Mama Knows Podcast

In this conversation, Nina and Cassidy recap the successful Mama Knows Live event, which focused on women's mental health and community building. They discuss the event's highlights, the mission behind the Nurtura Foundation, and the importance of confidence and support among women. The conversation also touches on the challenges of event planning and the key takeaways from the experience, emphasizing the need for connection and vulnerability in motherhood and beyond.

00:00: Introduction and Event Overview
02:55: Event Highlights and Experiences
06:08: Nurtura Foundation and Its Mission
09:52: Defining Confidence and Community
13:51: Challenges in Event Planning
17:10: Key Takeaways and Reflections

We all need a village and I am happy to be part of yours! Leaving a review is the easiest way to support the work Mamaknows does in sharing resources with as many Mamas as I can! And each one means the world to me 🩷

With Halloween coming up it was the perfect time to revisit a fan favorite episode when .diet.mama and I talked about all things sweets and treats when it comes to our kids. It’s always been important to me that I cultivate a healthy relationship between my kids and all foods, including sweets. Sammie gave some great insight into how we can do this!

With Halloween quickly approaching we wanted to revisit thoughts on sweets and if we should be limiting their intake and how we can talk to our kids about sweets. Sammie and I talked about how we should approach the topic of sweets and treats when it comes to our kids on this fan favorite episode. We covered:

How do we talk about sweets and treats to our kids?
How do we limit sweets & treats without causing deprivation and or a complex around certain foods?
How much access should the kids have to the pantry that also contains sweets & treats? How controlled should this space be?
What do I do if my kid only wants to eat sweets and won't eat their meal?

Samantha Gollup is a compassionate and dedicated Registered Dietitian from Madison, Wisconsin. With an extensive background in Surgical Weight Management, she has discovered her true calling within the realm of intuitive eating and founded her private practice, Anti Diet Mama. As the founder of Anti Diet Mama, Sammie is on a mission to empower mamas to heal their relationships with food and their bodies by dismantling the harmful teachings of diet culture. You can find her on Insta .diet.mama

I try to choose topics that are valuable in all aspects of life, including topics that are important to me in my own season of life. I’m curious though, what do you want to hear more about? What topics would you add to the show?

We all want to be good parents and develop secure relationships with our kids. But if you’re like me you’ve found yourself asking how? And wondering if you have to be perfect all of the time. offered us 4 things we can do daily to cultivate the secure relationship we desire. Eli has so much knowledge on this topic and we had such a fascinating conversation a must listen for all parents or caregivers.

In this conversation, Nina and Eli delve into the intricacies of attachment theory and its profound influence on parenting. Eli shares her personal journey with attachment styles, the impact of childhood experiences on adult relationships, and the importance of fostering secure attachments with children. They discuss the various attachment styles, how they manifest in parenting, and the significance of conflict resolution and repair in maintaining healthy relationships with children. In this conversation, Nina and Eli explore the complexities of parenting, focusing on the emotional challenges parents face and the importance of secure attachment. They discuss the balance between acknowledging one's own insecurities while striving to provide a nurturing environment for children. Eli emphasizes the significance of making repairs in relationships, the pitfalls of over-apologizing, and the misconceptions surrounding boundaries and connection. He outlines four essential practices for parents to foster secure attachments with their children, highlighting the need for emotional regulation and self-awareness in parenting.

00:00: Understanding Attachment Theory
07:09: The Impact of Attachment on Parenting
13:57: Exploring Attachment Styles
20:08: Navigating Conflict and Repair in Parenting
25:38: Navigating Parenting Insecurities
27:24: The Burden of Repair in Parenting
29:07: Over-Apologizing: A Common Parental Pitfall
32:40: Misconceptions About Boundaries and Connection
35:36: Four Essential Parenting Practices
42:33: Finding Balance in Parenting

Meet Eli
Eli Harwood is a licensed therapist, author, and educator who has more than 17 years of
experience helping people process relational traumas and develop secure attachment
relationships with their children and partners. Eli has three children, one husband, two cats, and
an extraordinary number of plants.

Not everyone has a village and motherhood can’t be really freaking hard. One of my goals with my podcast is to help women, mothers feel less alone. So if you need a village, I’ll be your village and we can learn together along the way.

Some of the things you can do to improve your relationship with your in-laws might surprise you! Listen to .counseling.for.parents share things you can do with your partner that will improve or change the way you think about your relationship with your in-laws.

Thank you for taking time to leave a review of the podcast! I read each one and truly value your feedback! I’m curious, how did you find my podcast? Through my Instagram or another way?

As parents, we focus so much on our kids sleep needs and creating healthy sleep routines we often neglect our own routines and needs leading to sleep deprived parents. But sleep is incredibly important and should absolutely be part of our self care routines! Listen to sleep expert, share tips and bust common myths we believe about our sleep as adults so we can create better sleep habits!

In this conversation, Nina and Rebekka discuss the often-overlooked importance of sleep for adults, particularly for parents. They explore the concept of chronotypes, how understanding one's natural sleep patterns can enhance productivity, and practical tips for adjusting sleep habits. The discussion also addresses common sleep issues, misconceptions about sleep, and the significance of establishing a healthy bedtime routine. Rebekka shares her expertise as an adult sleep consultant, emphasizing the need for realistic and sustainable sleep strategies for busy individuals.

00:00: The Importance of Sleep for Adults
05:07: Understanding Chronotypes and Their Impact
10:15: Adjusting Sleep Patterns: Tips for Night Owls
14:50: Common Sleep Issues and Healthy Habits
22:39: Debunking Sleep Myths and Misconceptions

Rebekka Wall is a certified adolescent and adult sleep consultant with Sleep Wise Consulting and is passionate about helping people prioritize sleep and proper rest. As a wife and a homeschooling mother to three boys, Rebekka knows the ability to live with more energy, less stress, balanced hormones, reduced mental fatigue, and achievable health goals are met through consistent, quality sleep. She has a special interest in how hormonal shifts throughout a woman's life impact sleep and is all about providing realistic and sustainable tools for long-term success.

Did you know that leaving a review is one of the easiest ways to support my podcast?! And I am so grateful for each and every one!

Did you know 50% of friendships are not reciprocated? Meaning one person in the relationship views it as more or less meaningful or important in their life than the other. Hear explain why this is actually an okay thing and how we can work toward accepting the different kinds of friendships we need and obtain the kind we want.

In this conversation, Nina and Danielle discuss the challenges of maintaining friendships, especially in motherhood. They explore the different types of friendships and how to align with different friends. They also discuss the importance of setting boundaries and managing expectations in friendships. Danielle provides tips on how to navigate a perceived lack of balance and reciprocity in a friendship, and how to identify toxic dynamics. They also discuss the impact of social media on female friendships and ways to make and nurture friendships in busy seasons of life.

Danielle Bayard Jackson is a female friendship coach and educator who speaks nationally about the science of women’s platonic connections. She is also the author of Fighting for Our Friendships (May 2024).

Danielle’s coaching business, Friend Forward, is dedicated to teaching women how to create and maintain better female friendships, and her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, NBC News, Psychology Today, Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, and a host of other media outlets.

A former high school teacher, Danielle now uses her teaching skills and leverages her background to study what the latest research has to say about women’s cooperation, communication, and conflict.

As a member of the American Sociological Association, she uses the latest research to create tangible strategies to help women create more depth in their platonic relationships. Companies like TikTok, the NBA, NFL, and Etsy have all booked Danielle as a speaker to address the topic of connection psychology. She’s even served as Bumble’s resident friendship expert and spokesperson for its new app Bumble for Friends.

Danielle shares her insight weekly on The Friend Forward Podcast, has several viral videos on social media, and has written for Insider and Harvard Business Review.

You can learn more about Danielle and her work by visiting www.betterfemalefriendships.com.

We all want to keep our children as safe as possible but with what seems like the ever changing rules and guidelines and SO much information out there it can feel overwhelming to even know where to start. In my conversation with Dr. Darria this week she gives us tips and areas to focus our attention to drastically reduce risks to our children without feeling like we have to do everything all at once.

In this conversation, Nina and Dr. Darria discuss baby safety and the importance of keeping children safe in various aspects of their lives. Dr. Darria, an ER physician and mother, shares her passion for helping families navigate the overwhelming amount of information on baby safety. They discuss the importance of trusting a mother’s intuition and the challenges of balancing safety with allowing children to explore and play. Dr. Darria emphasizes the key areas of focus for baby safety, including safe sleep, car safety, and bath safety. She provides practical tips and reassurance for parents to reduce risks and create a safe environment for their children. In this conversation, Dr. Darria discusses the top injuries that parents could have addressed at home to prevent ER visits. She also emphasizes the importance of baby-proofing the home and provides tips on how to do it effectively. Dr. Darria advises parents to remove, relocate, and co-locate dangerous items, as well as create safe spaces where they can leave their child unattended for short periods. When purchasing products like car seats and toys, she recommends checking for JPMA certification and buying from reputable vendors.

Dr. Darria Long leverages the best of science, to make our lives healthier, better… and easier.

By combining her life’s work as an Emergency Room physician and being a mom of three – Dr. Darria has become the nation’s ‘making life better for women’ doctor by helping individuals pave ways to stay present and remain healthy during times of constant distractions and high stress. With a website devoted to distilling health headlines and creating a thriving lifestyle, Dr. Darria shares simple, evidence-based (from western, eastern, and integrative medicine) advice on physical and mental wellness, and the health guidance you’d expect and trust from a close friend.

Dr. Darria is offering her new course to our listeners for a discounted rate. Visit NoPanicParenting.com with code MAMKNOWS. The course launches Course launches 10/16. Pre-sale goes from 9/17 - 10/16!

Money guilt and scarcity can stem from our background and upbringing. Alyssa Davies, a financial expert offers us some tips to work through the guilt and shame to work toward a healthier relationship with money and our overall finances. Don’t experience guilt and shame around your financial status and financial decisions?

Leaving a review is one of the easiest way to support my podcast and it’s quick and easy! Each one means so much to me!

In this conversation, Nina and Alyssa discuss the topic of money and its impact on relationships. They explore the concept of money guilt and scarcity, and how it can stem from one's background and upbringing. They also delve into the challenges couples face when it comes to money, including conflicts and financial infidelity. Alyssa provides tips on how to have productive conversations about money with your partner, as well as the importance of budgeting and building an emergency fund. She emphasizes the need for mindset shifts and reframing negative money narratives to improve financial wellness.

00:00: Introduction and Money Guilt
11:59: Money in Relationships
19:07: The Importance of Budgeting
21:45: Building an Emergency Fund
26:57: Mindset Shifts for Financial Wellness

About Alyssa:
Alyssa Davies is a Trauma of Money certified facilitator and a published author living in Calgary, Alberta. She founded the two-time award-winning Canadian Personal Finance Blog of the Year, Mixed Up Money, and is the cohost of Money Feels, a podcast dedicated to healing your relationship with finances. Alyssa is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and her books, The 100 Day Financial Goal Journal and Financial First Aid are currently available for purchase.

My goal has always been to bring free resources to as many as I can so we can all improve in the areas of motherhood and life that we want! What other topics should we cover?!

There is so much information out there on what’s best for our kids that it can be overwhelming and hard to know where to start. If you’re like me you want to hear from the experts and this week, Jessica Farmer, a literacy expert weighs in on simple but effective things parents can do to support their child as they learn to read. Which tip are you going to try?

In this conversation, Nina discusses her concerns about her son’s reading development with Jessica Farmer, an expert in early literacy. They cover key milestones in early reading development, tips for parents to introduce reading skills, common mistakes to avoid, and red flags that indicate a child may be struggling with reading. Jessica emphasizes the importance of early intervention and provides resources for parents to support their child’s reading journey.

Chapters
00:00: Introduction and Concerns
05:10: Key Milestones in Early Reading Development
08:43: Tips for Introducing Reading Skills
18:42: Common Mistakes in Teaching Children to Read
25:58: Recognizing Red Flags and Seeking Intervention
31:14: Conclusion and Resources

Meet Jessica Farmer, the force behind Farmer Loves Phonics, a literacy advocate in the world of education on social media. With a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University, Jessica also holds a reading endorsement in the state of Florida. Her journey into the science of reading began in 2020, spurred by the onset of the pandemic. In response, she took to TikTok to create informative content, aimed at assisting parents in supporting their children’s learning at home. Since then, Jessica has maintained a consistent presence on TikTok and Instagram, offering valuable resources and insights for both parents and educators.

Dedicated to advancing the field of reading instruction, Jessica has expanded her knowledge through specialized training. In 2021 and 2022, she successfully completed LETRS for Early Childhood and Comprehensive IMSE Orton-Gillingham. Her unwavering passion lies in making reading instruction accessible and effective for every learner. With a commitment to reaching and empowering all readers, Jessica continues to be a trusted source of guidance and support in the science of reading community. Jessica is currently the lead professional trainer for Rainbow Phonics and a facilitator for LETRS EC.

When your child does something they aren’t supposed often our immediate reaction is to launch into a lesson or consequence about why they shouldn’t do that. Remembering that not every moment is a teaching moment is so hard. Sometimes it’s more important to focus on maintaining the connection and relationship with your child.

We still allow them to feel their emotions while we offer support and understanding and holding boundaries. So what are some things we can do when our children feel shame or embarrassed while still holding them accountable? Alexandra at shares some easy things we as their parents can do to model unconditional love and acceptance. Which resonates with you most?

In this conversation, Nina discusses the topic of shame in children with Alexandra Idens, the founder of Big Life Journal. They explore how children experience shame, how parents can recognize and address it, and how to build resilience in children to handle setbacks and failures constructively.

00:00: Introduction and Personal Experiences with Shame
08:38: Creating Family Agreements to Address Shameful Behavior
17:07: Supporting Children Through Shameful Experiences
25:23: Building Resilience in Children to Handle Setbacks
28:45: The Importance of Connection and Unconditional Love
30:56: Letting Children Feel and Learn from Shameful Moments

Alexandra Eidens is the found and CEO of Big Life Journal. At Big Life Journal, their mission is to give parents, teachers, therapists, and counselors the tools they need to help kids grow up confident, resilient, and ready to take on the world. They work to make it easier for you to nurture kids who believe in themselves and their ability to achieve big things.
Find out more on her socials:
www.biglifejournal.com