Whether you're paying down credit cards or saving for daily necessities during COVID-19, the best place to start is with a budget. Some simple tools can help.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Families with children are in a serious bind. Whether you're looking for options for child care or need resources to keep your kid entertained, this episode will walk through some ideas to think about for this school year.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

If you're planning on voting this fall — which you should be — you can probably mail in your ballot instead of voting in person. Here's how to do that.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Biking is good for the environment and can be faster than driving or public transit. Plus, regular exercise is good for your mental and physical health. Here's how to actually start biking regularly.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Friendships inevitably shift over time — and during COVID-19, you might be facing more changes than usual. But those shifts in relationships aren't necessarily a bad thing. Life Kit consulted the experts about how to take a hard look at friendships — and how to break up with a pal, if that's the best route to take. This episode originally ran on August 21, 2019.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How do you tell a stranger to be better at social distancing? What do you do when a backyard gathering suddenly has one too many unmasked guests? This episode walks through the new rules of etiquette during COVID-19.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

There's often a lot of pressure put on a person's 20s. Stay career focused? Or make it a time of exploration? In this episode, Elizabeth Segran talks about her book, The Rocket Years: How Your Twenties Launch the Rest of Your Life. She offers advice for anyone who wants to be more intentional about their life choices.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Deciding to forgive is a big step. After all, you're the one who's been harmed! But it turns out that forgiving someone actually has benefits for your mental health. The practice of radical forgiveness can help you process hurt and anger — and ultimately find peace.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You don't need to get super fancy with your morning coffee at home. All it takes are a few strategies to elevate your coffee game. Whether you use a drip machine or pour-over, paper filters or French press, this episode will help you get to know what kind of coffee you like and how to make it a little better.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Everyone needs a little alone time, but with the current pandemic, you might have either too much "me" time or not enough. Let's get that balance back. This episode breaks down some of the research behind what makes even small bouts of solitude restorative and what to do when you're alone too much.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Attention new campers! This episode will get you ready for your first car camping trip so you'll feel comfortable and confident in being a responsible member of the outdoor community. We'll discuss what to bring camping, how to make meals, how to stay safe and how to honor the land.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Some parents think the best way to manage a child's screen time is to set hard limits. But those rules are particularly difficult to keep during a pandemic, when screens are a lifeline for all of us. So what should the rules be? Sonia Livingstone and Alicia Blum-Ross, coauthors of Parenting For A Digital Future, explain why being too strict about screen time might not be the best strategy for your kids — or the whole family.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

No matter your skin tone, sunscreen keeps your skin safe from harmful UVA and UVB rays. This is your guide to sunscreen — what SPF to use, how often to reapply, and what to look for on the back of the bottle.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Thinking about making a trip to visit family? In the age of the coronavirus, there are questions you need to answer before showing up at your relative's house. In this episode, we talk through best practices for if, or when, you decide to visit elderly relatives during this pandemic.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

One in five Americans struggles with medical bills. The secret is that there's something you can do about it — you just have to know where to look and how to ask.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Face masks are crucial for curbing the spread of the coronavirus. This episode goes over some best practices when it comes to face masks, including how to wear a mask properly, the protection given by cloth vs. surgical masks, and how to safely take a break.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

There's been a lot of talk about the work white people need to do to understand their role in racism. Layla Saad's book, Me and White Supremacy, helps readers do just that. Saad explains why it's important to dig into the uncomfortable work, why being an ally isn't enough, and ideas to combat white supremacy in your everyday life.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic? This episode helps workers understand their rights, including current rules about unemployment, safety concerns and underlying conditions.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Anyone can have a green thumb with a little time and attention. We'll walk you through how to care for your houseplants properly, step by step. Plus, tips on fighting pests!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We all need strategies to push back against conflict, anger and worry. Tara Brach distills the practice of mindfulness into a simple 4-step tool from her book Radical Compassion. This daily practice can help you show up for 'life' – and let go of regret and anxiety.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Talking about death makes many of us uncomfortable, so we don't plan for it. But the reality is that even a small amount of planning ensures our final wishes are honored — and makes it easier on our family and friends. This episode will help you get started on making a will and an advance directive, even if you don't have a big estate.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Everyone wants to be happy, and science has some answers. In this episode, Laurie Santos, the host of The Happiness Lab podcast, shares the science of cultivating gratitude and reframing positive thinking.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Coming out looks different for everyone and is a continuous process. WNYC Studio's Nancy hosts talk with people about their coming out stories to learn what went well, what could have gone better, and what to say if someone comes out to you.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

American parents often feel like event planners for their kids. There's a pressure to make sure kids are entertained and content every minute of the day. NPR's Michaeleen Doucleff says kids can be trained to occupy themselves.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You may not think of yourself as racist, but Robin DiAngelo says that "nice white people" are still complicit in racist structures. DiAngelo has tips to help white people break from apathy, interrupt racist systems and commit to anti-racist practices.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Gender Reveal host Tuck Woodstock answers questions about making the workplace safer and more inclusive for trans people and provides simple ideas to help you be a trans ally at work and beyond.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For some, talking to your parents and elders about racism can lead nowhere, or even backfire. Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want To Talk About Race, offers tips to make that conversation less confrontational and more constructive.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's Been A Minute host Sam Sanders talks with his colleague Kenya Young, executive producer of Morning Edition and mother of three boys about "the talk" — The series of conversations Black parents have with their kids, particularly their sons, about how to deal with police encounters.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Microaggressions are the everyday, thinly veiled instances of racism, homophobia, sexism and other biases that come across in gestures, comments or insults. But the "micro" doesn't mean that the acts don't have a big impact. While there's no one right way to address a microaggression, we have some pointers for ways you can begin to respond.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How do you get a good night's sleep? Many of us have routines we use to try to reach that blissful state of slumber — from meditation to melatonin to putting on a pair of socks. Sleep scientists weigh in on which sleep rituals actually work.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How do you get a good night's sleep? Many of us have routines we use to try and reach that blissful state of slumber — from meditation to melatonin to putting on a pair of socks. Sleep scientists weigh in on what sleep rituals actually work.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Michel Martin talks with Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America, about how to talk with white kids about racially charged events — and how to keep the conversation going. If you're a white (or nonblack) parent, don't wait for your kids to bring up the topic of race to start the discussion, says Harvey.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The last few weeks have been filled with devastating stories about the police killing black people. In this episode of Code Switch, Jamil Smith, a senior writer at Rolling Stone, reads from an essay that he wrote at The New Republic more than five years ago titled "What Does Seeing Black Men Die Do for You?" The episode doesn't have answers, and neither do we, but we're working hard to find voices that you — our listeners — could use right now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A visit to the doctor's office looks a little different during the pandemic. Doctors are using telemedicine services to treat patients more frequently. In this episode, Dr. Mara Gordon provides tips to help you get the most out of your telehealth visit.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Summer is here, but the typical summer activities don't feel quite as carefree. How do you know if it's safe to hit the beach, rent a vacation home or pitch a tent? Life Kit host Allison Aubrey interviews experts to rate the risks of favorite summer pastimes.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Whether it's a family pet or a loved one, every child will experience a death at some point — and their parents will likely struggle to explain it. This episode, we revisit the Mr. Hooper episode of Sesame Street, which provides a master class in talking about death and grief with young children.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

While it's hard to know what college will look like this fall, college decision day is almost here. So what can students do to make a sound choice during this uncertain time? Education reporter Elissa Nadworny gives an update on what incoming college students need to know about appealing financial aid, changing plans and thinking through a gap year.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Weight stigma can hurt more than just your feelings. Negative messages about weight are actually bad for your health. This episode, a case for ditching the obsession with weight loss and focusing on celebrating all different body shapes and sizes.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's easy to get caught in a cycle of mounting overdraft fees, credit card interest and high-cost loans. A few simple tools can help you hold onto those hard-earned dollars.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's easy to get caught in a cycle of mounting overdraft fees, credit card interest and high-cost loans. A few simple tools can help you hold onto those hard-earned dollars.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When we see a friend going through a rough patch, it can be hard to know how to help. What do you say? What if you say the wrong thing? In the second part of our conversation with author Rachel Wilkerson Miller, we talk about how to support your friends when things get tough.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You can't fully show up for the people in your life until you know how to do the same for yourself. In this episode, we talk with Rachel Wilkerson Miller, author of The Art of Showing Up, about how to take care of yourself.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We're all experiencing some kind of grief these days. As this pandemic progresses, more of us will experience losing someone important to us. This episode lays a groundwork for the grieving process, no matter what your loss.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Many parents are struggling right now — juggling kids at home 24/7 and coping with their own losses. In this episode, Rosemarie Truglio, a developmental psychologist and vice president of research at Sesame Workshop, offers helpful, pandemic parenting tips.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Dog adoptions are up now that people are spending more time at home. Before you get in over your head, here are some things to consider before adopting a coronavirus dog. This episode will help you weigh the pros and cons, including costs, training and how to adjust your pooch to post-pandemic life.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Hey kids! Sesame Street's Grover is here and he's got some great ideas for making your days brighter during coronavirus. Grover explains how to make virtual play dates more fun, how to daydream and how to be a helper.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Looking for a creative outlet? Sarah Urist Green, author of Your Are An Artist, shares ideas for art projects you can do while at home during the coronavirus outbreak. No creative inspiration required.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Lots of people want to find love, but the pandemic makes doing so more complicated. In this special episode, Sam Sanders of NPR's It's Been a Minute sheds some light on dating and relationships during the coronavirus pandemic.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy