• Home
  • About

The Mom Hour

Happier motherhood starts here.

  • Popular Episodes
  • Complete Archives
  • Ages & Stages
    • Babies
    • Toddlers
    • Preschoolers
    • Big Kids
    • Tweens & Teens

in Blog on September 9, 2019 by Sarah Powers

Starters & Finishers

This essay originally appeared in our monthly newsletter for The Mom Hour podcast. To get our emails, subscribe here. –Sarah

Violet, age six-and-a-half, is a starter. She likes to start things. She has a boundless inborn passion for launching projects. If there is a quiet moment or a lull in activity, Violet’s creative wheels start turning, going from zero to LET’S HAVE A TALENT SHOW in under fourteen seconds.

This weekend, a very average September one in our house, saw the following ideas hatched and (in most cases) executed:

  • A “Pet Brunch” at a restaurant she created, complete with menus, food-service, and table-side entertainment
  • A bedroom redesign, easily the fourth one of 2019
  • A full-service spa with foot soak, pedicure, hair treatments, styling advice, and massage
  • A spontaneous house-wide search for, and collection of, Bitty Baby accessories she wants to send to her toddler cousin as soon as humanly possible
  • Honorable mention: multiple outfit changes initiated, mealtime menu contributions requested, and original pieces of artwork begun

Violet’s mother, age thirty-nine-and-seven-twelfths, is a finisher. She likes to complete things. She has a natural talent for putting things in just the right order. She has an increasingly shrinking upper limit to the number of open browser windows on her computer screen–let alone the number of make-believe pop-up shops in her house–that she can tolerate at any given moment in time.

That’s me, by the way. I am Violet’s mother. I’m the one who likes to finish and finesse, prune back and perfect, edit and edify.

Violet’s many (many) startup ventures capture the very essence of childhood creativity. They also involve an absurd number of towels, blankets, tablecloths, bowls, spray bottles, laundry baskets, step-stools, folding chairs, batteries, Scotch tape, dog leashes, newspaper clippings, drops of food dye, old shoelaces, Easter baskets, and kitchen twine.

That one time Violet recruited her brother to start a nature documentary about polar/arctic animals. Note the white blanket for snow and groupings by species.

The challenge for a starter like Violet is, of course, that it’s way more fun to begin something new than it is to stick out what you’ve already started. The number of “Yes, you may make a blanket fort, but first you have to finish the bake sale” moments that result in tears in our house on any given day is too many to count. And almost always my insistence on cleaning up is met with utter shock, as if she can’t BELIEVE I’d suggest something as boring as cleaning up when there are blank pages to fill for a new book idea.

September is a month of starts for many of us–new school routines, fresh creative inspiration, first days of activities tied to the academic year. And, on the flip side, it’s also a month where we look at our planners and realize how close we are to finishing out a calendar year that seems like it started just yesterday. New starts (exciting! but messy!), finishing up (boring! but ultimately satisfying!). It’s all the tension of a day spent with me and Violet, wrapped up into a single, promise-filled month.

If you’re the finishing type like I am, September might be a time to look at the first two-thirds of 2019 and see what needs finishing, polishing, or editing. If you’re a starter like Violet, you’re probably fired up about new ideas for Q4 and planning your Halloween costume already. Hopefully, though, you’ve got someone in your life who leans in the direct opposite direction that you do, providing that wonderful natural tension between starting and finishing, messy and clean, spontaneous and composed. 

I do, and she gave me an awesome pedicure at her spa yesterday (after brunch at the pet cafe, and before the room redesign). And we’re still cleaning up.

Happy September, friends. Cheers to both new starts and clean finishes!

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: fall

About Sarah Powers

Sarah Powers is co-host and Executive Producer of The Mom Hour podcast. She lives in Santa Barbara, CA with her husband and three kids, ages 9, 11, and 13.

« More Than Mom: Being Alone
Sports Fandom & Family Culture: Episode 225 »

Listen + Subscribe

Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Amazon Music

save 10% on our fave calendar

Save 10% with code THEMOMHOUR at TheEssentialCalendar.com!

buy our book

click on the image above to pre-order The Mother's Gratitude Journal: An Easy Guide to Capturing Everyday Joys and Milestone Moments

Search

The “Surfboard Kid”

the story behind the "surfboard kid"

Click photo to read the full story behind Meagan's viral "bad parenting" moment...

as seen on

buy our books

The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read:
An How We Let Our Kids Go & Embrace What’s Next
by Meagan Francis

The Mother’s Gratitude Journal:
An Easy Guide to Capturing Everyday Joys
and Milestone Moments
by Meagan Francis and Sarah Powers

looking for something?

find us elsewhere

meaganfrancis.substack.com

sarahjanepowers.substack.com

midlifeladyleisurepursuits.substack.com

We'll leave you with this today, friends. It reall We'll leave you with this today, friends. It really is, for the most part, all gonna be okay. And when it isn't, remember that you're not alone.

💛 Meagan & Sarah
After more than a decade and over 800 hours of con After more than a decade and over 800 hours of conversation, connection, and community, The Mom Hour comes to a close in this final episode. Join Meagan and Sarah as we reflect on what it has meant to share this space with you—our listeners, fellow moms, and, truly, our friends.

Whether you've been with us from the beginning or found us more recently, we hope this episode leaves you with inspiration to carry forward the spirit of The Mom Hour in your everyday life.

You’ve let us into your ears and your lives, and we are endlessly grateful. Thank you for making The Mom Hour what it’s been.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio.

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Happy Saturday! 😎 It's time for our June spons Happy Saturday! 😎  It's time for our June sponsors roundup, where we remind you of our brand partners and special deals. ALL of our special promo codes and links can be found on the Deals & Offers page on our website. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to check it out.

Thank you for helping support the show by using our links + codes!

Check out our sponsors . . .

🛏️ @zlumberbedtools (15% off Zlumber Lock!)
🎵 @carnegiehall (fun music games & quizzes!)
🍋 @hiyahealth (50% off your 1st order!)
🪑 @wayfair (shop outdoor furniture online!)
👡 @vionicshoes (15% off your entire order!)
🎨 @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
☑️ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
📅 @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
It's a bittersweet week for your co-hosts as we bo It's a bittersweet week for your co-hosts as we both recorded our last-ever episode of The Mom Hour (yes, there were tears) AND launched a new project out into the world.

Midlife Lady Leisure Pursuits is not meant to replace, or extend, or even spin off or pivot from The Mom Hour. It's so different in all the ways, from the back-end tech to our intended audience to our goals to our time commitment. That said, it's the same two pals on the mic, and we're having a blast!

MLLP is available wherever you get your podcasts, and we have a Substack for extended show notes. Click this image at the link in our bio.
New episode! What would you like to accomplish be New episode!

What would you like to accomplish before your next milestone birthday? Today Meagan and Sarah share our personal “five before fifty” lists, giving ourselves the next few years to check off some aspirations both lofty and silly (think big travel goals, creative dreams, home improvements and outdoor adventures). Whether you're approaching 30, 40, 50, or just love a good life list, this episode will get you thinking—and maybe even writing your own!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! Time is slippery—especially when y New episode!

Time is slippery—especially when you’re standing in midlife, looking both forward and back. Today Meagan and Sarah continue unpacking one of the most elusive and shape-shifting concepts we wrestle with: time. How do we imagine the future, how do we plan for it (tarot cards, anyone?), and how does our relationship to longterm planning and future-casting change in our forties? We explore the common traps we fall into when envisioning what’s next, the lessons that still haven’t quite landed, and how midlife has reshaped our goals, timelines, and even the way we dream.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! After a decade of sharing the ups an New episode!

After a decade of sharing the ups and downs of motherhood, we're wrapping up The Mom Hour this month—and taking one final episode to update you on the kids who’ve grown up alongside this show. From 12 to 27, our eight kids have been a background-but-constant presence on the podcast, and today we'll share where they are now and how they're each thriving in their own way.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! As kids grow up, it’s the littlest New episode!

As kids grow up, it’s the littlest reminders that catch us off guard—like discovering a pair of toddler socks or realizing nobody needs a kid’s menu. Join Meagan and Sarah as we share some of the small-but-significant signs that time is, as ever, marching on. It’s a conversation full of warmth, nostalgia, and gentle reminders to savor the stages as they come…and go.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
It's the weekend 🎉 and time for our May sponsor It's the weekend 🎉 and time for our May sponsors roundup, where we remind you of our brand partners and special deals. ALL of our special promo codes and links can be found on the Deals & Offers page on our website. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to check it out.

Thank you for helping support the show by using our links + codes!

Check out our new sponsors . . .
🛏️ @zlumberbedtools (15% off Zlumber Lock!)
👶 @sittercity (find high-quality childcare!)

And welcome back . . .
🎵 @carnegiehall (fun music games & quizzes!)
🍋 @hiyahealth (50% off your 1st order!)
🪑 @wayfair (shop outdoor furniture online!)
👡  @vionicshoes (15% off your entire order!)
🎨 @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
☑️ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
📅 @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
New episode! Honi asks how our friends are showin New episode!

Honi asks how our friends are showing up for us these days. Laura wonders if we ever get recognized in public (and if it's our faces or our voices that give us away!). Aspiring writer Samm is looking for advice on getting started with writing, Lisa wants to know what we’ll miss most about The Mom Hour, and Erica prompts some reflection on what we’re most proud of as moms. And Ann? She’s eager for the scoop on what’s next—listen to find out!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts

Copyright © 2025 · Life, Listened
Development by Cipher