Trash Tuesday w/ Esther Povitsky & Khalyla Kuhn
Episode: "Natasha Leggero and Sabrina Jalees Parenting Hot Takes"
Date: December 16, 2025
Overview
This lively, honest episode brings together hosts Khalyla Kuhn and Esther Povitsky with comedians and fellow parents Natasha Leggero and Sabrina Jalees, co-hosts of the podcast "Good Enough." The conversation dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and often contradictory realities of modern parenting. From postpartum struggles, intergenerational trauma, and parenting philosophy debates to practical, sometimes outrageous anecdotes about discipline (banana peels, anyone?), the group explores what “good enough” parenting looks like, breaking down Instagram-worthy "gentle parenting" ideals and championing the value of authenticity, boundaries, and self-compassion.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Parenting After Trauma & Postpartum Recovery
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Khalyla’s Postpartum Bell’s Palsy:
Khalyla shares a vivid account of developing Bell's palsy postpartum, and how motherhood brought unexpected physical and mental challenges."Two days after I gave birth, I just—paralyzed." (01:37, Khalyla)
She explains the lasting effects and lack of support she felt.
"My postpartum anxiety was so horrendous. I was afraid of my own shadow... I couldn't sleep because I was afraid of everything." (20:03, Khalyla) -
Healing Intergenerational Patterns:
The group reflects on complicated relationships with their mothers and how they aim to do better for their own kids."I've become her abuser because everything she says I either have to correct or change—that's what she did to me... I'm working on that in therapy." (16:59, Khalyla)
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Postpartum Anxiety & Its Many Faces:
Natasha and Khalyla unpack the difference between postpartum depression and anxiety, highlighting that not all postpartum struggles fit stereotypes:"The common misconception is if you have postpartum depression, it's like you had a baby and you hate it... But it's so different than that. It's actually hormonal and chemical, making you sad." (57:32, Esther)
2. Parenting Philosophies: Gentle, Authoritative, and “Fuck Around and Find Out”
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Gentle vs. Authoritative Parenting:
Sabrina challenges the purity of the “gentle parenting” trend:"Sometimes you need to be gentle and sometimes you need to be firm... I hate the gentle parenting trend's idea that we’re reacting to abusive parenting by going the total opposite direction." (06:36, Sabrina)
Natasha adds:
“It's been proven that authoritative parenting is having strong boundaries and being very loving about it.” (08:03, Natasha) -
Discipline, Boundaries, and the Role of Tone:
All agree that clarity and tone are essential—but so is loving guidance and sticking with limits, even if it feels uncomfortable."If you just give your child one note ... and keep moving on, you're powerless. You have to create stakes for your child without hitting them." (11:23, Sabrina)
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Banana Peel Discipline & Rewriting Trauma:
Khalyla shares the memorable family practice of getting to choose one's “weapon” for a beating—sometimes a banana peel. This leads to a comedic but poignant exchange about the absurdities and darkness of parental discipline in previous generations."Choose your banana peel." (12:08, Khalyla)
Natasha jokes:
“I’ve never heard of ‘choose your banana peel.’ That’s just wacky!” (12:11, Natasha) -
"Fuck Around and Find Out" Parenting:
Sabrina advocates for letting kids experience natural consequences, within reason:"Letting the kids sort of discover the consequences of their own actions. Like, if they don't want to wear a coat, let them freeze." (29:39, Sabrina)
Natasha tempers this:
"That’s just called being a deadbeat parent." (29:47, Natasha)
3. Praise, Motivation, and the Hazards of Overthinking
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Rewards, Food, and Anxieties:
The hosts debate whether rewarding kids with food leads to unhealthy relationships."Now food is a reward... you're gonna have an eating disorder like me!" (15:43, Esther)
Sabrina argues that anxiety about every small parenting action is more contagious than occasional imperfection. -
Learning to Delegate:
Addressing new moms’ exhaustion, Natasha advocates for accepting help and delegating, letting go of the urge to control every detail in the home:“Figure out the ways you can let go... I need this [break], and go do something for yourself that’s not taking care of the house.” (52:41, Sabrina)
4. Aging, Parenthood Timing, and Modern Womanhood
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Motherhood After 35:
The women share experiences of becoming mothers later, and the accompanying social and internal pressures."Forty sounds perfect. I had a newborn in my arms when I turned 40. I think this feels correct." (25:21, Khalyla)
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Freezing Embryos & Fertility Realities:
Sabrina passionately encourages people, especially queer people, to seek out fertility options earlier, noting the coverage available in some professions:“Freeze some embryos, get donor sperm... build what you want your life to look like, and you will attract.” (43:02, Sabrina)
5. Family Dynamics, Sibling Relationships, & Accepting Limitations
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Supporting Family Through Tragedy:
Esther discusses her sister’s struggle after her ex-husband’s death, admitting the difficulty of helping loved ones resistant to therapy:"I can say the things that I feel will be helpful, but I’m also like … it’s above my pay grade." (37:29, Esther)
Sabrina and Natasha remind her sometimes all you can do is listen. -
“Being a Single Mom Isn't a Block Anymore”:
The group explores the “womanizer to single mom” phenomenon and the way family composition and perceptions have evolved.“Men need women, and women don’t need men.” (46:09, Sabrina)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Modern Parenting Pressures:
"There's no fucking ... you can't put a title on a parenting style and like, that's the one. Because sometimes you need to be gentle, and sometimes you need to be firm." (06:36, Sabrina) -
On Newfound Fears After Motherhood:
"In a nutshell, that's what I hate the most about being a mom—now I have a level of fear I never had before. I had a lot more joie de vivre before." (58:12, Natasha) -
Banana Break Comedy & Trauma:
“Dr. Drew says we all recreate our trauma and I think this is why I love bananas. I’m obsessed with bananas!” (28:24, Khalyla) -
On Late Motherhood:
“I think late 30s is kind of—the natural time to be getting into it. Unfortunately, our wombs are like, ‘peace out, bitch. I’m on TikTok. I’m retired.’” (24:32, Sabrina) -
On Delegation:
"Delegating some things off your plate so you can do something that gets you excited, whether it’s play tennis or have a drink with a friend." (52:03, Natasha)
Audience Q&A Highlights
(From 49:36 onward)
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Q: Will it get better with two under two?
The consensus: Yes, eventually. Accept help. The payoff is sibling closeness, but the beginning is undeniably hard. -
Q: Is it normal to feel rage at people who ask for the baby but not about you postpartum?
Absolutely normal. Both Khalyla and Esther recount feeling territorial and anxious after birth, with Khalyla admitting extreme protectiveness that required later apologies.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:37 — Khalyla details postpartum Bell’s palsy and trauma
- 06:36 — Sabrina and Natasha break down parenting philosophies
- 11:23 — Importance of tone and boundaries in discipline
- 12:08 — “Choose your banana peel”; discipline stories
- 15:43 — The food/reward debate and eating disorder fears
- 20:03 — Khalyla and her mom’s support in postpartum anxiety
- 24:32 — Embracing late motherhood, fertility, and shifting expectations
- 29:39 — “Fuck around and find out” parenting
- 43:02 — Fertility planning, embryo freezing advocacy
- 46:52 — Khalyla’s mom changes after starting Lexapro
- 52:03 — Advice on delegation and seeking/accepting help
- 57:32 — Explaining postpartum anxiety and depression nuances
- 58:12 — Natasha discusses new fear as a mom
Tone & Style
Consistently raw, self-deprecating, and irreverent—with plenty of dark humor, cultural references, and candor about vulnerability, mistakes, and healing. The episode is dotted with inside jokes, jabs about aging, and absurd parenting confessions.
For parents—or anyone interested in the realities behind Instagram-perfect motherhood—this episode offers solidarity, comfort, and comedic relief, all in the signature Trash Tuesday style.
