Moms in the Middle

It’s been a year since everyone’s lives were flipped upside down because of Covid-19. Working from home, home-schooling our kids, and managing family expectations. It’s been hard.

Now imagine getting pregnant and delivering a baby during a pandemic? OH wait…that’s exactly what happened to many of us this past year. Including our very own Evanka!

In this episode, we dive into the world of pandemic pregnancy to share the ugly truths everyone is scared to talk about.

At this point, the pandemic is feeling like a marathon with no finish line in sight. If you’re a parent struggling to keep up with virtual learning, a spouse finding it hard to keep the peace with your partner, an employee fighting distraction while working from home, or all three (!!), the burnout is real. So how do we carry on and ensure that our mental health is taken care of?

Since the pandemic began, millions of Canadian women are struggling to juggle child care, household responsibilities, and paying jobs. Saying it hasn’t been easy is an understatement. Trust us, we’re right there with you! Now, recent reports are coming out with discouraging data that shows women are leaving the workforce. What does this say about our fight for gender equality? And how can we stop the backwards slide? To help us answer these tough questions we’re joined by Dr. Sonia Kang. Sonia holds the Canada Research Chair in Identity, Diversity, & Inclusion and is an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources management at University of Toronto. She’s also the host of her own podcast, For the Love of Work.

If you said no, you’re not alone. Maybe this sounds familiar: As you head off to bed late at night, you have to remind your pre-teen (for the millionth time) to also hit the sack. In the other room your wee toddler can’t seem to get into a bedtime rhythm. Or maybe all the heavy news has you tossing and turning. Sleep has become one of the biggest challenges during COVID-19, so we turned to the go-to sleep expert, Alanna McGinn, to help us catch some much needed Z’s.

We, like many of you, have been watching the protests around the world, reading and listening to Black voices and having challenging conversations about race and racism in our lives. Systemic racism and social injustice have been happening for centuries but it’s only been a problem for some. And finally the world is waking up to it. But in order for this revolution to have positive change on our futures, and the futures of our little ones, parents need to include their kids in the conversation. So how do you do that? How can you engage them in meaningful and effective ways that they will understand? This episode we’re joined by Sportsnet personality and father of one, Donnovan Bennett, and writer and mom of two, Natalie Preddie.

We’ve all been affected financially by COVID-19. And when times get tough it’s easy to feel like you’re spiralling out of control. So how do you rein in your spending and rethink money to regain your power? Is it by deferring your mortgage? Or cutting subscriptions? Even if you’re still getting a paycheque, what can you do to make the most of this extraordinary time? This week we’re talking to certified financial planner, author and mother of two, Shannon Lee Simmons.

Since the pandemic started we’ve all been feeling a little cooped up and part of that is seeing our families a lot more than we’re used to. We love them, but if we’re being honest it’s starting to put a strain on the connections we have. So how do we use this new situation to help build stronger relationships, instead of tearing us apart.

We were in the middle of recording new episodes when the pandemic hit and disrupted our lives, and yours. Now that we’re finally settling into this “new normal,” we wanted to check-in and give you an update on what’s been going on in the last few months. And there’s been A LOT. Including a new addition to the Moms in the Middle family! We’ll also hear how some of our favourite guests from past episodes are surviving lockdown.

Did you just roll your eyes at this episode title? Yeah, we know how it goes – you’re starry-eyed and hopeful on January first, ready to keep up with all of your New Year’s resolutions. But before the end of February (definitely by March) you quit it. Why is it so hard to stick to the promises we’ve made to ourselves? And how do you really, like actually, stick to one? Hina Khan is a personal development coach and she’s on this episode to coach you through making a resolution you can keep.

Did you know Canadians produce about 25 per cent more waste during the holidays? Think about it – there’s the wrapping paper, the decorations, the toys! We consume more, which means we waste more, too. So what can we do this year to reduce our carbon footprint? Award-winning environmental journalist, Candice Batista is on this episode to help you adopt better habits that you can pass on to your kids.