The Paula Faris Show

Latest Episodes:

What We Can Learn From Australia About How Supporting Families Grows the Economy with Prime Minister Scott Morrison Oct 08, 2024

Show notes

I get so fired up talking about this issue. We talk a lot about how we’re pro-family in this country. But, when it comes down to it, do America’s policies actually support families?

We’ve made this political.. And that’s where we’ve gone wrong because this is an ECONOMIC issue. Yes, you heard me right, this is all about the economy.

As Australia’s former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison will tell us, when families are supported through family-friendly policies, the economy booms. Not only that, families are strengthened, and we close the gender equity gap.

There is a lot of work to be done. But, let’s talk about where to start and why everyone wins when families are supported.

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It.

Listen in to learn more:

* Evolving Australian Policies | 0:08:22 - 0:08:43

* Economic Impact of Subsidized Childcare | 0:10:46 - 0:13:19

* Strengthening Families Through Economic Support | 0:24:05 - 0:25:41

* Comparing Family Support Systems in Australia | 0:31:01 - 0:32:07

* Enriching Childcare Through Education | 0:33:47 - 0:35:05

* Supporting Families Through Advocacy and Collaboration | 0:40:14 - 0:41:16

SUMMARY:

In this episode, we are digging into why childcare is an economic issue, the importance of supporting families at the policy level, the number one barrier for women in the workplace in the United States, and how it benefits employers to have family friendly policies.

LINKS:

Pick up a copy Scottt’s new book :

Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister's Testimony of God's Faithfulness

https://amzn.to/3zOsIPn

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HOT TOPICS: Why Women Are Leaving the Workforce with Neha Ruch from Mother Untitled Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

We’re talking hot topics throughout Season Three of The Paula Faris Show and one of the hottest topics is this: Women are leaving the workplace because it simply doesn’t work for them. 1 in 3 women are planning on “pausing” and nearly half are considering downshifting, to lean into family life.

What’s behind this trend? And, how can we support women throughout their entire journey of kids and career?

I’ve invited Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled, to the conversation to talk about why women are leaving the workforce, plus how we can reframe the way we think and talk about “at-home” parents.

Motherhood Untitled is the leading platform for ambitious women who are leaning into family life. Neha and I have a very honest and spirited conversation about the pros and cons of leaving the workforce and how we can put an end to the #MommyWars.

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It.

Listen in to learn more:

(0:00:00 - 0:03:00) Community Resilience and First Responders

(0:03:28 - 0:06:28) Challenges Faced by Working Mothers

(0:06:36 - 0:09:36) Reframing Stay-at-Home Motherhood

(0:20:11 - 0:23:11) Navigating Career Pivots After Motherhood

(0:38:47 - 0:41:47) Ending the Divisiveness in Parenting Choices

SUMMARY:

In this episode, we are diving into reframing the role of a stay-at-home parent, the many multi-faceted reasons a parent may choose to pause or downshift their work outside the home, the crux of the mommy wars and how we can solve them, the power of choice and advocating for better support for every parent, and the motherhood penalty women face in the workforce.

LINKS:

Connect with Neha

https://www.instagram.com/motheruntitled/

Get Neha’s Book, ‘The Power Pause’

https://amzn.to/3zDUFsZ

THE CARRY ALL NEWSLETTER by and for working moms

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LET'S TALK MENOPAUSE: Nutrition, Exercise, and Supportive Partners with Dr. Jen Ashton and my husband, John Sep 24, 2024

Show notes

I AM DONE COUNTING CALORIES.

The majority of your questions throughout this series have been about nutrition and exercise, so, let’s talk about how we can best prepare our bodies for this time in our lives, beginning in our 30’s. The pursuit of skinny is killing us. We need to be STRONG.

I somehow convinced my husband John to be part of this conversation–I can’t wait for you to hear his take. It’s important that our partners know what we’re going through and how they can support us.

John and I are joined by a dear friend from my past life in TV News, Dr. Jen Ashton, who recently left ABC News as their Chief Medical Correspondent and has since founded Ajenda, a women’s health company.

She’ll give us tips on how we should move, what we should eat, plus the magic formula to getting our daily protein!

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About it.

Listen in to learn more:

01:25 - 02:33 Navigating Menopause

12:30 - 13:20 The Impact of Hormones on Women

17:51 - 18:58 Nutrition Education Discrepancy in Medicine

25:01 - 27:25 Nutrition and Moderation in Eating

28:46 - 30:09 Role of FDA-approved Weight Loss Medications

33:44 - 34:37 Double Standard on Dad Bods

36:34 - 39:03Maximizing Fitness With Variety and Consistency

40:33 - 42:13 Free Fitness Tips and Tricks

43:25 - 46:21 Importance of Being Strong

SUMMARY:

In this episode, we are delving into nutrition for perimenopausal and menopausal women, why protein is so important and how to maximize the nutritional benefits, exercise that supports the female body before, during, and after menopause, and the importance of partners understanding what is happening to a woman’s body during menopause.

RESOURCES:

Paula’s Fave weighted vest

ARMRA for hair loss: Use code PAULAFARIS for 30% off your subscription!

ALLOY Menopause Telehealth (use my code: PAULA42103 for $25 off)

Get Dr Jen’s Newsletter

Shop Paula’s TV clothes on The Saved Collection

Win a copy of Dr Haver's book

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LET'S TALK MENOPAUSE: YOUR Questions Answered by Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Part 2) Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

You’re going to want to take a lot of notes because Dr Mary Claire Haver is back and she’s answering all YOUR questions about perimenopause and menopause.

She’ll tell you where you need to start, how to find the right doctor, and what tests to ask for so that you can be armed and ready to get the help you need. Plus, she shares the TWO questions you must ask your doctor.

This is part of our month-long series on perimenopause and menopause. It’s time to feel like ourselves again!

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It.

Listen in to learn more :

02:04 - 03:42 Navigating Perimenopause and Menopause FAQs

09:40 - 11:23 Understanding Menopausal Weight Gain

22:18 - 23:06 Vitamin Supplements for Menopause Symptom Relief

27:43 - 28:34 Genetics and Menopause Symptom Disparities

34:30 - 35:56 Navigating Menopause and Health Testing

SUMMARY

In this episode, we are digging into perimenopause and menopause symptoms, types of hormone replacement therapy and how to know if hormone replacement therapy is right for you, options if you cannot take (or don’t want to take) estrogen, making informed decisions about perimenopause and menopause care, the impact of nutrition as women go into menopause, and advice for younger women as they think ahead about perimenopause.

Find a menopause-trained doctor

The Pause Life-Dr Haver's website

Shop my TV clothes on The Saved Collection

Follow Dr Mary Claire Haver on Instagram

ALLOY Menopause Telehealth (use my code: PAULA42103 for $25 off)

Win a copy of Dr Haver's book

PAULA ON INSTAGRAM

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LET'S TALK MENOPAUSE: The Shocking Reasons Your Symptoms are Dismissed with Dr. Mary Claire Haver Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

There’s a reason why your symptoms are getting dismissed, why you’re told: “Don’t blame it on your hormones.” Maybe you’ve been called “lazy” or been told that “it’s all in your head.”

Today’s guest, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, is THE leading voice on menopause and wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling book, The New Menopause.

Dr. Haver will join us for two episodes, including next week’s, in which she answers all the questions that you sent me.

But, this week, she’s going to explain what’s happening in our bodies, the truth about that landmark study from 20 years ago that scared us away from estrogen therapy, and the shocking reasons why the medical community has long dismissed our symptoms.

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It.

Listen in to learn more :

(03:51 - 04:39) Perimenopause Symptoms and Experiences

(13:00 - 13:48) Diagnosing Perimenopause Through Blood Work

(15:38 - 16:50) The Neglect of Menopause in Medicine

(19:12 - 20:18) Lack of Menopause Training in Healthcare

(26:47 - 28:04) Hormone Therapy for Perimenopausal Symptoms

(28:29 - 30:22) Rethinking Menopause and Women's Health

In this episode, we are diving into how menopause is defined medically, what the process of perimenopause looks like in our brains and bodies, when and how women experience perimenopause symptoms, the truth about hormone replacement therapy, and why so many physicians are dismissive of the concerns of women as we age.

LINKS:

Dr Mary Claire Haver’s Book

Dr Haver on Instagram

PAULA'S PERSONAL NEWSLETTER

PAULA ON INSTAGRAM

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LET'S TALK MENOPAUSE: Not Feeling Like Yourself Anymore Sep 03, 2024

Show notes

I haven’t felt like myself in almost 15 years. In my 30’s, I started noticing significant changes to and in my body, yet I’ve been told by just about every doctor that my blood work is normal and I’m “fine”. Here’s the thing: I don’t feel fine.

And I bet you don’t, either.

This is my most requested series to date: a conversation about menopause, perimenopause, and not feeling like ourselves anymore.

I’ve invited experts, friends, and my husband to the conversation, and we’re answering all the questions you submitted, so that you can feel hopeful, maybe for the first time in a long time.

In this episode, my friends Kim and Patrice share their real experiences about what’s been happening to their bodies, why they don’t feel like themselves, and how the medical community has dismissed them.

If you’ve been dismissed or felt helpless, you’re not alone. But know this: help is on the way through this month-long series.

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About it.

SUMMARY:

In this episode, we are digging into the crazy symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, our experiences of bringing our concerns to our doctors and being dismissed as “fine”, how we can advocate for ourselves as women, and why the menopause conversation is so important, not only for us but for our daughters.

LINKS:

PAULA'S PERSONAL NEWSLETTER

PAULA ON INSTAGRAM

THE CARRY ALL NEWSLETTER by and for working moms

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s Talk College: Why College Isn’t for Every Kid with Carlos Whittaker Aug 27, 2024

Show notes

I can’t think of a better way to close out our college series than with a conversation about WHO our kids want to be rather than WHAT they want to do. Our kids are more than their college degree if they even choose to go to college.

Let’s face it: the conversation about college wasn’t even a thing until roughly 150 years ago. You’ve probably heard me share through this series that my mom didn’t go, and her parents didn’t graduate from high school. My father was the first of his six siblings from a Lebanese immigrant family to graduate from college.

These days, there’s so much pressure on our kids to figure it all out. We’re insinuating that what they do is more important than who they are. I’ve gotta ask: whatever happened to raising good humans?

I’ve invited my friend, Carlos Whittaker, a popular podcaster and author, as well as a dad of two college grads to the conversation for an honest conversation about how we can take back the narrative of raising good humans, who understand that WHO they are is so much more important than WHAT they do.

And, wait till you hear Carlos’ shocking admission about college–a twist I didn’t see coming!

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About it.

Listen in to learn more :

(00:00) Raising Good Humans Without College

(05:24) Navigating Choices in Higher Education

(13:01) Preparing Kids for Adulting

(16:24) Navigating College and Life Choices

(26:30) Reconnecting With Humanity

(36:19) Understanding Menopause Changes

In this episode, we are digging into the college experience and the transition to adulting, why high school performance doesn’t always indicate college success, how we can relieve some of the pressure our teenagers experience in figuring out what they want to do, helping our kids identify the gifts they have that will carry through different seasons of life, and how we can be an example for our kids when it comes to trying something new.

LINKS

Carlos on Instagram

Carlos’s new book

PAULA'S PERSONAL NEWSLETTER

PAULA ON INSTAGRAM

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Let’s Talk College: Taking a Gap Year and Why the Admissions Process Has Gone Mad, featuring my daughter Caroline and Becky Sabky, Dartmouth’s former College Admissions Director Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

It wouldn’t be a series on college if I didn’t invite my high schooler to the conversation, along with a former Ivy League Admissions Director.

Caroline and I are joined by Becky Sabky, who spent years as Dartmouth’s Director of Admissions and explains why she’s a fan of the gap year.

Becky shares her insider insights into the admissions process (and how it’s gone mad), plus answers your questions and Caroline’s. She’ll also outline helpful tips to help us on our journey of determining if college is right for our kids and how to find the right schools.

And wait until you hear about the most powerful letter of recommendation she ever received and the surprising person who wrote it. (It brought us to tears!)

This is a must listen for every parent …

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About it.

Listen in to learn more:

(00:00) Navigating the College Admissions Process

(05:37) Prioritizing High School Over College

(09:02) Preparing for College

(20:57) Navigating Choices as a Family

(28:48) Navigating Options and Admissions Rejections

(36:46) Exploring Gap Years

(43:11) Navigating Financial Aid Decisions

(53:50) Maximizing College Opportunities for Success

(58:54) Fostering Identity in College-Bound Students

In this episode, we are delving into the family aspects of making college decisions, understanding the college admissions process, the two biggest mistakes Becky sees students and families make, the surprising place you should look to get an inside view of campus life, and how to find the right school.

Resources:

Learn More About Becky Sabky

https://beckysabky.com/

Read Becky’s book

FISKE Guide to College

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Let's Talk College: The Emotions of Dropping Your Kid Off At College with Comedian Chip Leighton of The Leighton Show Aug 13, 2024

Show notes

Every year around this time, we see or hear about parents dropping their kids off at college. Not sure about you, but it DOES ME IN.

In this month-long series about college, I’m covering it from many angles, including whether or not it’s worth it, where to start and if it’s right for your kid, plus answering all the questions you sent me.

This week, we’re getting a little levity with comedian Chip Leighton of The Leighton Show. If you haven’t seen his hilarious content about “funny texts from your teens and college freshman”, you’ve got to give him a follow.

Chip, a dad of two, joins John and I to talk about the process of applying to college and the emotions he did NOT expect when he dropped his son off at college.

He also tells us about his upcoming book, “WHAT TIME IS NOON: HILARIOUS TEXTS, RIDICULOUS FEEDBACK, AND NOT-SO-SUBTLE ADVICE FROM TEENAGERS”, which we’ll be giving away later this month.

Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It!

LISTEN IN TO LEARN MORE:

(00:00) College Parenting Humor and Heartache

(02:58) Navigating TikTok Success and Parenting

(14:35) The Key to Letting Go

(22:37) Parenting College-Bound Teens

(34:04) College Admissions Insights

In this episode, we explore Chip’s experience navigating the wide range of emotions that come with dropping your kid off at college, his best advice for parents when kids are applying to colleges, and the three main areas where high school and college students seem to struggle the most.

CHIP LEIGHTON ON INSTAGRAM

CHIP’S BOOK

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Let's Talk College: Making a Case For and Against College with New York Times Money Columnist Ron Lieber Aug 06, 2024

Show notes

Season 3 of the podcast is here and I’m honestly more excited about this season than any other. Because every single episode is a topic/conversation that YOU requested.

We’re kicking it off with a month-long series on COLLEGE, where we’re talking to experts and parents about what one college specialist has called “The most emotionally fraught decision many families will ever make.”

How do you know college is even right for your kid? WHEN should you start saving? Is it even worth it or necessary, anymore?

According to the US Census, 62% of US workers do NOT have a college degree and only 47% of Americans say it’s worth it, but only if you don’t have to take out any loans.

Ron Lieber, the New York Times’ Money columnist, has been writing about this topic for decades. He’s also a dad, dropping off his eldest daughter at college this fall.

Ron helps us to untangle this complex puzzle of college and he says it all begins with our WHY.

Life Happens, friends! Let’s Talk About It!

Listen in to learn more :

(00:00) Is College Worth It? Pros and Cons

(04:57) Navigating the College Decision Process

(17:50) College Decision Framework and Gap Year

(30:53) Considering Alternatives to College Costs

(39:12) College Financial Planning

(43:46) Navigating Community College and College Costs

In this episode, we are diving into the four main reasons for choosing college, the truth about statistics surrounding college degrees in the workforce, key conversations to have as a family before making college decisions, and tools for estimating what it will actually cost to send your kid to college.