Modern Mom Probs

What does it mean to build the family that's right for you, even when it doesn't fit society's expectations? In this episode, Tara sits down with Jacqueline Stein, founder of Only Hearts Club, to explore the realities of raising an only child, navigating outside opinions, and finding confidence in your parenting decisions. Jacqueline shares how a simple Facebook group grew into a thriving global community for mothers of only children and why creating meaningful connections beyond traditional family structures matters more than ever.Together, Tara (an only child with an only child) and Jackie unpack the myths surrounding only-child families, the pressure many moms feel from relatives, social media, and cultural expectations, and how self-awareness and authenticity can help moms tune out the noise. They discuss sibling dynamics, chosen family, mental health, and the evolving definition of family in modern motherhood. Whether you're raising an only child, considering your family size, or simply looking for reassurance that there's no one "right" way to parent, this conversation is for you! Links:www.instagram.com/theonlyhearts www.theonlyhearts.com

FIRST AIRED APRIL 25, 2023 As parents, we often want to shield our children from the realities of the world, but it's ultimately impossible to do so. When children do hear about the news, it's important to have open and honest conversations with them. In this episode of the "Modern Mom Probs" podcast, Tara interviews Tracy Leeds Kaplan, the founder of Small But Mighty Media and creator of the popular podcast "The Ten News," about how to talk with children about the news. They discuss the importance of age-appropriate news sources for kids, the challenges of discussing sensitive topics, and the need for giving yourself space to be emotional. They also touch on the challenges of parenting in the digital age and finding time for family discussions. Tracy emphasizes the importance of listening and using age-appropriate language when discussing heavy news topics with kids. If you’ve ever been at a loss for words, listen to this episode. Links: https://www.thetennews.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ten-news-news-for-curious-kids/id1514325670 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/for-the-grown-ups-how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-gun-violence/id1514325670?i=1000607581233 Support the show • Follow & DM me @modernmomprobs • Pick up my book • Leave a review

BLAST FROM THE PAST: FIRST AIRED NOVEMBER 14, 2023 In this episode, Tara welcomes Alyssa Blask Campbell, CEO of Sew and Seed. Alyssa is a trusted expert in emotional development and the host of the popular podcast "Voices of Your Village." The conversation centers around Alyssa's new book, "Tiny Humans, Big Emotions: How to Navigate Tantrums, Meltdowns, and Defiance to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children." Alyssa shares that the book is based on Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP), a method for being with and moving through hard things. She and her colleague, Lauren Stauble developed this method after realizing that traditional behavior-focused approaches were not effective in real-life parenting situations. They wanted to create a comprehensive approach that focuses on the adult's self-awareness and self-care, as well as the interaction between adults and children. Tara and Alyssa discuss the importance of emotional intelligence and its impact on daily life. Alyssa shares how her perspective on emotional intelligence shifted when she started envisioning a world where these tools were accessible to everyone, including her own child and future generations. She emphasizes the need for emotional intelligence in adults, especially those in positions of power, so they can support others and model healthy ways of navigating difficult situations. Alyssa explains that emotional intelligence consists of five components: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation. She highlights the significance of self-awareness, as it is the foundation for regulating emotions and accessing the other components. Alyssa uses personal examples, such as a social media backlash, to illustrate the importance of recognizing dysregulation cues and taking a step back before responding. They also touch on empathy and how it is best taught through modeling. Instead of claiming to understand exactly how someone feels in a given situation, she suggests connecting with the emotions someone is experiencing, rather than focusing on why they are feeling that way. If you’re interested in teaching your children empathy, you should listen to this episode! Links: https://www.seedandsew.org/ https://www.instagram.com/seed.and.sew/

In this episode, Tara sits down with popular content creator of @ThatDarnChat, Fair Play Facilitator, and author of the new book No More Mediocre, Laura Danger for an honest, validating, and occasionally uncomfortably relatable conversation about domestic labor, mental load, and why so many partnerships quietly slide into mediocrity. They unpack how the pandemic cracked things wide open exposing just how uneven household responsibilities really are and why so many couples are still struggling to rebalance things years later. Spoiler: it’s not because anyone’s “bad at helping,” it’s because the entire concept of help is part of the problem. Laura and Tara dig into the cultural conditioning that shapes our expectations at home, from who notices what needs to be done to who feels responsible for making sure it gets done. They explore the difference between expectations and standards (yes, they are not the same thing), and how unmet expectations can quietly turn into resentment, disconnection, and even feelings of betrayal. The conversation also touches on why mediocre relationships are so often tolerated (and normalized) especially for women and mothers who were taught to lower the bar and keep the peace. Drawing from her book No More Mediocre, Laura makes a powerful case for intentionality in domestic roles and communication, emphasizing that equity doesn’t happen accidentally. Tara and Laura also reflect on how online conversations have helped name the mental load and bring language to something so many parents feel but couldn’t quite articulate. If you’ve ever felt exhausted by carrying the invisible work at home, or wondered why “just tell me what to do” isn’t the solution, this episode will make you feel seen, validated, and maybe a little fired up (in a good way). Links: https://www.lauradanger.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thatdarnchat/