We wanted this episode to be about the best parts of motherhood—what are the beautiful moments we'll stick into our motherhood scrapbook, if we had one?

Instead, it became a conversation about why the best parts and hardest parts are inextricable. In fact, the hardest part of this season is the best part. 

In this episode, Joyce shares her struggle with postpartum anxiety and the surprising ways her children have helped her see beauty in ordinary moments. Sophia talks about exhaustion, failed routines, fighting mom rage and resentment, and the realization that she had bought into a "prosperity parenting gospel"—the belief that if she did everything right, motherhood should get easier, better.

As we wrap up Season 2, we wanted to end on an uplifting note by sharing positive things...and the best gift we can share is the hope of Jesus Christ. 

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Already burned out this week and it's only Tuesday? 

In this episode, we're sharing why developing a routine has been so important for us and our family— what our days and weeks actually look like as mothers of young children, and why we've both had to rethink our expectations for motherhood.

From quiet time and Costco runs to homeschool, cleaning, meal planning, and protecting family rest, we're talking honestly about what has worked and what hasn't.

We discuss:

•  Why "one activity a day" became a game-changing rule 
•  Building rest into the week 
•  Creating routines that serve your family instead of controlling it 
•  Managing overstimulation and mom burnout 
•  Protecting quiet time with young children 
•  The simple childhood memories that matter most 

If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to do all the things, this episode is for you.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When did feeding children become so complicated? When did it become one of the most emotionally charged parts of parenting?

In this episode, we talk about what it really looks like to navigate food and meal times in our homes—from ideal expectations to real-life compromises, to the challenges of navigating severe food allergies and the emotional weight that comes with it. 

If you have a picky eater, or a kid with food allergies, this would be a highly relatable episode for you. 

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In Part II of our discipline series, we move from theory into real life: How then do we discipline our kids?

What actually happens in the moment—when your child is melting down in a grocery store, when you’re overstimulated and drained, or when your own fears and assumptions take over?

In this episode, we wrestle with:

• The two major “camps” in parenting (sin-focused vs. connection-focused)
• How we read our children's behavior impacts our discipline methods
• How fear and anxiety shape the way we discipline 
• The difference between willful disobedience and a tired, dysregulated child 
• Discouragement in discipline methods that seem to see little fruit
• The challenge of staying calm and consistent

This is a conversation about the real, messy moments: public meltdowns, overreactions, repair, and the slow process of learning to parent rather than to react.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Discipline is one of the hardest parts of parenting. But first, what does the word "discipline" even mean? Because when we first discussed this topic, each of us had a different interpretation of it. 

In this episode, we share how our own childhood experiences of discipline have shaped our philosophy about "discipline" and the way we respond to our kids today. We talk about fear-based obedience, the oft-quoted "spare the rod, hate the child" verse in Proverbs 13:24, the generational chains we’re trying to break—and the ones we still fall into. 

This is a candid, personal conversation about unlearning, relearning, and trying to discipline differently than we were disciplined.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Have your needs actually decreased in motherhood—or have they just changed? Or perhaps it's how you've changed?

In this episode, we discuss how our needs and desires have shifted over time with each additional kid, touching on:

•  What's the difference between a "need" and a "desire"?
•  The tension between caring for ourselves and pouring out for others 
•  How our expectations of rest, productivity, and fulfillment have evolved 
•  How even what we need from our husbands have changed
•  How the changes triggered an identity loss, self doubt, loneliness

This is a conversation about identity, growth, loss, and the surprising ways our hearts change in different seasons. Perhaps with  a little identity crisis sprinkled in here and there.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We've all wondered: Which transition is actually the hardest—going from 0 to 1, 1 to 2, or 2 to 3? News Flash: Each stage comes with its special spice! 

In this episode, we compare notes from our own experiences and get honest about what each stage really feels like. From the identity shock of becoming a mom for the first time, to the emotional and logistical chaos of adding more kids, we break down the unique challenges of each transition.

•  Why 0→1 can feel like a complete shock to the system
•  How 1→2 shifts your expectations (and your priorities) 
•  Why 2→3 might be the most chaotic… but also the most confident

If you're pregnant right now, or considering adding another child, or looking for fellow mothers to relate to, this episode is for you.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Season 2 begins with an extremely vulnerable conversation on what God is working on in us right now-- primarily, mom rage. This isn’t a polished “we’ve figured it all out” conversation. It’s a raw, vulnerable and honest one about sanctification in real time—messy, humbling, and ultimately hopeful.

In this episode, we talk about identifying our triggers, learning how to regulate our emotions, dealing with the shame and guilt when we fail-- and what it looks like to wrestle through all this mess with God. 

If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing in motherhood, or thought you're the only one dealing with mom rage, and wondered if God is enough, this episode is for you.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We are BACK, Ummas!

Season 1 was all about establishing our foundations and core pillars, introducing the world to what The Old Umma Club is all about. Season 2 is where we dive into the thick of it all.

Listen to the prelude to hear our life updates and what this upcoming season holds!

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Our last episode of season 1 ends with a much-needed discussion on building community in this busy, lonely modern age. 

Joyce and Sophia talk about why community is a pillar of The Old Umma Club, what community is, how they met and built community, and what the challenges are in building community at this season of life.

We want to get to know our Ummas! You can find Sophia and Joyce: 

Instagram: @theoldummaclub

Email: [email protected]

Music credits:
"Life of Riley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/