How Our Children Inspire Us with Tika Sumpter

This summer, we said hello to the Mama's Den village as a party of 3 and we are running this episode back for everyone new to the Den AND because in exactly 7 weeks, Melanie, Ashley, and Codie will be LIVE in Atlanta at City Winery. Get to know where we've been, who we are, and how we are rolling with the changes 2025 has brought us.Now more than ever, these mamas are juggling motherhood, entrepreneurship, and personal growth - still doing their best to choose joy and lean on community. If you’re out here doing the best with what you’ve got, this is your reminder: joy is still available to you.Want to see The Mama's Den live in Atlanta on November 3rd? Get your tickets here: https://citywinery.com/atlanta/events/the-mamas-den-podcast-live-6vpkv0 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get ready for a crash course in sex ed! Sexologist and certified sex educator Shan Boodram breaks down what healthy sexual development looks like for kids and teens. From teaching body awareness to navigating first crushes, romantic relationships, and intimacy - Shan shares how to have open, age-appropriate conversations with your children. Trigger Warning: the conversation also offers advice and insights around sexual assault and how to empower children to speak up. This episode is packed with tools and resources to help parents guide their kids through one of the most important (and often overlooked) parts of growing up.For more resources, go to LoversByShan.com. Also check out Shan’s Sex Ed Crash Course on YouTube and her MasterClass (The Art of Sex Appeal).________________________ We love getting Listener Letters! Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Mamas are joined by Charles Johnson, single dad and founder of the nonprofit 4Kira4Moms. After losing his wife Kira during childbirth, Charles turned his pain into purpose - advocating (all the way to Congress) to end maternal mortality while navigating the hardship and humor of raising his two sons. In this episode, Charles gets real about solo parenting, finding work-life balance, and building the village it takes to do it all. He reminds us that joy and grief can live in the same house - and that showing up for your kids and your purpose is a powerful act of love and legacy.Go to 4Kira4Moms.com to get involved and advocate for better maternal health outcomes.________________________ We love getting Listener Letters! Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Would you rather your kid have lice…or the stomach flu?? In this episode, the Mamas play a game of Would You Rather? - unpacking everything from funny hypotheticals to real-life boundaries and the many messy moments in parenting. It’s a lighthearted convo full of laughs, real talk, and proof that every mama has her own way of handling motherhood in the wild.________________________ We love getting Listener Letters! Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona________________________ We love getting Listener Letters! Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] sure you connect with our Mamas on IG: @themamasdenpodcastAshley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codieco Melanie - @melaniefionaFor more Black Love interviews and articles, and to watch The Mama's Den podcast, visit www.BlackLove.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Candice Bolden, entrepreneur and former professional dancer, opens up about her journey with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) - from battling weight gain and skin issues to being told she’d struggle to conceive. With lots of research, faith, and support from her husband, ex-NFL player Omar Bolden, Candice reversed her symptoms through major lifestyle changes - and now they’re proud parents to a baby girl! This episode is a powerful reminder that you can take control of your health and how motherhood can inspire a whole new mindset.Check out The Mama's Den episode with Candice's husband, Omar here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mamas-den/id1616159115?i=1000674715097________________________ We love getting Listener Letters! Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] sure you connect with our Mamas on IG: @themamasdenpodcastAshley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codieco Melanie - @melaniefionaFor more Black Love interviews and articles, and to watch The Mama's Den podcast, visit www.BlackLove.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AD, reality TV star and podcast host, joins the Mamas to dish on going from a heartbreak on Love is Blind to finding her happily-ever-after on Perfect Match - where she met her fiancé, Ollie Sutherland. Now expecting their first child (we’re screaming!), AD spills all the tea on her pregnancy body changes, planning two weddings, and how she’s carrying her biggest life lessons into motherhood and marriage. The Mamas swap wisdom on breastfeeding, postpartum, and building a partnership...showing that no matter how you become a mama - self-care, support, and communication are everything.________________________ We love getting Listener Letters! Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona________________________ LOVE BLACK LOVE? Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/blacklove?s...For more Black Love interviews and articles, visit http://www.BlackLove.comFollow Facebook: blacklovedoc  Instagram: blacklove  Tiktok: blackloveinc#BlackLoveDoc #blacklove #blacklovemagic Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We are running back a popular episode where Melanie, Ashley, and Codie break down a list of one-liners they found on social media that make parenting a little easier, like “you gotta do what you need to do, before you get to do what you wanna do” (a Melanie Fiona original). They also discuss teaching their kids about respect, validating their emotions while disciplining them, and giving kids autonomy in making decisions — even when they want to cuss! Throughout the convo, the mamas get a few surprise phone calls that tie right into a heartfelt Listener Letter — this is an episode you won’t want to miss!======Send any thoughts or questions for the Mamas at [email protected] or hit us up on IG at @themamasdenpodcastMake sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Y'all welcome to this oldie but goodie - we are throwing it back to an conversation that brought out some feelings. Mamas, we often celebrate others and stress ourselves out over our kids' birthdays but, in this episode, Codie, Ashley, and Melanie discuss the value of experiences versus parties, embracing getting older, and Ashley annual emotional response to her birthday......She opens up about the difficulties of having a birthday around the holidays and how her birthday celebrations have evolved since losing her sister.So Village, what is your ideal birthday celebration? How do you celebrate and embrace getting a year older? Get in on the conversation and let us know over at [email protected] OR you can always submit a DM on IG @themamasdenpodcastMake sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a timeless episode from a time when a then 5-year old Asiyah asked Ashley "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Ashley was not pleased! Codie, Melanie, and Ashley are talking about what it means to be "just" a mother - and more. The Mamas also explore what it means to truly be living in your purpose and supporting your kids’ decisions despite what you may want for them!So, Mama's Den Village, are you fulfilling your childhood dreams or did you figure out your purpose later in life? Let us know your point of view over at [email protected] OR you can always submit a DM on IG at @themamasdenpodcast.Make sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We are running it back to this fun conversation from 2023....We all know social media sparks a lot of conversations these days. So Codie, Ashley, and Melanie are giving their opinions about a post shared on Instagram that listed 5 things parents should do if they want to have a secure relationship with their children. The Mamas also talk about holding space for their children’s emotions and reflect on their relationships with their own mothers.Mama's Den Village, do you agree with the 5 steps of having a secure relationship with your child? Do you have another step you would add to the conversation? Let us know your point of view over at [email protected]. PLUS you can always hit us up over on Instagram at @themamasdenpodcastMake sure you connect with our Mamas:Ashley - @watermeloneggrollsCodie - @codiecoMelanie - @melaniefiona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.