Life Kit Life Kit

Becoming a blended stepfamily can be fraught for everyone involved. How can your family build trust, function more smoothly and ultimately grow closer? In this episode, NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy shares research on stepsiblings and blended families that can make this process easier.

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If a close friend or family member is in need of money, your first impulse might be to help out. But what if they don't pay you back? What if they need more than you can provide? How do you ensure your financial agreement doesn't harm your relationship? There are no hard and fast rules around lending money. Expectations may depend on culture, financial status or even your marital status. Advice on when to give — and how to say no.

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Do you feel like you always need to use GPS to get around? Never quite sure if it's a left or a right turn — even though you just looked at a map? It can be anxiety-inducing to get around when you don't have a great sense of direction. This episode, experts explain how to gain more confidence while navigating.

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Pregnancy complications — like miscarriage, preterm birth or postpartum depression — are incredibly common. But expecting parents can often feel alone if they are experiencing these conditions, or like a second pregnancy is out of reach. This episode, Emily Oster, co-author of 'The Unexpected', on how to deal with complications when they arise, and make your next pregnancy a little smoother.

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When was the last time you got lost in a book? These days, the act of 'deep reading,' or reading with intention, can be difficult to practice. Maryanne Wolf, an expert in the science of reading, explains what we lose when we skim — and how to create an environment conducive to deep reading.

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Approximately one in four adults has a fear of needles, according to the CDC. Many of those people say the phobia started when they were kids. Researchers developed a five step plan to prevent what they call "needless pain" for kids getting injections or their blood drawn. NPR's Short Wave talks with Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, who works with a team to implement the plan at his own hospital, about how to eliminate pain during shots.

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