Mommifaceted: Black Working Mom Podcast

When All They Want To Do Is Fight Mar 14, 2024

What do you do to handle your child's conflict? Darline and Rachel discuss teaching strategies when their children are ready to fight.

PTA? Yes or No? Mar 04, 2024

Darline joined the PTA for her son so of course we have to talk about how this looks.

Taking It Slow For 2024 Feb 17, 2024

We are going to take our time getting ready for 2024. This episode we are sharing our plans for the year and how we've been for the new year.

New Year Hopes and Dreams Dec 27, 2023

We talk about what we're planning for the new year. As moms, we have a lot on our plate- so sometimes a new year is just another day.

Where Have We Been? Back In Time to Prepare for the Holidays! Dec 07, 2023

Darline and Rachel talk about their plans to hopefully keep their sanity over the holidays this year.

Replay: When being a mom is not what you think! Oct 26, 2023

Becoming a new mother is not exactly what you might think - we share what surprised us.

Replay: Bringing Our Sexy Back Oct 20, 2023

Replay of an early episode where we discuss where our sexy mom phase is!

What About Your Kid-less Friends? Oct 06, 2023

Article mentioned: https://www.thecut.com/article/adult-friendships-vs-kids.html

When Is It Time to Move on? Sep 22, 2023

Sometimes we have to move on to something different and trust that we'll make the right choice. So, how do we do that when other people, specifically our children, are involved?

Exposing Our Children - can we safely share online? Sep 12, 2023

New episode!

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When Comparison Starts to Creep In Mar 24, 2023

Comparison can come from anywhere and make you question everything you know as a mother. Darline and Rachel talk about who they compare their parenting to and what they take away.

Everyone Needs Time Mar 18, 2023

Darline and Rachel talk what it looks like to get some time away while dealing with things at home.

I want what I want! Mar 03, 2023

Have you ever just wanted to know when you're going to get what you want for a change? Darline and Rachel figure out what to do with these feelings and discuss how they are managing and coping with the sacrifice of motherhood.

What is your mom style? Feb 08, 2023

Darline and Rachel discuss how their style has evolved over the years. The two moms are switching things up by getting their outfits ready for every outing - date night, PTA meeting, Sunday brunch.

When your kid's schedule is insane... Jan 28, 2023

The boys are starting to get busy and Rachel and Darline aren't sure how to manage just yet. Sports, music lessons, and activities are taking over. In this episode we discuss how to check our ego's in the midst of raising our kids to be amazing superstars and how to set some boundaries around extracurricular activities.

When We Feel Like Good Mothers Jan 13, 2023

This week's episode gets a little personal. Rachel and Darline share the singular moments when they feel like good mothers and what that actually means.

Are We Really Ready for 2023? Jan 06, 2023

This week Darline and Rachel catch up and share their true feelings about ringing in the new year. Plus, they discuss what they plan to do this year and what they are looking forward to.

That time you go over the edge Nov 01, 2022

Darline and Rachel talk about the times when they have lost a little patience in motherhood. We've all been there, here's how we handle it.

The Business of Motherhood Oct 18, 2022

This week we discuss how we can apply business practices to motherhood and hopefully make our lives run more smoothly.

Making Tough Decisions For Our Children Oct 10, 2022

How do you balance making decisions for your child when they are their own person? How do you decide what they do, where they go, how they interact with others while keeping their best interest in mind. Darline and Rachel discuss making decisions for another person.

Having a Mom Life Crisis Sep 16, 2022

Have you had a mom life crisis? Darline and Rachel talk about doing things just for themselves that go outside of their normal activity.

A Summer Recap: Travelling with Children Sep 06, 2022

It's the end of summer and Darline and Rachel are saying goodbye with a look back at what they learned having summer with children.

How Well Do You Really Know Yourself? Aug 08, 2022

Rachel and Darline talk about what they really need and how that comes from really knowing themselves well.

Are We Spoiling Our Kids Too Much? Jul 29, 2022

What is the difference between exposing your child to luxury and spoiling them? Darline and Rachel discuss their opinions and how they try not to go overboard.

Picking Your Choices Over Your Family Jul 22, 2022

Rachel and Darline discuss choosing their own decisions over their extended family. What to do when parenting goes against the family's traditions?

This episode was sponsored by Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe!

Join Mimi in a hilarious and wholesome adventure from rising star Shauna J. Grant. This book is perfect for new readers ages 6-8. Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe is available now wherever books are sold.

Our Kids Aren't The Burden of Motherhood Jul 13, 2022

Darline and Rachel talk about the burden of being a motherhood and not making our children feel that they are the cause of the burden. It's not an easy thing!

Celebrating Fathers Without a Dad Jul 02, 2022

This week we share some uncomfortable feelings around Father's Day without a dad and with the father figures in our lives.

No White Horse Jun 17, 2022

No one is coming to save us. This week we're talking about what happens when our backups are not available.

Sometimes our kids CAN be sweet Jun 03, 2022

We reminisce and remember the times when our children surprised us with their sweetness and talk about how we're going to keep these memories alive.

Can You Love Unconditionally? Our Thoughts on Rothaniel May 21, 2022

We watched the HBO Max special, Rothaniel, by Jerrod Carmichael and had some thoughts from a mother's perspective.

Target is Just Not Enough May 06, 2022

We're past the point where a walk through Target is going to help. We are getting real specific on what we actually need.

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Transitioning and Coping as a Mom to 2 Apr 23, 2022

Our experiences becoming moms to two children.

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The Unexpected Facets of Motherhood Apr 15, 2022

This week we share what we did not expect about motherhood and how we are dealing with it. We noticed four themes about motherhood that have been true for us over the years.

Things will not look how you thought they would
You must ask for help
Keep your partner close
Trust your gut

Natal Podcast

How Sexy Can a Mom Be? Apr 08, 2022

New Season, New Host? Mar 31, 2022

Mommifaceted is now a duo! Meet my new co-host, Darline Victor and get to know both of us a little better.

Special Announcement! Jan 24, 2022

Announcing the launch of the Mommifaceted Podcast Network!

Getting Ourselves Off Of Autopilot with Kathryn Finney Nov 15, 2020

Kathryn Finney is one of the most influential woman in tech, an entrepreneur, a social media visionary, an investor, writer, and advocate for women. Having her on the side of women is a big deal, I'm a huge fan! On this podcast episode she's sharing her unconventional journey to motherhood and what she's doing to help the women around her and support them as she grows in motherhood and life.

Key takeaways

Taking pauses helps to manage anxiety and decide who needs you the most at the moment
It's helpful to remind moms that our kids will be okay and we are doing our best every day, things don't have to look perfect
Accepting and offering support can be hard, especially in the early days, but you need to take it

Learning quickly and moving on with Breegan Jane Nov 06, 2020

Breegan Jane is a designer, entrepreneur, lifestyle expert and philanthropist in Los Angeles. As a mom of two boys Breegan is making due with the time she has so that she's also able to give time to her business as well.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Getting to the answers of how things will work, how to make time for everything you want, and figuring out the solutions to our problems earlier and faster will let us decide what we need to do differently and move forward.
Mixing parenting with what kids need to grow and develop can make life easier - like teaching your children to clean and care for the house can help in both areas. Allowing our children to feel empowered keeps them wanting to contribute and channels their energy at times.
When we do not do our work and follow through, it can usually be that frustrated parent that's causing other things to fall and tumble.

Guarding Your Time with Nona Jones Oct 29, 2020

Nona Jones is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, working mom and wife who has become a voice of hope and healing. She is a nationally renowned speaker and writer who recently released her memoir, Success from the Inside Out of her journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse who has gone on to achieve immense career success despite being labeled a problem child at an early age.

Nona was asked to join Facebook and leverage her business acumen and ministry leadership to build its global faith-based partnerships strategy.

In this podcast episode, Nona and I talk about how her past shaped and influenced her idea of motherhood, finding ways she guards her time with each family member, and what it takes to fulfill the vision you may have.

Showing Up as Mom While Climbing the Corporate Ladder with Jacquelyn Howard Oct 16, 2020

Jacquelyn Howard has over 30 years of corporate experience at some of the biggest companies. Now as Vice President of Starbucks, she shows up at work as her full self - which includes the roles of wife and mother. She became a mom later in life after being joyful in singleness, but has always been careful to set strong boundaries to fully enjoy her life. Early on advice from mentors who were mothers included making sure she got her personal time now as her children are older, that time has adjusted because her children are more independent now.

Key takeaways:

Climbing the corporate ladder required different demands from Jacquelyn, but she always makes sure she's not overleveraged.
She created boundaries before having children and after becoming a wife and mom she made sure her team at work knew her family, went on vacation, and knew she was a woman of faith so they were used to knowing she hat set orders
Black families need to be overly engaged to watch for any bias in your child's school and education, additionally her family has sought out professionals and authority of color to show her children who they can be.
Have people around you with the same values is important, not just a village

Mothering the Mother: Time to Start Nurturing Ourselves Oct 09, 2020

How much do we nurture our families while neglecting ourselves? Join me next week on Instagram Live as we delve into what nurturing yourself can look like!

Being a Modern Mom in Corporate America with Latisha Roberson Oct 02, 2020

Latisha Roberson is Accenture’s Inclusion & Diversity Strategic Partnerships Lead and also a full time mom and wife. Being a mom in corporate America is difficult because of the stigma and myths about what moms can do in the workplace. She juggles the responsibilities of a demanding job and a home life by keeping her morning routine in tact, no matter what and by setting boundaries with the people around her.

In this episode we discuss:

Becoming great friends with your children

Allowing our children to express how they feel

How to deal with workplace issues while being a working mom

Finding a morning routine that is untouchable

Feeding Your Children While At Home Made Easy Sep 17, 2020

When we're home during the day it's a constant struggle to answer the question, what is there to eat! I talked with Leslie Antonoff of Haute Mommie and Co-Host of Butter and Brown about how to make healthy and easy meals when you're the chef morning, noon, and night.

Creating a Close Family Bond by Setting Intentional Time Sep 11, 2020

As a wife, mom, full time employee, founder of Mommifaceted and freelance writer - I know that my priority is my family. In order to make them a priority I have to spend time with each person individually so that they know that our family is close and we can create that bond.

I want to build these relationships between my nuclear family so that my boys know they will always have each other, my husband, and myself. Growing up we were close knit, my sister, mother, father and I. We didn’t have extended family who lived close to us and had to travel to see family. Our bond continues today, my immediate family remains close.

For my children, I want that closeness. I'm also working for extended family to get closer, that’s part of why we moved to Texas. To do this, I work to spend specific time with each person. Some of it works, some doesn’t. I’m still working hard on this and figuring out the best way to do this.

This is how I’m starting. On this podcast episode, I'm sharing what I do for each family member.

How We Can Root our Children in Christ Daily With Christina Acosta-Martinez Aug 31, 2020

Christina Acosta-Martinez, founder of Growing Up Gorgeous is a homeschooling mom and wife that makes it a daily task to share her faith and encourage a relationship with Christ. We discuss the answer to how we can share this with our children and how she has overcome challenges in early motherhood.

Key takeaways:

You have to work to find your meaning in motherhood
Part of Christina’s identity is being a mom but it’s not all that she is
Easy ways to share faith with your children throughout the day

How to Know When You Are Burned Out and How to Recover with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith Aug 21, 2020

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith was singularly focused on her career when she was younger. Once she became a mother she didn't let up on work - writing a book, working a full schedule, being a wife and mom and this led to her experiencing burnout. If you are experiencing a period of being burnout or don't know if you are or not - take a listen and find out. Plus, Dr. Dalton-Smith shares how she got out of it and how you can to.

To get through the burnout period she realized that getting sleep was not going to be enough to help her, she had to fully work through what she found were 7 types of rest.

Are you experiencing burnout?

Here's the way to recover - get fully rested. Working through the 7 types of rest can lead you to the way out of burnout.

The 7 Types of Rest

physical
mental
spiritual
emotional
sensory
social
creative

Listen to this podcast to figure out if you are experiencing burn out and how to recover from that to become a better mother.

Introducing Your Children to Good Money Management Habits Aug 14, 2020

Family finances can be a major factor in the success of your family. Just like you model your relationships, your education and work habits, you have to model how you handle money for your children to set them up for success. I talked with Carmen of Money Choices Today about all of this.

How to Successfully Manage Family & Finances Together- this is all about getting everyone on the same page and creating efficiencies in the money management process.

We discussed a full plan for success:

get everyone on the same page - sit down as a family, include the children
come up with family goals
family money mission statement
responsibilities and jobs for each family member
have family money meetings with the children there

Why You Should Be Tapping Into Your Feminine Energy with Muffy Mendoza Aug 06, 2020

Muffy Mendoza is the founder, creative and business woman behind Brown Mamas, a sisterhood that connects thousands of moms with resources, advice and, best of all, each other. Muffy has created a line of educational books and products focused on helping Black moms be the best moms. Her first book, The Brown Mama Mindset: A Blueprint for Black Moms on Life, Love & Home, was featured at the Essence Festival and is currently sold in various cities across the U.S.

Key takeaways

Don't leave your self and soul behind while being a mother, take your self into consideration
Finding a complimentary spouse allowed her to be feminine and not have to do everything for her child, she could then heal
Healing is about allowing - allowing yourself to think differently about your past, recognize your past experiences, allow you to love yourself and others to love you

"Once I realized my life was all about him, it was like a gun shot went off... What can I do to make sure this child has everything they need and could want and I didn't realize that I left my whole self and soul at the starting line."

Muffy Mendoza

Take Your Tail to Bed! Why You Aren't Getting Enough Rest Aug 01, 2020

I had a terrible night of rest the other day. My youngest son wanted to stay up and keep nursing all night long. Needless to say the next day I was dragging. I had to take a nap, something I never get to do, and it was great!

I'm intentionally working on getting more rest because it's necessary for me to function the way I need to.

What happens to your body when you don't get enough rest:

You may get sick
You gain weight
You forget things and get foggy
You are accident prone

Reasons why you aren't getting enough rest:

You take sleep for granted
You rely on caffeine and alcohol
Eating and drinking late
Failing to wind down before bed

Listen to this episode for my top tips for getting rested more often.

Getting Comfortable With Your Parenting Style with Rhea Plummer Jul 23, 2020

We all parent differently, and maybe even differently than our parents did - so we have to get comfortable with our parenting style. Rhea Plummer went through this when she became a parent and realized she wanted to do things differently. Today on the podcast Rhea chats about how she got comfortable just being herself in motherhood, and all about the Fab Wives community that she built out of seeing a gap.

Key takeaways:

Why we have to work on getting comfortable with her style of parenting - being a mom her way
What is a Fab Wife and why every wife needs a non judgement safe space
How to intentionally show healthy marriage to our children

Doing What You Love to Cover Mom Guilt with Jacquelyn Rodgers Jul 16, 2020

Jacquelyn Rodgers is another creative mom that I'm trying to keep up with! We talk about how she continues her love of being creative to cover up mommy guilt. She started as a working mom in consumer goods and now has created Greentop Gifts a line of Black holiday products for her son and now we can all have it!

Key Takeaways

Use something you love to do to combat any mommy guilt you may have and still support one of your hobbies.
Walk around, get dressed, and keep your desk hidden are her tips to make working from home easier.
How Greentop Gifts came to be in just a few months - out of an idea for something she wanted for her son!

Follow Jacquelyn!

Greentop Gifts

Jacquelyn's Instagram

Are you in our community? I've got some surprises coming to the group - sign up here.

Pivoting Between Work and Motherhood with Sabrina Seymore Jul 09, 2020

For Sabrina Seymore, motherhood came naturally to her. She is an event planner and entrepreneur while growing a community of confident women called The Prevailing Woman.

Key Takeaways

Sabrina shares her plans to transition to a new field and how she's thought out all of the steps
Why your goals for your kids might come before your personal goals at times
How to mother your own way

Follow Sabrina

Sabrina's Instagram

The Prevailing Woman

Prevailing Woman Instagram

Why I Believe You Need to Wake Up Earlier Jul 03, 2020

Even before I was stuck in quarantine, I wasn't doing what I needed to wake up earlier than my children and get a few things done. I realize that the morning is a great time to knock out some work, write in my journal, or just shower alone - but I have been slacking. Now, I'm getting serious about waking up earlier and this is how I'm going to do it. Listen to the episode for more details and join us in The Dawning to challenge yourself to wake up earlier for 10 days.

Benefits of Waking Up Earlier

Reduces Stress
Gain Time
Time to take care of yourself
Healthier Day

How to Become a Morning Person

Pick the time you want to wake up everyday - be consistent
Start with a list of what you want to do
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Plan at Night
Be Flexible and See What Works

Join The Dawning, a challenge to help us all get up earlier and see the benefits of a great morning routine.

Members of the challenge will get:

Daily emails with journal prompts, a prayer or meditation, and to do list template that you can fill in
Text reminders
Access to the pop up Facebook group

Building a Habit of Prayer as a Mom with Chrystal Evans Hurst Jun 25, 2020

Prayer has helped Chyrstal get through some of the hardest times in her life. Hard days are going to happen for everyone, so building in times for prayer, talking with God, and hearing from Him can make you that much more able to handle the difficulties and ups and downs of motherhood.

Key Takeaways

How prayer changed Chrystal during one of the hardest seasons of her life
Dealing with disappointment from unanswered prayers
Why it’s so important to have raw and authentic conversations with God
How to wait on God’s answers to your prayers, and still have peace
Why your prayers matter for more than just you

Get your copy of Chrystal's new book: The 28 Day Prayer Journey!

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love these:

Experiencing all stages of motherhood with Chrystal Evans Hurst

The Art of Finding Your Purpose in Life with Carmeon Hamilton

Finding the Good in a Hard Situation and Season Jun 18, 2020

Whew, it's a lot going on in the world today. But you also may have a lot going on at any point in time. Finding the good in your situation can certainly help you get through it.

This week I'm talking about what I'm taking away from the quarantine and social issues regarding racism that have come up once again. There are things that I'm able to do that I would have missed out on or not done if I was at work all day being my normal distracted self.

I also shared what some of you said you were taking away from all this into your "new normal".

Seeking Our Own Way to Parent with Erykah St. Louis Jun 05, 2020

Erykah St. Louis is a mother, wife, activist, and artist who is working daily to figure out how she wants to parent.

I'm glad we had this conversation about why it takes time to really figure out how we want to parent, what we want to expose our children to, and what works best for us.

Hearing other moms like Erykah talk about what it takes to make these transitions towards becoming better parents is encouraging.

Listen to Erykah's podcast, The M Word Podcast Follow Erykah on Instagram Make sure to join the Mommifaceted community to get more straight to your inbox!

Motherhood with a Chronic Illness with Jewel Gibson May 28, 2020

Jewel Gibson is a woman with many hats, wife, mom, educator, and blogger. She's also a sufferer of a chronic illness from the early days of motherhood to today. She's developed systems and processes to make sure that she does what she needs to manage her illness while staying on top of her responsibilities and taking care of herself.

On this episode we talk about:

How being a mother has been impacted by her chronic illness
What she does to make sure her family and sons are knowledgeable of her illness
How she practices wellness each day

Follow Jewel!

Life's a Jewel

Jewel's Instagram

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REPLAY: What Working With Your Husband Looks Like with Kariss Farris May 22, 2020

Kariss Farris is a mom, wife, photographer, and blogger working with her husband. She met her now husband in college and had a different vision for her life. She was always focused on arts and graphics - but her husband helped her to see a new passion - photography. That passion has now become a part of their calling as a couple.

Kariss and her husband, Josh, are now working together and parenting together daily and have figured out what works for them. They didn't start off smoothly - in the beginning there was a time of transition and growing pains.

They were able to overcome and push past issues pertaining to possession over the business and having different direction and vision for the business. These communication tricks that Kariss and her husband used could help in any relationship: they got help, defined their roles, and are making it work so that each of them are happy.

Perfection is unattainable and there's no such thing as balance, only priorities.

Kariss Farris

Kariss carves out time in her schedule so that she can focus on the priority in front of her. As for mom guilt - she doesn't indulge in it.

I realize that mom guilt is a choice, and I can choose not to allow satan to tell me I'm not good enough in a certain area.

Kariss Farris Follow Kariss!

Kariss's Blog

Instagram

Facebook

REPLAY: The struggles of not living near family - how Onyi Azih makes it work with two young boys May 14, 2020

Today on the podcast I interview Onyi Azih!

She blogs at Sincerely Onyi and on the podcast we talk about the struggles of not living near your family and how she manages that with two young boys.

She shares how she handles living away from family, trusting others to be around your children, and how she plans to instill her culture and values with her sons.

Find more at www.mommifaceted.com

Follow Onyi! Sincerely Onyi Onyi's Instagram

Managing All the Different Parts of You + Mental Load and Motherhood with Dr. Jessica Young Brown Apr 25, 2020

Dr. Jessica Young Brown is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in faith and mental health - discussing how they intersect together. She's also a mom and wife - so she knows that world too.

We discuss how she continuously evaluates whether she's in tune with her core values, advice for step parents and how they play a role in the child's life, and managing tough relationships.

Keeping Your Marriage Strong During the Quarantine Apr 17, 2020

These times are hard for everyone, so keeping your relationship in tact, even a healthy one, can be a challenge.

So, how do you keep your relationship healthy in quarantine?

Here are 5 things you can do right now to give your marriage some attention and keep all things in tact - and perhaps even come out the other side of this stronger and better than before.

Find more: http://mommifaceted.com/keeping-your-marriage-strong-during-the-quarantine/

4 Things You Need in a Routine with Ashley Brown Apr 10, 2020

Right now a flexible routine can bring comfort, systems and normalcy to this crazy time.

But where do you even start?

It can be hard to figure it out when there's so much chaos. Ashley Brown is sharing how she realized she needed more routine when being a stay at home mom wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. We talk about the 4 things you need in a routine and the 1 routine you probably don't have but need.

Find more about Ashley and get the Rock Your Routines bundle here:

http://mommifaceted.com/4-things-you-need-in-a-routine-with-ashley-brown/

Finding Focus When You Don't Know Where to Begin Apr 02, 2020

Right now in uncertain times we are living in chaos all around us. The news is distracting, social media is a time suck, and our children are home and pulling us away from our typical routines.

You may need some help figuring out when are you going to find that time to focus on a particular task or finding out how to replace those 8 hours that you used to have during the day - so here are some tips to getting that focus back and finding focus.

Match your schedule to your child's schedule - when you need focus - find a time when they are usually quiet and focused as well.
Use technology to keep you from looking at your phone, daydreaming, or getting distracted - find all my apps here!
Do something normal and get back to your routine.
But also be flexible and create new morning and evening routines if needed.
Take your breaks and ACTUALLY give yourself grace - don't just pay it lip service.

Being a Mom Through Brokenness with Toni Collier Mar 26, 2020

Toni Collier has experienced being a mom through brokenness and has gone through the process of healing to come out on the other side. I talked with her about how she was able to heal for herself and her daughter and what her life looks like now!

Key Takeaways:

I wanted to know and understand parenting because I didn't see it in my childhood - I wanted to learn what parenting looked like

You're not just an unhealthy person but it leaks into other areas of your life

You cannot pour out what you don't have on the inside of you

Without nurturing I had to go find that place and heal it...to be a more nurturing mother

Toni Collier

Share this episode with a friend - send them a link to this page to listen!

Creating Space to do What You Love with Codie Elaine Oliver Mar 19, 2020

Codie Elaine Oliver is a wife, mom, and filmmaker of the Black Love series on OWN. We chatted about her beautiful family and how she made it work having to return to the office so soon after the birth of her children.

Key takeaways

All of the balls don't stay in the air - we do what we can to move things around
If I'm going to do it (working soon after having baby) then I better do it well
We do check-ins with my husband and the kids to figure out what they need

I was reminding myself that I love what I'm doing and it's important work to me. I did take pride in knowing that if I'm going to do it I'm going to do it well.

Codie Oliver

What You Can Do While Your Kids Are Home - Coronavirus Special Episode Mar 15, 2020

Now that almost every school is closed across the country, moms are stepping in to make sure kids are taken care of during the day. If you can stay home with them - here are some tips to make the days go by more smoothly.

How Black-ish Helps Us Parent Together Better + Tips for Co-Parenting Mar 06, 2020

Co-parenting together with a spouse or the father of your child is one of the hardest parts of being a mother that we don't talk about enough. Getting on the same page and finding the best tips for co-parenting can be exhausting.

Here are some of my top tips and why the show Black-ish has been a big help!

Find more here: http://mommifaceted.com/how-black-ish-helps-us-parent-together-better-+-tips-for-co-parenting

Join our Mommi Collective!

The Art of Balancing Your Stressful Job with a Creative Spirit with Dr. Kiarra King Feb 27, 2020

Dr. Kiarra King is a board certified obstetrician gynecologist that always “delivers” a dose of style! She's on the podcast talking about how her knowledge as a OB/GYN affected her pregnancy and why she decided to balance her medical career with her creative side.

Key takeaways:

stressful jobs can impact your pregnancy - and being a new mom while making career choices
embracing creativity and just going for it
get inspired by other people, stay connected and bounce ideas off of each other

I'm very multi-passionate, I have to keep the momentum going... I have to just keep moving and staying connected.

Dr. Kiarra King

Follow Kiarra!

Make sure to join us in the Mommi Collective to talk about this episode!

Which Role First - Wife or Mom? with Lakia Brandenburg Feb 14, 2020

Being a mom and spouse can be two of the hardest roles you'll ever have because they are the most important relationships you'll have. Our guest, Lakia Brandenburg is here to help us master both!

Here are some top takeaways:

Children deserve to be heard and seen – they are being trained and need to learn how to express themselves
She had to learn how to shift her role and schedule because of her desire to follow her dreams. Her husband didn’t marry an entrepreneur – she became one
I was going against the grain and the blueprint, and it was hard but she wanted to be happy.

I have one life to live and it’s going to be a great life, and I’ll do my best to make sure my children have a great life, but they will have to understand that mommy comes first too!

Lakia Brandenburg

Find more about Lakia!

Non Traditional Moms Are Good Moms Too with Ambreia Meadows-Fernandez Feb 06, 2020

One of Ambreia R. Meadows-Fernandez's goals is being a good mom, but she's come up against the realized she can shape parenting in whatever way she wants it to be - and that still makes her a good mother.

Going against the grain of what a mother is supposed to be is how she decided to intentionally parent.

Find more at: http://mommifaceted.com/you're-still-a-good-mom-even-if-you-don't-look-like-one-with-ambreia-meadows-fernandez

How to Go Back to Work After Having a Baby Jan 30, 2020

Figuring out what it takes to be a working mom of 2 is a whole job and figuring out how to go back to work after having a baby was my mission for these last 4 weeks.

Now I'm not saying I'm a pro, but these things are my must do's to keep my sanity as I return to work after having my baby and while pumping breastmilk at work.

Being a working mom is not for the faint of heart, but it can be done as smoothly as possible.

Get prepared the night before
Ask colleagues for updates and help
Talk to family about what you need
Stop trying to do it all
Manage expectations for yourself and others
Drink water
Phase yourself in
Treat yourself

All of this is explained and I share HOW I do it on the podcast. Take a listen.

Episode 99: Letting Go: Ways to Give Your Child More Independence with Dr. Ali Griffith Jan 23, 2020

Giving our children independence is one of those parenting rituals that no one tells you about before you have children. It's especially hard for parents of special needs children.

Dr. Ali Griffith shared the ways she is working to give her son independence and embrace his uniqueness as he gets older and wants to do more on his own. We go back to her early momming days and she shares about her son's diagnosis and how she initially didn't see the signs that eventually led to confirmation of Autism.

She reminds us that we have to cheer ourselves on and realize they will be ok without us always around - something that can be impossible to get over!

Find more about Dr. Ali here.

Follow Mommifaceted on Instagram for behind the scenes looks!

You Are Doing Enough So, Why Don't You Feel Like You Are? Jan 09, 2020

At the beginning of December I started to do a quick inventory, feeling like I wasn't doing enough, and looked at my accomplishments and thought “what have I been spending my time doing?!”

I was in a little bit of a frenzy through December.

I was feeling like I hadn’t done enough. Really, more like I hadn’t done anything and certainly not enough given the level of tired and lazy I was feeling.

After writing down everything I did in a day, I realized something that was new to me. Learn more at

http://mommifaceted.com/you-are-doing-enough-so,-why-don't-you-feel-like-you-are?/(opens in a new tab)

Recap of 2019 and Why I'm Not Ready for 2020! Jan 02, 2020

I'll be the first to admit - I'm not ready for 2020!

Even this post is up late - but here it is!

In this episode I share a recap of what happened with the podcast and with myself throughout 2019 as well as what I will be focusing on in 2020.

Finding Joy When You Just Want to Scream with Camryn Wells Dec 19, 2019

Camryn Wells and I talk about real motherhood and how she is finding joy in motherhood and the challenges of motherhood. For her, the role of being a mother comes pretty naturally. She fell into her duties and responsibilities without much fuss, but that's not to say that there aren't challenges.

Despite the challenging parts of being a working wife and mother she's able to see what is truly happening and there is some joy in seeing her children developing.

We also talk about how we have to parent our children differently and the answers to our questions don't come in black and white. The answers aren't easy to find because motherhood doesn't work that way.

Follow Camryn and find her books!

The Color, Feel, Play Children's Book Series

Make sure to join us in the Mommi Collective for more beyond the podcast! Join here!

Finding Joy When You Just Want to Scream with Camryn Wells Dec 19, 2019

Camryn Wells and I talk about real motherhood and how she is finding joy in motherhood and the challenges of motherhood. For her, the role of being a mother comes pretty naturally. She fell into her duties and responsibilities without much fuss, but that's not to say that there aren't challenges.

Despite the challenging parts of being a working wife and mother she's able to see what is truly happening and there is some joy in seeing her children developing.

We also talk about how we have to parent our children differently and the answers to our questions don't come in black and white. The answers aren't easy to find because motherhood doesn't work that way.

Follow Camryn and find her books!

The Color, Feel, Play Children's Book Series

Make sure to join us in the Mommi Collective for more beyond the podcast! Join here!

Finding Joy When You Just Want to Scream with Camryn Wells Dec 19, 2019

Camryn Wells and I talk about real motherhood and how she is finding joy in motherhood and the challenges of motherhood. For her, the role of being a mother comes pretty naturally. She fell into her duties and responsibilities without much fuss, but that's not to say that there aren't challenges.

Despite the challenging parts of being a working wife and mother she's able to see what is truly happening and there is some joy in seeing her children developing.

We also talk about how we have to parent our children differently and the answers to our questions don't come in black and white. The answers aren't easy to find because motherhood doesn't work that way.

Follow Camryn and find her books!

The Color, Feel, Play Children's Book Series

Make sure to join us in the Mommi Collective for more beyond the podcast! Join here!

Finding Joy When You Just Want to Scream with Camryn Wells Dec 19, 2019

Camryn Wells and I talk about real motherhood and how she is finding joy in motherhood and the challenges of motherhood. For her, the role of being a mother comes pretty naturally. She fell into her duties and responsibilities without much fuss, but that's not to say that there aren't challenges.

Despite the challenging parts of being a working wife and mother she's able to see what is truly happening and there is some joy in seeing her children developing.

We also talk about how we have to parent our children differently and the answers to our questions don't come in black and white. The answers aren't easy to find because motherhood doesn't work that way.

Follow Camryn and find her books!

The Color, Feel, Play Children's Book Series

Make sure to join us in the Mommi Collective for more beyond the podcast! Join here!

Get What Your Child Needs and Advocating for Your Child with Melanie Oates Dec 12, 2019

Melanie Oates is making it her mission to ensure every mom gets what they need and learn how to advocate for your child. As the mom of two special needs kids she had a transition of getting through the shock of what her motherhood journey would ultimately look like. She quickly realized that she wasn't going to have those mother daughter times as she thought, they would look different. Now that she's gotten more education and the resources she needs, she can enjoy her relationship even more than she thought with her children.

Find more at

http://mommifaceted.com/how-to-advocate-for-your-child/(opens in a new tab)

Last Minute Gift Ideas + Rachel's Favorite Things Dec 10, 2019

This year I'm having fun with these holidays and sharing some last minute gift ideas! I actually decorated for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, hosted Thanksgiving - cooking a full meal (minus the dessert) and will probably contribute for Christmas.

I know that last minute gift buying is a real thing so I'm sharing some ideas to relieve some of the stress you may be feeling. To up the ante, I'm mixing in some of my FAVORITE things from the year, a la Oprah style, in hopes that you get something good for yourself too!

Find the links for all products mentioned at http://mommifaceted.com/last-minute-gift-ideas/

Facing Change and Pivoting in Life with Almashea Spotser Dec 05, 2019

Almashea Spotser has been facing change and making big pivots as necessary to become the woman she is now. From career changes, to moving with her family, to deciding to go after her dream after putting it off for too long, she's not afraid to switch things up.

On the podcast we talk about doing the work to move past the obstacles that come up for us. She shares what she's making time for now that's just for her, and we have a giveaway!

Like us on Instagram!

AlmaRose Bags

Find AlmaRose handbags here!

We are opening the doors to our Mommi Collective now so you can be set and a member early. Read more about it and join here!

What Type of Mom Are You? Nov 27, 2019

The type of mom I am changes on any given day, but I'm truly figured out the type of mom I want to be. Mommifaceted is all about helping you get to or keep becoming the type of mom you want to be. That's why we've opened the doors to the Mommi Collective. Join us today before we start in 2020!

What is the Mommi Collective?

It's the membership portion of Mommifaceted. Within the membership you'll have access to a monthly live expert speaker. We'll have the speaker present and then you get to ask her your own personal questions in a Q&A. The monthly topics will include:

Intimacy after children
Authenticity in all spaces
Becoming a mommy blogger
Boundaries in motherhood
Entrepreneurship while momming
Financial planning
more!

In addition to the monthly speaker (which will be recorded and the replay available in the portal), you'll have other exclusive content released monthly. There will be extra podcast episodes, child age based information, mindful parenting techniques, challenges, and workshops, the list is endless. We can do a lot through the membership portal and the team is ready to share all of it with you.

Sounds great right? Join at www.mommifaceted.com/membership

What Confidence in Yourself Does for Motherhood with Jenny LeFlore Nov 21, 2019

Jenny LeFlore is the mama behind Mama Fresh and she's got the confidence and fresh perspective to be an example of modern motherhood. Jenny talks on the podcast about becoming a mom later in life and how she grew and changed through marriage and motherhood.

We discuss how having confidence in yourself can be a major step in being the type of mom you truly want to be. As a mom, you may change some of the things you used to do, but as Jenny and I talk - it comes out that with confidence in who you are as a woman, you won't have to change the essence of who you are.

She also shares how she maintains her relationships and what she needs to keep them strong before they break down.

Follow Jenny!

Mama Fresh

Jenny's Instagram

Join our motherhood tribe and Mommifaceted community to be in on what doesn't make it to the podcast.

Dealing with Unexpected Challenges with Tahnee Cole Nov 14, 2019

Tahnee Cole is a single mom of 2, works full time, writes on her blog, Black Pumps, Pink Slippers, and has experienced some unexpected challenges. When becoming a mother she realized she had to work through some of her past experiences through therapy and getting clear on what was important to her. She's learning what she needs to say no to - which is real life! Something that can be hard for many of us.

Tahnee is a motivator for other moms because she truly knows the power of a mom.

Follow Mommifaceted on Instagram to see the behind the scenes view!

Motherhood and a High Stress Job - How to Handle It with Courtney May Nov 07, 2019

Courtney May has a stressful and demanding job as a police officer in Washington, DC and juggles motherhood at the same time. We talk about how motherhood has affected her performance of her career.

Courtney and her husband, who is also a first responder, have managed to figure out childcare, shifting her focus from work to mommy mode, shift work, and crazy work schedules.

First and foremost, Courtney makes sure to let her husband and family what she needs communicating to help her make it all work.

Thank you Courtney!

Follow Mommifaceted and join our tribe on Facebook!

I'm a mom of 2 now! Birth Story and New Mom Confessions Oct 25, 2019

So I'm a mom of 2 now! Hear my labor and delivery story plus what I've realized in the last month!

Everything on my list wasn't completed before the delivery, we had quite a few surprises.

Now as a new mom of 2 I have some revelations.

Find more at www.mommifaceted.com

What Not to Say and What to Say to a Grieving Mother with Erica McAfee Oct 11, 2019

Erica McAfee is the host of Sisters In Loss and knows all to well how it feels to be a grieving mother and has gotten all sorts of comments that helped and didn't help during that time.

Whether we are experiencing grief ourselves or know someone who is, it's helpful to know what to say and knowing that being a good listener will help address these situations appropriately.

Erica is a founder of Sisters in Loss, LLC, a faith based Pregnancy Loss Grief Coaching & Doula Service Company that helps women replace silence with storytelling around miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and infertility. Sisters in Loss provides birth and bereavement doula services, infertility and grief coaching services to help women step beyond anxiety and fear and into trust and peace after loss.

Not all cliche's offer comfort

Erica McAfee Follow Erica!

Sisters In Loss

Erica's Website

Surviving Postpartum Depression While Returning to Work with Nikki Osei Barrett Oct 03, 2019

Nikki Osei Barrett is a mom of 3, a fashion PR guru and co-founder of District Motherhued - and is recently experiencing postpartum depression. Just 2 months after giving birth to her daughter, she spoke at the annual Momference which she and her co-founder created.

Jumping right into work after a difficult delivery is not easy for anyone, but from the outside looking in Nikki handled it well. If you're suffering from postpartum depression and facing the reality of being a working mother, she has some tips for managing it all.

Follow Nikki!

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District Motherhued

Take Aways Being a Boy Mom with Antonia Richardson Sep 26, 2019

Guest episode with Antonia Richardson of Mommy Matters talking about what it takes to be a boy mom!

Antonia shares what she's learned about being a boy mom including:

Jumping in there with the physical nature of boys
Don't always wait for dad to have the conversations that need to be had
Boys can show emotion and be vulnerable just as much as girls
Teach them to take care of themselves and their future families and homes

I'm so glad Antonia was able to share her point of view! Find her podcast and download the mobile here:

Android

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Exploring What it Means to be a Black Mother with Nefertiti Austin Sep 12, 2019

Nefertiti Austin is a mother of two children, an author and sharing how she realized how different it can be to be a black mother in today's times. Once she realized this - she began writing. Her natural reaction to what she was feeling led her to a series of essays that eventually became a memoir that details what she could not find.

She wanted to read more stories of black women who had adopted children and were single mothers by choice - raising black children in a world where race is a part of the conversation. To be a black mother is not a conversation that is being had in our TV shows, in media, and other outlets.

Her book, Motherhood So White, details the differences she's experienced and seen that are not found in mainstream media - and can be helpful for any mother of a child of color.

Follow Nefertiti!

Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America

Nefertiti's website

Join us in more conversation about race and motherhood in our Facebook group!

Embracing Joy in Motherhood with Shunta Grant Sep 05, 2019

Shunta Grant is a proponent of embracing joy and finding joy in all areas of life. She is constantly teaching about how not to just be "busy" but work on meaningful things - which is so important in motherhood.

On this podcast episode we discuss how she makes sure she's aware of everything that's going on in her children's lives.

We also talk how we can have joy in motherhood - why it can be lacking and how do we overcome it to find our joy again and practice embracing joy daily.

We forget that our children are a blessing...there are people who wish they could have a child having a meltdown in Target.

Shunta Grant

Lastly, before the final questions we talk about how structure and routine helps Shunta's daughter as much as it helps her.

Your yes is still saying no to something and I'm not sacrificing me for someone else when I know it's not going to be best for me and the greater good.

Shunta Grant Find Shunta!

Because of Zoe Designs

Coaching Website

Because of Zoe Instagram

Join our Facebook group to discuss this episode after the podcast! Here's the link!

Tapping Into Your Creative Side on a Daily Basis with Jena Holliday Aug 29, 2019

We might not all be the most creative people out there - but we all have the skills necessary to tap into it! As mothers we have to constantly tap into that to keep our children entertained!

Jena Holliday and I talk about how she encourages each of us to nurture our imaginative side, how she built her illustration and design business while transitioning to a mom of 2, and how she wears all the hats.

We talk about grace, failure, experiences, success and life transitions as mothers.

We are all creative because we are like our creator, God.

Jena Holliday If you're looking for your creative gifts, Jena suggests:

Pray and ask to be shown what your gifts are
Journal each day to start the daily practice of creating something
Read a book about inspiring people and stories
Find community and/or an accountability partner

Sometimes we think we don't have time for that, but taking one day to ease your mind will make a world of difference.

Jena Holliday

Follow Jena!

A Spoonful of Faith

Mother Creative Co.

Follow Mommifaceted on Facebook for the discussion after the podcast!

Making Time to Play with Your Children with Nicole Cole Aug 15, 2019

Nicole Cole is an expert on all things learning through play and as a busy mom she gets it when it's been a long day but you still want to engage with your child. She talks on the podcast today about how to fit it in when we're tired from work, commutes, and being around other people.

Nicole expresses the need for moms to regularly advocate for themselves - we talk about how vital this is. She says it's important to be intentional about learning through play - because it offers children ways to socialize after she saw the results in the classroom.

She suggests to try different materials and let them just play to encourage independent play. This makes it easy to do after a busy day, especially when you have open ended toys so there is no planning needed.

We get into how we can get our spouses involved if they're not up on why this method is so important. Nicole reminds us that when others play with your children it might not look like how you play with them.

I would encourage moms to really advocate for yourselves, even if it's a new job...let your employer know things have changed.

Nicole Cole

People don't always know, you have to actually voice, "I need help right now".

Nicole Cole Follow Nicole!

Instagram

Make sure to join us on Facebook for the podcast after show! Click here to join the group.

So, If Balance Doesn't Exist What Do We Have? Aug 08, 2019

We know that balance doesn't exist - it's nearly impossible to keep the scales perfectly even when our lives are moving as fast as they are.

We, as moms, are juggling so much and making so many decisions that we may have overflow from one category in our lives to another.

There are 4 phases or spaces that we as moms can be if we're not in 100% balance and when balance doesn't exist for us:

Harmony - things can be in harmony where we work things together and one area of our lives might take precedence, but the others can fall a little and be picked back up later.

Philippians 4:11

Grace/Forgiveness - we have to constantly give ourselves grace and forgiveness as we're not in perfect balance.

John 5:30

Overwhelm and Craziness - it's normal to have anxiety and be burdened, but Christ says to bring it and come to him in these times.

1 Peter 5:7 and Matthew 11:28-29

Long View/Seasons - make sure to always be looking at the long view - the season you are in is just a short moment of your entire motherhood journey.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Let me know what phase you are currently in! Send me a message or DM me and share!

Having Hard Discussions with Your Children and Family at the Right Time with Jazz Smollett Aug 01, 2019

Today I talked with Jazz Smolett on how to have the hard discussions with your child and family at the right time.

Jazz has a new TV show, she is a cookbook author, TV producer, writer, mom and so much more. We talk about

How she's making sure her daughter knows her history and background
How she's finding diverse places for her daughter to grow and learn
How to have the difficult conversations at the right time with family and children

Jazz shares some of the challenges she's faced and ways she is overcoming them today through having hard discussions.

Follow Jazz!

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Website

Join the Mommifaceted Facebook group - the after party to the podcast!

The struggles of not living near family - how Onyi Azih makes it work with two young boys Jul 25, 2019

Today on the podcast I interview Onyi Azih!

She blogs at Sincerely Onyi and on the podcast we talk about the struggles of not living near your family and how she manages that with two young boys.

She shares how she handles living away from family, trusting others to be around your children, and how she plans to instill her culture and values with her sons.

Find more at www.mommifaceted.com

Follow Onyi! Sincerely Onyi Onyi's Instagram Join our Facebook group - an after party for the podcast!

Survival of a Multifaceted Mom Part 2: Letting Go to Have It All Aug 23, 2018

There’s an opportunity cost to everything worthwhile in life. No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, you’ll have to give up something in order to make it happen.

Shavonne Riggins in episode 21 talked about sacrificing in different seasons - it's a requirement to get to where you really want to go. Listen to the episode here!

6 Things You Need to Let Go of to "Have it All" 1. Other People’s Definition of Motherhood 2. Fear of Judgement 3. Let Go Of Frustration with Yourself/Your Life 4. Let Go of Stress 5. Let Go of Saying "Yes" to Everything 6. Let Go of Trying to Do All of the Work Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to catch part 3 of the Survival of the Multifaceted Mom Series! Follow Mommifaceted! Instagram Facebook

Survival as a Multifaceted Mom: Part 1 Getting Over Fear Aug 16, 2018

Fear is something we all struggle with at times - here's how I'm dealing with it and how you can work to push through fear to follow your passion and accomplish your goals.

Break down what you are truly afraid of? Is it failure, not knowing how to do something, rejection, what others may think, wasting time and money? Once you break it down you may see that it won't really be that bad and you can work through it.
Is that passion project, new idea, or change really worth pursuing? Is it viable? Will it help your family, your progress, you? If it's worth pursuing then go forward - you have nothing to fear.
The biggest opponent to fear is information. Once you get informed about what is on the other side, the amount of fear you have will be reduced. Fear of the unknown is a big factor in keeping you from your greatness, so uncover the unknown.

Don't forget to rate and write a review on Apple Podcast or iTunes and share with a mom who could use some survival tips.

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Sharing Faith With Your Children with Mattie James Aug 08, 2018

Mattie James is a full-time blogger, mompreneur, influencer, wife, and inspiration for anyone wanting to take their style blog to the next level. She openly shares how she manages to get it all done with help from family and her team, how she finds a healthy balance of work and family, and becoming the woman of faith that she has always wanted to be. On the podcast we talk about what she actually does to help her faith grow, why it is necessary for her to start her day the way she does, and her favorite Christian apps.

There is a bonus for this episode! If you check out the show notes and sign up, you will get to listen to the bonus questions that I asked Mattie. We talk about who are the moms she looks up to - some you may be able to guess and a couple that may be new to you, and what her personal mantra and life mission is. So to listen to these extra questions you have to be a part of the Mommifaceted Community - and to do that you can sign up on mommifaceted.com/episode32.

If you are struggling to find the time for building your relationship with God, or struggling to prioritize devotion time - you are not alone, and this episode is for you.

Subscribe, rate and review!

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When You Don't Feel Like Being Patient Aug 02, 2018

What do you do when you don't FEEL like being patient?

You're ready to lose it - and trying to fight back the tears and not lash out. I've had moments like that, and I'm sure you have to. We're not bad moms, we are just real moms.

This is what I'm doing when I feel impatient with those around me that I love.

Leave yourself reminder, like a calming Bible verse or phrase that you love, something that gives you peace and builds you up so that you are able to face whatever you are up against.
Think about who has shown you patience and shown you grace.
Breath
Repeat your mantra
Stick to your rules, the kids don't get a pass just because you're ready to lose it. Lean on your process of giving a consequence and discipline your kids in a normal way - instead of lashing out.
Take a moment away
Look at the situation through the other person's eyes
Play along with your kids, make it into a game so it brings laughter and makes it fun
Tell your partner/kids/friend how you feel
Apologize if needed and commit to doing better next time

Now, what do you do when you don't feel like being patient?

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