Mommyhood Unscripted

Did you know that adult women are the BIGGEST portion of the population being diagnosed with ADHD? And it's common for a diagnosis to come after having children. Nicole chatted with Dr. Anna Burns who is an Executive Functioning Coach for Women with ADHD about this growing realization. Not only does Dr. Burns breakdown the signs of ADHD in adult women, but she offers up some helpful tips and tools that women can utilize to help make their lives work for their brains! If you're feeling overwhelmed, unfocused, chronically disorganized, burnt out, and never quite finding your balance? Then you need to hear this conversation; pass it onto a loved one or friend too! There are so many moms in the same boat facing similar challenges and the better we understand ourselves, the better we can show up for those we love. 

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SHOW NOTES:


Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Dr. Anna Burns

Instagram: @annaburnswellness

Website: https://annaburnswellness.com/

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

Trauma. It shows itself in a variety of ways and it's something we all experience of at one point in life; after all, it's part of the human experience. But new research is showing how trauma in young kids (specifically boys) can actually impact their adult lives when it comes to mental and even physical health. So, what can we as parents and caregivers do to help them process their emotions and regulate their thoughts so they become more emotionally and physically resilient adults? Nicole chats with trauma expert, Dr. Elena Villanueva. She is the founder and Chief Health Coach of Modern Holistic Health, and specializes in addressing root causes of neurochemical imbalances and neurodegenerative disease. If you're ready to do some course correcting and help your kids in a way perhaps you were never helped -- you can start with this episode! 

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SHOW NOTES:


Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Dr. Elena Villanueva 

Instagram: @modern_holistic_health

Website: https://www.modernholistichealth.com/ 

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

Is there a "right age" to give our kids a smartphone? That's a question parents everywhere are struggling with or have struggled with at one time. The idea of making your child wait to get a smartphone is difficult to grasp because the last thing we want is for them to feel left out or the target of jokes. But a mom in Austin, Texas started a full-blown movement in response to this predicament parents face. In this episode, Nicole talks with Brooke Shannon about the "Wait Until 8th Pledge" which has made national news and taken our country by storm. She breaks down why she created it, how it works, and some other options parents may want to consider. Whether your children are grown or you're just starting your family, this discussion is one that gets you thinking a bit more carefully about our children's relationship with technology.

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SHOW NOTES:


Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Brooke Shannon

Instagram: @waituntil8th

Website: https://www.waituntil8th.org/

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

Pet dogs are one of the best sources of unconditional love. But sometimes we forget that our four-legged friend is still an animal, and we all need to know how to keep our pet interactions safe and healthy -- especially when involving children. Do you know the signs of healthy vs. stressful interactions? A lot of people think they do, but in actuality they don't -- and that can lead to precarious situations for both you and the animal.

So whether you're looking to expand your family by adding a puppy to the mix and wondering how to prepare your home and your kids for this transition, or you just want your kids to know the proper way to handle themselves around dogs (especially when you're not in their presence), then this episode is for you! Nicole sits down with Janice Liscinsky, the owner of The Perfect Pup, LLC. She's a certified dog trainer who focuses on positive reinforcement -- which rewards all desired behavior. Janice is also a licensed family dog mediator, which is an individual with special training and education above and beyond just training or behavior consulting. Licensed family dog mediators are part of a movement to raise the bar of the public's understanding about pet dogs through integrated science and innovative, practical solutions. This conversation is super educational and if dogs could talk, they'd be thanking you for taking the time to understand them through this conversation.  

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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Janice Liscinsky, CPDT-KA, ABCDT, LFDM-T

Website: https://www.theperfectpupllc.com/

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

The ups and downs of parenting exist throughout every stage of our child's growth and development. Once you have a toddler on your hands, you almost feel blindsided at times since they're changing so rapidly. Then when it's time for them to head to preschool, there are a whole new set of challenges and dilemmas that you probably thought you wouldn't have to deal with at this young of age. But it will hit you, and the big question at hand is: are you prepared? 

In this episode, Nicole learns about some strategies to help you get through those tough stages early on in your child's development. She went straight to national parenting coach, Danielle Lindner. Danielle's latest book, "Parent's Pocket Guide to Surviving the Preschool Years: One Challenge at a Time" is giving parents, grandparents, and guardians a little bit more of an assist when it comes to navigating the preschool years and everything in-between.

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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Danielle Lindner

Website: www.daniellelindner.com 

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

"Child Trafficking" is an unfortunate thing we hear about in the headlines, and the nightmarish thoughts of a child being snatched off the street by foreign nationals come to a lot of minds... But that couldn't be further from the truth! Believe it or not, Child Trafficking is happening right under parents' noses, inside their own HOMES -- and in some cases, inside schools! Believe it or not, our children are now more accessible to people wanting to do them harm -- all thanks to the internet and social media in this post-pandemic world. 

Nicole sits down with Tammy Sneed, who is the Director of Connecticut's Human Anti-Trafficking Response Team. She explains why it's so CRUCIAL that parents, caregivers, and teachers acknowledge that "Child Trafficking" exists and also highlights the signs to be on the lookout for, and what you should do if you believe a child is being targeted. As you know, our kids are steps ahead of us when it comes to social media and the internet; so this episode will arm you with helpful information so we can protect our children from being the next victim of these 'bad actors'.

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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Tammy Sneed

Website: https://portal.ct.gov/dcj/states-attorneys/hartford/division-of-criminal-justice-regionalized-human-trafficking-recovery-taskforce-of-greater-hartford

Resources: 
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/human-trafficking-resources
https://www.justice.gov/psc

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

This episode is a VERY sensitive topic, and we want to throw a disclaimer out there that we are talking about miscarriages and infant/child loss. However, as difficult as this topic is, it carries a very important message: you don't have to grieve alone. This kind of loss is something many people don't talk about or don't know how to talk about. But the mission of the organization, "Hope After Loss" is all about providing connections, comfort and care to families who have experienced such a loss. Executive Director of "Hope After Loss", Christina Mailhos, and Board Member and Support Group Facilitator, Stephanie Byrd sat down with Nicole to each share their own stories of loss which led them to the group. This is a conversation that gives hope to those who may feel like things are hopeless right now, and they also provide some insight to those who don't know what to say to those who have experienced the unthinkable.

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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guests: Stephanie Byrd and Christina Mailhos

Website: https://www.hopeafterloss.org/

Instagram: @hopeafterloss

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

This episode is all about a dynamic mother-daughter duo who are helping LGBTQ+ youth feel less alone. Robin Colucci has been a huge support for her daughter, Maya Hoffman during her coming out journey. The pair offer guidance on navigating the coming out process from both the perspectives of a parent and a child. Nicole sits down with Robin and Maya to hear about their story and ask those questions you may be hesitant to ask... They cover everything from topics of self-discovery and acceptance, to gender pronouns, LGBTQ+  literacy and advocacy work. 

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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guests: Robin Colluci & Maya Hoffman

Website: https://worldchangingbooks.com/

Instagram: @worldchangingbooks

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

When a couple wants to start a family, it can be anything but easy. Unexpected struggles with infertility and even pushing off the timeline of having children can bring heartbreak. Adoptions can be a great pathway to parenthood. But what does it look like? How does it all work? How do you overcome the mental hurdles associated with the process? 

Adoption expert, Nicole Witt, informs and debunks the myths surrounding the experience of adoption which prevent people from seriously considering this journey. She gives out some sage advice when it comes to adoption, the process, and what factors point to whether it's the right next step for you. 

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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Nicole Witt

https://www.adopting.com/adoption-podcasts/adopting-the-podcast

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV

Parents innately worry about their children all the time -- no matter how old they are. So when your child is diagnosed with a food allergy or food intolerance,  it only compounds things. Anxiety and fear can take over--especially when your child is out of your sight--as you wonder whether they could come into contact or accidentally eat something that contains an allergen. How do you quell those concerns and let your child live as "normal" a life as possible?  

Nicole sat down with Anna Laurie who has more experience than you can imagine with this topic! All 3 of her kids had some kind of food allergy or intolerance; and that is why she became an expert on food allergies, a holistic health coach, and the author of a book dedicated to helping educate families about the 8 most common food allergies many children have.  Anna also offered up some great go-to food substitutions, allergen-free recipes, and resources that helped her family. 
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SHOW NOTES:

Host: Nicole Nalepa | @NicoleNalepaTV

Guest: Anna Laurie

Website: https://www.foodieqfit.com/
Instagram: @foodieqfit

**If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, or you'd like to be featured on "Mommyhood Unscripted ", contact Nicole Nalepa at: [email protected] or on social media: @NicoleNalepaTV