Back-to-School Anxiety & My Reminder to Slow Down

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 for20% 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: @drcotlerdrtanyacotler.com SPONSORS:AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for20% 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.

Thursday, August 27th: Apparently I’ve entered my “try new things” era.I’ve been thinking about why so many of us stop learning, experimenting, and picking up new hobbies once we become adults. I recently started getting into art, painting, drawing with markers, learning about different techniques, and I am OBSESSED. My entire algorithm is basically art now, I’m taking art classes this fall, and I genuinely can’t remember the last time I was this excited to be a complete beginner at something.I’m also taking tennis lessons, attempting to actually get better at a new sport.We’re talking about why hobbies and learning new skills are so important as adults, especially when they have absolutely nothing to do with being productive, making money, or being “good” at them.I’m also sharing why September is my personal New Year. With back-to-school season approaching, I’m thinking about how I want my fall routine to look: creating a better work schedule, intentionally leaving white space in my calendar, and getting back into a supplement routine that I can actually stick with. I’m sharing the five supplements I’m planning to take and why I’m keeping the routine simple.Plus, we’re chatting about Apple’s Education Store and pricing, some new Apple features that are absolutely blowing my mind and making me wish I could be a student again. The new MacBook Neo has been loaned to us and it's adorable, super approachable, and is the perfect starter laptop for Milo to begin learning the basics and getting comfortable using a computer before he eventually needs one for school.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.Bellesa - Today's episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order! https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/themomroom-pod #bbpartnerFatty15 - Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.Nine to Kind - Use promo code MOMROOM at ninetokind.com to get 20% of your order.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.SENOKOT - Trust your gut and try the new SENOKOT Laxative Gummies. Learn more at senokot.ca.Skims - Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of my favorite bras and underwear at http://www.skims.com/momroomWayfair - Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Revisiting an important episode this week with Dr. Alison Yeung, family physician and creator of @thesmartphoneeffectmd, where she talks all things smartphones, social media, and (of course) kids. Why are so many parents struggling to set screen time boundaries? How is technology impacting our kids’ mental health, attention spans, and motivation? And how do we navigate platforms like Roblox, YouTube Kids, and even school-issued iPads?Renee and Dr. Yeung get real about balancing technology use, setting routines, and why it’s not just about “parenting harder”—it’s about pushing back against industries designed to hook our kids. If you’ve ever wondered when to give your child a phone (or if they really need one), how to protect their downtime, or how your phone habits shape theirs, this is a must-listen.FOLLOW ALISON:Instagram: @thesmartphoneeffectmdTHANK 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.Bellesa - Today's episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order! https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/themomroom-pod #bbpartnerFatty15 - Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.Nine to Kind - Use promo code MOMROOM at ninetokind.com to get 20% of your order.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.SENOKOT - Trust your gut and try the new SENOKOT Laxative Gummies. Learn more at senokot.ca.Skims - Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of my favorite bras and underwear at http://www.skims.com/momroomWayfair - Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thursday, August 20th: Is seven the new two?! Lately, it feels like everything I say is met with “NO,” an argument, or a negotiation, even when I’m suggesting something my 7-year-old actually wants to do. I mentioned this on Instagram and was flooded with messages from parents of 7- and 8-year-olds saying: SAME.So, what is going on at this age?In this solo episode of The Mom Room, I’m talking about why kids around 7-8 can suddenly seem more argumentative, oppositional, and determined to challenge everything we say. I get into what’s happening developmentally as kids become more independent, develop stronger reasoning skills, form their own opinions about rules and fairness, and start wanting more control over their lives.I also share what I’m learning about navigating this stage without turning every interaction into a power struggle: giving kids autonomy where we can, distinguishing between choices and non-negotiables, not over-explaining every boundary, looking underneath the behaviour, and perhaps most importantly, remembering that we don’t have to attend every argument we’re invited to.Because raising an independent kid is exactly what we want… but apparently the road to independence involves debating why they need to put their shoes on every single morning. 😂If you’re parenting a 7- or 8-year-old and wondering why EVERYTHING has suddenly become an argument, this episode is for you.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After months of living in fight-or-flight that no doctor could explain, Beth, aka The Garbage Mom, figured out the cause herself... She was on the wrong dose of progesterone!She joins The Mom Room this week to talk perimenopause, hormones, and how much of women's health women are still left to research on their own. Beth also shares how she was diagnosed with celiac disease a year ago, after five years of iron infusions and a hematologist who told her that as long as she was getting her period, she'd keep needing them.Renee and Beth get into the symptoms nobody warns you about: the sudden food aversions, the phase where everything smells like onions, cereal for dinner three times a week, and the 3AM wake-ups where one small worry suddenly feels like life or death. Both started making content in 2020, so they also compare notes on what six years of it has done to their lives — the pull to turn every moment into a post, the boundaries Beth set after hitting a rock bottom a few months ago, and her decision to keep her 10-year-old daughter offline entirely.Beth is an actor and sketch comedian, and she's currently building something special... A music and comedy festival for women over 40 that started out under the name Perimenopausal Palooza. Follow along with her below!FOLLOW BETH: Instagram: @thegarbagemomhttps://linktr.ee/garbagemomTHANK 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.Bellesa - Today's episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order! https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/themomroom-pod #bbpartnerFatty15 - Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.Nine to Kind - Use promo code MOMROOM at ninetokind.com to get 20% of your order.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.SENOKOT - Trust your gut and try the new SENOKOT Laxative Gummies. Learn more at senokot.ca.Skims - Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of my favorite bras and underwear at http://www.skims.com/momroomWayfair - Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home.FOLLOW RENEE REINA: Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereinaTikTok: @thereneereinaFacebook Community - The Mom Room CommunityYouTube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

August 13th, 2026: What does being "productive" actually mean when you stop comparing your life to hundreds of other people's lives online?In this solo episode of The Mom Room, I'm chatting about a few things that have been on my mind lately, starting with the fact that I've somehow fallen back into my old habit of making MASSIVE to-do lists. Summer has been amazing, but being out of our normal routine, constantly changing schedules, and trying to fit work into unpredictable weeks has definitely made staying organized a little harder. I'm already looking ahead to September and some new work habits I want to try, including time blocking and being much more intentional about what actually needs to get done.I also share my ridiculously quick and easy morning makeup routine with our friends at MERIT Beauty. Getting ready has never been easier, and it fits perfectly with this season of wanting things to feel simpler, not more complicated.Then we get into another major change I've noticed since I stopped mindlessly scrolling social media: I've completely changed the way I think about productivity.When you're constantly consuming other people's routines, workouts, meals, businesses, homes, parenting, habits and endless "productive day in my life" content, it's very easy to feel like you're never doing enough. Since I stopped watching what everyone else is doing, I'm much more relaxed about my own days. I'm focusing on what I actually want to prioritize instead of subconsciously adopting everyone else's priorities.And finally... I clarify what I meant when I said on Instagram Stories this week that I cannot stand the "woe is me" content people post for engagement. Because apparently I had some thoughts. 😂We talk about productivity culture, comparison, social media, massive to-do lists, time blocking, getting back into a routine, intentional living, mindless scrolling, and why living better might require caring a whole lot less about what everyone else is doing.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% offBellesa: Today’s episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order!🌹🤫 https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/themomroom-pod #bbpartnerMERIT Beauty: Signature Makeup Bag FREE with your first order at www.meritbeauty.com + FREE shipping on orders over $50.Fatty15: Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.Nine to Kind: Use promo code MOMROOM at ninetokind.com to get 20% of your order.SENOKOT: Trust your gut and try the new SENOKOT Laxative Gummies.Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.Quince: Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Wayfair: Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At 13, Shenae Grimes-Beech booked her first commercial in Toronto. By 18, her life had completely changed. She'd moved out of her mom's house for the first time to film 90210 in Los Angeles. Now a mom of two building a career as a content creator, Shenae joins The Mom Room to talk about that whirlwind path from Degrassi to 90210 to motherhood, and to bring up a major AI concern most of us have never even heard of.Shenae unpacks what it was like growing up on camera before social media existed, and how her approach to sharing her daughter online has changed as she's gotten older. Then they get into the scary side of the internet, and the reason Shenae wanted to have this conversation: Grok, the AI chatbot built into X (formerly Twitter), and a feature nicknamed "Spicy Grok" that lets anyone "undress" or "nudify" a photo to generate sexually explicit images without the subject's consent. In the two weeks after it launched, over 3 million non-consensual explicit images were generated, a significant number of them involving minors. Shenae and Renee talk through the legal gray area (this should be illegal, right?), why victims are afraid to come forward, and how to start age-appropriate conversations with your kids about it before something happens rather than after.If you loved today's episode, tune into Shenae's new podcast, Lost the Plot, where she gets to go deeper with women in her generation than a 30-second clip ever allows.FOLLOW SHENAE: Instagram: @shanaegrimesbeach | @shenaelosttheplotYouTube: Lost the Plot with Shenae Grimes-BeechFOLLOW RENEE REINA: Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereinaTikTok: @thereneereinaFacebook Community - The Mom Room CommunityYouTube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room PodcastTHANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!AquaOmega: For your daily dose of Omega-3’s, go to myaquaomega.com/MOMROOM and use code MOMROOM for 20% offBellesa: Today’s episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order!🌹🤫 https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/themomroom-pod #bbpartnerFatty15: Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/MOMROOM and using code MOMROOM at checkout.Nine to Kind: Use promo code MOMROOM at ninetokind.com to get 20% of your order.SENOKOT: Trust your gut and try the new SENOKOT Laxative Gummies.Skims: Shop SKIMS Cotton, and all of my favorite pieces, at https://skims.com/momroom.Quince: Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/MOMROOM. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Wayfair: Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.