I'm in a stage of life that has me in the car a LOT. Our school is about 20 minutes from our home and I'm the official family school bus driver. (Although my husband is really helpful with this too.) Discovering podcasts has allowed me to use this time to be entertained and even educated... which makes driving much more pleasant!
Before I share some of my favorites, I have to admit I was once resistant to all this. My own sister had a podcast and I was like "well I don't know how to do those." Ha! When people would say "subscribe on iTunes or find me on Stitcher!" I was like, "what?!?!" But y'all it's so easy. Just go to the Podcasts app on your phone and search for what you want. I listen through my car's Bluetooth and it's MAGICAL.
I've listened to many of the super-popular podcasts. I love a good true-crime binge-listen. The ones I'm sharing today are my good old standbys. Please let me know yours!
The Daily is produced by the New York Times and is a succinct 20 minutes each weekday. My husband and I both listen to this one and love to discuss it in the evening. It gives us a good amount of information on the day's top story. Periodically it dives deep into issues we otherwise would be less-informed about. I can usually listen to this one with kids in the car, but sometimes the subject matter is better to save for driving alone.
Oh, I love the Mom Hour. My son teases me about it because according to him it's all I listen to. Hosts Meagan and Sarah have kids of all ages between them and they are both down-to-earth and honest. This is a truly encouraging listen for moms and I always get at least a little something out of it to put into practice.
If you love good, pure storytelling, you'll enjoy Arc Stories. It's like a little gem every time this one pops up in my feed. The host is really good about warning you if the subject matter is not meant for little ears, but that is a rare occurance. It's entertainment that often makes you think.
I'm a self-proclaimed etiquette nerd. I eat this stuff up. Anyone who describes a monogram conundrum as "delicious" is my cup of tea. That's the hosts of Awesome Etiquette. If you're thinking, "that sounds stuffy and boring"... think again! It's all about being kind to those around you and presenting yourself in the best way possible. Hosts Lizzie and Dan tackle sticky situations from everyday life and offer practical solutions. This one always puts me in a positive mindset.
It doesn't hurt that Christy Nockels' voice is like a warm hug. This podcasts offers lots of spiritual wisdom and encouragement. She is just the sweetest, and every time I listen it's good for my soul.
Ok, this is like listening in on to two really funny friends chat on the phone. Any time I see a new one in my feed I do a little happy dance and know my next drive, cleaning project or laundry folding will be so much more fun. Bloggers/authors and friends Melanie Shankle and Sophie Hudson discuss everything under the sun and it's just a DELIGHT.
So, those are my favorites. I'm always looking for new ones to love so share your top podcasts with me in the comments!