Good Moms

I'm joined today by Mary Beth Ferrante. Mary Beth (she/her/hers) is the Founder & Managing Director of WRK/360, a coaching and training company helping organizations better support working parents and caregivers. She is an Executive & Leadership Coach (PCC), Training Director & Certified Facilitator at the Fair Play Policy Institute, and a Senior Contributor for ForbesWomen. She recently launched My-Leah.com, a parental-leave navigation platform helping employees navigate one of the most complex transitions of their careers. Mary Beth and I talk about paid leave  in the U.S., or rather, the lack of paid leave, and how so often it's left up to families to figure out. Mary Beth shares her journey navigating her own leave as a new mother, and speaks about the challenges she faced by employers. She talks about how she's changing that with WRK/360, and shares updates on her newest venture, My Leah.Mary Beth lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.Check out My Leah at my-leah.com You can follow Mary Beth here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahleave_bywrk360TikTok: @mb_ferranteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbferrante/If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

We are back after a brief summer hiatus (read: total summer chaos with two littles at home)!I'm joined today by yoga teacher, writer, mother, and Matrescence Doula Maddie Adams. Maddie is the face behind Mom Dog- a space to guide mothers through matrescence with "care and competence."We talk about what going through matrescence really looks like- the raw thoughts and emotions that we may not be able to express when we're going through it.Maddie shares her journey through her own matrescence, that (spoiler alert!) is still ongoing, and sharews how she helps guide moms through this beautiful, but life-altering evolutions that we call motherhood. You can follow Maddie on Instagram @its.mom.dog, visit her website mom-dog.com or follow her on Substack at Maddie Teren Adams.If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

Have you ever wondered what it was like to drop sport schedules, spirit weeks, overdue library books with a group of your best mom friends and simply…exist?In today’s episode, I chat with Author Christine Gunderson. Christine’s newest novel, Behind White Picket Fences has just been released today, and it explores the hamster wheel of modern motherhood... and the consequences for jumping off.Christine and I talk about her journey towards becoming a writer, building a successful writing career while having small children. We talk about the importance of having our kids witness our own rejections and failures, as well as explore female friendships and the special power they hold in our validity as mothers. We talk about expectations set in 1965 and now, parallells with the trad wife movement and how exhausting it is compared to 1965 domesticity.You can buy Behind White Picket Fences on Christine's website or wherever you get your books (or borrow it from your local library!)christinegunderson.comFollow Christine on social media @gunderchristineMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/dan-barton/the-executive-loungeLicense code: FAVWH6WWBMWZSLN9If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

I’m joined today by creator Lina Forrestal.Lina is a fellow work-from-home mom of two, digital creator, and host of The New Mamas Podcast.Today we talk about what work from home motherhood really looks like- the actual breakdown of time in our days, getting work done while making snacks and prepping for dropoff, and the tradeoffs associated with having a full time job.We also talk about the longing that comes with having long-distance family, and the villages, both paid and unpaid, that we create to support us along our journey. Lina shares her hyperfixations, including her most recent hyperfixation with vibe-coding, and how she divides her day to create her content.Follow Lina on social media @linaforrestal, Substack @linaforrestal, and listen to The New Mamas Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

I'm joined by friend of the pod, Zara Hanawalt to talk all things motherhood, pop culture, and social media. We talk about how hard it is to fit motherhood into one extreme or another, despite what social media often wants moms to do. We talk about 4am mommy influencers vs the rest of us,  finding time for a social life, and dive into the millennial mom group drama, wondering if there is a place for friendship amid differing political opinions. Zara is a mom of twins and a freelance journalist covering motherhood, women's health, and culture. She has written for outlets like the New York Times for Kids, Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Parents, Cosmopolitan, Motherly, and many others. She's passionate about leading conversations about the state of motherhood in the United States. Zara has a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Connect with Zara on Instagram and TikTokIf you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

What happens when the generation that was told we could “have it all” becomes mothers? In this episode of The Good Moms Podcast, I sit down with Allie McQuaid, a licensed professional counselor and certified perinatal mental health specialist, known on Instagram as @millennialmomtherapist.Allie has spent over a decade helping children and families and now focuses on supporting moms through the emotional weight of modern motherhood. Together, we talk about millennial mom rage, gentle parenting vs. FAFO Gen X styles, and the gap between the adulthood we were promised and the reality of raising kids today.Allie opens up about her own experience starting her business through pregnancy and postpartum during the pandemic, and shares how therapy, community, and self-compassion can help moms navigate this messy, beautiful season.We talk about our favorite comfort movies and tv shows, music and all things nostalgia. If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

As a surprise to no one, moms are leaving the workforce. A recent article by The Washington Post details how working moms, who helped get the economy back on its feet after the pandemic, are now leaving the workforce because, essentially, they haven’t been given any options to stay by their employers.Return to work policies, layoffs, and the good ol' motherhood penalty all play systematic roles in a mother's decision to leave the workforce. But what happens when the cards are stacked against you and you can't leave?  In this episode of Good Moms, I sit down with Kaleana Quibell, Founder of Both & Co., a platform dedicated to helping parents navigate career transitions and advocating for more flexible, supportive workplaces. We talk about her bold pivot from Corporate America into consulting, how moms can find more freedom, balance, and fulfillment in their careers, and the steps to take along the way.Previously the VP of Wellbeing at Sequoia, Kaleana built and scaled employer wellbeing programs for some of the most innovative companies in the world. Today, she works as a go-to-market strategist for companies selling into the employer channel, leveraging her decade of experience in benefits, wellbeing, and HR strategy.Together, we explore the realities of leaving corporate life, starting a consulting business, and the benefits of schedule flexibility. If you’ve ever wondered how moms successfully transition from office jobs to consulting, create flexible careers, or build businesses that work for both family and professional growth, this episode is for you.Follow Kaleana on Instagram @bothand.coIf you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

Today is a solo episode, moms, and I'm dying on some hills today. I saw a post the other day about someone who quote "felt sorry for moms who make motherhood their entire identity" and frankly, I'm tired of the judgment. Because a mom's identity IS questioned the minute we become moms, so yes, we know we are battling this. We frankly don't have the time it takes to pursue interests and passions RIGHT NOW, but that honestly does not mean we don't have any. Not to mention that when we do pursue something (which GOD FORBID we do), we get shamed for it. It's a lose-lose situation that is unfair to generalize. I talk about how straight up FOGGY my mom brain has been lately, and, as a surprise to literally no one, get on my soap box once again about why return-to-office mandates feel like a direct hit to working moms everywhere.And honestly, if there every was a villain origin story, this might be mine.If you’ve ever felt unseen, shamed, or just plain exhausted by the expectations of modern motherhood, this one’s for you. And if you're not following along on Instagram, may I humbly suggest joining in on these convos? We talk about all these things and more in real time. So follow along and join the party. If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

If only I could clone myself…how many times have we all wished that? Enter Kelly Hubbell…Kelly helps moms find relief from the mental load through home systems and household support. Because don’t we all deserve that?Kelly is a mom of three and house manager expert. She helps families reclaim their time and energy by building their village and outsourcing the mental load.On today’s episode, I chat with Kelly about her company Sage Haus and how she’s helping families lighten the load at home and finally find a productive solution to the very things that are leading to overwhelm and burnout at home. We talk about Kelly’s journey to entrepreneurship, which includes her version of Eve Rodsky's “Shit I Do” list, how mom guilt played a role in the creation of Sage Haus, identity shifts in motherhood, and of course, how she reclaimed her time with household support. Find the support you need at sagehaus.com. Follow Kelly on Instagram at @mysagehaus and on LinkedIn as Kelly HubellIf you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms

If you’ve ever wanted to feel validated in your motherhood this episode is for you!In today’s episode, I'm baring it all with the creator of the “Type C Mom” Ashleigh Surratt. Ashleigh’s “Type C Mom” reels have gone viral on TikTok and Instagram, and have appealed specifically to us fellow Type C moms who (finally!) feel like someone gets us.During our conversation, Ashleigh breaks down what being a Type C mom really looks like, and the guilt that comes along with it. She candidly shares how therapy has helped her reframe her mindset when mom guilt starts to set in, and together we talk about the value in altering your outlook and perspective.We get really real about screen time, how we use it and how (gasp!) it can sometimes be a positive tool. Buckle up, ladies, because this is the most unfiltered episode yet!Ashleigh Surratt is a writer, speaker & content creator behind the viral Type C Mom series. With a gift for blending humor, faith, and honest glimpses of motherhood, she helps overwhelmed moms feel seen, laugh more, and loosen the grip of perfection. When she’s not wrangling her three young kids, Ashleigh is encouraging women to embrace the chaos, live deeply, and find God in the everyday mess. You can follow her @AshleighSurrattFollow Ashleigh on social media @AshleighSurrattIf you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review! Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @weregoodmoms