Kathryn Whitaker is a mother of six and an advocate for NICU families, and today she joins contributor Joanna Martin to share her family’s story. Joanna and Kathryn discuss what to expect from a NICU stay, the impact of NICU experiences on a marriage and on older siblings, and how Kathryn’s family continues to navigate her son Luke’s medical needs and their own mental health. Kathryn also shares how she got involved with Hand To Hold, a national nonprofit offering personalized support, resources and community to NICU families. This episode is a must-listen for anyone experiencing a NICU stay, and for those who want to support them.

Meagan and Sarah have passed the mic over to our team this summer. Enjoy the fantastic, all-new podcast episodes they’ve prepared for you, and we’ll talk to you in August!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Follow Joanna Martin on Instagram
• Learn more about Kathryn Whitaker on her Website, Facebook or Instagram
• Hand To Hold podcast is a great resource for those experiencing, or have experienced, NICU stays
• Hand To Hold episodes you may be interested in:
• Episode 85: Just Landed in the NICU? Start Here!
• Episode 97: What You Need to Know About NICU Medical Billing & Insurance
• Episode 98: Should I Pay that Medical Bill?
• Episode 90: Chaplaincy and the NICU
• Episode 86: Did I Leave the NICU with PTSD?
• Episode 72: Mental Health: Why We Said Yes to Marriage Counseling (Part 3 of 4)
• Joanna recommended the book What Happened To You (affiliate link) for those who experienced childhood trauma.

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Am I ready to go back to work?" It's a question we get a lot in this community. Today Jayme chats with regular contributor and working mom of four Kia Hammond, who made the choice to stay home full-time during the pandemic and has since returned to the career she loves. Jayme and Kia delve into the logistical challenges and big emotions that accompany reentering the workforce, and lean on Kia's recent experience to offer practical insights and tips for making it work. Enjoy!

Meagan and Sarah have passed the mic over to our team this summer. Enjoy the fantastic, all-new podcast episodes they've prepared for you, and we’ll talk to you in August!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Follow Jayme Sherrod and Kia Hammond on instagram 
• Cozi App
• Employment Characteristics of Families In 2023
• Episodes From The Archives On Working Motherhood:
• Working Motherhood & Behind The Scenes At The Mom Hour: Voices 63 With Amanda Park
• Time Management & Productivity Tips For Savvy Working Moms: Voices 54 With Whitnee Hawthorne
• Career Challenges & Working Mom Strategies: Voices 41
• Stretched Too Thin With Jessica Turner: Voices 29
• Stay at Home, Work Full-Time, Or Something In Between? [Classic Replay]
• Blog Posts On Working Motherhood
• How To Start A Freelance Career Without Spending Money
• I Bought A Treadmill Desk And Yes, It’s As Life-Changing As The TikTok Influencers Claim

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From e-readers to audiobooks, graphic novels to good ol' paperbacks, the methods may have changed, but the essence of reading remains timeless. Today Jayme and Joanna dive into the wonderful world of raising readers in 2024. We share personal anecdotes and insights into our own reading habits, those of our children, and offer valuable perspectives and actionable tips for raising readers. Join us!

Meagan and Sarah have passed the mic over to our team this summer. Enjoy the fantastic, all-new podcast episodes they've prepared for you, and we’ll talk to you in August!

HELPFUL LINKS

• Follow Jayme Sherrod on Instagram
• Follow Joanna Martin on Instagram
• The National Assessment of Educational Progress Survey that was referenced in the episode
• Joanna shared the phrase DEAR Time (Drop Everything And Read Time)
• Read Aloud Revival blog with booklists for kids of all ages
• @EverydayReading on instagram is a great resource for book recommedations for you and your children
• Simliar Episodes from the archives:
• Cultivating A Reading Life: Voices 73 With Amy Clark
• Reading & Literacy Tips by Age & Stage

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With eight kids between us and so much to discuss on the podcast, we can go for long stretches without catching up about our own families. Join Meagan and Sarah in our last episode before our summer hiatus as we swap stories about our own kids and share what’s coming up for them this summer. Spanning tween through young adult, we think ‘our eight’ are pretty great, and we’re excited to share them with you today!

Curious about The Mom Hour’s summer podcast schedule? Listen to us chat about what’s ahead for the podcast here.

HELPFUL LINKS:

• This pairs well with last week’s episode On Motherly Pride: Episode 469
• Sarah mentioned the podcast episode Julia Gets Wise With Anne Lamott
• Episodes From The Archives Related To This One:
• Talking About Our Own Kids. Or Not.: Episode 364
• On This Day In (Our Motherhood) History: Episode 366
• Baby Names & How We Chose Them: Episode 262
• Our Kids & Their Friendships: Episode 207
• What’s Great (And Less-Great) About Our Eight: Episode 152
• Real Talk About High School (With A Real Teen!): Voices 71 With Meagan’s Son Will

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Come behind the scenes and let’s chat about Summer 2024! Meagan and Sarah each share what’s on deck for their families this summer – from new business ventures to international travel, camps for kids and creative breaks for us. We also map out what you can expect from the podcast for the next several weeks, including some exciting new content and much-requested topics. Join us!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Sarah mentioned the podcasts Holidays To Switzerland and Untold Italy
• You may enjoy Parenting Lessons From Travel Abroad: Episode 448 about Sarah traveling out of the country with the family
• Meagan opened a bookstore in July 2023 and talked about it in Books & Reading Reflections for 2023: Episode 445
• Meagan’s family bookstore (Paper Mill Books in Manistique, MI) can be found on Instagram @papermillbooks

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sure, we’re PROUD of our kids. Isn’t every mom? When kids overcome an obstacle, crush a school project, score the winning goal, or graduate with honors, we feel that familiar swell. But feeling motherly pride is just the beginning, it seems. Expressing it to our kids and sharing it with others brings up a whole suite of other ‘stuff’, from bragging and comparison to ego and more. Join Meagan and Sarah as we navigate this emotional landscape together, in real time. It’s a fun one!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Sarah referenced the episode from the archives Pomp, Circumstance, And Motherhood: Episode 419
• Read Meagan’s recent blog post The Complicated Reality of Parental Pride
• Send us your #proudmomma moments– we’d love to hear them!

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From glitter explosions to squishy Play-Doh creations, epic blanket forts and paint-covered masterpieces, today we explore the joys and challenges of messy play with little ones. In this latest House Rules episode, Meagan and Sarah share tips from The Mom Hour community on how to set boundaries for messy fun, contain the chaos, and handle the inevitable cleanup. Join us!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• House Rules For Messy Fun ideas from our Facebook Community.
• Did you enjoy this House Rules episode? Here are a few more from the archives:
• House Rules For Easier Bedtimes: Episode 443
• House Rules For Tidying Up: Episode 413
• House Rules For Gifting & Giving: Episode 393
• House Rules For After School: Episode 380
• House Rules for Playdates: Episode 340
• You may enjoy the blog post On Messes And Motherhood written by Stacy Bronec, a Mom Hour Contributor.
• Sarah referenced this kid-friendly, handheld dustpan and broom.

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you happy with your work-mom balance? This classic replay from 2017 is about finding satisfaction in your current situation and how to take small steps toward a different one (if that’s what you’re seeking). Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, working outside the home, freelancing or something in between, we’ve got you covered. Just know that no matter what your choice and how you feel about it, you’re definitely not alone. Enjoy!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• 10 Signs You Might Be a Work-Anywhere-Possible-Mom (WAPM) (Sarah’s tongue-in-cheek post for City Mom Collective)
• Click to see the Facebook conversation and Instagram conversation we reference in this episode.
• Similar Episodes From The Archives:
• Time Management & Productivity Tips For Savvy Working Moms: Voices 54 With Whitnee Hawthorne
• Inside the Lives of 3 Working Moms: Voices 02
• Career Challenges & Working Mom Strategies: Voices 41
• Listener Questions (Working Mom / SAHM Edition): Episode 142
• Meagan & Sarah’s Working-Mom Lives: Episode 140
• Check out the blog post “How To Start A Freelance Career Without Spending Money” by Jennifer Carroll.

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hot, cold, non-alcoholic, spirits: If we drink it, we’re chatting about it today. Join Meagan and Sarah as we discuss our go-to beverages, sipping vessels and drinking habits with a few product recommendations sprinkled throughout. We hope you’ll either be inspired to hydrate or mix up a yummy cocktail by the end of this episode (or, hey! maybe both!) Cheers!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• Meagan’s Favs:
• Sparkling Waters– Liquid Death and Bubly Sparkling Water
• Non-Alcoholic Beer
• HOP WTR
• Partake Brewing
• Athletic Brew
• FUL
• Sparkel Beverage System for making sparkling water
• English Breakfast Tea to start the day
• Allulose Sweetener to sweeten drinks
• Rambler Yeti Water bottle
• Sarah’s Favs:
• Sparkling Waters: Spindrift Lime and Mint and LaCroix Sparkling Water
• Starts the day with Trader Joe’s Fairtrade Organic Five Country Blend
• 14 Oz. Ember Mug is the mug of choice for hot beverages
• OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker
• LMNT electrolyte drink mix (a current podcast sponsor!) and Nuun electrolyte mix
• Hydro Flask water bottle
• Fever Tree mixers
• Episodes that pair well with this one:
• More Than Mom: Beverages
• More Than Mom: Cheers!

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does your space need a refresh? We’re here for the smallest investments that yield big satisfaction, from sprucing up your potted plants to adding a thrifted table lamp or swapping out the color of your napkins. Join Meagan and Sarah as we offer ideas for how to use your existing space in a new way, and share the tiny refreshes we’re doing this spring to get ready for summer. Enjoy!

HELPFUL LINKS:

• If you’re looking for more plant talk, check out The Girl Next Door Podcast episode Plant Lady Talk
• Sarah uses this Beeswax Base to treat wooden surfaces
• Create a Gallery Wall with Mixtiles
• Episodes from the archives on home decor:
• Home Décor & Dining Out: Episode 77
• More Than Mom: Spring Décor & Home Pick-Me-Ups
• Seasonally-Inspired Homemaking & Parenting: Voices 79 With Katherine DeVries
• More Than Mom: Outdoor Décor & Patio Style
• More Than Mom: Décor Nostalgia

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
• Check out deals from our partners
• Follow us on Instagram
• Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)
• Sign up for our newsletter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.