Being an Aunt, Not a Parent

What happens when life doesn’t follow the plan — and you decide not to force it?

Caroline and Eva sit down with Danielle Frank, who pivoted from international film publicist at Miramax, to wine & spirits executive, to author of A Wine Lover’s Guide to Parenting — a satirical storybook about raising good humans (who are not whiny!) while drinking good wine.

Danielle always imagined becoming a mother, but life doesn’t always go according to plan. Rather than becoming a parent, she embraced her role as Aunt “Didi” to her nieces and nephews — and turned years of observing her sister, friends and other parents into sharp, funny, and surprisingly insightful advice on how not to raise assholes. As Danielle puts it:“Allow yourself to heed my advice & your kids will turn out fine. Because you don’t want your kid to end up as a bad grape on the vine.”

The conversation also goes deep into starting over, moving across the country, ignoring dating red flags, and learning how to own your independence. Plus, how deceiving Instagram is (and why #blessed means being miserable). And we had a good laugh when Eva discovered that calling Instagram “the gram” is, in fact, a thing. She thought “IG,” was the colloquial term for Instagram… which it's not! Oh how we love our intellectual Eva.

If you love strong, independent women, smart humor, honest conversations about non-traditional paths — and wine — this episode is for you. Merry Christmas and hope you have time to aerate over the holidays!!

Chapters

• Introduction and Danielle's Journey
• Humor in Parenting
• Entertainment Industry Insights
• Independence and Personal Growth
• Relationships and Life Lessons
• The Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting

Takeaways

• Danielle Frank shares her journey from New York to LA.
• The importance of humor in parenting and life.
• Danielle's experiences in the entertainment industry.
• The role of independence in personal growth.
• Challenges and insights from relationships.
• The concept of an adult children's book.
• Danielle's perspective on being an influential aunt.
• The parallels between wine and parenting.
• Navigating life changes and personal pivots.
• The value of self-awareness and personal happiness.

Reference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teIbh8hFQos&themeRefresh=1

https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Lovers-Guide-Parenting-management-ebook/dp/B0F6S4RSC5

https://www.instagram.com/createagreatstory/

We’re two New York City women talking candidly about the chaos of modern life, from relationships, parenting, working in and out of the home, to what it takes to stay semi-sane in a world that expects you to hold it all together and be #blessed.

We couldn’t find an honest and vulnerable conversation — so we started one! If you need a laugh, a cry, or just want to hear someone else admit their flaws and validate your crazy, you’re in the right place. Be ready to be… Unfiltered, Unafraid, and UnExpert.

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Surgeon General Warning Disclaimer: We are self-prescribed unexperts, so if you have any real questions or need real advice, please call your nearest doctor.

© 2025 Eva Heyman & Caroline Leventhal