How can you grieve productively? Is there such a thing? When our guest, Portia Summers-Thurston, lost her 17-year-old son to a stabbing in 2016, she found healing through mentoring other at-risk young men in south Atlanta. Listen as she shares how she overcame her natural feelings of guilt and vengeance to come to a place of peace. If you’ve lost a child to violence, this episode is especially meant for you.

This week, Dr. Vivian Bea joins the Madres in an enlightening discussion on breast cancer in the black and brown communities. Ladies, get your mammograms! Dr. Bea is a breast oncologist surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Her work outside of the operating room mostly revolves around bridging the gap of disparities between minority women and their health. Aside from that, she’s co-authored an Amazon best seller with her son called “Please Don’t Touch My Magical Hair.” You can follow Dr. Bea on Instagram at @drvivianmd and on Twitter at @drvivian.

This episode was recorded the night following the Vice Presidential Debate for the 2020 Presidential Election, held Wednesday, October 7, 2020. This time around, the Madres are sharing their thoughts on the debate and the importance of our voting rights. For more information on voting in your area, visit your secretary of state’s website, or www.centerforvoterinformation.org. Vote like your life depends on it... because it does!

On this episode of the Meeting of the Madres Podcast, Danielle talks with Khalilah Brooks about why representation is important in children’s TV and theater programming. Khalilah Brooks has created a musical puppet theater company that produces a show with an ethnically and socially diverse cast of characters that stand up to 6 feet tall! Listen up as Khalilah takes us to school on diversity and inclusion in children’s programming. Catch her show, Aunty B & Friends on YouTube and Facebook at @auntyb1. Get free printables from the show’s Pinterest feed at @auntyb_ and visit the website at www.auntyb.ca for more information.

Are you tired of stumbling into your day? Try these tips for a smoother morning routine. You might be surprised at the quality of your days after making a few changes to your mornings! As always, we’d love to get your feedback. Leave us a review so other moms can find us easier! Also, email any topic suggestions to [email protected] and join our private Meeting of the Madres Facebook group for more inspiration and community!

Are life situations creating anxiety in your children? In this episode, the Madres are discussing some ways to alleviate anxiety in kids. We’re speaking about anxiety not from the sense of a continuous “anxiety disorder,” but anxiety as a response to a specific event or series of events. We referenced some information found at the Child Kind Institute at www.childmind.org. Check it out when you have some time! CDC.org and KidsHealth.org have resources for parents with children who struggle with anxiety disorders.

This week, the Madres dig into some issues that children have had with social distancing. Here are some things to look for in your children, and a few ways that you can help them deal with the anxieties associated with their current situations. Join Meeting of the Madres on Facebook. Just search for Meeting of the Madres and request your membership! Be sure to leave a review to help other ladies find this podcast easier, and send in your topic ideas to [email protected].

This time around, entrepreneur Sophia Esquivel sits in the chair to talk about balancing boss life and family life. She’s a mom of 6, a wife and has been an entrepreneur for several years. Sophia runs The Leon’s Heart blog (theleonsheartmom.com) and store (theleonsheart.com). Check out the wisdom nuggets she drops in this necessary conversation about the hats we wear! You’re always welcome to join Meeting of the Madres Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/meetingofthemadres.

Have you had some concerns about how your children will attend this school year? Some schools will delay the start of school and phase in face-to-face learning. Others will have virtual learning for several weeks, then eventually switch to the traditional face-to-face class sessions. However you slice it, this school will be like none other (thanks to the coronavirus pandemic), but you don’t have to feel like you’re stuck with something that doesn’t work for your family’s needs or priorities! In this episode, the Madres give some options for at-home learning from traditional homeschooling to virtual charter schools. We’ll mention k12.com, Georgia Cyber Academy (georgiacyber.org), the abeka Christian homeschool curriculum (abeka.com), and Connections Academy (connectionsacademy.com). Take this opportunity to educate yourself on your options, and be sure to read your state education department’s website for guidelines about homeschool, if you choose that route.

Believe it or not, it’s already time to prepare your household for another school year. In this episode, the Madres discuss the preparations that they’re making as we enter the last few weeks of summer break. From meal planning to making school supply lists, we’ve got a lot of ideas to help you start the school year off right!