Modern Mom Probs

In this episode,Tara talks with Stephanie McNeal, senior editor for Glamour magazine and author of the book "Swipe Up for More: Inside the Unfiltered Lives of Influencers." They discuss the evolution of content creation on social media platforms, the latest shift towards podcasting, and the concept of “following people you love to hate.” They also touch on the darker side of the influencer industry, including toxic online forums, staying true to one’s self, and mental health challenges. Being an influencer can be rewarding, but it also comes with significant costs, including the pressure to constantly produce content, being in the public eye, and the impact on personal lives. Stephanie emphasizes the importance of understanding the realities of being an influencer before pursuing it as a career.Exploring Stephanie’s article in Glamour Magazine, Stephanie and Tara also touched on the rise of the Soft Girl Movement, a lifestyle popular with young women on social media based on embracing the feminine and rejecting the #girlboss corporate grind. Stephanie believes this movement is a response to the difficulties of living under late-stage capitalism, with many young women choosing to bet on themselves and build their own platforms.If you’ve ever wanted a juicy glimpse into the unfiltered lives of influencers, you should listen to this episode.Links:https://www.stephaniemcneal.com/https://bookshop.org/p/books/swipe-up-for-more-the-secret-lives-of-influencers-stephanie-mcneal/18822436Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this compelling episode, Tara interviews Jessica Elefante, author of "Raising Hell, Living Well: Freedom from Influence in a World Where Everyone Wants Something from You." Jessica's journey from a brand strategist to a truth seeker is nothing short of inspiring. She candidly shares her experiences with digital burnout and how a device-free vacation led to a significant improvement in her mental state. This sparked her mission, Folk Rebellion, promoting a mindful balance with technology.Tara and Jessica delve into the challenges of the constant connection to devices, a trend that society has embraced wholeheartedly. Jessica shares her insights on the evolution of marketing and consumerism, and how brands have become badges of honor. She emphasizes the importance of awareness and creating space for intuition in a world that encourages constant distraction.The pair discuss the impact of technology on mental health and the need for regulation in the digital world.  Tara and Jessica both share personal stories of challenges of navigating technology with their children. Jessica shares a personal story about her son being exposed to inappropriate content through a QR code, while Tara shares a story of her son encountering explicit content while waiting in line to meet a popular YouTuber. Both women agree on the importance of open communication with children and setting boundaries to protect them from the addictive and exploitative nature of technology.Jessica explains more about her new book, with the goal of helping readers understand how they are influenced by various factors, both consciously and unconsciously. Jessica believes that everyone has the power to make a positive impact within their own circles, whether it's with their children, communities, or platforms.If you ever questioned why we do what we do, you should listen to this episode!Links:https://jessicaelefante.com/https://bookshop.org/p/books/raising-hell-living-well-freedom-from-influence-in-a-world-where-everyone-wants-something-from-you-jessica-elefante/19650238Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Tara welcomes Alyssa Blask Campbell, CEO of Sew and Seed. Alyssa is a trusted expert in emotional development and the host of the popular podcast "Voices of Your Village." The conversation centers around Alyssa's new book, "Tiny Humans, Big Emotions: How to Navigate Tantrums, Meltdowns, and Defiance to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children."Alyssa shares that the book is based on Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP), a method for being with and moving through hard things. She and her colleague, Lauren Stauble developed this method after realizing that traditional behavior-focused approaches were not effective in real-life parenting situations. They wanted to create a comprehensive approach that focuses on the adult's self-awareness and self-care, as well as the interaction between adults and children.Tara and Alyssa discuss the importance of emotional intelligence and its impact on daily life. Alyssa shares how her perspective on emotional intelligence shifted when she started envisioning a world where these tools were accessible to everyone, including her own child and future generations. She emphasizes the need for emotional intelligence in adults, especially those in positions of power, so they can support others and model healthy ways of navigating difficult situations.Alyssa explains that emotional intelligence consists of five components: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation. She highlights the significance of self-awareness, as it is the foundation for regulating emotions and accessing the other components. Alyssa uses personal examples, such as a social media backlash, to illustrate the importance of recognizing dysregulation cues and taking a step back before responding.They also touch on empathy and how it is best taught through modeling. Instead of claiming to understand exactly how someone feels in a given situation, she suggests connecting with the emotions someone is experiencing, rather than focusing on why they are feeling that way. If you’re interested in teaching your children empathy, you should listen to this episode!Links:https://www.seedandsew.org/https://www.instagram.com/seed.and.sew/Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Tara welcomes the multi-talented Rachael Kay Albers. Rachael is not just a creative director and brand strategist, but also a comedian, actor, self-described "brand strategist gone wild" and the host of the podcast "Marketing Muckraking.”Rachael's approach to branding is playful, experimental, and deeply insightful. She's interested in understanding the effects of brand culture and marketing on society and humanity. Rachael explains that a brand is more than just a logo or a tagline. It's a memory that lives in the minds of its audience, consisting of expectations, experiences, memories, and reputation. She emphasizes that consistency and predictability are key to curating a specific memory in the audience's mind.Rachael delves into the concept of personal branding, which has exploded in recent years, especially on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and even LinkedIn. She discusses the two extremes of personal branding - the pressure to present oneself as a curated, predictable, and dependable person, and the trend of embracing vulnerability and authenticity by sharing one's deepest pain and imperfections. According to her, true authenticity lies somewhere in the middle, where individuals can be themselves without manufacturing pain or presenting a perfect persona.The conversation also touches on the influence of personal brands on children, particularly with the rise of youth influencers and unboxing videos. Rachael expresses concern about the blurred lines between entertainment and advertising for children on YouTube and the need for parents to help their kids navigate this new age of personal branding.She encourages us to step back into our own reality and reclaim our humanness instead of getting caught up in the illusion of the branded world.Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when two powerful advocates for gender equity join forces? Can they change the narrative surrounding working mothers? Tune into this riveting conversation with Rachel Bauer and Kelsey Pytlik, the trailblazing co-founders of Gild Collective. They share their inspiring journeys, the inception of their organization, and their relentless pursuit to elevate empathy and understanding in workplaces, particularly for working mothers.Tara and her guests navigate the complex terrain of maternal bias and the 'daddy bonus' phenomenon. Rachel and Kelsey shed light on the often unseen tasks that disproportionately burden women, the criticality of setting boundaries, and the role managers play as allies for working mothers. Kelsey and Rachel not only challenge these stereotypes but provide actionable insights on how to combat them.In the final portion of the conversation, they delve into the silent epidemic of invisible labor and its unequal distribution. Rachel and Kelsey offer guidance on how mothers can assertively demand their fair share and the importance of tracking and evaluating our contributions at work. They also explore the three steps of allyship and the significance of managers in preventing burnout. So, if you're a working parent or an organization looking to foster an inclusive environment, this episode is a must-listen! Links:https://www.gildcollective.com/https://www.gildcollective.com/gender-inequity-simulatorSupport the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did the TikTok “Egg Crack Challenge” make you cringe? Us too.This week, Sarah Adams, creator of the popular social media account, Mom Uncharted, joined the show to shed light on child exploitation on social media.Sarah's journey began in late 2017 when she became a mother and started following mommy influencers for guidance and support. However, during the pandemic, she noticed an unsettling trend of parents oversharing their children's lives online. This led her to delve deeper into the subject, sparking conversations with her husband, reading books, and eventually starting her own TikTok account to discuss child exploitation and minor safety online.In this enlightening and thought-provoking conversation, Sarah emphasized the importance of trust and privacy when it comes to sharing information and images of children online. She raised concerns about the development of parasocial relationships with other people's children and the need for parents to be more cautious about who they trust with intimate information and personal pictures of their kids. This resonated with Tara, making her reevaluate her own approach to sharing her son's life on social media.Sarah discussed a concerning trend where some parents are selling exclusive content of their influencer children, without considering the potential risks and consequences of who may be subscribing to it.The conversation shifted to the topic of family vloggers, discussing the recent case of Ruby Franke from the YouTube channel “Eight Passengers.” This case highlighted the lack of regulations and protections for children involved in this industry, raising questions about privacy and the potential for abuse.This discussion was a stark reminder of the importance of protecting children's privacy in the digital age and the potential impact on children's mental health as they grow up and become aware of their online presence.Links:https://www.momuncharted.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mom.unchartedhttps://www.youtube.com/@mom_unchartedhttps://www.instagram.com/mom.unchartedhttps://blog.feedspot.com/mom_podcasts/Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Tara welcomed Chesca Hause, the talented cartoonist behind the popular Litter Box Comics and author of the new book "Parenting is Weird: Tales from the Litter Box." Chesca's comics are a humorous take on the rollercoaster ride of motherhood. She draws inspiration from her own family experiences (except for the fact they’re cats), making her work relatable, heartwarming and hilarious.Chesca's journey into the world of webcomics began with her own family. She found humor in the ups and downs of motherhood, using it as a way to navigate through the craziness. Her oldest son, a high-needs baby who didn't enjoy being a baby, was a significant source of inspiration. As he grew older and things got better, Chesca found herself drawing from her family experiences to create Litter Box Comics, highlighting the good, bad, and laugh out loud aspects of parenting.Tara and Chesca took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about ‘80s movies. They agreed that timing is key when introducing these classics to children. Jurassic Park and Who Framed Roger Rabbit were hits in their houses. Ghostbusters and Labyrinth not so much!Chesca highlighted the weirdness of parenting, reminding us that growing a person inside one's tummy is a sci-fi concept. She also mentioned that each child has their own unique personality and brings different kinds of humor to the family, which should be celebrated.The conversation with Chesca Hause was a delightful exploration of parenting, creativity, and the humor that binds them together. As we navigate the ups and downs of modern parenting, it's comforting to know that we're not alone, and there's always room for a good laugh, even if the mom is a cat!Links:https://www.litterboxcomics.com/https://www.facebook.com/LitterboxComicshttps://www.instagram.com/litterboxcomicshttps://x.com/LitterboxComicsSupport the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Tara interviews Stephanie Rosenfield, a former speech pathologist turned life coach for overwhelmed moms and host of the podcast "The Five Minute Shift for Moms." Her journey from overwhelmed mom to life coach will have you nodding your head. She shares her unique concept of the three buckets of emotional management - emotional diffusion, self-regulation, and connection. This doesn't mean being calm all the time, but rather being in control of oneself in challenging situations.Tara and Stephanie agreed that traditional parenting scripts often fall short, and the importance of focusing on the parent-child relationship and building each other up is key. They discussed the significance of timing when communicating with children, especially when it comes to discipline.Stephanie introduced the concept of different communication, highlighting that many people were never taught how to effectively communicate with their loved ones. She shared an example of a client who used to yell from upstairs to call her kids, and how she helped her change this pattern. Tara and Stephanie shared personal experiences of realizing that their previous approaches were not effective and that buying time until everyone is calm and ready to listen is crucial.If you need help to stop losing your sh*t, parent the way you want, and start enjoying your family, listen to this episode!Links:https://stephaniercoaching.com/social-links/Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Tara welcomes Eric Taylor, "dadfluencer" and creator of the popular Instagram account @girl_dad_e, to discuss the importance of raising confident and empowered children and breaking generational cycles. Eric shares his motivation for creating his viral “dusty son” content that helps his daughters recognize their worth and navigate life. They also explore the meaning of the term "dusty," which refers to being stuck in ignorance, fear, and pain. Tara and Eric discuss their childhood upbringings and share how it’s challenging to “know how to be” if you weren’t exposed to it. Eric shares his personal experience of growing up without a safe space to express his emotions. He emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where children can openly communicate their feelings.The conversation dives into the influence of media on children's perception of masculinity and gender roles and the importance of monitoring what our children consume online. From returning shopping carts to understanding finances, the pair highlights the importance of teaching children small acts of kindness, personal responsibility, and respect.If you don’t want to raise a “dusty” child, then listen to this episode! Links:https://www.instagram.com/girldad_e/Support the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this podcast episode, Tara welcomes Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh, a pediatrician and advocate for holistic health and integrative medicine. They discuss the impact of excessive screen time and social media on mental health, particularly in children and teenagers.Drawing from a study by Sapien Labs, Dr. Joel explains how the study found a correlation between the age of first smartphone and poorer mental health outcomes, such as self-harm. He likens the situation to the historical shift in attitudes towards smoking, urging us to address the issue of excessive screen time and social media use among children and teenagers. Dr. Warsh explains how dopamine plays a large part in device addiction and how to seek out dopamine naturally. Dr. Warsh also shares practical tips on how parents can set boundaries for their children's device usage. From having designated phone-free times to encouraging other hobbies, he provides a roadmap for parents to navigate this digital age. He also discusses the issue of poor posture caused by screen time and suggests exercises and ergonomic adjustments to mitigate the problem.If you’re struggling with screen time in your home, you should listen to this episode!Links:www.instagram.com/@drjoelgatorwww.raisingamazingplus.comhttps://sapienlabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Sapien-Labs-Age-of-First-Smartphone-and-Mental-Wellbeing-Outcomes.pdfSupport the show Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs Pick up my book Check out modernmomprobs Shout out to Citizens of Sound Leave a review Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.