Have you ever seen a tiny child cruising around on a bike with no pedals and wondered what on earth is happening? In this episode, I'm talking about balance bikes, why they are fantastic, and why training wheels are officially on my list of parenting things I hate.

Training wheels may seem like the classic way to teach a kid to ride a bike, but I'm making the case for doing things differently. Balance bikes help kids build the skills that actually matter first, while training wheels can create habits that have to be unlearned later. And if you're thinking, "But Devon, I learned on training wheels," do not worry. I have thoughts about that too.

I'm breaking down what balance bikes are, how they work, why they can make bike riding feel more natural for kids, and what to consider if buying both a balance bike and a pedal bike feels like too much. This episode will help you rethink the classic training-wheels approach and see why a tiny bike with no pedals might be exactly what your kid needs.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/101

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

Parenthood Prep has hit 100 episodes, and naturally, Margaret and I are celebrating the only way that makes sense: with birthday presents, stickers, baby outfit opinions, Australian listener shoutouts, and a very serious brainstorm about "top 100" babies, baby products, baby outfits, and whatever else our brains decide belongs on the list.

In this episode, Margaret and I sit down for a BTS 100th episode planning session that turns into a very on-brand mix of baby sleep, baby clothes, favorite babies, podcast consistency, and why newborns in real clothes look like "putting a cat in pants." We also get into a solid clearance sale baby clothes strategy, family Christmas pajamas, Australia's baby sleep schools, and the kind of sleep and baby-care tangents that only happen when we are technically supposed to be planning something.

Most of all, this episode is a celebration of making it to 100 episodes. 100 episodes of Parenthood Prep are officially out in the world, and that is a big deal.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/100

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

There are some things past me would have judged very hard, and apparently two of them are saying "thank you" when my partner does basic chores and enjoying doing basically everything together. I know. The horror.

In this episode, I'm talking about the relationship habits I used to judge, starting with thanking your partner for ordinary, expected things around the house. I'm getting into why I used to see that as rewarding the bare minimum, why that reaction made sense at the time, and what changed when I stopped expecting disappointment as the default setting.

I'm also talking about another thing past me would have rolled her eyes at: doing so much together as a couple. Baby care, kitten care, weekends, friends, all of it. Turns out, wanting to do things with your partner does not mean you are incapable of doing them alone. Sometimes it just means you actually like the person you chose, which, honestly, is a delightful development.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/99

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).