Multicultural Family Hub

Multicultural Family Hub

By Kjessie & Andre EssueSociety & CultureParentingKids & Family
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Multicultural Family Hub episodes

  • Anxious About Money? This Conversation Will Help.- Ep. 22

    Let's be real—everything costs more these days. Whether it's groceries, gas, or after-school care, the pressure is on. And for parents, that financial tension isn't just about bills. We make money about identity, safety, and whether we're "doing enough" for our families.

    In this episode, Kjessie and Andre open up about the invisible weight so many of us carry: the anxiety around money and what it means for our parenting. Western culture tells us that more money = better outcomes. So when things are tight? We feel like we're failing.

    But it goes deeper than dollars.

    Kjessie shares her own journey—especially the way motherhood reshaped her relationship with money. She names something few people say out loud: our culture doesn't place real value on caregiving. And that can leave mothers questioning their worth, especially if they've stepped away from paid work.

    The labor of caregiving is invisible in our culture, and it's no wonder so many women feel anxious about their value, whether at home or in the boardroom.

    Together, we explore:

    • Why financial anxiety isn't just about dollars and cents, it's emotional, cultural, and deeply personal

    • How inherited money stories shape our sense of value and enoughness

    • Tools to identify and reframe those stories to reduce stress and create more peace

    • How we're reclaiming presence over perfection—especially when resources feel limited

    This isn't a budgeting talk. It's a call to rethink the stories we've inherited about money and value—especially for parents, and especially for mothers.

    We're also sharing how this journey led us to lower the price of our Multicultural Family Hub to just $20/month—because support shouldn't be out of reach when you need it most.

    Join now at www.multiculturalfamilyhub.com/community

    Pull up a chair. Let's talk about money, motherhood, and how we rewrite the narrative—together.

    51 min
  • Beyond Bike Helmets: Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Safety in Parenting- Ep. 21

    Today we're digging into something that shows up every day for us as parents—anxiety around our children's safety. But we're not just talking about locks on doors or helmets on bikes.This is the 3rd episode of our Parental Anxiety series and it's a real humdinger.

    We're unpacking the deeper dimensions of safety: physical, emotional, and spiritual. So many of us are parenting under the weight of stories we inherited—about what it means to protect, to provide, and to prepare our kids for the world. And when we don't slow down to examine those stories, fear can quietly take the wheel.

    In this conversation, we explore:

    • The difference between feeling anxious and parenting anxiously

    • Why emotional safety can't be outsourced to a "good school" or a quiet neighborhood

    • How overprotectiveness might increase long-term risk

    • Why creating emotionally safe spaces matters—for our kids and for us

    • Soil Science as a metaphor for creating a safe space (that's right folks, we've got a farmer with us, and she's bringin' the plant metaphors)

    We share personal stories from our own parenting journey, including how safety looks different when you're raising a multicultural family. We also reflect on how our own upbringings shaped our fears, and what it means to redefine safety as something that includes belonging, self-expression, and curiosity.

    If you've ever found yourself spiraling about whether your child is truly "safe"—or wondering if your anxiety is running the show—this episode is an honest place to land.

    1 hr 11 min
  • We're Not Raising "Nice" Kids—Here's Why-Ep. 20

    This is the second episode in our Parental Anxiety series, and we're talking about one of the most charged topics in parenting: "good behavior."

    But what is "good," really—especially when it's defined by rules we didn't write, in spaces we're still learning to trust?

    After moving from Northern California to Savannah, we enrolled our kids in a diverse, city-run day camp. Day one brought unexpected feedback from our kids—cue parental anxiety. Kjessie felt the spiral coming on, and Andre stepped in with a powerful model for having hard conversations rooted in love.

    We unpack:

    • 🧠 The anxiety we feel when our kids "misbehave" in public

    • 🌍 How culture shapes our ideas of a "good kid"

    • 💬 Why talking about emotions helps kids navigate unfamiliar systems

    • 💸 The cost of "niceness" and why discomfort can be a growth edge

    • ❤️ The real work of parenting: listening, reflecting, and leading with love

    Andre also shares tools for:

    • Having hard conversations with love

    • Moving beyond "niceness" into clear, loving boundaries

    • Building connection through honesty and discomfort

    This episode is for anyone who's ever left drop-off questioning everything—or who wants to raise kids who show up fully in diverse spaces.

    🎉 Don't forget: Our Launch Event THIS SUNDAY July 20th! Register NOW and receive a FREE month in our community

    🧡 RSVP now at www.multiculturalfamilyhub.com/kick-off

    1 hr 7 min
  • Is This the Right School? How to Escape the Spiral- Ep. 19

    We're kicking off a new series! 🎉 In this powerful first episode of our Parental Anxiety series, we're diving into one of the biggest emotional decision points for parents: school choice.

    From social pressure and safety concerns to academic expectations and cultural identity, we're unpacking the hidden layers of anxiety that surround choosing "the right" school.

    As a multicultural family recently relocated from Northern California to Savannah, Georgia, we share our own experience navigating this process—seeking a school that reflected our values: social-emotional learning, cultural connection, and community care.

    This episode invites you to pause and ask: Are your choices rooted in fear and other people's stories—or in your family's truth?

    We explore:

    • How to recognize and work with school-related anxiety

    • How your personal school stories may be shaping your current decisions

    • A multicultural lens on education—and why it matters

    • Creating calm space to clarify your family's values around learning

    • Differentiating between real-time concerns and inherited fears

    Whether you're deep into school tours or just starting to consider what education could look like for your family, this conversation is a gentle place to land—and a reminder that you're not alone.

    🎉 Join us at our Launch Event on July 20th! Register today and get a FREE MONTH in our community!

    Come connect with other multicultural families and learn more about the vision behind the Multicultural Family Hub.

    🧡 RSVP now at www.multiculturalfamilyhub.com/kick-off

    1 hr 1 min
  • Emotional Weather, Humid Hair & The Next Right Thing- Ep. 18

    In this episode, we're talking about the emotional messiness and the glimmers of magic that come with making a big move—literally and emotionally. This episode is the last in our moving series, so buckle up!

    As we settle into Savannah (hello, salsa dancing and big hair humidity!), we're realizing this season is full of stretch and surrender. People warned us about the bugs and the heat—but what we've found is joy, gratitude, and moments of coming home to ourselves.

    We talk about:

    🧡 Letting big feelings be part of the process—and how we coach each other through them with grace, clarity, and snacks

    ✨ Celebrating glimmers and wins as tiny boosts of gratitude and momentum

    🔄 Doing the next right thing—even if it's imperfect—and modeling trial & error as a powerful way to grow

    Plus, a quick travel hack: how kids' audiobooks have become our secret productivity weapon while running around.

    This is a love letter to trial and error, to starting fresh, and to letting your family see how growth actually happens—in the real, messy, joy-filled moments.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    • Audiobooks for kids we love

    The Wild Robot-Peter Brown

    Elf Dog & Owl Head-M.T. Anderson

    The Land of Roar- Jenny McLachlan

    🎉 Join us at our Launch Event on July 20th!

    Come connect with other multicultural families and learn more about the vision behind the Multicultural Family Hub.

    🧡 RSVP now at www.multiculturalfamilyhub.com/kick-off

    35 min
  • Making a Move: Study Long, Study Wrong, Pay for Movers- Ep. 17

    📦 Making a Move: Study Long, Study Wrong, Pay for the Movers Thinking about relocating—or knee-deep in boxes and bubble wrap? In this episode, we share the 3 biggest lessons from our multicultural family's recent move across the country.

    ✔️ First: Pay for the movers. Seriously. ✔️ Second: Set a clear intention based on your values, not outside expectations. ✔️ Third: Know your moving style (are you a "keep it all" hauler or a "toss everything" purger?)—and find balance before the packing tape runs out.

    Whether you're navigating transition, culture, or the chaos of a cross-country move, this episode will give you clarity, laughs, and permission to do it your way.

    🎧 Listen now and breathe easier through your next big move.

    23 min
  • The Last 10%: Joy, Junk Drawers, and the Art of Finishing What We'd Rather Skip- Ep. 16

    Ever start something strong, only to stall out at the final stretch? You're not alone. In this episode, we explore why finishing that "last 10%"—whether it's organizing (and packing) the infamous junk drawer while you wrap up a move, or completing a creative project—somehow the last 10% feels disproportionately hard.

    We talk about: • How to invite joy and play into the most mundane tasks • Real-life stories from multicultural family life and big transitions • Small mindset shifts that help you cross the finish line (and feel good doing it)

    This episode is part inspiration, part permission slip, and 100% for the recovering perfectionist who just wants to get it done—with a little more grace and a lot more fun.

    💬 Share in the comments: What's your "last 10%" you've been avoiding?

    🔔 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell if you're into emotionally intelligent parenting, personal growth, and making life feel a little lighter.

    Books we mention:

    Octavia F. Raheem– Pause Rest Be

    Sarah J. Maas– Throne of Glass Series

    Sue Monk Kidd– The Book of Longings

    42 min
  • The Itchy Sweater Feeling– Small Shifts. Big Exhales.- Ep. 15

    Ever feel that restless, itchy sweater feeling—like something in your life no longer fits, but you're not sure what comes next? In this episode, we're talking about that exact feeling—the subtle discomfort that signals change is on the way.

    We share the story of how that sensation led us to a major transition: moving our multicultural family of five across the country, from Northern California to Savannah, Georgia. From the chaos of traveling with three kids to the power of making 1% shifts that snowball into life-changing transformation, this episode is part reflection, part roadmap for anyone standing at a crossroads.

    Whether you're navigating a big life change or just feeling the nudge that something new is calling, this conversation is for you.

    🧶 Because sometimes the itchy sweater is the first sign of your next exhale.

    40 min
  • When It All Went Sideways: Moving, Meltdowns & Mindsets Ep. 14

    This week, it all went sideways. We were cruising along and then BAM! In this episode, we share the behind-the-scenes of our big move—from the sale of our house unraveling, to last-minute school chaos, to all the emotions that came with uprooting our family. Spoiler alert: it wasn't smooth.

    We allowed all the sad feelings and used our multicultural mindset to ground us. We leaned into discomfort, held space for sadness, and reminded ourselves that transition is rarely tidy. Also, Kjessie shares her most helpful phrase from Flower Farming: "You will kill SO. MANY. plants." It sounds weird, but it's great life advice. Check it out, share it with a friend, and if you're in the middle of a transition, this is a must-listen.

    32 min
  • Ep. 13 Incapable of Small Talk? Why We Created Multicultural Family Hub

    We're not good at surface-level conversations—and neither are the families we serve. In this episode, we share the raw reasons we created Multicultural Family Hub. A family vacation to South Beach, Miami happened to be a real tipping point.

    Our community is rooted in real connection—from kitchen table conversations to weekly group coaching, and transformative monthly workshops. We expound on everything the Hub has to offer, why we chose group coaching as a core pillar, and the powerful workshop experiences we have in store. We can't wait to open the doors this June!

    29 min

About Multicultural Family Hub

From the publisher's feed

Join us, Andre and Kjessie, at Multicultural Family Hub. We bring together multicultural families with children so that we can connect to one another, and create joy, ease, and beauty in our family…