Podcast Summary: Give It To Me Straight – Episode 70

Title: Giving you ring upgrades, codependency, and compromise
Air Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Alex & Jon
Duration: Approx. 71 minutes

Overview

In this lively and candid episode, husband-and-wife duo Alex and Jon discuss major life updates, relationship milestones, societal norms, and answer listener questions covering a wide range of topics: from pregnancy anxieties and gift-giving to wedding compromises, prenups, and ring upgrades. With their signature back-and-forth banter and unfiltered advice, they delve deeply into both lighthearted and serious issues couples face, all while keeping the conversation honest and a bit irreverent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Updates: Pregnancy & Hospital Scare

• [02:03] - [05:29]
  • Alex recounts a scare involving reduced fetal movement, necessitating a late-night hospital visit. All is well, but they stress the importance of monitoring fetal kicks.
  • PSA: Start counting kicks from 28 weeks onward (“Not gonna tell you how to do it, but look it up…” [03:12], Alex).
  • Both vent frustration at unhelpful hospital staff and relate this to their work in weddings, emphasizing empathy for “first-timers,” whether it's marriage or childbirth.
    “Just direct us in the right way, don’t cop an attitude.” [04:38], Alex

2. Societal & Family Commentary: Posting Kids Online and Celebrating Birthdays

• [07:34] - [11:52]
  • Discussion about viral claims that kids might one day sue parents for posting their images online, monetization of ‘family creator’ accounts, and parallels to child stars. “Family creators fall under the same umbrella as child stars… you should be putting money aside for them.” [08:47], Alex
  • Diverging on whether birthdays should center on the child or the mother, Alex thinks moms deserve cake for the work of childbirth:
    “She went through the trials and tribulations of dealing with you and then raising you…” [09:50], Alex
    Jon mostly shrugs it off:
    “That’s literally what Mother’s Day is.” [10:19], Jon

3. Parenting, Content Creation & Children’s Safety

• [14:19] - [17:09]
  • Jon rants about a gender reveal video he finds “tone deaf” for prioritizing views over authenticity.
  • They criticize “having kids for content,” referencing family influencers and darker incidents involving child exploitation. “Do something else. Make content about something else besides your kids. That is wild.” [16:10], Jon

4. Childhood Safety and Parental Anxiety

• [17:20] - [19:36]
  • Jiu-Jitsu vs. horseback riding vs. general accident risk—Alex argues all childhood activities have inherent risks.
  • Acceptance that “life is scary” and parenting will be a journey of continual, evolving anxieties.
• [19:51] - [20:23]
  • Playful debate on who (between them) will be the more anxious parent.
    “This is the first time in our relationship where you’re the one that’s more stressed out than me.” [19:51], Jon

5. Long-Term Marital Dynamics

• [21:09] - [22:38]
  • Flashback: Listening to an old episode with their now-close friends/managers. They note how little their banter has changed—laundry squabbles persist! “Nothing has changed. Alex doesn’t respect me.” [22:05], Jon
  • Alex admits she’s trying to improve tiny habits (“Maybe what I need is a sweet treat when I do it right.” [22:38], Alex)

6. Gifts, Anniversaries, and Traditions

• [22:45] - [23:56] & [32:30] - [35:15]
  • Ongoing, lighthearted argument over whether to exchange gifts or do experiences for anniversaries and birthdays.
    • Each believes the other is the “problem” in gift-giving debates.
    • Discuss meaningful traditions (letters every five years, shared memories).
    • Both recall their 5th anniversary as the most significant—due to both loss and their tradition of exchanging letters, even if their stored bottle of wine had gone bad.

7. Listener Question Highlights

a. The “Seven-Year Itch”

• [37:25] - [39:09]
  • Neither buys into the superstition, emphasizing communication and “reinventing” your relationship. “If you’re having an itch, it’s because you’re missing something in your relationship. Reinvent the relationship.” [39:09], Jon

b. Prenups, Houses, and In-Laws

• [39:40] - [43:11]
  • Nuanced discussion about prenups when in-laws help buy a house. Alex: It’s about healthy boundaries and clear contribution. “If you want to be half-owner...work together to pay his parents off.” [40:36], Alex

c. Wedding Ring Upgrades

• [45:44] - [47:38]
  • Is upgrading a wedding ring superficial? Alex and Jon agree: not at all, growth as a couple justifies changes that reflect your journey. “You could keep your original ring and do something special with that...” [47:01], Alex

d. Codependency vs. Mental Overload

• [53:06] - [56:56]
  • A listener worries her fiancé’s need for her input signals codependency.
    • Alex explains the “mental load”—it’s okay to ask for help, but adults should make small decisions individually. “I can’t take on this mental toll… I trust you to decide.” [55:40], Alex

e. Wedding Compromises — When is Enough, Enough?

• [57:27] - [61:52]
  • Discussion of a couple where one wants a big event, the other prefers elopement. The hosts feel the writer is minimizing their partner’s preferences, mislabeling what is or isn’t “compromise.” “You haven’t compromised.” [63:35], Alex

f. Societal Pressure: Marriage, Family, and What You Really Want

• [63:31] - [67:32]
  • A listener unsure if marriage is what she wants or just what society expects.
    • Both share how even they sometimes felt influenced by friends having kids but underscore the need for honest internal reflection: “Think long and hard… 20 years from now, are you going to be okay with that?” [67:01], Jon

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Ring Upgrades:
  “Why not? You guys have grown together. It’s an accomplishment.” — Jon [46:40]

• On Anniversary Traditions:
  “If my parents had as much content out there as we do, would you consume it?...There’s so much footage of our lives.” — Jon [33:06]

• On Societal Pressure:
  “I think as you grow up, you evolve, things change, your priorities change. Just because maybe you never thought marriage was for you, and now you’re with the right person—it’s okay to want those things.” — Alex [66:30]

• On Compromise:
  “If you both are like, ‘I want this...’ it’s called compromise. You’re not going to always get what you want.” — Jon [63:29]

• Humor Highlight:
  “My dream—she literally started melting away...turned into a Crest whitening strip.” — Jon [27:04]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• T. Swift engagement & pregnancy hospital scare: [00:42] – [05:36]
• Posting kids online / Family creators & child stars: [07:34] – [09:03]
• Gender reveals & influencers having kids for content: [14:19] – [16:31]
• Childhood injury risks & parental anxieties: [17:20] – [20:23]
• Long-term relationship patterns & old episodes: [21:09] – [22:38]
• Gifting, anniversaries, meaning of traditions: [22:45] – [35:15]
• Listener Qs: Seven-year itch: [37:25] – [39:09]
• Prenup and home ownership: [39:40] – [43:11]
• Ring upgrades—superficial or milestone?: [45:44] – [47:38]
• Codependency & decision-making in marriage: [53:06] – [56:56]
• Wedding compromise & budget: [57:27] – [61:52]
• Coping with societal norms vs. true desires: [63:31] – [67:32]

Final Segment: Recommendations

[68:55] - [70:38]

• Jon recommends Calm brand melatonin gummies to help with sleep.
• Alex shares a tip for keeping hydrangeas fresh: cut them at an angle and place them in boiling water—for weeks of blooms.

Core Tone & Style

• Warm, irreverent, often tongue-in-cheek.
• Alternates between playful teasing, authentic vulnerability, and genuine practical advice.
• Both hosts reveal and reflect on their relationship habits, family planning anxieties, and evolving perspectives.

For New Listeners

This episode is a quintessential “Give It To Me Straight”—relatable, unfiltered, and full of banter but also meaningful reflections on transitions, family, partnership, and the pressures we put on ourselves (and each other) in modern life. Whether you're prepping for marriage, pregnancy, or just in search of honest advice on the ups and downs of long-term love, Alex and Jon’s candor makes it accessible and real.