School Kids, Schedules & Screens—Parenting in the New Era

In this episode, Samantha and Krista wade into the wild world of parenting school-aged kids—where permission slips are lost, group chats are cursed, and the emotional rollercoaster starts before breakfast.

Krista shares real talk behind school dynamics, the pressures of extracurricular activities, and the ever-evolving relationship with technology in family life. From communicating with teachers to navigating shifting childhood friendships, this episode is a mix of practical insight, personal stories, and a few well-earned sighs over how much screen time is too much.

The conversation also touches on work-life balance, the mental gymnastics of coordinating schedules, and the looming anxiety about what’s coming in the tween and teen years. If you're parenting through this middle phase—no longer little, not yet big—this one’s for you.

Takeaways & Merit Badges Earned:
📅 Parenting is a full-time logistics operation.

🍎 Building solid relationships with teachers can make everything easier.

🎭 Not every kid needs 17 extracurriculars—less can be more.

📱 Tech is here—how we use it matters more than how we fear it.

👯‍♂️ Friendships evolve (and sometimes implode). That’s part of the learning.

🚌 Field trips are exhausting and endearing in equal measure.

📚 Engaging kids with reading and learning outside of school matters.

⚖️ Work-life balance isn’t a myth, but it does require constant recalibration.

🗣️ Talking to your kids about safety, relationships, and tech use matters—so much.

🙋‍♀️ You’re allowed to ask for help. No one has this fully figured out.

📬 Share your best school-age parenting hacks or horror stories—we want to hear them.

📱 Follow us on Instagram @MamaMeritBadge

💌 Bonus time! Leave us a review and share the podcast with your people. Send us a screenshot on Instagram and we’ll DM you Sam’s summer activity schedule—an adaptable, high-fun plan to keep your kids busy (and you sane).