• Home
  • About
    • New? Start Here.
    • Meet The Co-Hosts
    • Meet The Contributors
  • Sponsor
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

The Mom Hour

Happier motherhood starts here.

  • New? Start Here.
  • Podcast
    • Recent Episodes
    • Complete Archives
    • Search By Topic
  • Blog
  • Ages & Stages
    • Babies
    • Toddlers
    • Preschoolers
    • Big Kids
    • Tweens & Teens
  • Shop

in Blog on August 4, 2019 by Meagan Francis

When You Don’t Know What To Do, Try Connecting

Like all of you, we were saddened to hear about the shootings in El Paso, TX, Dayton, OH, and Gilroy, CA this week. We know that it’s likely some of you were directly affected and we are thinking of you. In lieu of our usual monthly essay, Meagan would like to share these thoughts today.


After many years of hiatus, I recently began going to church again.

I hadn’t lost my faith, exactly. In retrospect, I had just gotten tired. Sunday-morning services, once meaningful to me, started feeling like a chore; the messages, often conflicting from church to church, became more confusing than clarifying. I didn’t know what to believe, so it seemed easier to simply believe nothing, or at least, not to think about it very hard. And as often happens when people have a spiritual crisis, I simply drifted away.

But in January I decided one Sunday morning to pop into a church that had been recommended by a few friends, and I’ve been going pretty regularly ever since.

It’s kind of a stretch to call this Sunday morning gathering “church” at all, at least in the traditional sense. There are no obvious hierarchies, no written statement of belief, no objects of sacrament. The congregation doesn’t recite creeds or sing hymns – instead, a (fantastic) band comes out every so often and performs a mix of secular and religious songs, after which we clap – a pretty un-churchy thing to do, but a huge relief for someone like me, who always feels just plain weird not applauding someone’s performance.

The services take place in the high school auditorium, with the house darkened so all eyes gravitate toward the stage. The speaker (I don’t think anyone is referred to as a pastor) delivers a fully-executed presentation that incorporates video and other multi-media elements, punctuated only by well-timed breaks for another song, and always with a conclusion that brings it all home so the message lands every time.

The “congregation” doesn’t have to do anything beyond watch and learn. The whole thing is so non-traditional, that the first few times I went I jokingly referred to it as a “Ted Talk For God”.

But make no mistake, this small organization takes their work seriously, and the way they deliver their message simply works. Without all the interruptions and self-consciousness that can come with the bells and whistles of a traditional religious service – bells and whistles that I’ve historically rather liked, by the way – I’ve found that I relax, recede into my seat, stop looking around at others or thinking about myself, and concentrate on the message at hand.

As a result, I’m completely engaged, and always hear something I really need to. I’ve been brought to tears at nearly every service I’ve attended, and wake up on Sunday mornings looking forward to a message that always seems to be speaking directly to me.

Not this Sunday morning, though. I woke up late, and on the tail-end of Sarah’s and my two-week semi-vacation (we didn’t exactly close our doors, but we both traveled and kept our workloads much lighter than usual) I kinda felt like slacking off. “Maybe I’ll just lie in bed and play around on my phone,” I thought.

Then I pulled up Facebook and saw that news that, within the last 24 hours, at least 29 people had been killed and dozens of others injured in two separate mass shootings – on at a Wal-Mart in El Paso, Texas; the other at a bar in Dayton, Ohio. The El Paso shooting appears to be racially motivated, targeting Hispanic members of the community. Less is known about the Dayton shooter, but reports say he was wearing body armor and carrying an assault weapon; clearly this was not simply a bar brawl that got out of hand. These came on the tails of another shooting earlier this week, at a GARLIC FESTIVAL in northern California, for crying-out-loud. I’m sure some of the victims are children, something I especially hate to think about – but me hating to think about it doesn’t make it any less true.

Not having been online much over the last few days, by the time I learned about all this I was pretty late to the conversation. My Facebook feed was already full of division, lines drawn in the sand, and arguments over politicizing tragedy, gun control, mental health, racism and nationalism – not to mention lots of speculation about the causes of these incidents, and the ones before them, and the next ones to come.

I was immediately overwhelmed by the same emotions I’m sure a lot of you feel when faced with big, tragic, and complicated news: sadness, horror, confusion, and more than a touch of self-righteous anger as I read comments that didn’t line up with mine.

“So, yeah, I need to go to church, then,” I thought.

I was a few minutes late, and when I got there, the programming director was talking about the shootings and about to lead an opening prayer – something unusual at Storyline, in my experience, but definitely warranted. I slid into my seat just in time, grateful for the darkened room that kept eyes off of me.

The prayer was short and to the point. “We don’t know what to do,” he said simply, and asked for divine guidance.

And then, the band performed “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon.

Never in my life would I have thought that song fit in a church service, but seeing the lyrics up on the screen gave it more meaning than when I’d thought of it as simply a catchy pop tune from my parents’ generation. You’re so vain. You probably think this song (opinion, status, tragedy…) is about you.

Then the speaker, Jill, got up to deliver her message. She was subbing for the usual speaker, Mike, and for a moment I groaned inwardly because I really like Mike’s talks and who cares if he needs a vacation, or if this woman might have something valuable to say, because isn’t church all about me and what I need? (you probably think this service is about you…)

As it turned out, what I resist is often what I need, and this week’s Ted Talk For God was no different.

The topic was about empathy and its opposites: self-involvement and narcissism. Jill discussed the “selfie machines” we all carry around, our culture’s growing obsession with status, how little time we spend now caring about others or trying to understand them. Instead, we live in self-created bubbles, demonizing or simply avoiding people who think differently from us while trying to promote our own self-interests.

What if, she asked, we allowed our “hearts to be broken” for someone besides ourselves?

Jill’s presentation obviously took her significant time to put together, and it wasn’t created as a response to these recent shootings. But as she talked, all I could see were connections.

When bad or confusing things happen, we retreat to our corners and dig in on our positions, whether they’re on gun control or security or mental health or whether leaders are giving the appropriate responses. Those are important conversations, and they absolutely need to happen. More than that, they need to lead to action.

But in fixating on the details, I think we often miss something even more essential. A culture of sarcasm, and meanness, and self-absorption – a culture, let me be clear, that is often actively encouraged by our leaders and powerful voices in the media, and to which we all contribute in a variety of ways – can’t help but lead to division and desensitization.

And while I can’t prove that division and desensitization directly causes violent acts like these – though it seems likely that they do – that cultural trend certainly doesn’t help in the aftermath.

Human beings need connection. We need to find meaning in what happens around us, which typically requires us to focus on something besides ourselves. Division and desensitization work against our strengths as humans while exploiting our weaknesses. It’s a recipe for disaster, not to mention debates that go nowhere.

So, then, how do we create a culture that encourages empathy? That encourages us to unite, rather than divide?

I like to believe we’re doing it here. By creating a community of compassionate mothers who have empathy for ourselves, for one another and for our children, we’re able to think outside our own small experiences and see motherhood, family life and childhood through a wider lens.

But can we work harder to bring that attitude into other parts of our lives?

I know I often could. When faced with difficult topics, I tend to avoid conflict until, say, I snap and engage in an ill-informed “debate” with some random guy from high school who shows up in my Facebook feed. Rarely does my self-satisfaction in whatever verbal smackdown I might dish out last very long. And almost always, there is another way I could have approached the conversation, a way that might have required humility and self-control, including not engaging at all.

I’m hardly alone. We all have many, many choices to make each day about the way we interact with our social networks, and as imperfect people, occasionally we’re going to make the lesser choice. At a time like this, though, we have even more chances than usual – and even more reason than usual – to make our voices heard.

What if we did it in a way that creates connections rather than divisions, that leads to more understanding and empathy and less “other-ing”?

Like many of you, I don’t really know what to do about this most recent spate of violence and tragedy. I know I can write my elected officials, I know I can continue to educate myself as best I can on the issues so I can be a more informed voter. Those are important things, but in the face of something so big, they can feel like so little.

One thing I know for sure – when we don’t know what to do, often our first response is to avoid or lash out. But they’re both ultimately self-serving approaches, right? Avoiding keeps us safe from conflict. Lashing out allows us to feel smarter or better than others, to protect ourselves by drawing lines.

But maybe it’s even more audacious – and effective? – to set aside our self-interested desires to either avoid or strike, and take another approach entirely.

I may not be as knowledgeable about policy as I’d like to be, or as able to speak as clearly as I’d like to about the Big Issues at hand. But I have the power to connect rather than divide. I have the power to demonstrate kindness, thoughtfulness, and empathy – even when I’m angry, sad, and confused. We all do.

Today I’m trying to remember that I can choose a path that doesn’t either desensitize or disconnect me – that in fact, isn’t about me at all.

Empathy and connection is often the harder path to navigate, no doubt. It’s more uncomfortable. And riskier. And simply requires more of us than passive, drive-by activism or soapboxing.

It also happens to be the thing that makes being human worthwhile, that helps us expand into openness rather than contract into smallness.

It’s actually, I believe, why we’re here. So let’s all roll up our sleeves and dig in together.

Related

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: hard stuff

deals from our partners


Shop Jane

When you click through these links and make a purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and we only partner with brands we’ve used and truly love!).

« Mothering & Running A Business Through Chronic Illness: Voices 39 With Amy Clark
Home Management Systems That Work (For Now): Episode 220 »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Featured Sponsors

On Instagram

themomhour

Top 10 parenting podcast hosted by @meaganfrancis (MI) & @powersofmine (SoCal). 8 kids between us, little to grown. Happier motherhood starts here.

The Mom Hour
Here’s your January reminder to save shoeboxes f Here’s your January reminder to save shoeboxes for February and March classroom projects! Valentine boxes and leprechaun traps are around the corner, and shoe boxes are so much harder to come by these days. Consider this a friendly head’s up from a mom who’s been there.

Want more help and tips, plus reassurance that you’re doing a great job? (You are.) Search for The Mom Hour in your favorite podcast app and hit subscribe!

#kindergarten #firstgrade #valentinebox #leprechauntrap #shoeboxcraft #roomparent #roommom #classroomvalentines #parenting #momlife #parentingtip #tipsformoms
Looking to implement daily "quiet time" for presch Looking to implement daily "quiet time" for preschoolers? Even for kids who want to GO GO GO all day long, having a built-in pause in the day can help develop independent play skills, encourage rest, and - of course - give caregivers a chance to reset as well.

Since this week's podcast episode is all about kids and alone time, we thought we'd revisit this resource on the blog by Sandy Hsu:

👉 How To Encourage Independence In Preschoolers With A “Quiet Time” Routine. 👈 

Sandy (@hopefulsmiles) give tips for implementing a successful quiet time routine AND rounds up products and activities that help make independent play more likely - even in young preschoolers. Check it out by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#quiettime #parentingtoddlers #parentingpreschoolers #momoflittles #stayathomemom #stayathomeparent #activitiesforpreschoolers #activitiesfortoddlers #threeyearolds #fouryearolds #fiveyearolds #momlife #sahm #sahmlife
New episode! Does solitude come naturally to your New episode!

Does solitude come naturally to your kids, or are moments of solo play far and few between? Meagan and Sarah read some research recently that challenged us to think about the importance of alone time, and whether our kids get enough. In this episode, we dive into our own childhood memories, how our children embrace (or run from) solitude, and how challenging it is to find that just-right balance. Join us! 

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! With all the day-to-day planning requ New episode! With all the day-to-day planning required to run a household, it's easy to put longterm planning on the back burner. Today Meagan and Sarah share lessons we've learned (or are still learning) that help us look ahead at a whole year, quarter, or month at a time. From knowing ourselves and our seasonal rhythms to figuring out where they keep next year's school calendar, we've picked up a few things over the years, and we're ready to dive in for 2023. Join us! 

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! Been meaning to check out a deal y Happy Saturday! Been meaning to check out a deal you heard on our podcast? You're in luck because here's our sponsor roundup for January. Once a month, we use this space to thank our partners and remind you of their special offers. For our special promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. And when you do check out our sponsors + use our links and codes, it helps support our show! We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW sponsors:
🍳 @caraway_home (10% off gorgeous, non-toxic cookware!)
💪 @futurefitapp (risk-free trial of 1-on-1 personal training!)
🔪 @prepdish (2 weeks free of healthy, prep-ahead meal plans!)
🎨 @minted (design marketplace with art, bags, gifts & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (deals on the easiest photo books ever!)
😍 @fabletics (2 stylish workout bottoms for $24!)

And welcome back . . . 
⭐️ @stitchfix ($20 off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off full-season calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on cute, comfy shoes!)
Braces on, braces off. First phones, driver's ed, Braces on, braces off. First phones, driver's ed, high school registration. As we discussed in this week's episode, we still get all the feels when older kids meet cultural or developmental milestones - even if they cringe when we celebrate and share.

Would love to hear what you're celebrating about your older kids! Everything from learning a new skill to blossoming independence - leave us a comment! 

PS - Listen to the episode in your favorite podcast app, or by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#parenting #parentingbigkids #parentingteens #parentingtweens #bigkidmilestone #teenagers #tweens #momoftweens #momofteens #momofteenagers
Turns out, when your last baby approaches double-d Turns out, when your last baby approaches double-digits, you find yourself staring a different milestone right in the (puffy) face:

It's been a decade since I was pregnant for the last time. 

This photo was taken the morning of my scheduled c-section, just a few hours before we'd meet our third and last babe. It's hard to remember, but I'm SURE I was ready to be done. Constant braxton-hicks, heartburn I hadn't experienced with the other two, food aversions that lasted the whole 39w5d, and physical exhaustion trying to keep up with a 2- and 4-year old: all part of an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy, but still nobody's idea of easy.

I don't miss it - being pregnant. Grateful to have had the experience, absolutely. But I've never really pined for another go-around, at least not seriously. Still, a whole decade removed feels as significant a milestone to me as does the notion that that double-dimpled babe will blow out ten candles this weekend.

Time, like, whoa. 

-Sarah
If you're looking at school options for Fall 2023, If you're looking at school options for Fall 2023, you might be feeling overwhelmed by school tours, open houses, registration deadlines, or the all-too-common "red shirting question". That's why today we're revisiting an enormously detailed resource on our site: 

➡️ What Teachers & Educators Wish Parents Knew About Making School Decisions ⬅️

This piece is a collaboration between four educators on our team whose careers span preschool through middle school. They weigh in what what they wish parents knew about things like...

...choosing “the right school” 
...what it means to be “ready for kindergarten” 
...visiting a school for a tour or open house 
...learning to read 
...kids and friendships; playground politics
...making school decisions for a special needs student 
...becoming part of a classroom or school community 
 
Click this image at the link in our bio to get the guide. Bookmark it, send it to your co-parent or mom friends, and use it as a starting place as you wade through this tricky time of year! 

@lisaapayne4 @ashleydawn519 @thepaperdart @cafedumartin
C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e good times, come on! Today’s e C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e good times, come on! Today’s episode is number 400! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate hitting a big podcast milestone than talking about how we honor birthdays and milestone celebrations in our families – especially as kids get older. Join Meagan and Sarah as we offer insight into making birthdays special for big kids, tweens and teens; how kids getting older hits us differently as moms, too; and how honoring big kid milestones gets tricker, but still gives us all the feels. 

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
Y'all's reaction to our entire catalog now being a Y'all's reaction to our entire catalog now being available has been so fun! Listeners have told us that they're now able to re-listen to old favorites, or - amazing for us - share them directly with friends.

(If you missed it, previously, podcast apps showed only our most recent 300 episodes – less than half our catalog. The rest were only available on our website.)

Just for fun, we rounded up a few more of our team's favorite episodes from the early days of the podcast. Here are five MORE oldies that have stood the test of time, and that make for great entry-points to our early catalog.

You can listen from our website by clicking this image at the link in our bio – but EVEN BETTER, you can find the episodes in your favorite podcast app - just search by episode title, or keep on scrolling until you find them!
In Episode 399 we talked about using social media In Episode 399 we talked about using social media to purposefully FILL your feed with whatever is fascinating you lately. Maybe it’s owning chickens, maybe it’s needlepoint, maybe it’s training for a 5k. When those interests evolve, so can your feed. I mentioned loving the gray-growout influencers right now; and while I have no intentions of becoming one 😃, I did find enough selfies on my phone (dating from mid-Sept) to show you a little progress reel!

It’s OK to go through a phase for a phase’s sake. What’s making your feed fun right now? Cabins in the woods? School bus renos? Gardening tips? The randomer the better! -S
Do you have budgeting goals or financial dreams fo Do you have budgeting goals or financial dreams for 2023? We know families are experiencing rising costs and financial strain in all different ways, so this week we're revisiting a guide writer @sarahelimberg put together last year with the online resources - podcasts, apps, and social follows - that helped her start budgeting when she became a mom.

Click this image at the link in our bio to get all Sarah's great recommendations - including these five Insta-follows!

@thebrokeblackgirl
@thefinancialdiet
@thebudgetmom
@thefinancebar
@lauradadams of #MoneyGirlPodcast 

#budgeting101 #budgettips #budget #budgetmom #budgetingforbeginners #budget101 #financialwellness #finance #personalfinance #money #2023goals #financialliteracy #familybudget
Load More... Follow on Instagram

As Seen On

Today Parents

Send us an email

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Email hello@themomhour.com and we’re here to help!

looking for something?

Here’s your January reminder to save shoeboxes f Here’s your January reminder to save shoeboxes for February and March classroom projects! Valentine boxes and leprechaun traps are around the corner, and shoe boxes are so much harder to come by these days. Consider this a friendly head’s up from a mom who’s been there.

Want more help and tips, plus reassurance that you’re doing a great job? (You are.) Search for The Mom Hour in your favorite podcast app and hit subscribe!

#kindergarten #firstgrade #valentinebox #leprechauntrap #shoeboxcraft #roomparent #roommom #classroomvalentines #parenting #momlife #parentingtip #tipsformoms
Looking to implement daily "quiet time" for presch Looking to implement daily "quiet time" for preschoolers? Even for kids who want to GO GO GO all day long, having a built-in pause in the day can help develop independent play skills, encourage rest, and - of course - give caregivers a chance to reset as well.

Since this week's podcast episode is all about kids and alone time, we thought we'd revisit this resource on the blog by Sandy Hsu:

👉 How To Encourage Independence In Preschoolers With A “Quiet Time” Routine. 👈 

Sandy (@hopefulsmiles) give tips for implementing a successful quiet time routine AND rounds up products and activities that help make independent play more likely - even in young preschoolers. Check it out by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#quiettime #parentingtoddlers #parentingpreschoolers #momoflittles #stayathomemom #stayathomeparent #activitiesforpreschoolers #activitiesfortoddlers #threeyearolds #fouryearolds #fiveyearolds #momlife #sahm #sahmlife
New episode! Does solitude come naturally to your New episode!

Does solitude come naturally to your kids, or are moments of solo play far and few between? Meagan and Sarah read some research recently that challenged us to think about the importance of alone time, and whether our kids get enough. In this episode, we dive into our own childhood memories, how our children embrace (or run from) solitude, and how challenging it is to find that just-right balance. Join us! 

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! With all the day-to-day planning requ New episode! With all the day-to-day planning required to run a household, it's easy to put longterm planning on the back burner. Today Meagan and Sarah share lessons we've learned (or are still learning) that help us look ahead at a whole year, quarter, or month at a time. From knowing ourselves and our seasonal rhythms to figuring out where they keep next year's school calendar, we've picked up a few things over the years, and we're ready to dive in for 2023. Join us! 

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! Been meaning to check out a deal y Happy Saturday! Been meaning to check out a deal you heard on our podcast? You're in luck because here's our sponsor roundup for January. Once a month, we use this space to thank our partners and remind you of their special offers. For our special promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. And when you do check out our sponsors + use our links and codes, it helps support our show! We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW sponsors:
🍳 @caraway_home (10% off gorgeous, non-toxic cookware!)
💪 @futurefitapp (risk-free trial of 1-on-1 personal training!)
🔪 @prepdish (2 weeks free of healthy, prep-ahead meal plans!)
🎨 @minted (design marketplace with art, bags, gifts & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (deals on the easiest photo books ever!)
😍 @fabletics (2 stylish workout bottoms for $24!)

And welcome back . . . 
⭐️ @stitchfix ($20 off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off full-season calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on cute, comfy shoes!)
Braces on, braces off. First phones, driver's ed, Braces on, braces off. First phones, driver's ed, high school registration. As we discussed in this week's episode, we still get all the feels when older kids meet cultural or developmental milestones - even if they cringe when we celebrate and share.

Would love to hear what you're celebrating about your older kids! Everything from learning a new skill to blossoming independence - leave us a comment! 

PS - Listen to the episode in your favorite podcast app, or by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#parenting #parentingbigkids #parentingteens #parentingtweens #bigkidmilestone #teenagers #tweens #momoftweens #momofteens #momofteenagers
Turns out, when your last baby approaches double-d Turns out, when your last baby approaches double-digits, you find yourself staring a different milestone right in the (puffy) face:

It's been a decade since I was pregnant for the last time. 

This photo was taken the morning of my scheduled c-section, just a few hours before we'd meet our third and last babe. It's hard to remember, but I'm SURE I was ready to be done. Constant braxton-hicks, heartburn I hadn't experienced with the other two, food aversions that lasted the whole 39w5d, and physical exhaustion trying to keep up with a 2- and 4-year old: all part of an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy, but still nobody's idea of easy.

I don't miss it - being pregnant. Grateful to have had the experience, absolutely. But I've never really pined for another go-around, at least not seriously. Still, a whole decade removed feels as significant a milestone to me as does the notion that that double-dimpled babe will blow out ten candles this weekend.

Time, like, whoa. 

-Sarah
If you're looking at school options for Fall 2023, If you're looking at school options for Fall 2023, you might be feeling overwhelmed by school tours, open houses, registration deadlines, or the all-too-common "red shirting question". That's why today we're revisiting an enormously detailed resource on our site: 

➡️ What Teachers & Educators Wish Parents Knew About Making School Decisions ⬅️

This piece is a collaboration between four educators on our team whose careers span preschool through middle school. They weigh in what what they wish parents knew about things like...

...choosing “the right school” 
...what it means to be “ready for kindergarten” 
...visiting a school for a tour or open house 
...learning to read 
...kids and friendships; playground politics
...making school decisions for a special needs student 
...becoming part of a classroom or school community 
 
Click this image at the link in our bio to get the guide. Bookmark it, send it to your co-parent or mom friends, and use it as a starting place as you wade through this tricky time of year! 

@lisaapayne4 @ashleydawn519 @thepaperdart @cafedumartin
C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e good times, come on! Today’s e C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e good times, come on! Today’s episode is number 400! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate hitting a big podcast milestone than talking about how we honor birthdays and milestone celebrations in our families – especially as kids get older. Join Meagan and Sarah as we offer insight into making birthdays special for big kids, tweens and teens; how kids getting older hits us differently as moms, too; and how honoring big kid milestones gets tricker, but still gives us all the feels. 

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
Y'all's reaction to our entire catalog now being a Y'all's reaction to our entire catalog now being available has been so fun! Listeners have told us that they're now able to re-listen to old favorites, or - amazing for us - share them directly with friends.

(If you missed it, previously, podcast apps showed only our most recent 300 episodes – less than half our catalog. The rest were only available on our website.)

Just for fun, we rounded up a few more of our team's favorite episodes from the early days of the podcast. Here are five MORE oldies that have stood the test of time, and that make for great entry-points to our early catalog.

You can listen from our website by clicking this image at the link in our bio – but EVEN BETTER, you can find the episodes in your favorite podcast app - just search by episode title, or keep on scrolling until you find them!

Copyright © 2023 · Life, Listened
Development by Cipher