The Mom Room

October 1st, 2026: TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of alleged rape and sexual assault, drugging, consent, pornography, and sexual violence. This episode is not appropriate for children and may be difficult or triggering for some listeners.

In this solo episode of The Mom Room, Renee is talking about the story commonly being referred to online as the “Cornell 7” allegations involving a female Cornell student and multiple male students and why she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it.

But this episode isn’t just about what allegedly happened at Cornell. It’s about the much bigger question the story has raised for Renee as the mom of an eight-year-old boy: How do we raise boys who grow into men who would never participate in something like this, or stand by while it happens?

After recently reading Raising Conscious Sons by Dr. Shefali, Renee has been thinking a lot about the conversations parents have with boys, and, maybe more importantly, the ones we avoid because they make us uncomfortable.

Consent. Sex. Pornography. Masturbation. Respect. Sexual urges. How you treat girls and women. What you do when your friends are doing something wrong. And why leaving boys to figure all of this out on their own is not good enough.

Renee talks about her anger over the allegations and institutional response, the questions the story has raised for her as a parent, and why she believes parents of young boys need to start having uncomfortable conversations long before their sons become teenagers or young men.

There are no easy answers in this episode. It’s an emotional, unfiltered conversation from a mom trying to figure out what we can do differently, because simply hoping we’re raising “good boys” isn’t enough.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for 20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

Freestyle: Get 30% off your first 3 months of a Freestyle diaper subscription at freestyle.world/MOMROOM with code MOMROOM. That's a full month of premium diapers delivered to your door for just $49/month for your first 3 months.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Merit Beauty: Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag FREE with your first order at meritbeauty.com.

Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. 

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

Youtube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast 

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

Bloating after you eat is common, but it isn't normal, and your gut health is tied to far more than digestion.

Tina Anderson, co-founder of Just Thrive, mom of three and brand new grandmother, joins The Mom Room to share how she went from litigation to the pharmaceutical world to building a probiotic company focused on root causes instead of symptoms.

Renee and Tina get into what spore-based probiotics are and how they differ from what's on the grocery store shelf, why Tina says not to get caught up in CFU numbers, and how stress, antibiotics and ultra-processed foods affect the gut. They also cover gut health on a GLP-1, the new Just Thrive Digestive Bitters, the gut and perimenopause connection, and Renee's very relatable September stress spiral.

This episode is in partnership with Just Thrive. Start a 90-day Just Thrive probiotic subscription and get a free 90-day supply of their new Digestive Bitters (a $90 value). Claim it at justthrivehealth.com/momroom. Every order is backed by Just Thrive's 100% money-back guarantee.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for 20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

Freestyle: Get 30% off your first 3 months of a Freestyle diaper subscription at freestyle.world/MOMROOM with code MOMROOM. That's a full month of premium diapers delivered to your door for just $49/month for your first 3 months.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Merit Beauty: Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag FREE with your first order at meritbeauty.com.

Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. 

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

Youtube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast 

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

September 24, 2026: The way we raise kids today may be making it harder for them to thrive, especially boys. Renee shares the parenting shifts that are changing how she sees screens, physical activity, and what it really means to help a child grow into a confident, capable young person. Inspired by Dr. Shefali’s new book, Raising Conscious Sons, Renee breaks down the ideas that hit hardest as a boy mom and why this book feels especially urgent now that her son is getting older.

• Why boys may need far more movement than modern schedules allow.
• How screens don’t just take up time, they replace boredom, creativity, and independence.
• Why letting kids feel useful and needed matters more than doing everything for them.
• The difference between structured activities and the kind of free play many kids are missing.
• Simple ways to replace screen time with real connection, responsibility, and physical play.

If you’re a parent, especially of a boy, or you’ve ever wondered whether modern childhood is giving kids what they truly need, this episode will leave you thinking differently about everything from after-school routines to the role of boredom.

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

Mental health is health, and sometimes our kids need support that we simply cannot provide on our own. Which is why The Mom Room is partnering with Family of Support: Child & Youth Mental Health Initiative, led by the Empire Family of Brands, The Sobey Foundation and Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations.

Renee is joined by Jenna Kedy, a 22 year old National Patient Youth Ambassador who has navigated anxiety, arthritis, depression and an eating disorder, and by Renée Hopfner, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Empire. Jenna shares her experience with mental health, including the signs adults missed, the "bad kid" label that gets stuck on struggling kids, and why health class taught her about the wrong illnesses. Renée explains why families wait so long, and why early intervention is so important. We hope this conversation gives you some information, some perspective, and most importantly, some hope.

"You can be so close to your child and still not know." - Jenna Kedy on youth mental health.

HOW TO SUPPORT

The Family of Support in store giving campaign runs September 17 to October 4 in English Canada, and September 17 to October 7 in Quebec. You can contribute at your local Sobeys, FreshCo, Safeway, Thrifty Foods or Foodland, or donate any time at FamilyofSupport.com. 100% of every donation stays local and supports your local children's hospital.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for 20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

Freestyle: Get 30% off your first 3 months of a Freestyle diaper subscription at freestyle.world/MOMROOM with code MOMROOM. That's a full month of premium diapers delivered to your door for just $49/month for your first 3 months.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Merit Beauty: Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag FREE with your first order at meritbeauty.com.

Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. 

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

Youtube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast 

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

September 17th, 2026: Has motherhood become performative?

In Part 2 of this conversation, Renee continues exploring how social media has changed motherhood, and the way we actually experience our lives as moms.

Are we enjoying the moment, or are we thinking about how the moment will look in a photo? Are we creating memories for our kids, or unconsciously thinking about how those memories will translate to social media?

Renee talks about how motherhood has increasingly become performative, how documenting everything can pull us out of actually experiencing it, and why social media can leave moms feeling like their lives, homes, routines, and parenting are never quite enough.

She also dives into the constant stream of parenting clickbait: the videos and posts that introduce us to problems we didn't even know we were supposed to worry about. Suddenly we're questioning the way our kids sleep, eat, play, learn, behave, socialize, and develop, and researching decisions we may never have thought twice about before.

With unlimited parenting advice at our fingertips, are we becoming more informed… or are we becoming disconnected from our own parenting instincts?

Ultimately, social media is supposed to be the thing we turn to when we want a break from the overwhelm of motherhood. But what happens when our escape becomes one of the biggest sources of our overwhelm?

This episode is a conversation about social media and motherhood, performative parenting, mom guilt, parenting anxiety, comparison, mental load, parenting instincts, clickbait, perfectionism, being present with our kids, and why modern motherhood can feel so overwhelming.

SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for 20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

Freestyle: Get 30% off your first 3 months of a Freestyle diaper subscription at freestyle.world/MOMROOM with code MOMROOM. That's a full month of premium diapers delivered to your door for just $49/month for your first 3 months.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Merit Beauty: Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag FREE with your first order at meritbeauty.com.

Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. 

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

Youtube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast 

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

After preparing for birth, who prepares your marriage? Six weeks into having his third baby, couples therapist Eli Weinstein joins The Mom Room to talk about what happens to a relationship after kids. He wrote the book on it while living it!

Renee and Eli get into the conversations worth having before the baby arrives, how to ask for what you need without playing head games, and his rule that you respect the ask every time. He explains the pushout, the moment a parent decides it is easier to do it themselves and quietly teaches their partner that they never have to learn. They also talk about what to do when the two of you feel more like roommates than partners. And, his number one piece of advice for dads is a little sassy... "Open your damn eyes and be aware of how much your wife does. Step it up, bro."

Eli's book "From I Do to We Do" is out now!

FOLLOW ELI WEINSTEIN

@eliweinstein_lcsw

eliweinsteinlcsw.com

SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for 20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

Freestyle: Get 30% off your first 3 months of a Freestyle diaper subscription at freestyle.world/MOMROOM with code MOMROOM. That's a full month of premium diapers delivered to your door for just $49/month for your first 3 months.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Merit Beauty: Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag FREE with your first order at meritbeauty.com.

Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. 

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

Youtube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast 

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

September 10th, 2026: In this solo episode of The Mom Room, I’m recapping our Labour Day weekend, Milo’s pickleball birthday party, and his first day back at school. And somehow, what was supposed to feel like a fresh start has turned into… anxiety?!

I’ve realized I put WAY too much pressure on September and back-to-school. Get back into a routine! Be productive! Get organized! Get ahead! Fix everything! But really… it’s just another day.

After spending the last few months making small changes that helped me feel less burnt out, I can already feel myself slipping back into some of my old habits. So, I’m checking in with myself and revisiting the things that actually give me energy, make me feel good, and help me stay out of the burnout zone.

We’re talking back-to-school anxiety, the pressure to get your life together in September, routines, motherhood, burnout recovery, and the reminder I apparently needed: getting back into a routine doesn’t mean trying to change everything at once.

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

September 8th, 2026: Has social media made motherhood harder?

In this solo episode of The Mom Room, Renee talks about the ways social media has added to the mental load of motherhood and created new pressures for moms. From constantly comparing ourselves to other mothers online to feeling like we need to create the “perfect” childhood, social media has changed what we think good motherhood is supposed to look like.

Renee breaks down the pressure to have the perfect home, make elaborate meals, create enriching activities, find the best products, research every parenting decision, and constantly optimize our children’s lives. What used to be simple parenting decisions can now feel like hours of research, and social media has given us an endless supply of things to worry about.

We’re comparing our real, messy, exhausting lives to carefully curated versions of motherhood online, while simultaneously being sold the idea that there is always something we could be doing better.

Is social media actually helping moms, or is it adding another layer to an already enormous mental load?

This episode is a conversation about motherhood, mom guilt, social media comparison, the mental load, parenting pressure, perfectionism, and why so many mothers feel like they’re never doing enough.

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

Thursday September 3rd: Renee is back with a full recap of her trip to New York City to see Harry Styles, because obviously we need to discuss EVERYTHING. From the NYC adventure to seeing Harry live, Renee shares the highlights, the chaos, and all of her thoughts from the trip.

Then, things take a very different turn when Renee recaps the absolutely ridiculous series of unfortunate events that happened while she was just trying to fall asleep last night. A bug lands ON HER HEAD, her phone mysteriously falls off the dresser, her iMac screen turns on by itself… WHAT IS HAPPENING?! At what point do you accept that the universe simply does not want you to sleep?

It’s a classic Mom Room catch-up: Harry Styles, New York City, travel stories, sleep struggles, random chaos, and the kind of bizarre life update you simply could not make up.

SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for

20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Quince: Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. 

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

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

Renee revisits one of her favorite conversations, with psychologist Dr. Tanya Cotler, on everything you need to know about gentle parenting: where it came from, what it was intended to be, and what it turned into online. Dr. Cotler takes apart the biggest myths, including the idea that gentle means no boundaries, no consequences, and never losing your temper. Renee shares some of the harder moments she has had with Milo that sparked this conversation, from toddler tantrums to the guilt that shows up after you yell.

Together they get into the nuance the internet skips: gentle parenting versus permissive parenting, how to set a boundary without shame, how to regulate your own emotions before you respond, and what a kid actually needs from you on a bad day.

FOLLOW DR. COTLER:

On Instagram: @drcotler

drtanyacotler.com 

SPONSORS:

AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for

20% off.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.

HIYA: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/MOMROOM.

Quince:  Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home.

RENEE REINA  

Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina  

TikTok: @thereneereina  

Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community 

Youtube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast 

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