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How Can Pop Culture Keep Us Curious with Kate Kennedy
Why diving deep into your kid’s bus obsession or Taylor Swift’s Easter eggs might be the secret to becoming a better parent (and human!).
Posted 1/13/2026
Popular
Something random sparked your interest. And now, you’re five tabs deep down a Wikipedia rabbit hole learning all you need to know about this random, everyday thing. Sound like you? That’s curiosity keeping your wheels spinning, and it may just be one of the biggest parenting tools you have, and you don’t even know it (yet!).
In this episode of the MomForce, Vanessa chats with Kate Kennedy, the brilliant mind behind the Be There in Five Podcast, where she takes pop culture moments we know and love and ask but why does this matter? Spoiler: It always matters more than you think!
Why Pop Culture Isn't Just "Guilty Pleasure" Material
Kate grew up sneaking episodes of shows she wasn't technically supposed to watch, curating her own little entertainment world. Sound familiar? That childhood curiosity didn't just make her a pop culture expert—it taught her how to look beneath the surface of things.
And here's the thing: when we dismiss pop culture as "fluff," we miss out on what it's really showing us about ourselves, our values, and the world we're raising our kids in. Whether it's analyzing why we're all obsessed with a certain celebrity drama or understanding what Dancing with the Stars reveals about American culture (yes, really), there's always more to unpack.
The best part? This same curiosity muscle we use for pop culture? We can flex it in our everyday parenting lives.
"Be Curious, Not Furious" — The Parenting Mantra You Need
You know that moment when your kid is melting down and you feel your frustration rising? Or when they're obsessed with something you find completely bizarre (city buses, anyone?)?
Kate introduced us to psychologist Todd Caden's concept of curiosity as a "gateway emotion"—meaning when you approach situations with genuine curiosity instead of judgment or frustration, everything shifts. Your tone changes. Your body language softens. And suddenly, you're not in a power struggle—you're in a conversation.
Here's the neuroscience bit that'll blow your mind: when we ask questions and discover new things, our brains release dopamine. Learning literally feels good. So when you get curious about your kid's interests, you're not just being a good parent—you're literally rewiring your brain to enjoy the process.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
Instead of: "Why are you obsessed with this weird thing?"
Try: "Tell me more about what you love about this."
Instead of: "Stop arguing with me!"
Try: "I'm curious—what's making you feel so strongly about this?"
Instead of: "I don't get why you care so much about [insert trend here]."
Try: "Help me understand what makes this so cool."
It sounds simple, but it's transformative. Kate shared how even something as seemingly silly as discussing baggy men's boxer shorts from the early 2000s can spark genuine connection and laughter. It's all about showing up with interest instead of judgment.
The Stuff We Actually Talked About (AKA What You'll Hear in the Episode)
- Why Kate started Be There in Five and how pop culture became her lens for understanding humanity
- The science behind why curiosity makes us better at empathy (and better parents)
- How to set boundaries with media consumption without losing your mind
- What happens when you dive deep into your kid's niche interests—even the ones that make zero sense to you
- Kate's own approach to staying curious in a world that's constantly trying to distract us
- The surprising connection between curiosity and generosity
Bottom line: Curiosity isn't frivolous. It's a form of generosity. And in a world that's constantly telling us to hurry up, tune out, and stay in our lanes? Choosing to stay curious might be the most radical thing we can do.
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