No Guilt Mom | Overcoming Mom Guilt, Mental Load & Parenting Tips for Moms

If gentle parenting has you wanting to back your daughter up without shaking things up at school, but you're stuck on why she keeps getting dress coded in the first place, this episode is for you. New here? Start with our ⁠Start Here playlist⁠ — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. JoAnn goes solo this week on a topic she's been sitting with since her own middle school uniform battles: dress codes, and why they land so much harder on girls than boys. She pulls the research on where dress codes actually came from, what "self-objectification" does to a girl's brain and test scores, and ties it directly into this week's Sydney Sweeney ad backlash. Then she gives you the exact conversation to have with your daughter the next time she comes home dress coded. In this episode, you'll learn: Why dress codes were never really about safety, and where they actually came from The research showing it's girls' bodies, not their behavior, that dress codes target What "self-objectification" is, and how it can measurably lower a girl's test performance Exactly what to say (and not say) when your daughter comes home dress coded How to help her decide whether to comply or push back, in her own words Resources mentioned in this episode: The Happy Home Ladder — our family cooperation system The Best Mom is a Happy Mom by JoAnn Crohn No Guilt Mom website No Guilt Mom on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever dealt with mom burnout and wondered why you can't stop giving until there's nothing left, this episode is for you. New here? Start with our ⁠Start Here playlist⁠ — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. Therapist Dr. Julie Merriman joins the podcast to talk about why so many moms quietly minimize themselves until they're running on empty, and why the idea that "you can't give from an empty cup" is actually a myth, because we do it all the time. We get into little T trauma, why your worth might be tied to productivity, and Julie's five-step framework for coming back to yourself after burnout. In this episode, you'll learn: Why moms give until they hit "empty cup" burnout, and why the belief that you can't give from empty isn't true What "little T trauma" is and why almost everyone has some, even without a dramatic backstory Julie's five-step framework for recovering from burnout: reflection, a nervous system inventory, a reappearance checklist, a self-return ritual, and daily affirmations A simple full-body-scan technique to check in with your nervous system in under a minute Why tying your worth to productivity makes it impossible to just sit and relax Resources mentioned in this episode: The Happy Home Ladder — No Guilt Mom's family cooperation system Dr. Julie Merriman's website Julie's free Desire Reset Guide The Best Mom is a Happy Mom by JoAnn Crohn No Guilt Mom Podcast page No Guilt Mom on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever felt the mental load of work follow you home and wondered why you can't turn your brain off the second you walk in the door, this episode is for you. New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. You close the laptop, but your brain doesn't get the memo. In this episode, JoAnn breaks down the real research on why work stress follows you home (and why home stress follows you to work), and gives you three small, doable rituals you can try tonight to actually make the switch. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "boundary theory" research says your brain needs an actual ritual to switch roles, not just willpower Why remote and hybrid workers report 20% higher burnout, and what's missing from the workday that used to fix this for free What a real diary study of 166 employees found is the single strongest predictor of recovering from a stressful workday Three simple scripts you can use tonight: naming your feeling, noticing and asking what's up, and picking your family's one thing How the Happy Home Ladder turns these skills into something your whole family builds together, not just you Resources mentioned in this episode: Get the Happy Home Ladder When Work Stress Hijacks Your Home: Stop Ruminating and Get Your Patience Back with Guy Winch Why You Negotiate Better at Work Than at Home (And How to Change That) with Attia Qureshi The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane No Guilt Mom Inner Circle The Best Mom is a Happy Mom (book) Follow No Guilt Mom on Instagram Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/ngm or use code NGM and get 70% off your first year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever dealt with mom guilt and wondered why you can't stop replaying the same mistake in your head long after it happened, this episode is for you. Explore practical tools for managing mom guilt and the mental load using gentle parenting principles and a proven self-forgiveness method with Dr. Dravon James. New here? Start with our ⁠Start Here playlist⁠ — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. Dr. Dravon James, founder of Everyday Peace and author of Forgiveness: A Pathway to Happiness, joins JoAnn to talk about why self-forgiveness is so much harder for moms than forgiving anyone else. They walk through Dravon's three-step practice for actually letting go of the mistakes you keep carrying, plus the exact language to use with yourself when you mess up. In this episode, you'll learn: Why holding onto guilt doesn't actually protect you from making the same mistake again The three-step self-forgiveness practice: reflect on self-criticism, forgive yourself for past mistakes, and release the memory's hold The difference between accepting what happened and excusing it The "sandwich technique" for saying "I forgive you" to yourself without it feeling forced Why treating yourself the way you'd treat your own middle schooler changes everything Ready to stop doing everything and start doing what actually matters? Grab JoAnn's free Stop Doing Checklist. Resources mentioned in this episode: Dr. Dravon James's website Dr. Dravon James on Instagram Dr. Dravon James on Facebook Grab the free Stop Doing Checklist Join the No Guilt Mom Inner Circle The Best Mom is a Happy Mom (JoAnn's book) Thank you to our sponsors! Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/omnin6le #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A.Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/ngm or use code NGM and get 70% off your first year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mom guilt has a source—and it's not your parenting. JoAnn busts the five biggest "good mom" myths that convince you you're failing, even when you're doing your best. New here? Start with our ⁠Start Here playlist⁠ — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. JoAnn shares the day she screamed at a wall (and cowered her own kids) to name the perfectionism baked into modern motherhood. Then she busts the five biggest "good mom" myths, the ones telling you that missing the game, serving chicken nuggets again, losing your temper, taking time for yourself, or your kid's report card all mean you're failing. Spoiler: none of them do. In this episode, you'll learn: Why missing your kid's activity can actually be good for them (and what the research on over-involved parents really shows) Why your picky eater isn't a reflection of your cooking, and the biology behind food neophobia The exact repair script to use after you lose your temper, and why the repair matters more than the rupture Why taking time for yourself is an investment in your kid, not a theft from them Why your kid's school performance predicts nothing about who they'll become Resources mentioned in this episode: The Best Mom is a Happy Mom (book) Calm & Happy Parenting Cohort Thank you to our sponsors! Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to ⁠https://heypolo.com/ngm ⁠or use code NGM and get 70% off your first year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you have tried gentle parenting and still feel like nothing works with your strong-willed child, this episode is for you. New to the show? Start with our ⁠Start Here playlist⁠. Wendy Snyder was three years into motherhood, home with a colicky newborn and a three-year-old who got sent home from preschool on repeat, when she walked past a flyer for a free positive parenting class and took it as a sign. Fifteen years later, that same strong-willed daughter is a Division I beach volleyball player at a top ten school. In this conversation, Wendy and JoAnn get into why the strong will you are fighting is the exact trait that will carry your kid, and what has to shift in you first before any strategy will work. In this episode, you'll learn Why punishment, timeouts and "break their will early" advice backfire hardest on the kids they are aimed at The difference between a kid who is born strong-willed and a mild kid moving through a power surge season What autocratic parenting actually is, and why almost all of us absorbed some of it How releasing control over homework and grades produced a self-motivated straight A kid One tactical swap you can make today: replacing compliance statements with choices Resources mentioned in this episode Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home by Wendy Snyder Fresh Start Family Race to Nowhere, the documentary Wendy recommends for every public school parent The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, source of the subway story The 3 in 30 Podcast with Rachel Nielson, who introduced JoAnn and Wendy The Happy Mom Reset, our free class No Guilt Mom Inner Circle The Best Mom is a Happy Mom by JoAnn Crohn Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/ngm or use code NGM and get 70% off your first year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever struggled with letting go of control and wondered why sending your kid off to college (or even just watching them grow up) feels so scary, this episode is for you. New here? Start with our ⁠Start Here playlist⁠ — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. This episode released on the actual day JoAnn flew to New York to drop her firstborn off at college. Instead of a highlight reel of the trip, she's sharing the real research and the real mindset shifts that got her here, including one she wishes every parent heard well before senior year. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the "secure base" concept from attachment theory means being your kid's biggest fan instead of their director, and why that actually makes your relationship stronger, not weaker What overcontrol dressed up as care looks like right now (grade portals, dorm housekeepers, and more) and why it does more harm than good The real research on empty nest syndrome, and why it's not what most parents assume A personal story about backing off when her daughter said she hugged her too much, and what happened to their relationship afterward Why letting your kid struggle a little now builds the strength they'll need later (yes, there's a science experiment involved) Resources mentioned in this episode: Why Your Teenager Suddenly Can't Stand You (and Why That's a Good Sign) - episode on Emotional Distancing The Happy Mom Reset (Live Class, September 17) "Notice and Do" by Sam Kelly (pre-order) No Guilt Mom Inner Circle The Best Mom is a Happy Mom by JoAnn Crohn Follow No Guilt Mom on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever dealt with mom guilt and found yourself checking your phone to see if you're doing enough, wondering why you care so much what other people think, this episode is for you. New to No Guilt Mom? Start here: https://www.noguiltmom.com/podcast-2 JoAnn sits down with speaker, entrepreneur, and author Jess Ekstrom (founder of Mic Drop Workshop and author of Making It Without Losing It) for an honest conversation about external validation — including JoAnn's own confession about compulsively checking podcast analytics, and Jess's story of interviewing her great uncle Bernie Madoff about the roots of chasing approval. Together they unpack why other people's opinions matter less than we think, how to tell the difference between feedback worth keeping and feedback worth ignoring, and how moms can stop performing for an audience that isn't even watching. In this episode, you'll learn: Why chasing external validation kills creativity and motivation (and the "analytics detox" JoAnn is doing with her therapist) The story behind Jess's uncle Bernie Madoff and the childhood moment that taught him "admiration can be bought" Jess's "spotlight vs. lighthouse" framework for shifting from seeking approval to serving the people in front of you The three questions to ask before you let feedback affect you: is it a chorus, is it constructive, and does it have credibility Why the "bottom of the pile" doesn't exist, and how to stop waiting for permission to enjoy your life Resources mentioned in this episode: Making It Without Losing It by Jess Ekstrom Jess on Instagram Jess on LinkedIn Text HYPE to 704-228-9495 for Jess's weekly Monday motivational text The Happy Mom Reset (free class) No Guilt Mom Inner Circle More episodes of the No Guilt Mom Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. If you're a people pleaser who can't figure out why you struggle to tell people how you really feel, especially when you're angry or hurt, this episode is for you. What do you do when someone you love blames you for something that isn't your fault? JoAnn gets vulnerable about a recent conflict where, for the first time in her life, she didn't shrink. She's breaking down the fawn response, what the research actually says about staying quiet, and the exact words to use the next time silence feels safer than the truth. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the fawn response makes staying silent feel safer, even when it isn't What research on suppressed feelings actually predicts for your relationships (it's not what you'd guess) The difference between suppressing a feeling and simply choosing when to say it A 3-step script for naming what's bothering you without picking a fight Why setting a boundary and staying in a relationship are not opposites Resources mentioned in this episode: JoAnn's previous episode on what her former friendships taught her: Why Mom Friendships Feel So One-Sided The Body Keeps the Score The Happy Mom Reset, JoAnn's free class Ready to figure out where your guilt and people pleasing are running the show in your home? Join the free Happy Mom Reset class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever snap at your kid and then wonder where that even came from? Dr. Cassidy Freitas, licensed marriage and family therapist and author of Mom Needs a Moment, joins JoAnn to break down what's actually happening in your nervous system in the seconds before you react. In this episode, you'll learn: How to catch a "ping," the body, thought, feeling, and behavior signals that show up right before you react Why calm can actually feel unsafe to your nervous system, and what to do about it How the "little t" traumas from your own childhood are still shaping your triggers today A simple phrase to use with your kids that creates space without shutting them out Why protecting your margin, not optimizing every moment, is what actually calms your nervous system Resources mentioned in this episode: Dr. Cassidy Freitas's website Mom Needs a Moment by Dr. Cassidy Freitas Dr. Cassidy on Instagram The Happy Mom Reset, a free class Ready to stop reacting and start responding? Sign up for The Happy Mom Reset, a free class, and get started today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. Do you feel a flash of guilt when you're running late, or a flash of irritation when someone else is? Alex Snider, author of Sometimes You Should Be Late: The Quiet Rebellion of Slowing Down, joins the show to unpack why that reaction has almost nothing to do with the minutes on the clock. This conversation cracked something open for JoAnn mid interview, and it might do the same for you. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your reaction to lateness, yours or someone else's, is rarely about the actual minutes What "emotional punctuality" means and how it can change the way you measure a good day The kindness buffer, a simple way to build space into your day so you show up present instead of rushed Why the thing you didn't cross off your list might have been the most values aligned choice you made all day Resources mentioned in this episode: Sometimes You Should Be Late by Alex Snider, available now Take Alex's Late Style Quiz Book club guide and bonus content for Sometimes You Should Be Late Alex's Substack, Slow Mindfulness The No Guilt Mom Inner Circle Loved this one? Our Inner Circle book club is picking up Sometimes You Should Be Late next. Come join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. You set a boundary at work, and by dinner time you're doing your coworker's project anyway. In this episode, Courtney Cecil, founder of Working Moms Movement and former Fortune 50 culture leader, breaks down why rigid nine to five boundaries backfire and what to do instead when your job keeps rolling downhill into your home life. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "enough" is never defined for moms, and how that keeps you stuck in overwhelm Why squishy, flexible boundaries protect you better than rigid ones, and what that actually looks like The exact question to ask your boss before you say yes to a new project How to tell when you're absorbing your team's work instead of managing it Why naming your boundary out loud is the only way anyone will ever respect it Resources mentioned in this episode: Courtney Cecil, Working Moms Movement Follow Courtney on Instagram Register for the Mom's Setting Boundaries Summit Courtney is speaking at the Mom's Setting Boundaries Summit. Register free to save your seat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. If your teenager has looked at you lately like you're the most annoying person alive, this episode is for you. JoAnn breaks down why teens suddenly pull away, why it's not a reflection of your parenting, and what to actually say the next time your teen lands a low blow about your time management, your questions, or just your existence. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your teen's frustration with you is a normal, healthy part of development called emotional distancing, not a sign you've wrecked the relationship How to stop yourself from tightening the reins when your teen pushes back, and why loosening your grip is actually the right move A simple, confident comeback script for when your teen throws a barbed insult your way Why your own sense of well-being can take a hit during this stage, and why that's backed by research, not a personal failing A quick therapy-based question to ask yourself that builds self-compassion when your teen's words sting Resources mentioned in this episode: The Explosive Child by Dr. Ross Greene Crucial Conversations (concept: contributing to the pool of meaning) No Guilt Mom Inner Circle: learn.noguiltmom.com/go Mom's Setting Boundaries Summit, free, August 10-13 Grab your free ticket to the Mom's Setting Boundaries Summit, August 10-13, and finally get the tools to stop over-explaining and start holding the boundary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. Do you ever feel like you're failing at work and at home at the same time? Dr. Anne Welsh, psychologist, executive coach, and author of Ambitious Mother, joins JoAnn to explain why that feeling isn't a personal failure, it's a sign you're carrying too much without enough support. In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between doing something because you want to and doing it out of guilt, and why that distinction changes everything Why the mental load keeps growing even as women achieve more at work The early signs of "functional burnout," where you're still showing up but feel numb, irritable, or completely disconnected from your own life How to redefine ambition using Anne's ladder versus web metaphor, so wanting more doesn't mean losing your edge The one degree compass shift that can start changing things without blowing up your whole life Resources mentioned in this episode: Dr. Anne Welsh on Instagram Ambitious Mother: From Surviving to Thriving in Your Career and at Home by Dr. Anne Welsh (Bloomsbury, out August 6) —https://amzn.to/4fxiyoo Pre-order bonuses on Dr. Anne Welsh's website — https://www.drannewelsh.com/ambitious-mother-book The Guilt Equation with Dr. Jen Reed Register for the Mom's Setting Boundaries Summit Ready to work on your own boundaries? Register for the Moms Setting Boundaries Summit, it's free. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/omnin6le #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. Has someone ever told you that you made them feel disrespected or small, and your stomach just dropped? Maybe you replayed every conversation trying to find the moment you did it. Today JoAnn walks you through three actionable steps to work through that moment, rooted in the psychology of why accusations like this happen, especially between the people closest to you. In this episode, you'll learn: How to check your own intentions after being accused of something, without spiraling into shame Why an accusation from someone close to you is often a report on their own identity, not a fact about your behavior The research on why confidence and success from women gets read differently than the same behavior from men Three steps to decide how you want to respond, including when it's okay to take space Resources mentioned in this episode: The Tallest Poppy Survey (2023) The "Acting Wife" study on women and self-silencing in MBA programs Amanda's story about setting boundaries with in-laws The Best Mom is a Happy Mom by JoAnn Crohn The Happy Mom Reset, free class Ready to stop carrying guilt that was never yours to hold? Join The Happy Mom Reset free class and get your plan to feel lighter this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. You've tried the habit trackers, the 21 day challenges, and every "just be consistent" article out there, and none of it sticks for more than a week. Certified habit coach Monica Packer joins JoAnn to explain why most habit advice was never built for moms in the first place, and what actually works when your day never goes as planned. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the habit advice you've been given fails women's actual lives, and it's not a discipline problem How to build a baseline version of any habit so one hard day doesn't wreck your progress Why consistency and flexibility work together instead of competing against each other The three step sticky habit formula for making any new habit actually stick How invisible labor and mental load make typical productivity advice unworkable for moms Resources mentioned in this episode: Follow Monica Packer on Instagram Sticky Habits by Monica Packer, out in September with pre-order bonuses available now Happy Mom Reset Free Class Ready to stop over apologizing and start setting boundaries that actually stick? Join the free Happy Mom Reset class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You did something good for yourself, a massage, an hour off, a class you have always wanted to take, and then the guilt showed up like you had done something wrong. In this solo episode, JoAnn names exactly what is happening (she calls it the guilt slide) and walks you through how to catch it and step off before it takes down your day or your relationships. In this episode, you'll learn: How to spot the "guilt slide," the moment a good thing you did for yourself turns into proof you did something wrong Why that guilt is a sign something is new for you, not a sign you are selfish or broken The one move that protects your closest relationships when the guilt hits, and why it is not asking "are you mad at me?" Three self-compassion steps to wait out the discomfort instead of projecting it onto everyone around you A simple way to redirect your brain so the feeling passes faster Resources mentioned in this episode: "This Isn't a Sketchbook, its an Art Class" drawing workbook Podcast Episode: Why the ADHD Parenting Advice Doesn't Work (the RSD episode) The Happy Mom Reset, JoAnn's free class New here? Start with The Happy Mom Reset, JoAnn's free class, at https://learn.noguiltmom.com/happy-mom-reset. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rewards feel like good parenting. A sticker chart here, screen time for finished homework there, and suddenly your kid won't do anything without asking what they get. In this episode, JoAnn sits down with Dr. Özgür Bolat, author of The Reward Trap, to unpack why rewards quietly backfire and what actually builds the motivation you want. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your reward systems stop working, even when you set them up perfectly The hidden message every reward sends your child, and why it lands like a threat The one situation where a reward genuinely helps, and how to use it without getting stuck A small shift you can try tonight that beats any sticker chart How rewards and praise quietly feed your own mom guilt, and what to do instead Resources mentioned in this episode: The Reward Trap by Dr. Özgür Bolat Dr. Özgür Bolat on Instagram The Happy Mom Reset free class Ready to feel less behind and more like yourself? Save your seat for The Happy Mom Reset free class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're at the party, the pool, the vacation you planned, and the second one of your kids gets miserable, your fun switches off like someone hit a light. In this episode, JoAnn breaks down the moment she caught herself doing exactly this at her nephew's birthday party, and the one question that snapped her out of it. If your kids' emotions are costing you your own, this one is going to hit home. In this episode, you'll learn: The rushing cue: how to catch yourself before mild stress turns into full dysregulation The difference between consideration and responsibility for your kids' feelings, and why one is loving while the other is exhausting you both Exactly what to say when your kid says "I'm bored" (and how to spot the one situation where that script won't work) Why letting your kid sit in mild discomfort is some of the best parenting you can do The honest question to ask yourself when you rush to fix your kid's mood Resources mentioned in this episode: JoAnn's interview with Jenna Free on recognizing dysregulation The Happy Mom Reset (free class) Ready to stop running on guilt? Join JoAnn's free class, The Happy Mom Reset. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. Have you ever caught yourself thinking, in the middle of an especially relentless week, that a minor car accident might actually be a relief — if it meant a doctor's note to lie in bed for two days? No serious injuries, just... permission to stop? Yeah. Emily and Julie get it. JoAnn sits down with Emily Jones and Julie Dobbs, hosts of the Mom Game podcast, for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what it's actually like to be a high-achieving mom who cannot turn her brain off. They talk about the badge of honor we've attached to being busy, the two kinds of mental load (logistical and emotional — and why the emotional one never stops), hormones, perimenopause, the mom volunteer spiral, and what has genuinely helped each of them find moments of real relaxation in the middle of all of it. In this episode: The "minor car accident" fantasy — and why even joking about it should be a warning sign Why high-achieving moms struggle to turn their brains off even when they technically have downtime The difference between the logistical mental load and the emotional mental load (and why the emotional one follows you everywhere) Why you're only as happy as your saddest kid — and what to do with that How hormones and perimenopause are contributing to the overwhelm nobody talked about until now The mom volunteer spiral: who's creating it, who's perpetuating it, and why moms are sometimes part of the problem Why normalizing imperfection — including being open about your kid's ADHD diagnosis — actually helps everyone What's genuinely helped each of them relax: girlfriends, court sports, a good group chat, and improv comedy How to know when you need an outlet before you explode (and why you never want to wait until you do) This one feels like sitting around with friends who get it. No solutions required — just a conversation that makes you feel a little less alone in all of it. Find Emily and Julie on the Mom Game podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. If you're listening on Spotify, hit the Follow button right now — it's the best way to make sure you never miss an episode and it helps me reach more moms like you. Remember: the best mom is a happy mom. Take care of you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices