Alex Goldman is the co-host ofReply All, Gimlet Medias popular podcast about the internet.
Hes currently on paternity leave, taking care of his familys new addition: three-week-old Polly.
Heres how he parents.
Name:Alex GoldmanLocation:New Jersey?
Tell us about your family and your career.
Did life happen mostly as planned or were there surprises?
I would say the surprise was that I had kids at all.
For me at least.
I didnt want to create a creature, just for them to be sad all the time.
Through our 20s, we just said, If we think its right, well do it.
But we did not arrive at that moment at the same time.
No one is all that sure.
And I just took the leap.
And then he smiled at me for the first time and that was that.
Take us through your morning routine.
What are your best tricks for getting out the door?
Like a very stentorian, slow, sort of British shouting.
Harvey even asks for it.
Do Mister Topping Hat!
How do you divide household/childcare responsibilities with your partner?
My wife is a stay-at-home mom, and nights on Reply All can run very late.
Monday through Wednesday, the kids are almost entirely her responsibility.
I compensate with foot rubs.
How much outside help do you get as a parent?
They are totally comfortable taking Harvey for a weekend and he absolutely loves spending time with them.
What are the gadgets, apps, charts or tools you rely on?
This is mostly in reference to pretty unsophisticated but totally essential technology likebassinets that rock themselves.
The big one right now isCalifornia Sun.
Has becoming a parent changed the way you work?
Mostly it has just dragged me kicking and screaming away from being plugged in 24/7.
Sarah was five months pregnant when Reply All started, and I was working crazy hours.
I should note that I do this with varying degrees of success.
Its really hard not to be very involved all the time.
What does your evening routine like?
Then we do bath time and then read books.
After that, its cleaning up and then reading a book or watching TV.
How do you decompress?
I have been playing a lot of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild the past few months.
Whats been your proudest moment as a parent?
He loves to joke and make up words and just be imaginative and silly.
That all makes me very happy.
What moment are you least proud of?
Any time I lose my patience with my kids, I later excoriate myself.
Because they dont know any better.
I have to teach them that.
But no one learns from a big angry oaf shouting at them.
I have to teach them that.
But no one learns from a big angry oaf shouting at them.
What do you want your kids to learn from your example?
Whats your best parenting hack?
Use your kids short attention span to your advantage.
If theyre freaking out about something its often easy to just distract them out of being mad.
Whats the hardest part about being a parent?
Being present and really paying attention to your kids.
To put down your phone and chase them around the playground.
Whats your favorite part of the day?
It is just this quiet acknowledgment before the day starts that he loves and needs us.
It feels very nice.
