than the mom group chat (you’re not on an island, we’re all on the island together), the work-life balance advice that makes her laugh, and the realities of working motherhood.

We finish up with the women’s health research gap: women weren’t included in clinical trials until 1993, less than 10% of funding goes to women’s health, and what Perelel is pledging to change that. Then we close with rapid fire: what every TTC couple should know, the wellness trend she wishes would die, and the thing she wishes was talked about more.

Thank you Victoria!! Hope everyone has a great weekend :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:38 Meet Victoria: CEO, Harvard MBA & mom of 4

00:03:15 The 20-week scan that started it all

00:13:28 What the prenatal industry gets wrong

00:17:44 Making life easier for moms

00:24:00 A day in the life of a CEO mom of 4

00:28:47 Navigating mom guilt (“I’m a better mom because I work”)

00:32:00 Creating your community of moms

00:33:44 The reality of working motherhood

00:38:09 Why there is NOTHING more powerful than the mom group chat

00:39:17 The work-life balance advice that makes Victoria laugh

00:42:25 The women's health research gap explained…

00:46:49 Rapid fire questions: TTC, wellness trends & pregnancy loss

00:49:27 Thank you for listening!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or Two Parents & A Podcast. This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, supplements, or health routine, especially while pregnant, postpartum, or trying to conceive.

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Perelel: New customers can use code TWOPARENTS and get 20% off your first order at https://www.perelelhealth.com/twoparents

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Find our guest:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vat26

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Key Words:

two parents and a podcast, parenting podcast, mom and dad podcast, working mom podcast, Alex Bennett, Alex Fugman, Harrison Fugman, victoria thain gioia, perelel, perelel health, ceo mom, mom guilt, work life balance, working motherhood, mom of 4, prenatal vitamins, prenatal nutrition, trying to conceive, women's health, womens health research gap, mom group chat, female founder, female entrepreneur, day in the life ceo, wellness trends, mom community, postpartum
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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Wednesday!! Before anything else: we’re doing an audience check-in!! Comment what you want to hear more of (Q&As? guests? news rundown? pop culture?) and we’re picking one comment and sending you to your favorite lunch spot on us ($100!!) So comment!!

By the time you’re listening, we’re in Jackson Hole on a couples trip with the neighbors!! Alex packed a carry-on (brave), Harrison packed “extreme” location-specific outfits, and there are custom t-shirts involved that we legally (lol) cannot spoil yet. But leaving the kids had us in our feelings.. we thought we’d be excited for the getaways and honestly the break from the kids is zero percent of the excitement?? Which leads us to the parenting cliches that are ACTUALLY true: no phase lasts that long, and every chapter is somehow better than the last (meanwhile “sleep when the baby sleeps”.. like who is doing the laundry??? hahaha)

Mid-episode, Harrison needs to vent about the new sales tactic that has to stop: strangers sending UNSOLICITED calendar invites (“hey, I spoke to Alex!!” no. no you did not.) But, in happier news, our whole street is in the Halloween spirit and it’s proof that neighborhood morale starts with ONE house (we got boo’d!! we’re booing back!!) Plus the bike bus: have you seen these?? Whole neighborhoods biking to school together.. there are 200+ of these programs now and we’re obsessed.

THIS WEEK WE LEARNED: positive parenting literally wires kids’ brains for joy. A new study found praise at age 3 shows up in brain scans at 18?! It confirmed what we see every time Tate shows us an outfit she’s proud of (and like honestly with ourselves??? Love being around positive people).

And the big viral debates this week: is it rude to ask to stay at your friend’s place when you travel?? Jules would be OFFENDED if a friend came to Austin and didn’t stay with her, Harrison is a forever hotel guy, so we need your votes. Same with siblings at birthday parties: family invite or just the kid on the card?!

Hope everyone has a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:02:19 Audience check-in: tell us what you want to hear (we'll pick a comment & send you to lunch!!)

00:05:13 Part 29834 of us not being able to pronounce words

00:07:26 Couples trip to Jackson Hole!!

00:11:29 How do you ACTUALLY feel about vacationing without the kids?

00:17:44 The parenting cliches that are ACTUALLY true

00:18:45 The new sales tactic that needs to STOP

00:26:12 Neighborhood morale starts with ONE house

00:33:31 Have you seen the bike bus?!

00:36:51 3 banger movies coming out SOON

00:41:08 Can you make popcorn from corn on the cob?!

00:43:54 THIS WEEK WE LEARNED: parenting & the power of positivity

00:51:21 Is it rude to ask your friend to stay at their place?!
00:59:47 Should siblings be invited to birthday parties?!

01:0319 LOVE YOU GUYS!

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Sources:

*Positive parenting: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-positive-parenting-children-joy-mental.html

*Bike Bus: https://bikebus.world/

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Zenni: Use code PODCAST15 for fifteen percent off your first order at https://www.bit.ly/41onx2O #Zennipartner

*ZipRecruiter: Try it FOR FREE at https://www.ZipRecruiter.com/ALEX

*Hers: Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://www.forhers.com/twoparents to get personalized, affordable care that gets you.

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This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Monday!! EURO JULES IS BACK!! The trip recap is lowkey scattered throughout the entire episode (sry), but the highlights: a Tuscany wedding, a “2 hour” drive that was actually 4.5 through scenery Jules swears is Pittsburgh adjacent (it’s a compliment??), and a new barometer for measuring the success of a trip.

But first, Alex gets sent to the mall with a box of Harrison’s returns and gets absolutely humbled at the counter (“ma’am, has this been washed?”).. so we need a ruling: can you return a shirt you already washed?!

The wedding’s pizza night spirals us into the food corner: pizza vs burgers for America’s favorite food (the official ranking has burgers & fries not at #1.. Alex is appealing the decision), mashed potatoes catch a STRAY (“it’s literally a liquid French fry”), and milk is in bags in Canada?!

We get into why traveling at 30 beats traveling at 22, and the real theme of this episode: life gets BETTER with age. Alex keeps meeting 38 year olds doing really cool things, and instead of fearing getting older.. knowing that’s when the hard work pays off.

Football is in FULL swing: Harrison made corn dogs from SCRATCH for the Red River Rivalry (the secret is dipping the dog in a cup of batter), Sooner Magic was sprinkled (BOOMER!), and the question of the week (NOT a new segment): how much football is a dad allowed to watch in a weekend? We landed on zero uninterrupted games at home.. but the better the behavior, the longer the leash hahaha.

Then the parenting corner: Tate is OFFICIALLY in need of her own suitcase (maybe a ride-on one??) and the article claiming child-led potty training is becoming a problem. We did child-led, so we have thoughts (and a Tate update: she’s batting 80-90%!!)

Plus Tobey Maguire officiated his ex-wife’s wedding with their kids in the front row (we’re here for it), the Bicker of the Week: starting a show as a couple.. aka Harrison waited 45 minutes and Alex’s head hit the pillow (point: Harrison), and we close with Harrison’s 3 jet lag tips!!

Hope everyone has a great week :-) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:01:29 Can you return a shirt after washing it?!

00:03:36 Jules' Euro trip recap (kind of this really continues sporadically throughout the episode lol)

00:07:21 Did you know pizza ranks as the #1 favorite food in the United States?!

00:11:21 Why does Canadian milk come in bags?!

00:15:08 Making friends at a wedding…

00:17:34 Do you prefer traveling to big cities or small towns?!

00:19:30 Life gets better as you get older

00:22:53 Combs vs. hairbrushes for men…

00:25:43 Harrison's from-scratch corn dogs

00:28:15 Red River Rivalry (BOOMER!)

00:32:20 How much football is too much football?!

00:39:08 Austin City Limits

00:40:41 Uber safety features & preferences

00:46:43 Tate OFFICIALLY needs her own suitcase

00:47:44 Jules’ new barometer of a successful trip

00:51:58 Is child-led potty training a problem?!

00:55:58 Tobey Maguire officiated his ex-wife's wedding?!

00:58:30 Bicker of the Week: starting a show as a couple

01:01:49 Harrison's 3 jet lag tips

01:04:23 LOVE YOU GUYS!

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Sources:

*The Problem With Child-Led Potty Training: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2026/08/potty-training-delay-problem/688299/

*Tobey Maguire officiated ex’s wedding: https://www.tmz.com/2026/10/11/tobey-maguire-officiates-ex-wife-wedding/

*Pizza is officially America’s favorite food: https://www.ajc.com/life/according-to-a-recent-poll-pizza-is-officially-americas-favorite-food/JHGCWVWMQFGERPFL37ID4KB5PI/

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Thank you to our sponsors this week:

*Rula: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/TWOPARENTS #rulapod

*Little Spoon: Give them meals + snacks that are actually right for where kids are developmentally—balanced, intentional and made to support real growth. Go to https://www.littlespoon.com/TWOPARENTS and enter code TWOPARENTS for 30% off your first order.

*Tonies: Visit https://www.tonies.com to learn all about Toniebox Lite.

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Follow Two Parents & A Podcast:

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