Episode 10 ✨ I'm so excited to share this new episode with my dear friend Charity. She's so easy to relate with and is really intentional in a very inspiring way. She not only is an incredible homeschool mom, she also serves her community as a doula. If you've ever wondered why one would need or want a doula in your birth experience, give this a listen. In this podcast, we talked about:

⭐ How to reach out for help when your first line of help (family) isn't available.

⭐ How to intentionally raise your kids in a tight -knit family when that wasn't your norm.

⭐ The reality of the feeling "I thought I'd never be cheerful again" when you need a break. 🧙🏻‍♂️ (Name that movie).

⭐ How to think about "social norms" and how to think about them for your family.

⭐ How a doula can make the birth experience amazing by guiding your spouse through a new experience and make it a way of uniting a marriage.

⭐ How distance doesn't have to separate us from allomothers who are friends thanks to technology. We don't have to do this alone!

Charity is a doula in the Chesterfield County area in Virginia. If you want to learn more about her services, you can find her on Facebook under "Pure Love Doula."

Thanks for listening!

Here is the YouTube link below:

Episode 9 ✨

If you need some encouragement today, listen to this podcast with Krishelle!

She is someone who has gone through a career, supporting her husband through pharmacy school {and COVID} all with a growing family!

Krishelle has a degree in Political Science and a master's degree in education so she is able to teach grades six through 12!

In this podcast we talked about:

⭐ Jumping into an accelerated pharmacy school program

⭐ Supporting her family as a teacher during school

⭐ Navigating her kid's separation anxiety & her oldest's Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis

⭐ Reaching out for help from her mom to take care of her before quitting her job

⭐ Anchors that helped her during this busy time such as; family days (Saturday & Sunday), family dinners, exercise, etc

⭐ How to let go of having a perfectly clean house & folded laundry

⭐ Rely on God, and you'll have the strength to get through

⭐ Best pep talk at the end for moms! You're doing a great job!

She gave incredible insight that will help anyone in a family situation with busy careers and a growing family!

Happy listening!

xoxo

Celeste

Below is the link to the interview on YouTube!

Krishelle and her sister are also the hosts for the podcast "All About Him." Here is the link to check it out!

IG: @all.about.him.podcast

Hi everyone!

I am grateful for the amazing insights that I personally gained while talking to Kayla about her journey through school, supporting her husband through his bachelor’s and master’s degree, and becoming a mother all at the same time.

We all grow up watching our parents and that really becomes part of us. Kayla talked about how she watched her own mother go back to school and work after having kids, and that’s what was normal for her. Her husband had a different perspective as his mom decided to stay at home. This brought up great conversations as they dreamed and planned how they wanted to create their future together. This is such a great realization as we grow as couples through expectations and how we will work together.

As Kayla approached her last year of school, she was pregnant and very sick. She decided to tell her professors, and they were very understanding and gave her grace when she needed it. We talked about how important it is to speak up. If she hadn’t, she’s sure that her year would’ve turned out differently.

We talked about the importance of communication as a couple. Their dynamic really changed her last year as she decided to quit her job so she could finish strong, and her husband stepped up into fully providing for their family (he was doing a dual bachelor’s and master’s degree program). She felt that she was able to sink into motherhood in a new way as she took over some household duties (including budgeting), and realized that they needed time as a couple as well. It really paid off overall as their life evolved.

Kayla noticed, as they worked together to be in school and be with their baby, that resentment built up fast if they only focused on the BIG things. Things like hours of “alone time” wasn’t enough to foster good relationship overall. They really had to focus on the little things. Obtaining that maintenance really changed their relationship.

She has learned that change is constant, especially with a growing family, and patience is necessary because the mood changes when there’s a grumpy baby and overwhelmed and overworked parents! Communication is key!

I hope you will share this podcast episode with someone who is knee-deep in school with a family. There’s so much that goes into this dynamic and I know it will help anyone who listens.

Happy listening!

Celeste

P.S. Here is the YouTube link below!

Hi friends!

I’m thrilled to finally be able to share my interview with my dear friend Valerie Finlay, and share her journey through many years of school with a growing family in the middle of it all.

Valerie graduated from Brigham Young University in Special Education and now has five beautiful children. She has supported her husband through a master’s degree and medical school training and now residency. They have moved many times, and she shares great tips of how they strengthened their marriage throughout this journey.

Valerie shared how she was pregnant during her last year of her Bachelor’s Degree, she went straight to her professors and let them know that she was pregnant and started working with them. While they didn’t give her any slack, they made arrangements with her as her pregnancy progressed. We talked about the importance of speaking up! At vulnerable times, we sometimes think that we “should” be able to work it out, but it’s really important to take care of yourself.

As she moved around in her childhood, Valerie remembered the advice her mom used to give her. She told her to not expect people to come up to you and be your friend, you have to go and make friends. She kept practicing that and was successful for the next six moves as an adult.

When I asked Valerie about her journey supporting her husband through medical school, she mentioned that they always valued being a team. They were both in this together. It wasn’t just him that was in medical school. She said the first six weeks of medical school were the hardest because they were both really overwhelmed. She began to get to know the third year students and spouses and got great advice from them, and also joined a Facebook group with other med school spouses in the area.

Valerie was first to say that she didn’t know her journey would lead to adoption at the busiest time of her life, but her husband always wanted to adopt, and there was a time when they both felt like they should get certified in foster care. This led to many miracles as COVID hit, and they adopted two boys and had another baby three weeks after that. They became a family of five in two weeks.

Her best advice is that you’ll make it! You’re stronger than you think you are! Even if medical school or the direction you’re going doesn’t work out, you can still move forward! Asking for help is so important, and people will step up to help you.

Listen to the full podcast for more gems about embracing your journey.

Happy listening!

Celeste

Here is the YouTube link. This podcast has been published on all podcast platforms for your convenience!

Hello!

I am so excited to share this podcast episode with you. Jasmine Lu is a mental health therapist and a mother of two. I met her during the start of our second year in NYC when Michael was pursuing a master’s degree. Jasmine’s husband was just starting his first year of medical school. She is still knee-deep in supporting her husband through his now last year of residency in Manhattan. She is a light, and brings great strength through adversity with her background and all around gifts as a person.

In this podcast episode, we talked about how to take the day-to-day approach to a big program that she and her family have tackled.

As a mental health professional, she has amazing tools for higher and efficient communication, burnout and resentment prevention, and how knowing your family member’s love language can lift the general happiness in your relationships. 

We talked about comparison and that the grass isn’t really greener on the other side. Have a happiness journal and write down three things that made you happy that day.

She has learned how to fill her own battery. You realize that you can’t rely on another person to do it. As an extrovert married to an introvert, she mentioned the importance of helping each other with goals through companionship inventory. Companionship inventory is a sit-down time to talk about what is going well, things you appreciate about each other, and what you can help your spouse with that week. This can be great to get feedback before things boil over. While there can still be arguments or hard times, this can be preventative as you work on it as often as you can. Kids can also give us feedback on how we can do better. We definitely aren’t perfect.

We need to keep our expectations in check, and sometimes lower our expectations and communicate them as well or else resentment can build.

Chuggin’ and pluggin’ is her motto right now!

This podcast has SO many tips, that it will give you the tools you need to take your life to the next level. Especially with the relationships you care deeply about.

While relationship and personal improvement is something we all need, please also share this with anyone you know that is staring medical training (or residency) this year, or especially if you know someone jumping into a new life in NYC.

You can find the YouTube link below to watch, or listen to the podcast audio at the top of this blog article. It is posted also on Apple and all podcast platforms.

Thanks for listening!

Celeste

Hello!

I am super excited to introduce you to my dear friend, Mary Ann.

Mary Ann is the creator of “Money Make Under,” where she inspires you to take control of your spending and live the life you want and really need! Through her journey of motherhood, she has realized that there are many “should-do’s” that are unnecessary. She gives tips on how to look at your life, and delegate things that are on your list as a mother so you can spend time doing things that you love, and being present with your kids.

Accepting help is not easy, but it’s something she had to do when she got into a car crash last year that left her with constant migraines. She realized that there are people that are willing to help, you just have to say yes to their offers!

While the last generation had the attitude to work for 30 years and then travel and have a relaxing life during retirement, she gives tips on how to find your passion and live a life now that you don’t want to retire from and have fun now!

I hope you will get ideas from this podcast that can relieve some of the things on your to-do list, especially your “should-do” list like I did!

Take her FREE spending types quiz to start your journey to living your best life!

FREE Spending Types Quiz: https://moneymakeunder.com/the-spending-types-quiz/

If you have a topic about motherhood that you’d like to hear about, please reply to this email so that I can help you in your life right now!

Hugs,

Celeste

P.S. Below is the YouTube link. Please subscribe and share with someone who needs these reminders! You’re worth it!

Hello!

I am so excited to share Episode 4 with you and share Julie’s experiences in motherhood, life and finding joy. Julie has always been upbeat and positive, and she continues this still today.

Moving farther away from family is something that happens so much in our modern society, and there are certain trade-offs that come with that.

Julie gives great insight into her life, and great tips that we can all apply. Julie and I discussed reaching out to others that have your same interests and kids to create a support network. You need to have a community that is really close for those doctor's appointments or grocery shopping. We can't do it alone.

While we easily focus outside of ourselves, she talked about finding her passion, having girl’s nights, and being real with the phase that you are in. Creating time for ourselves is necessary for our well-being!

While being a mother was always her goal, she got married later than she had planned, and this proved to be a great blessing. Because of that long wait, she is really soaking in the newborn and toddler days as she balances her business.

She also gives great advice about how to have good expectations with a newborn and keeping your husband up to date about how you're processing life.

Finally, she talks about creating life and a family is sacred and something you do with God.

Thank you, Julie for spreading your joy of life! This is what it’s all about!

Hugs to you all,

Celeste

P.S. If you have anything you are struggling with or have questions about, I would love to do a podcast on the subject! Email me back and I’ll get working on it!

Here is the YouTube link to listen in. It is also on all podcast platforms so you can listen in.

Hey!

I am so excited for this podcast. I learned so much, and I hope it will help you too. Here’s some details about Ashlee.

Ashlee is the mother of two and the owner of Real Life Fitness LLC. She is a Nutritional Coach and Fitness Trainer and has amazing content for you! It was an honor to learn from her on this podcast. She gave amazing advice about moving across the country with a young family, how to invest in yourself, the critical nature of communicating with allomothers and your spouse, and how to carve out time for yourself so you can thrive.

Here is where you can find her amazing content: Real Life Fitness LLC

Other helpful links:

Free 31-Day Healthy Meal Calendar

The Habit Lab: A free mini course on building healthy habits and breaking bad ones... even if you hate kale and adore treats

Below is the YouTube link, but the audio is above on substack and is on all podcast platforms.

This interview is with Amber Callister who grew up in a military family that lived around the world, and is now a mother of two. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her family and runs “The Little Lab”, offering science classes for parents and tots in her community.

In this episode, we discussed; the importance of being assertive when making friends, creating a community and a network, how communication with your spouse takes time and tools, how mothers need the gift of time, how mothers need time to think and dream, how to find your passion, the need to do something aside from the daily grind, the role your spouse plays in meeting your needs, and the importance of therapy.

If you know anyone in the Portland, Oregon area you can share her Facebook group called “The Little Lab” for science classes for parents & tots!

Please subscribe to My Allomother Youtube channel!

If there’s any topic in particular that you’d like to hear about, please let me know!

Hugs,

Celeste

Celeste Smith is the founder of My Allomother, a podcast focused on supporting mothers and their demanding schedule. In this introduction, she shares her story of how she came to feel the need to educate and support mothers who feel alone, and who need the tools to thrive.

Come dive deeper into Maternal Anthropology by subscribing to my blog https://maternalanthropologist.substack.com/