Birth of a Parent
When a baby is born, a parent is born too. But what if that's more than a metaphor? Birth of a Parent explores the emerging science of how parenthood transforms the human mind. Host Michael Feigelson speaks with leading scientists, writers, and thinkers to investigate whether becoming a parent is one of life's most profound – and least understood – developmental stages. The podcast is part of the Early Childhood Matters platform by the Van Leer Foundation.
Episodes
Bonus - We’re Finalists, and We Need Your Vote!
Birth of a Parent is a finalist for the Lovie and Signal Awards across 6 categories, and public voting closes October 15. Lovie: • Best New Podcast -- https://tinyurl.com/nhdkrx6k• Best Writing -- https://tinyurl.com/3292zkfuSignal: • Best Editing -- https://tinyurl.com/p9d92y3j• Documentary — https://tinyurl.com/3u6e8d5h• Family & Child-Raising -- https://tinyurl.com/26n4tftx• Thoug
Ep. 12 - The Grandmother Hypothesis (with Alison Gopnik)
Most species don't have grandparents. Humans do. Why? In this final episode of season one, developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik explores a strange feature of human evolution, and what it reveals about childhood, caregiving, and why raising children was never meant to be a job for parents alone.Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Alison Gopnik's bestselling book The Gar
Ep. 11 - The Stories We're Missing (with Franklin Leonard)
Parenthood may be one of the biggest transformations in human life. So why are there so few stories about it? Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, has spent his career identifying overlooked stories. In this conversation, he helps us think about one of the biggest stories we may still be struggling to tell.Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Franklin Leonard's work as
Ep. 10 - The New Fatherhood Script (with Richard Reeves)
For much of history, becoming a father came with a script. Today, many of those expectations have disappeared. Richard Reeves explores what happens when old ideas about manhood no longer fit, and why fatherhood may be one of the places where a new script is still being written.Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Richard Reeves' bestselling book Of Boys and Men, in which he exp
Ep. 9 - The Questions Without Answers (with Krista Tippett)
Why do children make ordinary things feel extraordinary again? Writer and On Being host Krista Tippett reflects on how becoming a mother transformed the way she sees the world, and why wonder may be one of parenthood's most overlooked gifts.Shownotes: Krista's long-running podcast On Being explores spirituality, ethics, science and what it means to be human.In the episode with Buddhist tea
Ep. 8 - Why Nature Matters More Once You’re a Parent (with Nadina Galle)
Before children, a city is something you move through. After children, it's something you start to see. Ecological engineer Nadina Galle explores how parenthood reshapes our relationship with nature—and why even a blade of grass can begin to matter.Shownotes: Nadina's book The Nature of Our Cities explores how technology – from AI to sensors and satellite imagery – can help us better under
Ep. 7 - The World’s Best Managers (with Emily Oster)
Every parent eventually becomes the CEO of a small, chaotic organization. Economist and data expert Emily Oster explains what parenting can teach us about decision-making, leadership, and why good management matters more than perfect answers.Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Emily Oster's book The Family Firm, in which she argues that families can benefit from applying princ
Ep. 6 - The Illusion of Knowing (with Lulu Miller)
The human brain loves a good explanation. Parenthood has other plans. Science journalist and Radiolab host Lulu Miller explores why we are so determined to make sense of the world, and what happens when life refuses to fit the story.Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Lulu Miller's bestselling book Why Fish Don't Exist, a meditation on our deep human desire to impose order
Ep. 5 - The Rituals That Hold Us Together (with Dimitris Xygalatas)
Why does a bedtime routine feel so important? Anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas studies rituals, from firewalking ceremonies to family traditions. His work reveals why humans return to rituals whenever life becomes uncertain, and why parenthood may be one of the most ritual-filled experiences of all.Shownotes: Much of today's conversation draws on Dimitris Xygalatas' book The Ritual Effect
Ep. 4 - The Connected Mind (with Vicky Leong)
Sometimes a child is looking right at you and seems completely elsewhere, and sometimes they're completely with you. Developmental neuroscientist Vicky Leong studies those moments of connection, uncovering how parents and children synchronize their minds and get ready to learn from one another.Shownotes: Victoria Leong – Publications (link)Leong et al. (2017), Speaker gaze increases informatio
Ep. 3 - The Dad Bod Theory (with Lee Gettler)
Why would evolution redesign a man's body after he has children? Anthropologist Lee Gettler helped uncover a surprising answer. His research on hormone changes including testosterone suggests that fatherhood doesn't just change how men think and feel, it changes their biology too.Shownotes: Lee’s landmark study Longitudinal Evidence that Fatherhood Decreases Testosterone in Human Males sho
Ep. 2 - The Mom Brain Revolution (with Susana Carmona)
For centuries, scientists studied what pregnancy does to the body. Almost nobody studied what it does to the brain. Neuroscientist Susana Carmona helped change that, uncovering evidence that motherhood reshapes the human brain in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.Shownotes:Susana's book A Mother’s Brain brings together the latest research on how pregnancy and motherhood reshape
Ep. 1 - A Human Metamorphosis (with Oren Harman)
Three quarters of animal species undergo metamorphosis. Why are we so sure humans don't? Historian of science Oren Harman takes us from butterflies to starfish in search of an answer, and toward a surprising way of thinking about what happens when a baby turns someone into a parent.Shownotes:Much of the conversation draws on Oren Harman's exploration of metamorphosis across the natural wor
Trailer - Birth of a Parent
When a baby is born, a parent is born too. But what if that's more than a metaphor? Birth of a Parent explores the emerging science of how parenthood transforms the human mind. Host Michael Feigelson speaks with leading scientists, writers, and thinkers to investigate whether becoming a parent is one of life's most profound – and least understood – developmental stages. By following the podca
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