The Family Lab: Experiments in Parenting and Home Management

Latest Episodes:

Potty Training: Don't Be Afraid Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Potty training sounds scary, but it can actually be a great time to connect with your kid and build their confidence and self reliance. Today's guest is a firecracker of a human--Jamie Glowacki. She's a potty training expert who wrote the book I wish I had when I was potty training, called Oh Crap: Potty Training. She also hosts a fabulous podcast called Oh Crap! With Jamie.

Jamie is the first to acknowledge that there isn't one right way to potty train, since every kid is so different. But she has helped potty train a lot of kids and she has drilled it down to such a great method, divided into 5 stepping stones. But before we get into that method, we talk about the when and why of potty training and her overall potty training philosophy. Talking to Jamie almost makes me want to go back and do it again. Almost.

You can find all of her resources at Jamieglowacki.com

How to Get Your Kids To Brush Their Teeth: Oral Hygiene Skills Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

We're talking oral hygiene! My friend and our family dental hygienist, Megan Robbins, teaches us how to help our kids keep their teeth sparkly clean, including a demo with some giant choppers—so you might want to watch this one on YouTube rather than just listening. She'll answer some of your burning questions, like whether you should you floss first or brush first? Which would win in a fight--regular floss, flossers, toothpicks, or waterpicks? How bad are energy drinks and soda for your teeth? What about vaping? And what's the deal with fluoride?

We also talk about strategies for kids who don't want to brush, and things may get a little out of hand when I decide to prove just how large my big, podcasting mouth really is.

Don't Be the Smelly Kid: Teaching Body Hygiene Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Kids can be gross. And as parents, we're their first line of defense to teach them how to wash those hands, scrub those stinky feet, wipe those bums, control their body odor, trim those toenails–all the things. To help us out, I invited my good friends Megan Robbins (a dental hygienist and one of the cleanest people I know) and Laura Nielson (a pediatric nurse) to help us lead our kids from helpers to workers to managers in this critical aspect of becoming a responsible human. I think you'll enjoy these lovely ladies as much as I do!

Archibald Experiments Fall/Winter 2025-26 Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

It's that time again, for an update of the experiments we've been trying in the Archibald home. In this edition, I talk about our latest new kitchen-cleaning system, our weekly family cleaning projects, our dinner menu system, monthly check-ins with the kids, family meetings, a college tour, fall sports, my son's hat business, a home organization project, water aerobics and more!

You can find my son's hat business on Instagram @skadi-apparel

Teaching Kids Self-Reliance Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to Season 8! This whole season we'll be talking about how to teach our kids to eventually take care of themselves on their way to becoming self-reliant, responsible adults. This episode will help you take the first step: evaluating what your kids are already taking charge of and where they have room to grow.

I introduce you to the system I've been using with my own kids for years, and show you how you can use it to help your kids progress from helpers to workers to managers. Then I talk to my son and some of my nephews about what they learned from their own self-evaluations.

You can download the Self Reliance Checklist here and follow along with your own kids! And join me any Tuesday at 1:00-2:00 PM mountain time for my weekly open lab hour, where we can brainstorm and problem-solve any of your parenting and home management experiments. Sign up at this link: https://calendly.com/whitneyarchibald/open-lab-the-family-lab

Here's a tentative schedule of the skills we'll cover each month of 2026:

January: Self-Reliance Overview

February: Hygiene

March: Sleep

April: Food

May: Fitness

June: Talents

July: Finance

August: Education

September: Social Skills

October: Cleaning

November: Possessions

December: Spirituality

Top 5 Christmas Traditions: A Teen Perspective Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

Ever wonder which of your holiday traditions are actually the most meaningful to your kids?

For this episode, I went straight to the source and I asked five (incredible) teenagers what traditions they love the best: from that pesky elf to the jolly old elf himself, family bonding and family fights, re-enacting the nativity, and sibling sleepovers. It's an episode filled with music and merriment.

Here are more Christmas episodes you'll enjoy!

How Beth Millward Does Christmas

How She Celebrates Christmas

How She Serves Her Community and Beyond

How She Serves Family and Friends

Beyond the Bins: Home Organization Strategy with Jen Martin Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

A conversation with organization genius Jen Martin, founder of Reset Your Nest, about how to align our home organization with our goals, values, and routines; how to set up different organizational zones in our kitchens; and how to create systems for our comings and goings, among other organizing tips.

You can find Jen Martin at resetyournest.com and on Instagram @reset_your_nest

And for another great conversation with Jen, check out:

How Jen Martin Organizes

https://youtu.be/RncC3Q-JNjs

Zoom Out: Thinking Strategically about Household Systems Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

Stuck in the never-ending logistics of running a home? It's time to shift to a strategy-first perspective so you can build systems that work.

This episode talks about how to shift your thinking. Hence, you start with a strategy, then consider all the different tactics that could accomplish your strategy, and finally think about the logistics of getting it done.

For episodes with lots of great ideas about different strategies and tactics, check out:

How She Plans Meals: https://youtu.be/MZqkD_10IVQ?si=3vUTUtrWxvFn9oQZ

Workshop: How You Do Laundry https://youtu.be/b98f6kT3sKk?si=iAF9Ra-rKTi3uKcc

Emotional Regulation with Emily Hamblin Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Tired of meltdowns? And I'm not just talking about your kids! Emily Hamblin is here to help us deal with our big emotions and teach our kids to deal with theirs. She gives practical tips about how to talk to our kids about their emotions, how to identify the skills they're lacking, and how to teach emotional regulation and empathy. Then we both share experiments you can try at home.

For more resources from Emily, check out enlighteningmotherhood.com.

Top 5 Halloween Costumes, with the Dayton Sisters Oct 12, 2025

Show notes

Join a coven of Halloween experts--my mother and her three sisters--for a costume parade through history as they reminisce and share photos about Halloweens past. We talk about the antics of my Grandpa, the Halloween king, and his legacy of papier mache and discuss useful skills like how to black out your teeth and create a lifelike beard with nothing but vaseline and coffee grinds. 😂