Today We Tried

TW: This episode references prostitution and alludes to sexual abuse.

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Venus Morris Griffin, a real estate agent, motivational speaker, and mom of 7. As Venus says in the podcast, her life changed in 10 seconds when she received a call from an unknown number. Listen to hear her inspirational story of how she overcame multiple obstacles, kept her family together, and found success.

Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Venus's story here.

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Dr. Diana Samuel, a psychiatrist and Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Diana and Christy discuss the importance of prioritizing your mental health as a parent and how to find help when you need it. Diana also shares tips for small adjustments you can make to your day-to-day life that can have a big impact on mental health.

Mentioned in this episode: Feeding Littles and the rise of online therapy

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Darina Walls, a Colugo Community member who reached out to share her story of navigating multiple moves as a military spouse, including a move from Hawaii to Virginia with a 5-week-old baby. Darina has great advice for anyone planning for a move or any big transition, including the importance of planning, working as a team, and tapping into networks of people who are ready and eager to help.

Mentioned in this episode: Wild Child Compact, trying new things, the importance of unpacking right away, International Women's Day, and Hawaii

As part of our Mother's Day celebrations, Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Emily Juchau, a Customer Experience Lead at Colugo. They chat about Colugo's Customer Experience Team, which is made up entirely of moms, and why they love chatting with other parents. Christy and Emily are also both expecting, with their due dates only 10 days apart. Emily shares how she is preparing differently for baby #2 based on what she learned the first time around, including why lining up a therapist is key and the importance of advocating for yourself from the start.

Mentioned in this episode: Klei, Tums, Baby-Friendly Hospital, Fed is Best, emotionally-focused therapy, Expecting and Empowered, pelvic floor physical therapy, diastasis recti, Purple Carrot, Daily Harvest, Walmart Grocery Pick-up, Trader Joe's, Dr. Julie Hanks, and ThePastaSheAte

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Liz Baill, Collections Interpreter for Youth and Families at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, to talk about how to get kids excited and talking about art. Liz shares tips on how to engage your kids in art at home and at the museum by asking the right questions, embracing the process instead of the outcome, and letting your kids take the lead. She also recommends her must-have art supplies for kids.

Mentioned in this episode: Armor and Animals, What Can Colors Do?, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Zoo, Beautiful Oops!, alopecia areata, Dr. Becky, and tempera sticks.

TW: Pregnancy Loss

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Morgan Goodwin, a former college track star and current blogger and content creator who is married to NFL wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and mom to Marae. Morgan shares her heartbreaking and inspiring story of holding onto her certainty that she would be a mom through late-term pregnancy losses of 3 sons, including how she kept faith first, built a support network and found the right healthcare providers.

Mentioned in this episode: cervical insufficiency and cerclage, The University of Texas, Morgan and Marquise's YouTube Channel, a written account of their journey to parenthood

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Lauren Goldfaden, founder of Mini Bloom, to chat about finding natural products for your baby. Lauren has super actionable advice about what to look for and what to avoid when picking baby products. And, her advice translates easily to finding products for yourself, too! Lauren also shares what inspired her to start Mini Bloom and some of the joys and challenges of having 2 kids close together in age.

Mentioned in this episode: Get 15% off Mini Bloom's amazing products with code Colugo15!

Just in time for April Showers, Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Rob Spalding, Colugo's Head of Design, to talk about the innovative, super functional, and beautiful rain gear that he's designed for Colugo. Rob shares insights into his background that inform his design process, how he and Laura, Colugo's accessories designer, worked together to design Colugo's 2020 outerwear during COVID, and how he is constantly incorporating feedback from parents into his designs in innovative and delightful ways.

Mentioned in this episode: J. Crew, Rockets of Awesome, fresh turmeric, Mariah Carey's memoir, The Moccamaster, and shrimp gumbo.

Christy, Colugo's Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Tomi Akitunde, journalist and founder of Mater Mea, a community for Black moms and gender non-conforming people. Tomi shares what inspired her to start Mater Mea and how it's evolved over the years in its mission to provide answers and community and to depict the richness and diversity of Black motherhood. She also shares her own "mom-in-waiting" story and how it's informed and intersected with her work.

Mentioned in this episode: Tomi's Mom in Waiting story, Mater Mea's content on infertility, CDC research on infertility, the isolation faced by Black women seeking infertility treatments.

For our 50th episode, we have a conversation that will inspire and give you super actionable advice. Christy, our Chief Parent Officer, is joined by Nathan Richardson, an entrepreneur and single dad to 7-year-old twins. He shares his story of becoming a parent as a single gay man through surrogacy and how a focus on simplification and routine has helped his family to thrive, from a flight from Kansas City to New York when the twins were a few days old, to a 5-story walk-up in New York City, to relocating to Miami during COVID.

Mentioned in this episode: Growing Generations, Urban Sitter, HomePay, Task Rabbit, Calm App, Headspace, Contractor Bags, Chris Van Dusen books.