Dinky

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Today we are joined by TJ Bozarth, the creator, writer, and director of DINK: The Musical — a dramedy satire on the state of our world sung through the eyes of three DINK couples. We talk with TJ about the inspiration behind the musical, why satire feels important right now, and how this project has been received around the world.

TRIPS:
Artsy Adventure In Vietnam With Erika
Lavender Dreams & Riviera Nights With Erika

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Merch is here!!!

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Trigger Warning: This episode discusses self-harm, mental health crises, sexual content, and parental regret.A parent of a 17-year-old daughter with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts describes years of burnout, crisis management, and reaching a breaking point. From phone restrictions to parental PTSD, this story raises uncomfortable questions about autonomy, responsibility, mental health, and what happens when caregiving becomes all-consuming.💬 Topics include:Regretful parenting and caregiver burnout
Neurodivergence and adolescence
Sexuality, boundaries, and harm reduction
Therapy fatigue and parental PTSD
Why having kids isn’t the “default” choice we’re told it is
More Regretful Parents episodes available on YouTube and wherever you get podcasts.Join our childfree community: patreon.com/dinkypodLove ya. Don’t get pregnant.

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Welcome back to the Regretful Parents series. This episode tackles what motherhood does to women’s bodies, mental health, and sense of self.

Erika and Kristen read a post from the Regretful Parents subreddit titled “Never Felt as Ugly as I Do Now as a Mom.”

A woman reflects on how pregnancy, postpartum life, chronic sleep deprivation, stress, and mental load have aged her physically and emotionally — and how devastating it feels to no longer recognize herself in the mirror. From "saggy apron bellies to lifeless eyes", celebrity “bounce-back” culture, Botox discourse, and why men somehow escape all of this entirely, the conversation spirals (as it should) into a full-blown rant about how cruel, unfair, and deeply misogynistic the expectations placed on mothers really are.

Topics include:
Postpartum body changes no one warns you about
Why stress and sleep deprivation visibly age womenThe lie of “bouncing back” after pregnancy
Celebrity beauty standards are fully rage-inducing
Why motherhood drains women and barely touches men
And the eternal question: why do we keep doing this to ourselves?

Support us on patreon.com/dinkypod so we can kill ads forever
Find childfree friends, connect with other fence-sitters, and join our next trip at dinkypod.com.
And as always: don’t get pregnant.

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In this episode, Kristen and Erika dive into a wild Reddit post from a working mom dealing with a stay-at-home husband who refuses to actually parent their 28-month-old (that's 2 years and 4 months, people!).

What We Cover:
A stay-at-home dad who won't take his toddler to the playground, feed her, or play with her
Why OP hired a house cleaner because he couldn't handle the basics
The depression and isolation that can come with being a full-time parent
Why men often aren't equipped to handle what women do every day
The importance of community and adult friendships for stay-at-home parents
Our thoughts on why this relationship is doomed

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Join our community: Find childfree friends, connect with other fence-sitters, and join our next trip at dinkypod.com.

Key Moments:
The math rant about calling kids "28 months old" instead of just saying their age in years
Discussion about whether this dad was always terrible or if parenthood changed him
Why the wife can't leave even though she "could care less about him anymore"
The hypocrisy of stay-at-home dads vs stay-at-home moms and societal expectations
This episode tackles the reality of regretful parenting, gender dynamics in childcare, stay-at-home parent depression, and why some people should never have kids.

 

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What happens when the love you’re promised as a parent never shows up?
In this episode, Erika and Kristen dive into one of the most taboo and honest conversations about parenthood: regret, ambivalence, and not loving your child the way society says you should. Reading directly from the Regretful Parents subreddit, we unpack a post from a mother who admits she doesn’t love her baby and can't figure out why. 

From postpartum expectations and hormonal myths to comparisons between loving pets vs. children, this episode explores:
Why some parents don’t feel instant love after birth
The difference between love as a feeling vs. love as an action
Postpartum depression, trauma, and emotional overstimulation
Why mothers are rarely allowed to admit regret
The pressure to perform “good motherhood” even when you’re struggling
Whether love can grow later — or never come at all

🎧 Listen if you’re:
✔ Questioning parenthood
✔ Childfree or on the fence
✔ A parent struggling with regret or guilt
✔ Tired of toxic positivity around motherhood
✔ Interested in honest, feminist conversations about family, choice, and autonomy

Join the discussion:
Do you think parental love is biological, hormonal, learned — or optional? Let us know in the comments.

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Keywords / Hashtags:
#RegretfulParents #MotherhoodRegret #PostpartumReality #NotLovingYourChild #HonestParenting #Childfree #DINK #ParenthoodTruth #PostpartumDepression #RedditStories #TabooTopics #Feminism #DinkyPodcast

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