On this week’s episode: Dan, Jamilah, and guest host Greg Lavallee answer listener questions from a parent whose daughter is afraid of the water and a mom who needs a response strategy for a disrespectful kiddo. For Slate Plus, the hosts strategize date night. Are microdates the solution to a busy schedule? Or is it worth the effort of hiring a babysitter to go out? Sign up for Slate Plus here.

Recommendations:Jamilah recommends a newfangled entertainment destination… a place where you could spend hours without spending any money…. The MALL.Greg recommends Shashibo, a mesmerizing magnetic puzzle.Dan recommends Boom Blast Stix for little kids and Telestrations for bigger ones.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson.

HostsDan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate. He’s the author of How to Be a Family and the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward.Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, cultural critic, and communications strategist based in Brooklyn, New York.Greg Lavallee is the director of technology at Slate.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices