Watching Movies with Your Kids

Matthew's just days away from becoming a parent, while Mandy and Pete navigate the complex world of sharing beloved films and shows with their teens. From handling commercials and consent messaging in Bluey to the heartbreak of watching your kid zone out during your favorite childhood classic, this episode tackles the emotional minefield of introducing kids to the media you love—and accepting when they just don't care.

Questions we discussed:

• When should you start intentionally watching shows and movies with your children?
• How do streaming services change parenting by eliminating commercial messaging?
• Watching problematic favorites (like John Hughes movies) 
• Why do kids reject movies their parents love, and how should you handle it?
• How does context and first-viewing experience shape our relationship with movies?

Bonus PSA: No popcorn for kids under five—it's a choking hazard.

What is Once and Future Parent?

Three parents. Three generations. One endlessly humbling journey.

Welcome to Once and Future Parent, where the parenting timeline gets the roundtable it deserves. Join hosts Matthew Fox (brand new parent), Mandy Kaplan (mom to a high-schooler), and Pete Wright (father of mostly-launched grown kids) as they gather to compare notes from three different stages of family life.

From the sleepless nights of preparing for a newborn, through the chaos of early adolescence, to the bittersweet art of letting go, each episode tackles the lessons, laughs, and late-night Googling that come with parenting at any age. Expect a mix of heartfelt honesty, media-fueled nostalgia, and just enough intergenerational snark to keep it relatable.

We’ll talk about everything from screen-time philosophies and failed movie nights, to the last bedtime story and the awkward magic of being parented by your own kid. Whether you’re building a nursery or texting your college student emojis you don’t fully understand, you’ll find real talk, hard-won wisdom, and a reminder that none of us are in this alone.