Not Quite Grownup

Caitlin Kindred
  • 4.9 (163)
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For elder millennial moms who are politically progressive, emotionally exhausted, and sick of “perfect‑parent” propaganda. This podcast is a warm, funny, and unapologetic space for moms who want to laugh, cry, and rage at the world without pretending they’ve got it all together. We talk about parenting, mental health, and politics the way real friends do—messy, honest, and full of grace. If you’re tired of performative parenting content and want a show that centers empathy, accountability, and joy, this is your safe space. New episodes drop Tuesdays. Find me at www.notquitegrownup.com or @not_quite_grownup on social media.

  1. 2d ago

    Enough is Enough: 6 Practical Ways to Push for Safer Schools

    Send Caitlin a Text! "There's too much that will make you upset to not start taking action." - Caitlin Warning: This content discusses school violence, a sensitive topic that may be triggering for some. Update: This episode recommends YouLobby as a way to find your representatives’ contact information. That site is no longer online. To find and contact your federal, state, and local elected officials, enter your address on USA.gov’s Find and Contact Elected Officials page. — In the wake of the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, I’m bringing this episode back again. It keeps happening. I keep having to hit republish, and I wish, more than anything, that I didn’t have to. If you’re feeling helpless and angry right now, you’re not alone. But the women who listen to this show don’t stay helpless for long. You’re women of action. This episode, originally from April 2023, walks you through concrete steps you can take to advocate for safer schools and prevent future tragedies. My former co-host, Jenny, and I cover effective advocacy strategies, policy changes that work, and meaningful ways to support victims’ families. Let’s turn that fury into action and honor these victims by fighting for the safer schools our children deserve. Want a deeper dive on this topic? Read the blog post.Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.— Who Should Listen... Parents and caregivers who are angry, scared, or heartbroken after another school shooting and want something concrete to do with those feelingsListeners looking for practical ways to take action, including contacting legislators, voting in local elections, and asking questions about their own school’s safety policiesAnyone who wants to focus on prevention and mental health support, including listeners who see gun regulation differently but agree on keeping kids safeTeachers, school staff, and PTA parents who want to understand safety policies like Alyssa’s Law and how to follow and support themAnyone who wants to help victims, families, and affected communities in ways that go beyond a hashtag— What You Get In This Episode 6 Practical ways to take action after a school shootingWhy mental health support in schools matters—and how to advocate for itPolicies you can advocate for, including extreme risk protection orders, safe storage laws, and Alyssa’s LawThe power of local elections and why your vote matters for school safetyConcrete ways to support victims and families affected by gun violence— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. She has a background in education and believes parents deserve practical steps for making their kids’ schools safer. — Sources & Mentions 5 Ways to Take Action After a School Shooting | Teen VogueSandy Hook PromiseThe Sandy Hook Promise Action FundEverytown Support FundProtect Our SchoolsMake Our Schools SafeMarch For Our LivesWelcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

    Enough is Enough: 6 Practical Ways to Push for Safer Schools

  2. Oct 6

    Adult Friendship in Fall: A Panic-y Text & the Proximity Trap

    Send Caitlin a Text! Caitlin and her best friend almost ghosted each other for their monthly standing dinner date, and the panic that followed turned into a real revelation about why adult friendships that felt effortless all summer suddenly take so much more work once fall hits. Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.— Who Should Listen... Moms who've realized their adult friendships ran almost entirely on summer proximity—pool days, camp pickup, kids colliding at the parkAnyone who's had that gut-drop moment of almost missing time with a close friendListeners who feel like they're "complaining a lot lately" and need the reminder that naming what's hard isn't the same as failing at lifeFans of Caitlin and Jenny's friendship who want an update— What You Get In This Episode Why adult friendships often depend more on built-in summer structure (pool days, camp pickup, kid overlap) than people realizeThe moment Caitlin and her best friend Jenny each texted the other asking "did I stand you up?" — and what that panic revealedA concrete, low-effort fix: picking a date, adding it to shared calendars, booking the reservation, and setting multiple remindersA recap tying together the last few episodes' themes — none of it is a personal failing, it's just what happens inside systems she didn't build— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. — Sources & Mentions Jenny: Caitlin's best friend and former co-host, referenced throughout for their standing monthly dinner dateThe Grove (Austin area): the restaurant where Caitlin and Jenny have their standing dateGossiping at The Grove: a candle from a local shop, a gift from Jenny referencing their traditionThreads: @not_quite_grownup: where listeners can reach out with episode topic ideasText link at the top of the show notes: another way for you to send in topic requestsCallbacks to recent episodes: the day-four back-to-school routine episode, the mental load / $600 episode, and the fall vibes crochet pumpkin episodeWelcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

    Adult Friendship in Fall: A Panic-y Text & the Proximity Trap

  3. Sep 22

    Fall Vibes: Why I Have 5 Crochet Pumpkins and Zero Regrets

    Send Caitlin a Text! It's still over 90 degrees out, but Caitlin has already crocheted five pumpkins, one fall leaf, and fully committed to a Halloween playlist she started listening to in July. This episode is a fully unhinged, very funny confession about why fall is more than a season for her—it's a mood she has to manufacture by force. 📧 Sign up for Caitlin's email list to get the crocheted pumpkin photos sent straight to your inbox. And Fall Girlies: Answer the poll in the blog post for this episode to let Caitlin know you're listening! — Who Should Listen... Anyone who's ever gotten irrationally mad at Halloween candy showing up in stores in August"Fall girlies" who start decorating before the weather cooperatesListeners who want something light, funny, and low-stakes after some heavier recent episodesAll y’all who cope with an unbearable season by throwing youreselves into a project (craft or otherwise)— What You Get In This Episode A very honest confession: fall isn't just a season for Caitlin, it's a mood she has to manufacture herself for her mental healthThe real epiphany: she was never actually mad at Halloween candy showing up early—she's mad that summer refuses to endHer current fall arsenal: one crocheted leaf, five crocheted pumpkins, three real pumpkins, and zero regretsA reminder that sometimes coping with a season you can't control looks like a completely ridiculous craft project, and that's fine— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. — Sources & Mentions H-E-B—referenced for its early seasonal displays (Halloween candy, Día de los Muertos decor) and, lovingly, for "doing the Lord's work"Caitlin's favorite Halloween Party playlist, including "Werewolves of London" and "Thriller," (started playing this in July)Black Panther—mentioned as background viewing during a crochet sessionEmail list signup—link at the top of the show notes for anyone who wants to see those famous crocheted pumpkinsWelcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

    Fall Vibes: Why I Have 5 Crochet Pumpkins and Zero Regrets

  4. Sep 8

    The Mental Load: 9 Emails, 1 Missed Appointment, and a Full-On Panic

    Send Caitlin a Text! — My Back-to-School Overwhelm Cost Me $600 — A triple-charged PTA fee, an unread dentist appointment reminder, and 9 unopened school emails on Labor Day morning—Caitlin's mental load hit a breaking point before fall even really started. This episode is about why that "admin crap" always seems to land on one parent, and why missing something doesn't mean you're failing. Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.— You Need This Episode If... You’re a mom carrying the bulk of household and school administrative tasks, even if you’re in a relationship with a genuinely helpful partnerAnyone who's missed a form, a fee, or a deadline and spiraled into shame about itParents feeling the fall administrative overwhelm hit before the season's even really underwayListeners who assume they're just "bad at tracking things" when the real issue is structural— What You'll Get Why the mental load of school admin defaults to one parent—even in households with genuinely equal partnersA reframe: missing something isn't a personal failing, it's evidence of a workload that was never built for one person to carryWhy "8 productivity hacks to stop missing things" isn't the answer, and what to focus on insteadReal, small ways Caitlin's distributing the load: writing things down immediately, handing off specific tasks to her husband, scheduling reminders instead of relying on memoryAn invitation to share your own "unset dentist appointment" story for solidarity— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. — Programming Note Caitlin's moving from weekly to biweekly episodes going forward, to give her the space to do this show well. — Sources & Mentions Ali Wong's comedy special Don Wong—referenced for her line about how much more successful she'd be with a wifeThe Help—referenced briefly regarding the historical unpaid labor of Black women managing households for white womenSmash Mouth's "All Star"—referenced/paraphrased ("the tasks keep coming and they don't stop coming")Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

  5. Aug 25

    Back-to-School Routines: Why My System Totally Failed by Day 4

    Send Caitlin a Text! It's day four of school, the bus comes in six minutes, and Caitlin's carefully planned back-to-school systems have already fallen apart. This episode is about what happened when trying harder wasn't the answer, and the one new thing that actually stuck in this year's routine. Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.— Who Should Listen Moms whose back-to-school routines are already falling apart, even after real planningAnyone who's bought the new planner, the color-coded pens, or the habit tracker app that died by day fourParents who feel like they're failing at their own adviceListeners who need to hear that it's okay if the "right" systems just don't work for your family— What You'll Get Why a system can work perfectly over the summer and still collapse by day four of the school yearThe real problem: it's not laziness or lack of effort; it's building routines for a family that doesn't actually exist in your houseWhy the "new planner, new me" trap rarely works, and why that's not a personal failingThe one small change Caitlin's keeping (four words: teeth, socks, shoes, backpack) and why it's working where everything else didn'tA reminder that the routine or system that'll actually stick is probably already in your house—it's just not the shiny new one— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. — Sources & Mentions School Morning Rules for Moms Who Hate Mornings by @rosettewilson_ on ThreadsNext episode teaser: the avalanche of back-to-school paperwork and formsWelcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

  6. Aug 11

    Back-to-School Self-Care for Moms: How to Keep the Summer Joy Going

    Send Caitlin a Text! Your Favorite Summer Habits Don't Have to Retire in September Just as I finally settle into summer ease, the back-to-school countdown starts creeping back in. In the finale of the Sane Mom Summer series, I ask the question that matters most as fall approaches: does the joy have to end just because summer does? (Spoiler: duh, no.) Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.— Who Should Listen Moms who feel that familiar anxiety creeping back in as summer winds downParents who tend to let self-care slide the second the school year startsMoms looking for a simple, doable way to protect the good parts of summer through fallAnyone who's followed the Sane Mom Summer series and wants the wrap-up— What You'll Get Why summer joy tends to disappear the second school startsHeather Moulder's self-care equation, and why "self-care" belongs above the to-do list instead of buried at the bottom of itA simple exercise: naming three specific things from summer that genuinely made you feel like yourselfHow to actually protect that time with one bigger, calendar-worthy ritual and one small, recurring oneThe throughline for the whole Sane Mom Summer series: you get to notice what works for you and build around it— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. — Sources & Mentions Heather Moulder's self-care equation (work + family + chores + other — with "other" including self-care), referenced as the framework for prioritizing self-care in the epsiode How To Stop Feeling Guilty About Taking Care Of Yourself | Heather MoulderHow To Say No Without Feeling Guilt (Step-By-Step Instructions) | Heather MoulderSane Mom Summer series: Episode 205: Lowering the standard for a less “picture perfect” summerEpisode 206: ConfidenceEpisode 207: Not letting the internet dictate your summerEpisode 208: ADHD in summer modeEpisode 209: Making the B2S transition more manageableWelcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

  7. Jul 28

    Back-to-School Tips for Moms: 4 Ways to Make the Transition Feel Manageable

    Send Caitlin a Text! A back-to-school commercial ruined Caitlin's day—and made her realize why the whole season feels like a giant mom-run group project. In this episode, she breaks down why back-to-school hits so hard, and shares real (borrowed, stolen, and tested) tips to make the transition feel manageable. Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list. -- Who Should Listen Moms feeling that tight-chest anxiety just thinking about back-to-schoolParents managing the shift from loose summer routines back into school-year logisticsParents of kids having big feelings about a grade-level milestone (last year of elementary, etc.)Anyone in the Sane Mom Summer series looking to carry that "easier on yourself" energy into fall-- What You Get In This Episode Why back-to-school hits so much harder than it should: (because it's more than a logistics checklist, it’s a full family transition)A reframe that makes it manageable: Change “let’s have the perfect first day” to “what actually matters right now?”Four practical resets: reset sleep/wake times early, simplify the first week, use visual supports, and talk openly with your kid about the transitionA grab bag of extra tips—practicing the school drive, tax-free shopping weekends, the lunchbox leftovers talk, and a genius trick for back-to-school clothes shoppingA reminder that it’s okay for the first two to three weeks to be a little bumpy!-- Host Bio Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. Sources & Mentions -- Episode 77 — "Back to School Prep: Two Teachers and Moms Help You Start the School Year Right" (with former co-host Jenny), for additional back-to-school tipsSane Mom Summer series recap: Episode 1 (lowering the bar), Episode 2 (confidence), Episode 3 (not letting the internet run your nervous system), Episode 4 (ADHD in summer mode)Tax-free weekend / state sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping in Texas: Friday, August 7, through Sunday, August 9, 2026Next episode teaser: wrapping the Sane Mom Summer series by carrying summer's ease into the school yearWelcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

  8. Jul 14

    ADHD in Summer: Why the Chaos Hits Moms Harder

    Send Caitlin a Text! How Summer Secretly Wrecks Your ADHD Brain School's out, routines are gone, and if your ADHD brain feels extra chaotic right now, you're not lazy — you're just missing the structure summer quietly stole from you. In this episode of the Sane Mom Summer series, Caitlin breaks down why ADHD symptoms intensify in summer and shares real, low-effort supports that actually help. Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.— Who Should Listen Moms with ADHD (diagnosed or self-suspected) who feel more scattered, emotional, or overstimulated once summer hitsParents managing shifting routines, camp schedules, and loosened structureAnyone in the Not Quite Grown Up "Sane Mom Summer" series looking for practical, non-glamorous coping toolsListeners who feel shame around not "enjoying summer enough"— What You Get in This Episode A reframe for ADHD shame: scattered ≠ lazy — it means your brain needs different supports, not more willpowerWhy summer specifically wrecks ADHD coping mechanisms (hint: it's the missing structure, not you)The "acceptance before action" mindset, borrowed from an unexpected source (Amanda Knox)Five concrete, unglamorous tools: visible reminders, external structure, task-shrinking, action-before-motivation, and low-stakes systems (baskets, checklists, snack bins, alarms)Permission to stop chasing motivation and just start the smallest possible step— Your Host Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. Diagnosed with ADHD at 38, she brings that lens to episodes like this one, talking openly about what actually helps rather than what's supposed to. — Sources & Mentions Sane Mom Summer series: Episode 205 — Lowering the standard for summerEpisode 206 — ConfidenceEpisode 207 — Not letting the internet dictate your summerEpisode 208 (this one) — ADHD in summer mode— What’s Next Back-to-school without the mommy meltdown Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this.  Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. Love you, mean it. Support the show Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Instagram and Threads.

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4.9
out of 5
163 Ratings

About

For elder millennial moms who are politically progressive, emotionally exhausted, and sick of “perfect‑parent” propaganda. This podcast is a warm, funny, and unapologetic space for moms who want to laugh, cry, and rage at the world without pretending they’ve got it all together. We talk about parenting, mental health, and politics the way real friends do—messy, honest, and full of grace. If you’re tired of performative parenting content and want a show that centers empathy, accountability, and joy, this is your safe space. New episodes drop Tuesdays. Find me at www.notquitegrownup.com or @not_quite_grownup on social media.

Information

  • Creator
    Caitlin Kindred
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    215
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Not Quite Grownup
  • Show Website
    Not Quite Grownup

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