Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Is there anything lamer than New Years’ resolutions? Part of me thinks that New Year's resolutions are bs. And the other part of me thinks, you know what I’ll try anything to make life easier and better and more enjoyable. As I always say, many things can be true at once. It IS nice to have a time of year when we can renew and revive and just set some goals for ourselves. And so I have gathered some very smart women to tell me their plans and intentions for the coming year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kathryn Jezer Morton, The Cut's Brooding columnist, discusses the dangerous aspects of #TradWife content on social media. They explore the glorification of motherhood, the prettification of rural living, and the impact on the mommy wars. They emphasize the need to normalize discussions about caregiving and support systems.

A story went viral on the NY Post and Reddit in the past 24 hours claiming that a husband left his wife because he became OBSESSED with a #tradwife on TikTok. This is the headline: TikTok ruined my husband of 12 years — now he wants a ‘tradwife’ and we’re getting divorced. We clearly had to do an emergency episode about this and I couldn't think of a better guest than my own husband, Nick Aster, who is constantly confused by #tradwives and social media in general. Is this for real? (probably not) Is it hilarious and totally worth talking about? (Absolutely). Should we turn it into a domestic thriller television series? (working on it right now). And how can we use this topic to talk more with our spouses about equality and sharing the burden of domestic labor? (It is all in this episode).You can read the NY Post story here.Subscribe to the Over the Influence Substack here.Pre-order the Sicilian Inheritance here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Breaking news over here. After months of anticipation, Ruby Franke, the mom influencer who was charged with abusing and starving her children, finally pled guilty to child abuse. In court, she expressed regret and sorrow for her actions, revealing that everything she did was, disturbingly, an act of love. New details of her abuse emerged in Franke’s plea agreement and they are terrible! But the story keeps getting weirder. As part of her plea deal Franke will testify against her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt. According to reports Franke is going to testify against Hildebrandt, and allege that she is some kind of Svengali who was controlling her during the periods of disgusting abuse. This mini episode is everything you need to know about this bananas case.You can subscribe to our newsletter OVER THE INFLUENCE here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting expert Emily Oster discusses mom shaming and dispelling guilt and misinformation. They explore the prevalence of mom shame and the reasons behind it, highlighting sleep, feeding, and behavior. They delve into the judgment and tribes of motherhood, the impact of social media, and finding support. They also discuss screen time, curating social media feeds, and the positive effects of participating in sprint triathlons.

Delving into the $59 million viral wedding, the hosts discuss conspiracy theories, the extravagant details of the event, the cost of hiring bands, a groom's arrest overshadowing the ceremony, a man shooting at police officers, puzzling behavior and motives, and the allure of lavish weddings among the wealthy.

How many of you remember the Katie Sorensen story?  Maybe you don't remember the name, but you might remember the episode we did a couple of years ago about the mom influencer in the Michael's parking lot who falsely accused a Latino couple of trying to kidnap her kids to get more viral attention for her Instagram account.  Katie's trial for making false claims only happened this year and reporter Emily Guerin has been covering it for the LAist podcast Imperfect Paradise. Today we get all the updates from Emily about Katie's case in addition to shifting the lens onto the couple that she falsely accused, Sadie and Eddie Martinez. You can find Imperfect Paradise here.Here is the original episode of UTI on this story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Cara Goodwin, a licensed psychologist and mother of four, debunks the biggest Instagram myths and lies in parenting. They discuss the effects of screentime, the effectiveness of time outs, and the best way to potty train. They emphasize the importance of research-based advice over pseudoscience and the negative influence of parenting influencers. It's crucial to create a pleasant household environment and provide space for exploration and psychological development.

Former trad wife shares her journey of overcoming challenges in a conservative Christian community. Discusses power dynamics, sleep deprivation in parenting, and finding personal growth. Shares advice on leaving a traditional marriage, the importance of financial independence, and avoiding being trapped.

The postpartum period is a clusterf*ck dumpster fire of hell and do not let anyone tell you different. It is also magical and wonderful and life-changing and gorgeous. Many things can be true. This is all of my advice for how to survive the newborn period and a chat with the incredible Tara Clark of Modern Mom Probs who consistently makes me feel seen as a mother in a world that too often turns a blind eye to us. Send this one to every prego and newborn mom in your life. They need it. You can follow Tara @modernmomprobsAnd you can order The Sicilian Inheritance here!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices