Mama Knows

This week is extra sweet. I sat down to talk to Sammie about how we should approach the topic of sweets and treats when it comes to our kids. We covered:How do we talk about sweets and treats to our kids?How do we limit sweets & treats without causing deprivation and or a complex around certain foods?How much access should the kids have to the pantry that also contains sweets & treats? How controlled should this space be?What do I do if my kid only wants to eat sweets and won't eat their meal? IG: @anti.diet.mamaSamantha Gollup is a compassionate and dedicated Registered Dietitian from Madison, Wisconsin. With an extensive background in Surgical Weight Management, she has discovered her true calling within the realm of intuitive eating and founded her private practice, Anti Diet Mama. As the founder of Anti Diet Mama, Sammie is on a mission to empower mamas to heal their relationships with food and their bodies by dismantling the harmful teachings of diet culture.Through Intuitive Eating and Body Image Counseling, Sammie guides mamas to embrace their bodies, cultivate healthful habits, and elevate their overall quality of life while simplifying nutrition. Her personalized approach empowers each mother to break free from the dieting cycle, enabling them to rediscover their authentic selves and raise the next generation without the toxic influence of diet culture. Passionate about helping women find balance amid their busy lives, Sammie encourages mothers to carve out space for self-care and prioritize their own health and well-being so they can model this for their kids. She firmly believes that every woman deserves to nourish both body and soul without guilt or shame.Beyond her professional endeavors, Sammie finds joy in spending cherished moments with her husband and their lively toddlers. Her zest for life extends to exploring various forms of movement, indulging in delectable food with loved ones, and embarking on new adventures through travel. Samantha Gollup's unwavering dedication to promoting body acceptance and intuitive eating has made her a guiding light for countless mothers seeking to transform their relationship with food and themselves. With her warmth, expertise, and wholehearted commitment to empowering others, Sammie is shaping a healthier, more vibrant future for families and communities alike.______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode we discuss:1. The break down the basics of hormone health and why we should care about it as women?2. How do we know how are hormone health is and when something is wrong?3. What are some natural ways we can balance our hormones?4. Most common issue seen with women that is directly related to hormone healthWebsite: https://familyfocusfdl.wixsite.com/familyfocuschiroFacebook: www.facebook.com/familyfocuschirowellnessInstagram: @familyfocuschirowellness______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My therapist and I did a stop light activity on my last day of therapy and It truly is a game changer! Grab a pen and paper and write down all the tips because I think it could help you too! ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is finally a term for what I am, I knew this all along but it feels so validating. Natalie and I chat about being High Sensitive People (HSP) with High sensitive Kiddos!  What’s a highly sensitive person? (How do I know if I am one?) How do I figure out if my kids or partner are HSP? Tips on parenting a a HSP? What are things we can implement in our home to thrive as a HSP family? ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Morgan and I have such a honest conversation about motherhood burnout and identity. We talk about it all, and of course big congratulations to Dr. Morgan and her BOOK: Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself: 5 Steps to Banish Guilt and Beat Burnout When You Already Have Too Much to DoIn this epsiode: What leads to burnout in motherhood?  Identifying, Preventing and managing burnout in motherhood  Finding your identity in motherhood -normalizing that we aren’t who we used to be? -normalizing changing our beliefs and stance? How do we nurture our relationships in this season of motherhood? Friendships & intimate.  Dr. Morgan Cutlip, PhD in Psychology and highly sought after relationship expert, knows what it feels like to lose yourself in motherhood, and she’s determined to help mothers navigate it better.Throughout her career, she has helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide learn how to form and maintain healthy relationships.Dr. Morgan has been a featured relationship expert with Good Morning America, Teen Vogue, The New York Times, Women’s Health Magazine, MOPS International, Loveology, and Flo, the #1 app in health and fitness. Her new book, Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I am chatting with Kristal Heredia of Kristal Heredia and the CEO of Mujeres Social. This woman is a powerhouse, below are some of the things we talked about!  Tell us a little bit about yourself and the jobs you’ve had before you became CEO? Have you always dreamed of owning a brand and or agency and what steps did it take to get here?  What are the top 3 pieces of advice do you have for women entrepreneurs?  What does first generational wealth look life for you from the emotional and family dynamic perspective? (Do you feel like you have to or want to take care of everyone)  What’s your best advice to a woman who wants to build a social media brand?  How has and do you think will becoming a mom to a daughter impact your business, your business outlook and the direction you want to take your brand?  Kristal Heredia is a Latina digital entrepreneur who has grown her brand from the ground up. She prides herself on the strong-knit community she has cultivated through her self-love and body positivity movement! Her purpose is to help women love themselves while simultaneously taking back their power! Her work does not stop there. She has partnered up with many reputable brands to bring awareness and be a voice for curvy women all over the world! You can view her work on Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, and TikTok.Before infiltrating the industry in the most positive way, She was just a girl sharing her passions out of Connecticut. Born into a family of all boys, having three older brothers truly molded her into the strong leader she is. She has created a solution-based business within her own content and also her Talent Agency where she has prioritized diversity and inclusivity. She is a voice that will never go un-wavered and her main goal is to always prioritize showing up and being that representation she so badly needed growing up. As Kristal leans into motherhood, she is actively leaving her mark on social media to create a world in which her daughter can see herself proudly represented in the media.______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we dive into behavioral challenges in school age kids! Nicole is an educator at heart and school counseling is her passion. She received a B.A. in Elementary Education from Rhode Island College and a M.A. in School Counseling from Providence College. Being in education for the last 12 years he has taught grades 1-3 and has served as an elementary, middle, and high school counselor in Rhode Island. Nicole has received district teacher of the year and serves on her administrative team. Being a mom of two amazing little ones has shaped her way of teaching and counseling. Her 5 year old is starting Kindergarten and she is utilizing strategies from her daily practice to help emotionally prepare him for the big day!1. As an educator how do you determine if a student has behavioral challenges?2. What can I do as a parent before school starts to prepare my child for school emotionally?3. School has started- how can I continue to foster a home school relationship4. Tips and tricks, things that I have seen parents do that really work and support students with behavioral challenges and things that failNicoles Instagram!__________________________________________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are talking to Mary Van Geffen today who is the queen of all things SPICY moms and kids. I love talking to Mary and today I am just bragging her up on her course MOSO. Moms of Spicy ones is a course I took that truly changed the way I see myself as a mother and the way that I choose to parent. In fact, I loved it so much I asked Mary if she would give my listeners a discount code for her NEXT class starting SEPTEMBER 12. USE CODE BALKANINA for $20 off your MOSO (or any other) course LINKED HERE. In this episode:  What does it mean to be a spicy one?  I want to talk about your course and what it did for me and what others have said it has done for them… What are 3(+) easy ways / things I can start doing now to mold myself to compliment my spicy one? What are some ways I can help my parenting partner mold to our spicy one along side me?  MARY's Instagram! Mary's Courses. ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we dive into Mental Health in students grades 9-12. This is such an important topic because these ages are so difficult with hormonal changes and emotional control! I am chatting with Julia McClannon who specializes in social and emotional learning/resilience and mental health for all ages - but particularly for early childhood and adolescence! Here are the questions we discussed:1. What stands out to you in terms of the mental health of your high school students? Patterns, trends, etc. 2, What are some red flags or warning signs to look for in my child? 3. What resources do you think we need as parents to help our kids navigate their emotional well-being?4. For the parents of little that are listening…How do we lay the foundation when our kids are younger to support emotional and mental health/resilience as they enter their teens?5. How do I start being better for my kids now if I feel like it’s too late? 6. As a teacher, what kinds of things do you have in place to help your students with their mental health?Julia's Instagram Page! ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Questions we covered in this episode:1. Self-help skills: What are children required to do as they enter kindergarten ?2. Social/emotional development: Fears around starting Kindergarten and what parents can do to help with separation anxiety.3. What and how to pack: What do children need to bring to school? (Clothing, lunch/snack, etc.)4. Toileting! How to help your child be independent with their toileting5. What does the learning look like in Kindergarten? What is play-based inquiry learning and how is it conducted in the classroom?Melissa Markus is a Teacher and Mom of 2! She has a Master’s in Child Study and Education with a focus on Kindergarten, the Early Years, Special Education and the Arts.Melissa started the social media account @thekindergartenmom as a vehicle to provide parents and teachers with DIY lessons and activities for children at home and in the classroom. Melissa also facilitates a virtual seminar called ‘The Kindergarten Crash Course’ where she provides parents with an in-depth and interactive presentation on the complexities of Kindergarten and how they can best prepare and support their children during this new and exciting transition!Links: ‘The Kindergarten Crash Course’ recording available through the link in her IG!Instagram: @thekindergartenmom_______________________________________________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! ______________________________Did you love this episode? BUY ME A COFFEE for support!Find me on Instagram@balkanina@mamaknowspodcastFind me on TikTokBalkaninaSubscribe to my NewsletterPrivate Facebook Motherhood-Podcast CommunityMama Knows FBDisclaimer: This podcast does not provide any medical advice, it is for informational purposes only! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices