Emotions are everywhere, even at work. It might be tempting to hide them — but you can use them to your advantage.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Got an intimidating tower of unread books looming on your nightstand? This episode will help you pick up more books and get through them quicker.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Magical thinking is part of childhood, and when it comes to characters like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, parents often play along with elaborate charades. But what should grown-ups do when kids start aging out of the magic and asking tough questions?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The way many of us think about weight loss is totally counter-productive. Focus on healthy habits you can sustain instead of the numbers on the scale.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Life Kit is excited to bring you more episodes but we're making some changes to how we organize things. Starting in the new year, this three-part guide will disappear, but all of the episodes will still be available — they are just moving to our main Life Kit feed. Search your podcast app for Life Kit from NPR and subscribe so you never miss an episode.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We asked three road warriors to share their traveling expertise. The result? Seven tips to help you pack light and plan a trip, like a pro.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Holiday parties, gift exchanges — dealing with the holidays at work can be awkward and fraught. Alison Green of Ask a Manager shares advice on workplace etiquette around the holidays.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The holidays can be joyful and celebratory. They can also cause stress and unearth familial trauma. Life Kit talks to Dr. Andrea Bonior, a licensed clinical psychologist, to equip you with some strategies that will help you minimize holiday stress that stems from family.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Carbs get a bad rap. Here's the science behind why eating too much starch isn't good for you — and smart tips to integrate more slow carbs into your diet.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For many, creating a budget is a dreaded task. But you can do it. These tools will help — and maybe even make it fun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Knowing when and what to eat may sound simple, but dieting can mess up our connection to hunger cues. The practice of intuitive eating can help people make peace with food.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

From the moment you wake up, your body starts to prepare for sleep. We show you how to adjust your daytime habits to get the best possible night of rest.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Where can you find accurate news? Life Kit wants to empower you to become a savvy, critical media consumer. This episode has five takeaways that will help you ask important questions to spot fake news and take steps toward correcting misinformation.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When a child is scared of the dark or being left alone, it can be hard for adults to know the difference between an age-appropriate fear and full-blown anxiety. This episode is full of tools to help parents better understand and manage their child's "worry brain."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When is snoring just annoying or the sign of a bigger health issue? Life Kit's Allison Aubrey and Maddie Sofia, host of NPR's new daily science podcast, "Short Wave" get answers from a doctor, as well as some tips to achieve a snoreless sleep. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Today's kids are bombarded with the realities of climate change — whether through extreme weather or in the news. These tips will help you and your kids cope with the overwhelming feelings to move beyond helplessness and toward action.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You're motivated to make a change and run for office. But where do you even begin? NPR politics reporter Miles Parks explains how to navigate campaign fundraising, door-knocking, and building a "kitchen cabinet."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We all want our kids to succeed, but that doesn't mean running math drills. Author Kathy Hirsh-Pasek explains the "six C's" that kids need to thrive and why raising brilliant kids starts with redefining brilliant.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Healthy eating can be easy if you follow a few simple rules. We guide you through three types of healthy food you should add to your diet, and three not-so-nutritious foods to cut back on.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's hard to imagine a more boring (and dreaded) word than "mortgage." But if you know where to look, you might find a mortgage that will save you thousands of dollars a year or discover that you qualify for a loan when you didn't think you could.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Life seems full of ever-increasing piles of paperwork – bills to pay, appointments to make, school forms to sign, carpools to organize. Here's how to conquer all the responsibilities on your to-do list so you can get back to real life.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Life Kit answers parents' questions about their kids' screen use. Education consultant Ana Homayoun says it's all about empowering your kids to make good decisions when you're not around.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Don't let the sticker price of college paralyze you. This episode gives you smart saving strategies — including how to prioritize your own retirement savings, choosing a 529 plan and what financial aid offices really look at — so you can start saving for your child's college tuition.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Before you earn your diploma, you need to focus on a different piece of paper: a resume. Here's how to think about what you want to do, and then go out and get a job — maybe even a career.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Should you hand-write your notes or use a laptop? What about flashcards? Does highlighting even do anything? Here's how to improve your study habits and remember what you've learned — and keep college stress under control.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Congratulations! You've been accepted into college. Now you've got to find your way around campus, pick out classes, make new friends and figure out a plan to graduate. — on time. Here's how to make it easier.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The typical definition of masculinity is the polar opposite of what makes strong friendships. In this episode, we talk to men about their struggles with friendship and looking for answers with some celebrity experts.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In this episode, we show how to manage friendships as your life changes — and as your friends' lives change, too. You'll get practical advice on keeping friends throughout the years and even a few instructions on how to — eek — break up with a friend.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Friendship is hard, but the best way to tackle it is to talk about it. In this episode, you'll learn from the experts about how to make new friends and deepen your existing relationships.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

One in 5 Americans struggles with medical bills. Here are things you do to get medical bills reduced — or even forgiven.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It is possible to get out of debt fast, but it's a gritty marathon to get to a better place. Here's how to keep up the momentum.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

If you're in debt, you're not alone. Here's how to make a plan and get yourself out.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What is all our wandering for? In this episode, we find meaning in the journey, not just the destination, with help from a professional traveler and an artist whose expertise is doing nothing at all.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In this episode, Life Kit shows you how to handle personality clashes and thorny social problems when you travel together.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In this special episode, Sam Sanders of NPR's "It's Been A Minute" talks with financial journalist Hannah Seligson and Aminatou Sow from the podcast "Call Your Girlfriend" about why millennials are so financially intertwined with their parents.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

None of us is prepared to be caregivers — the role is thrust upon us. More than 40 million Americans are caring for an elderly parent or loved one. Here are six tips to make the caregiving burden more sustainable.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Finding out you have a serious medical condition can leave you reeling. These strategies from medical and lay experts will help you be in control as you navigate our complex health care system and get the best possible care.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Going to a doctor who puts you at ease can actually improve your health. We have six tips for finding a primary care doctor you click with — and how you can make the most out of that relationship.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

From distracted parenting to "sharenting," an honest look at our own use of electronic media can make us into more skillful parents and better role models.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Emotional outbursts. Lost sleep. These are signs that your kids are spending too much time with digital devices. Here's what you can do about it.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The family that plays video games together, stays together. When parents become digital mentors, children can learn empathy, resilience, and prepare for future careers. Here's how to harness the advantages of screen time.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Don't let college anxiety rush you into a financial mistake that could haunt you for years. This Life Kit episode lays out the do's and don'ts of paying for college so that you don't have to mortgage your future before you get there.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You've taken the leap and enrolled in college! But money issues don't end when you accept your financial aid. Paying your way through school can be stressful, but lots of folks have made it work and they have advice for how you, too, can navigate your years in college.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Paying off student loans can be a financial nightmare. But if you know how to navigate the system, you can find a payment plan that's more affordable. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Actress Sonia Manzano is beloved by millions as Maria on Sesame Street. Her character r on TV mirrored many of Manzano's real-life milestones, like marriage and motherhood (Elmo served as ring bearer for Maria's wedding on the show). She also wrote for Sesame Street in later years, and helped the show address diversity issues. In this special episode, Manzano reflects on her 44 seasons on Sesame Street, what she thinks was the show's most poignant moment — and which Muppet was secretly her favorite.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

So many food labels proclaim their eco-virtues these days — organic. Pasture-raised. Cage-free. Non-GMO. What do they actually mean? Here are six ways to make sense of it all.- "Natural" or "sustainable" labels have no legal standard.- "Organic" means it's better for the planet, but may not be better for you.- Non-GMO is not organic. The food was still grown with pesticides.- Labels like "Animal Welfare Approved" mean the animals got to live outdoors.- "Fair Trade" products deliver a little extra money to small farmers in cooperatives.- Don't let labels stress you out. When it comes to solving the world's problems, your shopping decisions aren't nearly as important as your political decisions.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Self-regulation skills, including self-control, help us reach our goals, learn in school and get along with others. Millions of children struggle to develop them. We talk to experts for strategies to teach these skills — and get some very special help from Cookie Monster. Here's what to remember:- Look at self-regulation as a skill that can be learned and practiced.- Teach children to calm themselves.- Use your imagination to reframe a temptation.- What would Batman do? Kids can channel their heroes to make it easier to live up to their values.- Be strategic about distractions.- Build self-regulation skills with activities like martial arts or music lessons.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Up to 93% of American adults have some degree of math anxiety. The problem often starts in elementary school, but parents can do a lot to fix it. We talk to experts to get some unexpected strategies for children of all ages, with a little bit of help from Sesame Street and, of course, the Count. Here's what to remember:- Your own math anxiety doesn't have to hold your kids back.- Talk about math when you're sharing everyday activities. - Play math — with board games, card games, puzzles, and more. - Forget about right and wrong answers. Keep things open-ended — life, and math, are more fun that way. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy