Parenting a thirteen-year-old for the first time feels completely different than parenting your four two-year-old—and that's exactly the point. In this vulnerable episode of Mucked Up My Self Care, Jill and Linda explore how self-care shifts and evolves through every stage of motherhood, from pregnancy loss and postpartum preparation to managing preteens, kindergarteners, and everything in between. Through personal stories of hospital scares, garden overwhelm, and the messy reality of trying to control the uncontrollable, they remind us that sometimes the best self-care is simply letting go.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How self-care needs change dramatically across different parenting stages (and why that's completely normal)
• Why trying to control too much in motherhood can actually dampen your self-care efforts
• The unique challenges of managing multiple ages at once—from preteens leaving empty food packets everywhere to toddlers needing constant attention
• How to navigate self-care during intense seasons: pregnancy, loss, health crises, and emotional heaviness
• Why "structured self-care" isn't always the answer—sometimes it's about vegging out on the couch with a book
• How to prepare for postpartum self-care when you've been through it before and know what you need
• The power of having a go-to self-care list when you're too overwhelmed to think clearly
• Why giving yourself understanding and grace is essential when parenting any age for the first time

Motherhood doesn't come with a manual, and neither does self-care through its many stages. Whether you're dealing with difficult school drop-offs, preteen messes, pregnancy worries, or just trying to squeeze in half a page of reading before falling asleep, this episode validates the reality that every stage brings new challenges—and new opportunities to care for yourself differently. Jill and Linda's honest conversation reminds you that it's okay when things don't go as planned, and that sometimes the best thing you can do is dance it out, take it one day at a time, and remember: this is the first time you're parenting this exact child at this exact age.

Until next week, we hope you can unstuck your muck! 💛

📩 Need help figuring out where to start with self-care? Message us at [email protected] and we'll send our favorite simple self-care ideas—no thinking required!

👋 Find Jill @mamaoutspoken and mamaoutspoken.com

💬 Connect with Linda @hellolindabonney or lindabonney.com