Joy wonders how parenting changes as kids hit new milestones. As Emily’s youngest approaches kindergarten, she wants to find purpose beyond motherhood. Chelsea struggles in a new remote work position and questions whether she made the right career move. And Dana asks when and how to start conversations with her kids about the expectations she has for them after high school. This week we’re back with MORE listener questions – enjoy!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Listener Question episodes from the archives.
• Emily and Chelsea mentioned working motherhood and purpose in their listener questions. Click here to find more episodes and blog posts on working motherhood.
• If you’re looking for more content about parenting teens, check out the playlist 18 podcast episodes from our archives.
• Meagan and Sarah mention the various jobs they’ve held in Living A Writerly Life: Episode 454

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Summer lets kids expand their experiences, gain new skills, and experience independence – but those opportunities can be scary, too! In this classic replay from 2022, Meagan and Sarah share stories about the times our kids seemed vulnerable when faced with more independence, how those nerves showed up in our children (and ourselves!), how we handled our nervous energy, and planned for major milestones with kids who were nervous to spread their wings. Enjoy!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• This playlist has over 30 episodes of The Mom Hour about planning for summer
• Sarah has found the books The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey and How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims very motivating to encourage kids to get outside their comfort zones.
• Sarah heard Martha Beck talking about brain science on Glennon Doyle’s podcast We Can Do Hard Things
• Read our Contributor Joanne’s blog post, “This Is Too Hard!”: How I’m Showing My Kids The Importance Of Doing Hard Things

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rebekah struggles with a culture of “husband bashing” and negativity in her local mom circles. Ainsley wonders how she and her husband will handle being outnumbered once their third child arrives. Candice wants to feel seen in all she does for her family – prompting Meagan and Sarah to explore different kinds of invisible labor and unpack the work we sometimes assign ourselves. And Amanda asks us to give an update on our current food values. In Episode 461, Meagan and Sarah take these questions from our community and offer tips and validation. Enjoy!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Listener Question episodes from the archives
• Do you relate to Rebekah’s mom friend question? Here’s more on friendships in motherhood from the archives: Friendships in Motherhood, Part One (Redefining “Ride Or Die”): Episode 307 and Friendships In Motherhood, Part Two (Deepening & Widening Your Circle): Episode 308.
• Episodes from the archives on Mental Load and Invisible Labor
• Emotional Labor, Burnout & Completing The Stress Cycle: Episode 285
• Letting Go of Perfect-Holiday-Mom Pressure (For Real This Time): Episode 290
• Episodes from the archives on Food
• Family Food Values & What’s Working For Us: Episode 244 and Defining Your Family’s Food Values: Episode 113 references Meagan and Sarah’s food values from the past

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the cost of EVERYTHING at near record highs, many families want to be mindful about where all their hard-earned dollars go. In this episode, Catie Parrish and Katie Gouldner share some of their best tips and tricks for stretching those dollars (and even saving in the process!). While groceries and eating out are easy targets for slashing your monthly spending, you might be surprised at a few other tips for saving big – plus, Katie shares how her recent no-spend month went, and how much her family saved!

Meagan and Sarah are off for the first two weeks of April. Enjoy the Katie+Catie takeover, and we’ll be back soon!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Follow Katie Gouldner and Catie Parrish on Instagram
• Katie mentioned an episode of The Frugal Friends podcast, No Spend January, that spurred her mindful spending month
• Episodes From The Archives That Pair Well With This One:
• Saving Money On Food And Groceries: Episode 351
• 7 Ways We’re Saving Money This Fall: Episode 277
• Saving Money on Groceries & Household Supplies: Episode 55
• Katie mentioned the family amusement park Hersheypark which is located in Central, Pennsylvania
• Catie mentioned this Arboretum outside of Chicago
• Katie chatted with Sarah about planning her 2023 Disney World Vacation in Disney Planning / Disney Parenting: Episode 410
• Catie joined Meagan in the episodes Tips For Traveling With Small Kids (Catie’s Florida Family Vacation) and Tips For Traveling With Teens (Meagan’s Florida Family Vacation)

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nine years on the mic together and almost thirteen collaborating in some capacity: today we’re reflecting and celebrating! Whether you’re a longtime listener who feels like a friend (we see you!) or a newer community member still learning which one of us is blonde (it’s Meagan), this episode will bring fresh stories and familiar reminders of who we are and why we’re here. We hope you’ll join us!

HELPFUL LINKS

• Episodes from the archives that pair well with this one:
• How We’re The Same (And Also Different)
• Meagan & Sarah Interview Each Other
• What We’ve Learned From Each Other
• Traveling As Business Besties
• Our Childhood Crushes
• Ask Us Anything!
• Sarah mentioned this episode: Talking About Our Own Kids. Or Not: Episode 364
• The Behind The Scenes of the Podcast Episodes:
• Business Behind-The-Scenes & State Of The Podcast Chat: Episode 396
• More Than Mom: Behind The Scenes Of Our Partnership
• More Than Mom: Making The Podcast (Then vs. Now)
• More Than Mom: Behind The Scenes & Business Updates
• Behind The Scenes (How We Make The Podcast): Episode 91

Other Helpful Links:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re revisiting a classic from the archives today: a ridiculous game of Would You Rather…? Meagan and Sarah recorded this one in person together on a hot summer day back in 2018 (almost six years ago!), and in it we challenge each other to pick between wildly impossible scenarios. Which one of us would rather deal with an insane diaper blowout while in public and which would rather have an end-of-the-world public tantrum? You’ll have to listen to find out!

HELPFUL LINKS

• A follow-up episode where we played even more Would You Rather…
• Meagan references acting in a local theater. Here’s more episodes from the archives on hobbies!

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.