No Guilt Mom | Overcoming Mom Guilt, Parenting Tips, & Self Care for Moms

If the word “happy” feels more like a goal than a daily reality right now, this episode is going to land right where you need it.I’m joined by Tia Graham—leadership coach, positive psychology expert, author of Be a Happy Leader, and someone who has spent years studying the actual science behind what makes us feel happier. And yes… moms can absolutely use this research to feel more joy, more calm, and more fulfillment in their everyday lives.We dig into everything from genetics (turns out happiness is far more inherited than you think!) to the environments we’re raising our kids in, to the small, simple practices that actually move the needle on wellbeing.Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, craving more meaning, or just wanting to feel more like yourself, this conversation offers such grounded hope.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why up to 70% of your happiness is influenced by genetics—and why that means you deserve WAY more compassion (not more pressure).How your environment—from work demands to lack of societal support—shapes your wellbeing, and why your struggles are not personal failures.A powerful “12 months from now” exercise to help you reimagine your life and priorities with more clarity and less guilt.The #1 predictor of happiness according to neuroscience (hint: your kids can’t fill this bucket on their own!).How to spot habits that drain your joy, even the subtle ones you don’t realize you’re doing out of routine or “shoulds.”Why journaling & meditation are scientifically backed tools for processing emotions, increasing resilience, and helping your brain rewire toward more positive thought patterns.How to realign your calendar with your actual values, so your schedule supports the life you want—not the one you inherited from shoulds, guilt, or overwhelm.Resources We Shared30 Self Care Practices from Tia: https://www.tiagraham.com/selfcareLearn more about Tia here: www.tiagraham.comDownload the No Guilt Mom Stop Doing Checklist: https://www.balanceformoms.com/opt-in-stop-doing-checklist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do our phones, apps, and digital tools quietly shap our experience of motherhood. We're joined by Amanda Hess, writer at large for The New York Times and author of Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age. Amanda shares how pregnancy apps, tracking tools, and hyper-targeted ads didn’t just “support” her— they started defining what kind of mom she thought she was supposed to be. From fertility tracking and bump apps to baby monitors, sleep trackers, and Life360-style teen surveillance, we unpack the subtle ways tech feeds anxiety, perfectionism, and the pressure to “optimize” everything… including our kids. In this episode, you’ll hear: How one pregnancy app quietly shifted Amanda from “this is helpful” to “this is telling me who my baby should be”—and why that mattered when her son’s diagnosis didn’t match the glossy digital version. What happens when your phone knows your pregnancy before your friends do, and how targeted ads start shaping your identity as a mom before your baby is even born. The hidden emotional cost of baby and teen surveillance tech (like smart socks and location tracking apps) and why they create more anxiety than actual safety. Simple mindset shifts to reclaim your intuition in a tech-saturated world, so your phone becomes a tool—not the authority on your parenting. Resources We SharedGrab Amanda's book Second Life: Having A Child In The Digital Age: hFollow Amanda on InstagramGrab our FREE Stop Doing Checklist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If dinner at your house looks like one kid eating plain noodles, another living on beige food, and you wondering why you even bothered cooking… this episode is for you. I’m joined by registered dietitian Sarah Schlichter of Bucket List Tummy to talk about picky eating, pressure at the table, and why so many of us feel like we’re failing if our kids don’t touch the veggies we lovingly chopped. We chat about how our 90s “boxed and canned” childhoods impact the way we feed our own kids now, how social media adds a whole layer of mom-pressure, and what realistic, actually doable changes you can make to help your kids feel safer trying new foods—without turning dinner into a battle. What the “beige diet” really is (and why it’s so common, even in good, loving homes). In this episode, you’ll hear: The simple mindset shift that can instantly lower the pressure you feel at mealtimes. One tiny tweak to how you serve dinner that gives kids more autonomy and makes them more likely to explore new foods. How to use “safe foods” and curiosity to gently expand your child’s palate over time (without bribing, begging, or bargaining for “just one bite”). Resources We Shared: Download Sarah's freebie for 5 easy family meal recipes Visit Sarah at Bucket List Tummy Grab our FREE Stop Doing Checklist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If your grocery total makes you cringe every single week — and you’re constantly tossing slimy lettuce or moldy berries — this episode is going to feel like a deep exhale. I’m talking with Amy Cross, urban homesteader and founder of The Cross Legacy, who feeds her family mostly organic, whole foods… on just $270 a month for two people — and only shops every three to four weeks. 😳 She’s the creator of the viral “strawberries in a jar” method and literally wrote the book on making produce last longer: Zero Waste Produce Guide. In this conversation, she walks us through simple, doable changes that help busy moms save money, waste less food, and make dinner feel less like a daily emergency. Key Takeaways for Moms You don’t need natural meal-planning talent to save money. A few tiny shifts (wash produce, store smarter, batch one meal) can change everything. Teaching kids to cook isn’t about doing it perfectly — it’s about stepping back. Packaged foods don’t make you a bad mom; you can layer in fresh foods at your pace. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Get the Stop Doing Checklist from No Guilt Mom Find Amy’s work at The Cross Legacy Check out her book: Zero Waste Produce Guide Watch Amy's weekly meal series on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey Lola 💛 In this special Thanksgiving episode, I’m doing something a little different—I’m taking a TV show I’m obsessed with (All Her Fault on Peacock) and using one couple’s relationship to talk about something very real: 👉 Why it feels like your time is always interruptible 👉 Why you can’t relax when someone else is “on duty” with the kids 👉 And why asking for a break feels… weirdly guilty We’ll look at how this shows up in Jenny’s marriage in the series—and how the same patterns might be showing up in your life too. No big plot spoilers, just enough context to help you see your own story a little more clearly.. In this episode, you’ll hear: How one simple phone habit can quietly train everyone (including you) to treat your time as always available. The subtle way “helping out” with the kids can actually hide an uneven mental load—and what to do if you’re the one carrying most of it. Why exploding over “one small thing” is almost never about that one thing—and how to start setting boundaries before you hit that breaking point. Resources mentioned: ⁠All Her Fault on Peacock⁠ ⁠No Guilt Mom Podcast Facebook Group⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices