Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I provide as an Accredited Financial Counselor and Fair Play Facilitator. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s episode we welcome Laura Danger, a licensed educator, facilitator, and domestic-equity advocate who has collaborated with the Fair Play team and is known on social media as @ThatDarnChat. Her book, No More Mediocre: A Call to Reimagine Our Relationships and Demand More, combines candid interviews, personal stories, and research to expose how unpaid domestic labor — and dynamics like “weaponized incompetence” — shape inequity in relationships.

In today’s conversation we explore the complexities of emotional labor in relationships, the importance of communication, and strategies for creating equitable home systems. Laura also shares insights from her book, emphasizing the need for curiosity and intentionality in relationships, and offers actionable advice for couples seeking to enhance their connection and reduce resentment.

Enjoy the show.

Show Questions

00:00 Introduction

01:53 Let’s start with sharing with the audience a little bit about you and your family.

03:36 In the book, you describe the moment you and Jack realized you were stuck in a loop: you carried the mental load, and he felt unsure how to jump in. What helped you both break that pattern?

06:31 You write about the “Nag Paradox” and how women become narrators of their partner’s tasks. What is the first step for couples stuck in that dynamic?

09:50 Can you define emotional labor and explain why it is so difficult to shoulder?

12:30 You say conflict isn’t something to avoid, but an opportunity for connection and clarity. How can couples begin treating conflict as collaboration?

15:28 You talk about good faith a lot. How can couples distinguish “won’t do” from “doesn’t know how yet?”

20:04 What is weaponized incompetence and can you provide gender stereotypical examples of men and women doing it?

29:55 You and Jack implemented meetings, shared task reviews, and even safe words for stressful conversations. What changes were most transformative?

33:17 Many couples think they need “more help,” when what they actually need is systems.
What does a functional, equitable home system look like in practice?

37:12 Where do you see the most immediate wins for couples who want to reduce resentment and increase connection?

41:08 What would you say to a man who genuinely wants to “do more” but feels overwhelmed or afraid of getting it wrong?

44:08 If every listener could adopt one habit this week to make their relationship less mediocre and more connected, what would it be?

45:00 Where can listeners purchase your book and learn more about you?

Purchase the book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737921/no-more-mediocre-by-laura-dang

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Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Dr. Kentaro Fujita, a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Decision Sciences Collaborative at The Ohio State University. He received his Bachelors in Psychology at Harvard College, and his Masters and PhD in Psychology at New York University. He is an expert in motivation, goals, behavior change, and decision-making. Much of his award-winning research explores self-control: that is, who, when, and why do some succeed and others fail at resisting immediate temptations that undermine more distant goals?

We’ll explore how self-control shapes the way couples handle money, divide household responsibilities, and support each other through everyday challenges. Dr. Fujita will share research-backed strategies to strengthen willpower, reduce temptations, and stay focused on the big picture—both individually and as a team. Enjoy the show.

Show Notes

Introduction
00:00 Introduction
03:06 You’ve studied self-control extensively. How do you define it, and why is it such an important factor in our daily lives, particularly for couples managing money and household responsibilities?
6:40 The Marshmallow Study
13:05 Many of us think of willpower as simply “trying harder.” From a scientific perspective, what actually fuels or drains our self-control?
17:06 Can we discuss self control hacks with important context?
27:31 The concept of ego depletion suggests self-control is a limited resource. How does this play out in dual-career couples who feel constantly stretched thin by work and home obligations?
31:48 What does your environment look like when you talk about money with your spouse?
35:02 Where can our listeners learn more about you?
35:44: If you could give dual-career couples one or two evidence-based practices to consistently improve their self-control—both individually and as a team—what would they be?

Subscribe or follow Modern Husbands on social media!

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Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Beth Pinsker, CFP®, financial columnist for Marketwatch and author of My Mother’s Money. Beth shares the critical steps couples should take to prepare for financial caregiving—whether it’s naming a guardian for your kids, planning for your parents’ future, or managing the complex realities of blended families. She also unpacks how to balance caregiving responsibilities with work, retirement goals, and staying connected as a couple. Enjoy the show.

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction
04:28 Your book My Mother’s Money is rooted in personal experience. What prompted you to write it, and why is financial caregiving an issue couples need to think about before it becomes a crisis?
07:16 Whether it’s for your kids, your parents, or yourself, what are the key legal and financial documents and considerations couples need to have in place?
13:35 What unique challenges do blended families face with caregiving and inheritance planning, and how can couples protect both their relationships and finances in those situations?
17:10 Caregiving for a spouse’s parent can be especially challenging—sometimes even requiring an in-law to move in. What can couples do to support each other and set healthy boundaries?
21:32 Caregiving can be expensive. How should couples budget and plan for the potential costs, and what resources (including Medicaid) are available to help?
27:54 With the upcoming Medicaid cuts from the Big Beautiful Bill, how might caregiving for parents become more difficult, and what steps can families take now to prepare?
39:18 Where can you go to purchase your book?
39:38 What is one piece of simple and actionable advice you want to share with our listeners today?

To purchase the book: bethpinkser.com

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