Episode 9: When Creativity Meets Parenthood With Tim Manley and Stephanie Krause
Step right up for a juicy, real conversation about being a parent and an artist; the challenges of navigating technology with our kids at the same time we learn to navigate it ourselves; and more.
When I was pregnant, I worried that becoming a mother would mean sacrificing my creativity (in fact, I wrote a whole book about it). The reality is too complicated to swiftly recap here, but one thing is clear: I wouldn’t know either of this week’s incredibly creative guests if I weren’t a mom.
Tim Manley is a writer and storyteller; Stephanie Krause is a teaching artist and museum educator. Both are parents I met when our kids attended the same school. Tim joins me from his son’s bedroom, with a rocket ship behind him that was once a prop in his Emmy-nominated web series, The Feels; Stephanie joins from her studio, the wall behind her covered with art she’s made in her popular art classes for kids and adults alike.
Whether you’re raising kids, raising creative work, or just raising yourself through another day — I hope listening to this episode feels like a balm.
Stephanie created this doodle while we all chatted; doodling helps her listen. I relate!
What we talk about
The fear many creative people have about losing themselves after having kids
The surprising ways children change (and expand) our creativity
Why doodling is a powerful focus tool — not a distraction
The complexities of screen time, technology, and media literacy
Why adults struggle with technology just as much as kids
The importance of “doing whatever works” when the world feels heavy
How to put your own oxygen mask on first
Tiny, doable micro-practices to replenish yourself
Letting yourself be weird, honest, and creatively alive in everyday spaces — even beige cubicles
Mentioned in the episode
The documentary “Who Does She Think She Is?”
Meet Tim
Learn more about Tim from his website and connect with him on Instagram.
Tim Manley is a writer, filmmaker, and storyteller.
His debut novel, MY OWN KIND OF PERSON, will be published by Rocky Pond Books in fall 2026. He is the creator of the Emmy-nominated web series The Feels. His true stories have been featured on The Moth Radio Hour, at SXSW EDU, and in his solo show, Feelings. He lives with his family in the Catskills.
Meet Stephanie
Learn more about Stephanie on her website, connect with her on Instagram, and explore her creative offerings for kids and adults.
Stephanie Krause is a teaching artist and museum educator with a passion for inspiring others' creativity. She sees faces in everything, laughs often, revels in visual details, and will never hesitate to skip down the street if the urge strikes.
For 28 years Stephanie has led art classes for ages Pre-K through senior citizens in schools and cultural centers throughout NYC and Philadelphia, including 25 years as a contractual educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. During the pandemic, Stephanie discovered that the internet was a surprisingly wonderful and effective way to teach art to students world over, and she's been offering virtual classes ever since. In her new online creativity membership for adults, The Uncreatives, she helps grown-up kids reconnect with their innate creativity through imaginative prompts and process-focused artmaking.
Stephanie invites you to grab a piece of paper and a pencil for a 12-minute imagination break with the lesson she created for the Kennedy Center online library, "Art From the Unexpected" — great for kids and adults alike!
An organization Stephanie would like to shout-out is 826 National, which helps students build writing skills and connect with their creative voices through writing workshops in and out of school.
