You’re in the thick of the holiday planning. Grandma wants to be with the grandkids on Christmas morning. Aunt Cindy wants everyone over on Christmas Eve. The in-laws are planning a Boxing Day feast and you consider yourself lucky because at least nothing falls on the same day? You should go to everything. But none of it is close to home, or what you want to do… But you have to. Emotional fitness expert and mom-of-two, Dr. Natasha Sharma, says maybe you should not and, actually, you don’t have to. It’s time to stop should-ing and hav-ing all over the holidays and she’s here to help.

Have you been telling yourself that you’re going to hit the gym as soon as the holidays are over? Well, this episode we’re here to tell you that…maybe you don’t have to? I mean, you can if you want. But that’s the point: Only if you want. We are tired of the guilt and self-loathing that comes with the holiday parties and get-togethers and we just want to enjoy. So how do you do that? Cookbook author, restaurateur and super-mom-of-two, Devin Connell, is on this episode to help you figure it out. Spoiler alert: She shares the best idea for a fun and wacky holiday party everyone will remember!

The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, right? Ha! For moms it’s easily the most stressful time of year. There’s the gift giving, schedule planning, cleaning, decorating, hosting and often times the managing of family politics – all of the behind the scenes work that make the holidays magical. Not to mention, this is on top of our daily chores and responsibilities!

Intentional or not, most of us have morphed into MOMAGERS and that is where the concept of EMOTIONAL LABOUR comes into play.

So, what is emotional labour and how do we tackle it? Gemma Hartley, author of Fed Up, a book about emotional labour and the mental load, is on this episode to break it down.

We all do it. We tell our kids those little white lies to get through the day. “The iPad is broken.” “If you make that face for too long it will stake like that forever.” But those lies get a little more complicated around the holidays. “A man is going to come down the chimney with presents!” And, “There’s a little Elf who’s watching to make sure you’re behaving!” Alana Keyfetz and Dr. Dina Kulik, from the “Moms That Say F*ck” podcast, are here to help us figure out when these fibs are helpful and when could they be harmful.

Gift giving is somewhat of a skill. You’re either a pro, or an amateur. But stress no more, whatever your skill level, this episode will help you be the greatest gosh darn giver there ever was. From this year’s hottest trends to meaningful experience-based gifts, guest Kim Shiffman brings the best advice. And she has the research to back it up. Not only is she the mom of two boys, she also comes armed with the Today’s Parent gift guide!

The parties, the presents, the partridge in a pear tree! There are a lot of things to spend money on around the holidays and it all adds up, quick. Shannon Lee Simmons is a financial planner, business owner and mother of two (including a newborn, who she brought to the studio to record this episode!!) so she knows a few things about juggling life, including how to balance the books! She’s on this episode to help you know your limit and spend within it.

Celebrating Father’s Day got us thinking about the role fathers play in our children’s lives. How has the role of dad changed over the years? What myths and stereotypes are they fighting? How are they teaching their kids about these changed? To find out, Mel and Evanka go straight to the source. They talk to two dads who are doing things a little differently, and that’s okay!

It happened. Your little human did the thing that triggered a weeks worth of stress and you lose your shit. A yelling match ensues, and alas, no winners and losers emerge, only guilt. Do they even understand what’s going on!? How do you recover from a big fight? Can you stop it before it gets started? Award-winning author and mother of four, Ann-Douglas, joins Mel and Evanka to share a few tips that will make the next blow-up better.

If this is you, you probably know it. Your evenings and weekends filled with taking the kids to their activities, so much so that there’s no time for anything else. No judgement—you mean well! But if you said yes, then Mel and Evanka are here to help. In this episode, they call on designer, author and mom-of-seven(!), Lisa Canning, who says over-scheduling your kids can be harmful to both them and the family, and offers some advice for restoring sanity.

Why is it that the person you love the most can also be the person who knows exactly how to push your buttons? Relationship and mental health expert, Nicole McCance knows, and she’s here to help! In this episode, Mel and Evanka find out how partners can keep the flame alive after the baby arrives.