Boy Mom Podcast

Meet Coach Tim Brown, a lifelong coach, educator, pastor, author, father, and advocate for raising strong boys. In this episode, Tim talks about his mother who raised him and his siblings single-handedly and how this affected how he thought of his role. Tim talks about what it is to honor his mother and to live a life knowing that he fulfilled his part as a son on earth. Tim talks about his work with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and his books that are broken down by chapter on what middle school and older boys need to understand to be good followers of Jesus. Tim's insight and practical tips are must-see/must-hear words of wisdom for all mothers--even if they are not always easy to hear. Tim reminds us of the critical role that men play in the rearing of boys and why moms always making everything better can be to the detriment of raising strong, resilient men. An episode that is full of wisdom that comes from Tim's experience and servant leadership heart.

Meet Dr. Marsha Nelson, a surgeon who is married to another surgeon, and has been able to raise four boys with the oldest now in college. Marsha shares with us her amazing story and the methods that she's used that has people stopping in restaurants to compliment the behavior of her sons. Married to a now retired military officer, Marsha talks about the trials and tribulations of having to continuously move throughout her motherhood and being able to go through almost an entire pregnancy while her husband was deployed overseas. Her down-to-earth nature and self-deprecating comments showcases how approachable and practical Marsha is as both a mother and a medical professional. Her poise and analytical approach is her power and she is a model of fortitude and never giving up. Marsha also talks about the evolution of her faith and how the birth and passing of her daughter brought her much closer to God. Her perseverance and passion for servant leadership is an inspiration to us all.

Carroll S. Golden, best-selling author and longevity & retirement synthesist joins Suzanne Carawan, host of the Boy Mom Podcast to talk about her son, Eric. Carroll is a career female executive who doesn't pull any punches when talking about the sacrifice and sheer determination that went into being a single mother while working in the financial services industry, a historically (and still!) male-dominated industry. Despite the odds, Carroll's smarts, work ethic, and ability to reinvent herself paid dividends as she took one position after another in order to climb the ladder and provide for her children. Moving seven times during her son's childhood, Carroll is very candid in assessing what she feels she did well and what she didn't. She provides sage advice throughout the podcast and emphasizes the role of vulnerability that mothers should not shy away from when seeking help with their sons. Whether turning to other mothers or her son's coaches, Carroll is clear that mothering a boy is not for the faint of heart. Now a mother of a grown son who, himself, has a son, Carroll continues to work hard and has recently released her fourth book "Leading in the New Retirement Era: How to Lead, Adapt, and Win in an AI-Driven World", a best-seller that provides advice to financial advisors and retirees as to how to best plan for longevity and achieve financial freedom for yourself and your family.

Meet Ryan McCann, only son of Suzanne, who joins us on this episode of the Boy Mom Podcast. Ryan is a student-athlete in graduate school at Seton Hill University and joins us to give perspective on his life and ever-evolving relationship with his mother. We gain special insight into his thinking at different points of his life and how he has come to appreciate and greatly value the relationship he now has with his mom. This episode will particularly warm the hearts of any mother who has a middle or high school teen who doesn't communicate and worries that this phase will be like this forever! Ryan walks us through the phases of his relationship and is very candid in discussing various time periods of his relationships.

Meet Stephanie Karr, a college faculty member teaching pharmacology & toxicology, as well as a visionary author and product developer of Christian-focused books and keepsakes that center around a lamb named "Iam". The name came to Stephanie in a moment of divine providence and she later learned that Iam is Hebrew for "He will be" or "He is" and this reinforced the name of her main character, an adorable lamb that undertakes adventures that lead him (and the reader) closer to Christ's teachings. During our time together, we talk about Stephanie's marriage that was first founded in Christian friendship and then grew to welcome two daughters and a pair of identical twin boys. We talk through Stephanie's walk with faith through her pregnancies and her desire to help lead more individuals and families into a positive, Christ-focused relationship. Her desire is that her Iam the Lamb keepsake gifts and books will be enjoyed by families year-after-year to establish tradition and create special memories for each season.Stephanie's latest book which focuses on Iam the Lamb's adventures during Advent showcases the many symbols and their meanings during the season leading up to Christmas. It can be paired with the plush lamb and next year, a beautiful wooden Advent calendar will also be available for sale to round out the offering.Stephanie's future projects include seeing both of her twin boys off to college in 2026 and expanding her product line to include baby clothing and keepsakes.

Join us as to kick off our second season where we meet Kelly Bamm who is living proof of the power of prayer, intention, and healing. Making tough choices goverened by prayer and faith has always been part of Kelly's journey. Whether it was deciding to divorce while pregnant with her third child, or giving a chance to a new love and marriage, Kelly has always trusted God's plan. Having the courage to blend families, Kelly and her husband went on to have children together never expecting to receive the bounty of blessings that continued to arrive (including twins!). The unexpected twists and turns of Kelly's life also included finding out that she had a rare form of cancer that had a very low chance for survival. When her doctor told her to get her life in order, her mama bear gene kicked in and she knew she needed more than months--she needed multiple more years to be able to shepherd her 11 children! Through prayer, purpose-driven pursuit of holistic healthcare, and a strong family, Kelly brings her story to us with humor, candor, and grace.

Join us as we hear from financial services legend, Joe Jordan, about the power of mothers and how much the world needs us now. From Joe's powerful personal testimony about his mother to his work that he continues to do at a breakneck speed and on a global basis, Joe shares his wisdom. Joe is an internationally recognized speaker and author of "Living a Life of Significance". Joe's deep Catholic faith, his love of sports, and his genuine passion have created an unbelievable career and countless accolades including being inducted into the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame, the NYAC/Winged Foot Rugby Hall of Fame, the Financial Hall of Fame, the Insured Retirement Institute Hall of Fame, and the Mount St. Michael Academy Hall of Fame. You can find his book on Amazon and his work at JosephJordan.com.

Meet Karla and Kai-mother and son who have a heartwarming story about navigating the world of having a split home, where God fits in, how the mother and father relationship differ, and what miracles can happen when you constantly pray for everyone to be their highest self. Kai, an incredibly articulate rising junior at Hope College and his faithful and loyal mother, Karla, proud employee of Honda discuss the ebbs and flows of their relationship which evidences their enduring bond and deep love and respect for one another.

Meet Bear Davis and his mom, Roni. Born Kenneth, Roni would sing "Winnie the Pooh" to her baby, but replace the Winnie with Kenny. The Kenny part never stuck, but the Bear did! The beloved baby of the family, Bear was brought up with the freedom to play outside all day and loved sports of all kinds. Roni's down-to-earth spirit is refreshing and her zest for life is uplifting. Who would have thought that this nice woman was the creator and perpetrator of the Spooky House game? It's snippets of mothering like this that give you insight into how much fun boys can be and how much laughter is a key element in forming a close relationship in adulthood. Thanks Bear and Roni for allowing the world to get to know you and your very special family on this month's episode of the Boy Mom Podcast.

Meet Joe and Frank Anderson, identical twins and coming in at #5 and #6 in birth order to a family of ten children. While Frank reigns supreme as the older brother, Joe is a mere minutes younger and just as big of a personality as Frank. The two talk about their upbringing by mom Norene Karnes who was an incredibly dynamic woman who lived life out loud and taught her children to do the same.The touching tribute to their mom includes the twins talking about how their mother taught them to love and how much her example translated into how they conduct themselves as husbands and father. Whether Norene was making clothes for them, carting one of the 7 boys off to yet another trip to the ER, or washing endless amounts of laundry, Norene never complained and was steadfast in her commitment to embrace joy in everything she did.Not only did she have ten kids, but Norene also wrote for the local newspaper in Medina, Ohio, decided to go back to school to earn her nursing degree while battling breast cancer, and later decided to enroll in clown school. She used humor and hard work to express herself, but regularly relaxed through a regimen of hot tea and cross-stitch. Frank and Joe are hilarious--the joy that they have for life and love for each other is infectious. How they discuss their own relationships as husbands and fathers is heartwarming and is exactly what a mother would want to hear from her grown son's hearts, minds, and mouths. Norene, of all of your accomplishments, your lasting legacy of love is seen in your children. (Trooping them to church and bringing the rosary to wrestling matches probably also contributed to your formula of success that launched your own decade of children into the world.) I have always thought that Mary must have had a tremendously great sense of humor to put up with Jesus' antics and I can only think at the conclusion of this episode that Norene and our Queen Mother are sitting together in heaven wiping their eyes from laughing so hard.