#9 -The Difference Between Helping and Mom-Shaming

You wanted this kid. You hoped, prayed for, begged the universe, and waited for entirely too long to have this kid. So why, now that he's here, are you low-key regretting the choice to have kids at all? Does that make you a bad mom? Nope. It makes you a human. A human who needs to grieve. It's okay to miss your old life after you have kids. They change everything. Gwenna talks about her grief struggle after becoming a mom of three and has a few ideas on how to wade through your own.  And, for something completely different, Gwenna interviews author Janet Lawless Christ about her new book Nugget the Nomad. You can win a copy of this adorable children's book - head to Instagram, MommaCusses.com or just listen for the deets.  We need to thank our sponsors for their continued support and The Fox Sisters for the use of their song Stuck on You as the intro and outro of this podcast. Also featured in this episode is Scott Hines' Green Fields. All music from today's episode was sourced from FreeMusicArchives.org. If you'd like to contact Momma Cusses, please email [email protected] with episode ideas or if you'd like to be a guest!

This week's episode finds us talking with Nicole Snow, founder & CEO of Darn Good Yarn. We talk about running a company and maintaining your sanity. Spoiler: We don't actually tell you how to do it because we don't know but we do talk about it. We discuss the unique origins of her multi-million dollar yarn company, the dreaded Mom Tax, the power of the Mom Voice in the boardroom, and whether quantity time with your kids is more valuable than quality time.  As always we need to thank our sponsors for their continued support of The Momma Cusses Podcast and The Fox Sisters for the use of their song, Stuck on You, as the intro and outro of their podcast. This week's Small Business Shout Out goes to HouKreative Creations at thestickponylady.com. For show notes, to find out more about Momma Cusses, or just to be nosy, head to MommaCusses.com

This week we speak with Crystal Hardstaff, The Gentle Counsellor, about momming and mental health. Too often moms feel that we are unable to address our own mental health concerns for fear that we'll be shunned or shamed. Moms are supposed to be all things for all creatures and that's just not true. We are human, complete with flaws. We need to take care of ourselves to take care of our children. From addressing postpartum depression and anxiety to really nailing down a solid self-care routine, we owe it to ourselves to take care of our own needs as moms. As always, many thanks to our sponsors for their support and our listeners for tuning in, sharing the podcast, and leaving u s ratings and reviews. This helps us grow and we can't say thank you enough. Be sure to visit MommaCusses.com for full show notes and resources. 

If you work out of the home, chances are pretty great you have had, do have, or will need a daycare. This week we speak with Megan Faldet, a daycare owner and provider. We discuss how to begin the arduous process of finding a daycare, what questions to ask, how to build a solid relationship with this human who will be helping care for your child. We also swap stories of our kids saying really awkward things at even more awkward times.  As always, many thanks to our sponsors for their continued support. Be sure to check MommaCusses.com for related articles, more great content, and all our social media links.

On this week's episode, we talk with Dr. Savannah Sparks, a board-certified pharmacist, and stout vaccine proponent. (I know! Look at us all fancy talking to people with advanced degrees? WTF?) Savannah is better known as @rx0rcist on TikTok. This week we chat about some of the biggest myths surrounding vaccines, how to talk with moms on the fence about vaccinating their littles, and the need-to-know bits of flu shots.  Note: This episode had a lot to cover and is a little longer than our standard fare. This episode also marks the move to a weekly episode! Yay more Momma Cusses Podcast stuff.  For full show notes, visit mommacusses.com.

It's hard when a relationship ends. It's even harder when you've created or shared spawn with that person and you can't just ghost them. In this episode, we chat with Ashley, the founder of The Conscious Co-Parent. A breakup requires grieving and we discuss how to ride that rollercoaster - both the one you're on and the one your ex has to ride. Choosing what's best for your kid isn't always easy and the decision to co-parent takes work. A lot of work. And curse words. A lot of curse words. But, in the end, if you and your former partner can make it work, it's definitely worth the struggle. And, apparently, it does get easier.  For the full show notes, head to MommaCusses.com!

The moment you become a mom - you're supposed to magically know a metric ton of crap. Some of us are lucky to have great support networks and resources available to learn from. Others of us are just flapping in the breeze just trying to hang on. And sometimes we learn stuff that maybe isn't so great. So when you encounter a mom who might be able to benefit from the knowledge you've gained while momming, how do you help without treading into the dreaded mom-shaming territory. This week we chat with Kelly Barile from The Momma Cusses Moms Group on Facebook on doing just that.  For more resources and tips, check out MommaCusses.com

This week we talk with Chelsea Parks, owner of Hooplahoma and performer with Inspyral Circus in Oklahoma City. We discuss how juggling makes friends, how to use hula-hooping and juggling as a form of meditation, and how these things can help kids with ADD or ADHD. And naturally, horror stories of performances gone awry. Because who doesn't like a good fail story, right? Many thanks to our sponsors, our guest host, and The Fox Sisters for the use of their song Stuck on You as the intro and outro of our podcast!  Be sure to visit MommaCusses.com for more great content, find our social media links, and find out more about our guest host this week. Have questions, a suggestion for an upcoming episode, or just wanna say hi? Email us at [email protected]. And finally, if you're a small business owner and you want an ad (FOR FREE!) on The Momma Cusses Podcast, visit the Podcast page on Mommacusses.com, fill out the contact form and you could hear your ad on this show! I want to support your small business because I truly appreciate your support of mine! (Even if it's just talking at you for a half hour.)

This episode is a 3 for 1 special - 3 mini episodes in one handy, dandy podcast. This week we'll chat about how to deal with being all touched out. Is there a way to get your crotch fruit to stop touching you all the time? Is it time to stop calling stay-at-home parents, STAY at home? And does motherhood have a uniform? We'll cover all this in this week's episode of The Momma Cusses Podcast.  Many thanks to this week's sponsors. Be sure to check out MommaCusses.com for this week's show notes and a transcript of this episode. 

A good picture isn't always a perfect pictures. We almost all wander around with cameras in our pockets (or more likely tucked into our bras) and we love taking pictures of our littles. But we probably hate being in them. On this episode of Momma Cusses, we chat with Emily Supiot of Cozy Clicks about how to get great photos of our littles and the importance of getting in the pics ourselves. Our kids see the memories, not our double chin.  This week's episode is sponsored in part by The Coldest Water - get 10% off your order with promo code Gwenna.  For more on our guest this week, check out her website, CozyClicks.com. For full show notes, include more links to Emily's great content and important things you need, head to MommaCusses.com.