Picking Daisies

It's the holiday season and here we are - freaking TIRED. I know you feel it, too.

Let's get into it. Sit in this burnout, together. Have some laughs. Katie's here to make it all happen with me.

Episode Highlights:
-The marathon and difficulty of buying gifts for everyone
-How do we feel about  a hamster?
-Making Christmas special without losing our sanity
-Do we have ADHD?
-Living in a state of organized chaos

Katie Costa is my hilarious friend behind @mommyneeds_morewine and joins me each month as co-host for an always relatable, always fun episode. Enjoy!

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

Screen time is a polarizing issue for all parents - do you, or don't you? How much is too much? What's good and what's not? Thankfully, I'm talking to two experts who are dedicating their careers to helping parents let go of guilt and approach screens from a well-researched and realistic point of view.

Dr. Roxy Etta and Dr. Liz Horgan are the two moms behind @ThoseMediaMoms, and offer some really great insight and tips for managing your day-to-day - because let's face it, screens aren't going anywhere.  Let's all breathe a sigh of relief knowing we're not ruining our kids because they watch a show here and there.

Episode Highlights:

• How to use screens in the most beneficial way for kids
• Laying the foundation for a lifetime of healthy habits
• Research-based tips on how to approach screen time
• Recommended shows
• The Wild West of Apps

Dr. Roxy Etta is a mom to 3 and earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She's spent the last 10 years studying the intersection of kids and families with screens. Roxy and her family live in Wisconsin.

Dr. Liz Horgan is a mom to 2 and earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Educational Psychology at UW-Madison. She focuses on digital play, and what parents think about it, through her experience researching children's cognitive development. Liz and her family live in Georgia.

Together, as @ThoseMediaMoms, they aim to empower parents raising young children in the digital world through research-based solutions developed by true experts and moms.

Their work has been featured by organizations around the world including the International Communication Association, Society for Research in Child Development, Cognitive Development Society, American Psychological Association, and Good Morning America.

Find more information on their website, www.ThoseMediaMoms.com as well as links to their courses, The Science of Screen Time and Family Media Reset. You can also follow them on Instagram, @ThoseMediaMoms.  

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

I am thrilled to introduce a new voice to the podcast: Kendall Smith, author of Rookie Father: A Playbook for Men Experiencing Fatherhood for the First Time."

Kendall is a veteran dad who uses his life experiences to help other men navigate fatherhood, especially if they didn't have a father figure at home growing up. This is a great listen for your partner, but know this is not just for men! It's a conversation I think we all need to hear, to create the balanced home we all desire.

Episode Highlights:

• How and where he learned to navigate the role of "Dad"
• Tips for showing appreciation to your spouse
• How the roles are shifting between Moms and Dads - for the better!
• Why Dads aren't just accessories at home any longer

Kendall Smith is a father and the author of Rookie Father: A Playbook for Men Experiencing Fatherhood for the First Time. His goal in writing the book is to advise new dads, who didn't have a father figure growing up.  It includes parenting tips, projects, cooking, and tips for relationships. You can read more about Kendall on his website, and check out his book from national and local booksellers.

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

This is not a drill. 

The OG everyone-can-relate-viral-social media Moms are HERE. Yes, I'm talking about Cat & Nat: best-selling authors, podcasters, content creators, and fellow-mom cheerleaders. 

I am a BIG fan of these two women, and I'm so grateful they took the time to join me for this episode. They are honest and so, so real: you won't want to miss their advice on the different stages of parenting, making mom friends, and yes - even some sex confessions.

Episode Highlights:

• How "Cat & Nat" the brand was born
• Changing the narrative of the "Perfect Mom"
• Parenting advice for a few seasons ahead
• How your mindset shifts as kids get older
• Making mom friends - why is it so hard?
• Setting boundaries online
• Focusing on health out of necessity, not vanity

From catandnat.ca: 

With seven kids between the two of them, Cat & Nat know just how lonely and isolating motherhood can be. So, they set out on a mission to bring women and moms together by hosting dinner parties and events - with wine and without babies. The events garnered huge success in Toronto and were talked about all over, leading Cat & Nat to take things to the next level and break into the online world to reach more people and connect women and moms everywhere.

Cat & Nat's rapidly-exploding community of like-minded moms tune in every day to watch them rewrite the paradigm of “the perfect mom.” With honesty and humor, Cat & Nat dismantle the unrealistic portrayals of motherhood that are often presented throughout social and traditional media. Through their virally famous #MOMTRUTHS videos, which have garnered hundreds of millions of views, their Facebook Lives and Instagram stories, their best-selling book, and iHeartRadio award nominated podcast, Cat & Nat share everything moms think but are too afraid to talk about. Over the past few years, Cat & Nat have taken their #MOMTRUTHS on the road, performing over 100 live shows across North America.

Check out the links below to follow, like and support Cat & Nat:

Podcast
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
TikTok
Books

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

Geordian Abel is a new mom who likes to get up and get fully dressed for the day - and the internet has a BIG problem with that.

Yikes.

I'm sure by now you've seen the post that launched Geordian into the public eye, but if not - we're talking all about it in today's episode. Geordian shares her daily routine that helps her feel successful as a mom. If it's different from the way you do things, cool. Is she a bad person? No. Are you? No.  Can we all take a minute and quit judging strangers online? Yes. Let's get into it.

Episode Highlights: 

• Thoughts on "that" video and the chaos that followed
• Stepping into motherhood, and what works for different people
• The guilt and anxiety that comes with leaving our kids
• Societal pressure to do things the "right" way

Geordian Abel is a wife and mom to son, Hutton, and lives in Fort Worth, Texas. She owns an online boutique, Flourish in Frills, and shares her fashion finds and lifestyle online via her Instagram @GeordianAbel and her website,  www.adoremorewithgeor.com.

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

I find myself constantly going back and forth - should we or shouldn't we? 

Have another kid, I mean. 

Jess Runas is the ultimate "Mom of All Stages" - teen, little kid, toddler, and a baby.  She knows what it's like to balance every stage of the game!  So this was a fun conversation to weigh the ultimate decision of adding another kid to the family. 

Episode Highlights:

• How do you know if you're "done?"
• Managing the age gaps
• Considering all-the-things when adding to your family
• The grief of seeing your kids grow up

Jess Runas is a wife and Mom of 4, based in California. Her social media accounts are real, funny, and welcoming. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and also shop her online store, 4theloveshop.

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

Putting yourself out there on social media can feel like throwing content into a void: Is anyone even seeing this? Where is it going? What am I doing wrong? Why did this one go right?

Laura Bitoiu, the founder of BSquared Social, is an expert in all things content. She has made a business by helping creators find a game plan to grow their audience, sell a product, or get brand deals. She's sharing some of her best tips and breaking down the "behind the scenes" of being an influencer, in any capacity.

Episode Highlights: 

• The beauty in taking online breaks
• Tips for how to build an online following
• The ever-changing platform formula
• Strategies for posting content; what gets views?
• Giving credit where credit is due
• What we like and we don't

Laura Bitoiu is an Instagram Reels Strategist and the founder of BSquared Social, a social media marketing agency. She has years of experience as a social media manager and consultant, now offering straightforward and realistic reel strategies to help businesses grow and succeed.  Her business offers online education, actionable strategy, and coaching.  Find her online and on Instagram, @BSquared.Social.

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

We're home from LA. Let's talk all about it!

Episode Highlights:

• What we did in LA 
• Mary's upcoming Child Free Trip to London
• Flight Fears

Katie Costa is my hilarious friend behind @mommyneeds_morewine and joins me each month as co-host for an always relatable, always fun episode. Enjoy!

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

Navigating motherhood often involves a lot of patience,  and room to pivot. Laura Wilfon (@WineatBedtime) knows that life well, and I'm so glad she's joining me to discuss all the things we didn't necessarily expect when becoming a parent - and how we keep it "real" without worrying about "relatable."

Episode Highlights

• The misuse of the term "relatable"
• Managing how we show up online
• Finding your people as new mothers, or in new locations
• The 4 Quarters of your day, and how to make the most of them

Laura Wilfon is the "Mother Hustler" behind @WineatBedtime, sharing her favorite tips and tricks to make the most of each day for both yourself and your family. Find her on Instagram or TikTok, and on her website, www.wineatbedtime.com. 

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com

Whitney Allen was pregnant with her 2nd child when her husband suffered a severe reaction to a bee sting, and died just a few months later. At the time, her children were 4 and 3 months old.

Heartbroken and left to navigate a new normal, Whitney worked through the grief and found a new calling: to help other women, who are also hurting, to find their purpose again.  Grief is not a one-size-fits-all feeling. It shows up in different ways for different people, and it's a process. If you're hurting in any way,  this episode is worth a listen. 

Episode Highlights:
-Her story of losing a husband at a young age, with two young kids
-How grief hits in different stages
-The process of refocusing on the future
-How to talk about death with your kids
-Writing the next chapter after a loss

Whitney Allen is an author, a mother of 2, and a widow. Her husband, Ryan, suffered a rare and severe reaction to a bee sting leading to cardiac arrest and an anoxic brain injury - at the young age of 35.   After his untimely death, she took her own experience and turned it into a career as a grief coach, helping other women navigate their pain and step into magical, joyful, and purpose-driven lives. 

If you are also grieving, and looking for help from a trusted professional, you can find more information on Whitney's website.  Her memoir, Running in Trauma Stilettos, is available for purchase and you can apply for Grief Coaching here.
 

Join Mary everyday for a real look into life with 3 crazy ass kids, surviving, thriving, and whatever the F else you might consider over at www.instagram.com/theverymarylife. Or if you're a Tik Tok fan, find me at https://www.tiktok.com/@theverymarylife. And of course, explore more on Theverymarylife.com