Not Right Now

This week, Claire and Quinn chat Halloween logistics, the rear-facing car seat as the ultimate deterrent to having another baby, Claire's solo cabin getaway where doing absolutely nothing is worth every penny, and why it's better to just go to bed angry instead of drag out a fight when you're all exhausted.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors

This week: We won a podcast award! And now we're immediately spiraling into existential conversations about where we seek approval, why we need it, and how it's completely different (and weirdly the same) for our kids. We're talking about the Eldest Daughter pressure to be in the top 20 in a class of 600, setting "the floor" for your kids' behavior, the implicit contract of putting your art/work/self out there to be judged, and how approval-seeking changes from explicit to implicit.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Our Signal Award (we're #1, we're #1)What Can I Do Dot Earth https://www.whatcanido.earth/Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get MillGet Readwise

This week, Claire and Quinn discuss the very normal things like getting back into shape (this time it's happening!), anniversary celebrations that peak at the cheese plate, and whether a C-minus in social studies is actually a problem. Also: fake spiderwebs as voluntary garbage, ICE at school drop-offs (fuck ICE), why anger feels productive but isn't, and your kids going to their very first wake.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Donate to Claire's States Project fundraiser https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/5wmhrga/Evil-WitchesGet the young reader's edition of Clint Smith's "How The Word Is Passed" https://bookshop.org/a/8952/9780316578509Find out how you can take action at whatcanido.earth Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get MillJoin beehiiv

After catching up on the weekend's chaos (signing up to be toilet papered, progressive dinner parties, and dads of preteens who've apparently never heard of Snapchat), Quinn and Claire discuss the never-ending battle that is feeding your children, your spouse, and yourself. Topics on the table include the myth of meal planning, Claire's vendetta against Taco Tuesday, bell peppers as the "am I feeling rich today?" indicator, Quinn's vegan chili (it's good, he promises!), and free (or not) school lunches.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Join beehiivGet Reader

We're back!This week, Claire and Quinn are crashing out over back-to-school chaos (music class that your kid swears they aren't supposed to practice for, curriculum night avoidance, and late start mornings), the cognitive labor of being the "superhuman" parent vs. "the bumbler", dealing with your stubborn Boomer parents, and their current survival strategies (from hiring a scheduling assistant to taking two gummies in the closet because it's a an EMERGENCY) amid a news cycle that just won't stop (media literacy is the new first aid). -----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Crash Course: Navigating Digital Information https://thecrashcourse.com/topic/navigatingdigitalinfo/ and Media Literacy https://thecrashcourse.com/topic/medialiteracy/What's On Her Mind by Allison Daminger https://bookshop.org/a/8952/9780691245386Austin Kleon's blog on filling your house with books https://austinkleon.substack.com/p/why-our-house-is-a-libraryTwo More Sisters https://www.twomoresisters.com/Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get MillGet Readwise

This week, Claire and Quinn tackle the brutal summer heat while diving into the complexities of maintaining a relationship with your co-parent. Finding couple time when everyone just wants to retreat to their separate corners is an eternal struggle, especially when you're balancing getting body-shamed by your own children and finding out your kid has been playing inappropriate games online.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get ReadwiseGet Mill

This week Claire and Quinn welcome Sarah Wheeler, creator of the Mom Spreading blog, host of The Mother Of It All podcast, educational psychologist, and self-described 90s R&B enthusiast. Sarah brings her expertise in ADHD and neurodiversity to help parents navigate everything from summer medication decisions to ADHD parenting superpowers to practical strategies for making real schools work better for neurodivergent kids.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Read Joan Wilder's book Help For Women With ADHD https://www.helpforwomenwithadhd.com/books/Listen to The Mother of It All podcast with Sarah Wheeler and Miranda Rake https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-mother-of-it-all/id1715167577Read Mom Spreading on Substack https://momspreading.substack.com/Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Mill

This week, Quinn returns from an epic family trip to Alaska with stories of whales, glaciers, and kids who packed two socks for a week-long adventure. But as always, the conversation happens when they get home: dealing with post-vacation lows, kids who think bobbleheads grow on trees, and the daily mental load of parenting through everything else. Trigger Warning: This episode includes candid discussions about thoughts of escape, mental health struggles, and parental overwhelm. Resources for mental health support can be found here: https://www.whatcanido.earth/results/?verbs=get-help&nouns=mental-health-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Refurbished old school iPods: https://dcg-ipod.affinityco.net/pages/refurbished-ipod-classics (YMMV!)Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Join beehiivGet Mill

This week, Quinn and Claire are diving into the ever-evolving world of childcare, from the brutal economics of quality care to the desperate measures parents take just to keep working. They explore how childcare standards change from first kid (extensive vetting) to third kid (you haven't murdered recently), the impossible summer camp lottery system, and why sometimes a random college student willing to be a "play robot" is an essential worker.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Readwise

This week, Claire and Quinn welcome screenwriter and director Chris Winterbauer (Moonshot, What Went Wrong podcast) to chat about movies! They cover what they let their kids watch, what they force them to watch, and which movies scarred them for life. Featuring passionate defenses of Dumb and Dumber, the death of Hollywood Video, hot takes on Space Balls and Star Wars, taking kids to the movie theatre, and why the Simpsons is basically Sesame Street compared to YouTube.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Listen to the What Went Wrong podcast https://www.whatwentwrongpod.com/Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get ReaderGet Mill

This week, Claire and Quinn ask: How do you raise charitable, empathetic kids when you can barely manage getting them to put their dishes in the sink? Topics include when your anti-gun household meets the school rummage sale Nerf gun haul, teaching empathy vs. performative wokeness, the privilege and burden of school parent organizations, why showing up to volunteer isn't always helpful (and when it is), and a list of some of the most effective charities out there.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation https://www.alexslemonade.org/Give Directly https://www.givedirectly.org/Against Malaria Foundation https://www.againstmalaria.com/Donors Choose https://www.donorschoose.org/Food Forward https://foodforward.org/The 19th https://19thnews.org/ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/Capital B https://capitalbnews.org/The Markup https://themarkup.org/Hot Bread Kitchen https://hotbreadkitchen.org/Hollywood Food Coalition https://hofoco.org/Feed My Starving Children https://www.fmsc.org/Connections for the Homeless https://www.connect2home.org/Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get MillGet Reader

This week Claire and Quinn welcome their first guest, Lindsey Stanberry, founder of The Purse and former editor at Fortune. Together they explore how to teach kids about money in 2025 -- from birthday party gift overload to teaching financial literacy when you can barely manage your own finances.We cover tales of $80 silent action mishaps, pricey raspberry juice experiments, and why nobody wants to be their kid's personal banker.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Greenlight debit card for kids https://greenlight.com/Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even If You're Not) by Beth KoblinerThe Purse by Lindsey Stanberry https://thepurse.substack.com/Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Join beehiivGet Mill

Parenting and sleep deprivation. From military-precise sleep training schedules to the anxiety spiral of a child who won't sleep, they share their brutally honest experiences with getting children (and themselves) to bed. Featuring tales of nine (yes, nine) pillow sleep systems, headbanging toddlers, and why separate bedrooms might save your marriage. -----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Hatch alarm clocksBed Jet cooling/heating systemFeals sleep gummiesSleep mediation machines for kidsMerlin sleep suitFollow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors

This week, we talk about the humbling experience of parenthood and how reality shatters expectations.We cover:The gap between pre-parenting fantasies (museum trips and Christmas traditions) versus post-kid realities (barbecue chip crumbs in the car)Why buying your postpartum wife lingerie is a terrible ideaHow having children affects relationships and identitiesParenting might not be what you imagined, but finding humor in the chaos makes it all a little more manageable, even when you're the parent bringing yogurt-covered raisin snacks to baseball that no child actually wants (at least you tried!)-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Blue: A History of Postpartum Depression in America by Rachel Louise MoranFollow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Readwise

In our first bonus Q&A episode, Quinn and Claire tackle listener questions with their signature blend of honesty, humor, and zero judgment.Topics covered:Making parent friends: Is it a real connection or just shared misery? What makes friendship work during the parenting years, the importance of finding your parenting community, and why it's okay if some friendships are just "for the season"Supporting a child with ADHD: Quinn and Claire share personal experiences with ADHD in their families, including medication journeys, therapy challenges, and finding support at schoolNOTE: Future Q&A and bonus episodes will be for Important Members and paid subscribers of Evil Witches only! Upgrade to get them directly into your feed.Try a free 30 day free trial of the Important Membership here: https://www.importantnotimportant.com/upgrade.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:New York Times article on ADHD https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/13/magazine/adhd-medication-treatment-research.htmlTeacher intro email template https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Crw0HoibRpSt8kBGmYIAjLRGFf38Pq0pXpedZg9R_c/edit?tab=t.0Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors

This week, Quinn and Claire dive into traveling with kids. They share personal stories about family trips from their own childhoods and with their children now, covering everything from dealing with jetlag to bathroom emergencies at 30,000 feet. Also discussed: the myth of "vacation" with children (let's just call it a "family trip"), tips and tricks for making travel less hellish, how to make travel more meaningful, the necessity of getting occasional breaks from your kids, and as always, the importance of lower expectations. -----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:3D Rendering of historical Mexico CityPatagonia Black Hole BagsSound machine for kidsNUUN hydration tabletsFollow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Mill

This week, Claire and Quinn dig into the minefield of youth sports: understimulated kids who are getting on everyone's nerves vs. overscheduled families who have no time to breathe, the horrors of early-season kid-pitch baseball, the importance (or not) of having "hustle", and what is the point of kids sports, anyways?-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Mill

This week, Claire and Quinn lament on the endless influx of STUFF that children seem to magically manifest in your home. From mysterious bouncy balls to apple juice containers full of sand to fantasies of cleansing fires, they explore the anxiety and dread created by attempting to manage the unmanageable (spoiler alert: yeah, recycling isn't real. Have a great day!)-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Reader

This week, Claire and Quinn unpack the often messy, often thankless job of solo parenting while your partner is away. We cover why you should never, EVER call your partner with "options" while the kids are listening, the cursed timing of arriving home during bedtime (just drive a few extra laps around the block, seriously), the myth that missing your kids "firsts" will somehow lead them to a life of crime, dinner standards when flying solo, and why lowering expectations is really the best parenting and life hack.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Links:Claire's 2019 New York Times article "How Parents Who Travel for Work Can Ease the Burden on Their Families"Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Mill

This week, Claire and Quinn take a break (mostly) from their existential dread to talk about the awkward, hilarious world of music and parenting. From deciding if Freak Like Me is appropriate for the carpool to facepalming when your kid asks if Beyoncé is still alive, they navigate the terrain of what we listen to, what our kids listen to, and whether or not taking your child to see The Weeknd is a terrible idea.-----------Have feedback or questions? Send a message to questions@notrightnow.showGet all of our episodes at notrightnow.show-----------Follow us:Subscribe to Quinn's newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSubscribe to Claire's newsletter at https://www.evilwitches.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notrightnowpodcast/Subscribe to our YouTube channelProduced and edited by Willow BeckMusic by Tim Blane: timblane.comAdvertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsorsMentioned in this episode:Get Mill