BDA Baby (Before, During and After Baby)

Like parenting, step-parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but unlike parenting, your role is much less defined. You’re not a parent, nanny, or assistant, but you might share responsibilities in those areas. At the end of the day, though, you’re none of those roles.I feel very lucky that I get to experience both step-parenting and parenting. One of the best decisions I’ve made was seeking out the help and guidance of a step-parenting therapist, whom I sit down with in this episode: Ashley Graber, LMFT. Together, we talk about a role that so many of us are navigating and one that often comes with more questions than answers.Six and a half years into this journey, I’ve learned that being a step-parent can feel like parenting, assisting, supporting, and sometimes stepping back all at the same time. I’ve also learned that there just aren’t enough resources or real conversations out there for those of us in this role. That’s why I opened up the conversation to all of you and I’ve never received more questions for a single topic.Ashley and I dive into the big and most commonly asked topics: discipline, defining your role, communicating with co-parents, and the emotional gymnastics of blending families. We talk about the importance of putting the child first, but also how to honor your own experience and feelings along the way.This is a conversation I wish I could have listened to years ago, and I hope it offers support, perspective, and maybe even a little peace for anyone walking this path.Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

Caitlin Slavens and Chelsea Bodie of Mama Psychologists joined us in this episode and shared great insights into balancing mental health with being a mom. Caitlin and Chelsea explain that mothers often carry a huge mental load, and it is important to emphasize self-care and open communication. We also get into managing mom guild, and how we can manage the complex emotions that come up around being a busy mom. Chelsea and Catilin encourage all moms to practice self-compassion and self-care. Even small steps can make a big difference! Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

This week’s episode is deeply personal and incredibly meaningful to me. I’m joined by Rebecca, an early childhood expert at Special Olympics, and Jennifer Pittman, a Special Olympics parent and manager of Healthy Families, for a conversation about the organization closest to my heart.  We talk about how Special Olympics is changing the game in early childhood development, providing crucial support to kids with intellectual and developmental disabilities before they even receive a formal diagnosis. We also dive into their new Young Athletes app, which empowers parents to support their child’s growth through play, wherever they are.  Jennifer shares her powerful story of navigating her son Shalom’s early diagnosis and how Special Olympics became a place of community, support, and strength for her whole family. This conversation is filled with practical advice, hope, and a reminder that none of us are alone in this journey.  Whether you're a parent, educator, or someone who cares about inclusive communities, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.  Download the Young Athletes App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/young-athletes/id1629555324  Learn more at specialolympics.org Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

In this episode, we sat down with Scarlett Lewis to discuss her Choose Love Movement. Scarlett founded the movement in honor of her son Jesse who was tragically lost in the Sandy Hook shooting. The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement promotes fostering nurturing, healing love. They also provide free programs for violence prevention and emotional wellbeing. Scarlett hopes that through her movement, more children can learn forgiveness and compassion. It is so important that we teach our kids how to be emotionally intelligent people who can navigate their feelings and be caring to others.  Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

This week, I’m joined by Laura and Kelly, the sister duo behind Tied Sunwear, the fashion-forward UPF clothing brand that’s changing the way we think about sun protection. What started as a deeply personal mission after their mom’s melanoma diagnosis turned into a full-blown business built on style, safety, and sisterhood.   We talk about why sun-protective clothing matters more than most people realize (spoiler: your cotton tee isn’t cutting it), what it really took to launch a brand from scratch, and how they’re designing timeless, flattering silhouettes that work for every season of life from pregnancy to postpartum and beyond.   They also share how they keep their relationship strong while running a family business, what it means to build a mission-driven company, and their dream to become the ultimate “one-stop sun shop.”   If you’ve ever wondered what goes into starting a brand or just want better options for protecting your skin without sacrificing style, this one’s for you.   Use my code Katherine15 for 15% off: https://go.shopmy.us/p-21318273 Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

Jocelyn Delk Adams joined us for this episode alongside the release of her cookbook Everyday Grand, a cookbook that celebrates everyday moments through food. Jocelyn has such great insights in today’s episode on everything from balancing motherhood and career to cooking with children and bringing people together. She emphasizes that a supportive community helped her to realize both her professional and parenthood goals. One of those goals was writing Everyday Grand! Jocelyn hopes that her cookbook can help other families realize the joy of food just like it did for her own.   Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

Jessica Woo joined us in this episode to share all about how to create cute, boxed lunches that kids will actually eat and enjoy. Jessica has built a following on social media sharing the bento boxes she makes for her kids, and today she gives us some tips and tricks to make similar meals for our own children. Presentation can really impact what our kids will eat, so quick easy ways to make mealtime more fun can help get our kids eating a wide variety of new foods. You might even find a new form of self-expression!  Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

Catherine McCord joined us alongside the launch of her cookbook Meal Prep Magic. Catherine is a chef, entrepreneur, mom of three, and the founder of Weelicious. She creates kid friendly, nutritious recipes to help feed the whole family. Today we talk about how to meal prep for kids, and what kids of foods Catherine likes to keep on hand to make feeding her kids simpler. She also gives some great tips on everything from organizing your pantry to quick meal hacks. Feeding kids nutritious foods they’ll actually like can be a challenge, but Catherine hope Weelicious and Meal Prep Magic can help take away some of the stress around meal time. Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!

This week, I’m joined by Jenny Best, founder of Solid Starts and one of the most trusted voices in baby-led feeding, for a super informative and stress-reducing conversation about starting solids. Whether you’re a first-time parent or navigating food with baby #3, Jenny shares practical advice, research-backed insights, and personal stories to help you feel more confident and calm about this big milestone. We talk about how baby-led weaning differs from the traditional puree path, how to reduce the fear of choking, why mess is a good thing, and how to fold your baby into the family meal (instead of making separate “kid food”). Jenny also shares tips for that very first food, what to actually buy (or not buy), and why letting baby lead the way is key to building a healthy relationship with food. Whether your baby is 5 months or you're prepping for solids down the line, this episode will give you the reassurance and tools to approach this stage with more ease and a lot less anxiety.Order her book here: https://amzn.to/44geFx6Download her app here: https://solidstarts.com/app/ Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video! 

Paula Faris joined us alongside the release of her children’s book Who Do You Want to be When You Grow Up to share insights on how we should focus on more than just what our kids will be when they grow up. Paula explains that too often, kids are asked what they want to do when they grow up. Instead, we should be asking our children who they want to be when they grow up. Paula says that children should be encouraged to be the best person they can be, not the best worker. Traits like integrity and empathy are so much more important to instill in our children over what they might do for work as adults. It’s Paula’s hope that her book and the conversations around it can help more parents flip the conversation about their kids’ futures. Please join us on YouTube for our full conversation and many more on video!