The Longest Shortest Time

EPISODE #164: When Al Letson Met His Sons

When Al Letson was 23, he found out he was the father to a 6-year-old boy he’d never met. Years later, another son entered his life, and this one was white.

EPISODE #158: Black Lives Matter for Middle Schoolers

In the novel Ghost Boys, a twelve-year-old unarmed black boy is shot by a white police officer. Jewell Parker Rhodes talks about why she wrote this story for middle schoolers, and why she’s counting on them to advance racial justice.

EPISODE #156: The Scary, Beautiful Teenage Brain

Why would a sweet kid from Minnesota try to join ISIS? Reporter Dina Temple-Raston fills us in on the complexities of the teenage brain, with help from pizza and poetry. Plus: “What’s Up with Hillary?” – Nor’easter Edition.

EPISODE #153: Sperm Shopping by Color

When Rosa and her wife started seeking a sperm donor, they were surprised by the complexity of the questions they faced — from “What kind of racial identity matters to us?” to “Should we buy in bulk?”

EPISODE #151: I’ll Be Watching You

NY Times tech writer Farhad Manjoo is on a quest to capture his kids’ important childhood moments… by installing around-the-clock cameras all over their home.

EPISODE #150: His Id Speaks English

Research shows that kids who learn languages early have lots of advantages. This week, a dad who speaks five languages makes the case for teaching his kid only one. English.

EPISODE #139: A Is For Afrocentric

Choosing a preschool can feel high-stakes, especially when you add culture to the mix. We talk to co-host of The Nod, Eric Eddings, and his wife Carla, as they decide whether to send their two-year-old to an Afrocentric school.

EPISODE #137: Bubble Boy

Gregory Warner and Sana Krasikov have traveled all over the world. Now, they have to help their five-year-old son Joseph adjust to an exotic, foreign culture: his American kindergarten classroom.