freemom, conversations for modern mothers

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freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Chelsea O'Donnell

47 episodes

2 weeks ago

Today’s episode is all about something we know matters deeply to this community—raising kids who care. But not just care passively. Care deeply, actively, and persistently about the world around them. Specifically, our environment. How do we teach our kids about sustainability without scaring them? How do we raise little environmental advocates who feel empowered, not overwhelmed? Today’s guest is someone who’s made it her life’s mission to build a better future—literally from the fabric up. ...

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Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement,

All content for freemom, conversations for modern mothers is the property of Chelsea O'Donnell and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Today’s episode is all about something we know matters deeply to this community—raising kids who care. But not just care passively. Care deeply, actively, and persistently about the world around them. Specifically, our environment. How do we teach our kids about sustainability without scaring them? How do we raise little environmental advocates who feel empowered, not overwhelmed? Today’s guest is someone who’s made it her life’s mission to build a better future—literally from the fabric up. ...

Show more...

Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement,

Episodes (20/47)

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Teaching Kids to Care About the Planet

Today’s episode is all about something we know matters deeply to this community—raising kids who care. But not just care passively. Care deeply, actively, and persistently about the world around them. Specifically, our environment. How do we teach our kids about sustainability without scaring them? How do we raise little environmental advocates who feel empowered, not overwhelmed? Today’s guest is someone who’s made it her life’s mission to build a better future—literally from the fabric up. ...

5 months ago

30 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Advocating for Your Kids in the School System

Today we’re tackling a topic that hits close to home for so many of us: how to advocate for your child within the school system, especially when it feels like you’re speaking a different language than your child’s teacher, principal, or district. Our guest today is Alina Lewis, a parent advocacy specialist who helps families find their voice and get the support their children need in school. Alina is a powerhouse in this space, helping parents navigate school bureaucracy, and the all-too-ofte...

5 months ago

35 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Talking To Your Kids About Pornography

Today we’re diving headfirst into one of the most uncomfortable but critical conversations we can have as parents: talking to our kids about pornography. With the average age of first exposure now as young as 9 years old, this isn’t a “wait until they’re older” kind of chat anymore. This is a right-now conversation. And let’s be real—if we’re not the ones talking to our kids about it, someone else (or something else) already is. Our guest today, Jessica Vanderberg, is a Licensed Clinical Soci...

6 months ago

32 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Sextortion, Revenge Porn, and Protecting Our Kids with Lindsay Lieberman

Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s becoming terrifyingly common: sextortion and revenge porn—especially how these crimes impact teens and tweens. As our kids are spending more time online than ever before, the risks they face are evolving—often faster than we can keep up. The numbers are staggering. Reports of sextortion have increased by 322% in recent years, with many cases involving minors between the ages of 10-17. These crimes target young people through social media, gaming a...

6 months ago

31 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Social Media's Impact on Women and Girls

Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s a huge part of our daily lives - it’s where we connect, share, scroll... and sometimes, let’s be honest, compare. But what is social media actually doing to us, especially as women and mothers? And what about our daughters? The statistics are sobering: Nearly 95% of adolescent girls are active on social media, and 46% spend six or more hours a day on these platforms. Studies show that consuming appearance-focused content can significantly increase rates...

7 months ago

35 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Maternal Mental Health and Motherhood

This episode is an important one, because we’re talking about something that so many of us carry quietly: the weight of motherhood and how hard it can be to take care of ourselves while we’re taking care of everyone else. We all feel it—that mental load, the emotional overwhelm, the constant pressure to hold it all together. And yet, somehow, we’re still expected to just power through without real support. But here’s the thing: maternal mental health matters, and the numbers make that painful...

7 months ago

32 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Modern Marriage in the Age of Technology & AI with Colette Fehr

Have you ever thought about - or fought about - how our phones, screens, and even artificial intelligence impact our most important relationships? Have you ever been guilty of avoiding a conversation with your spouse by hiding on your phone? Maybe tuning out of a story about their day to scroll? I know the answer is yes because we are all guilty of it. So what can we do to stay connected to our partners in a world designed to distract us? Let’s start with the data. Research indicates th...

8 months ago

34 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Hormones and Mental Health with Dr. Kristen Beardslee

Hey, freemoms! Today, we’re diving into a subject that impacts every woman at some point in her life: the intersection of hormones, mental health, and menopause. From postpartum mood changes to the emotional highs and lows of menopause, hormones play a critical role in our mental and physical well-being. But how much do we really understand about these shifts, and how can we better navigate them? The statistics paint a clear picture. Postpartum depression affects 1 in 7 women in the United St...

8 months ago

30 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Raising Boys in a Patriarchal Society with Susie Fishleder

Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s as complex as it is essential: raising boys in a patriarchal society. As we continue to empower women and girls, we also need to think about how to support our boys. How do we raise compassionate, emotionally intelligent sons who can thrive in a society that values equality? The statistics tell an alarming story. Boys are now 50% more likely than girls to fail basic proficiency in reading. They are also falling behind in school at higher rates and atten...

9 months ago

34 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Welcome to Season 4

Welcome back, freemoms! Season 4 of freemom is here, and we couldn’t be more excited to share what’s in store. This season, we’re diving deeper into the challenges, triumphs, and truths of modern motherhood, with conversations that empower, inspire, and spark change. From tackling tough topics like sextortion, and the impact of social media on our girls, to uncovering the hidden struggles of adult female ADHD, and raising boys in a patriarchal world, we’re bringing you the experts, thought le...

9 months ago

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

How Not To Hate Your Period

I recently drenched myself in an article from NPR called, “The Period Talk You Never Got” which had me both hysterically reliving awkward after-school tutorials in my elementary school auditorium and feeling completely mortified by how little I actually knew about something that happens to my body every single month. What bothered me even more than my naivety was the fact that menstruation still seems to be this red veil of shame. Sure, we complain about the symptoms to our inner circle of ...

2 years ago

37 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Healing Our Trauma

I had a conversation with another mom recently that inspired this episode today. I myself had a happy, normal childhood with supportive parents that put me on a stable path to adulthood. She sadly, wasn’t so lucky, and we got to talking about how being the “rock” of the family felt so impossible to her. As mothers, we are so often portrayed as unflappable but in a flood of tiny tears, it’s actually really easy to be derailed, especially if those emotions bring up unresolved issues from our pa...

2 years ago

29 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

The Cheating Episode

As you probably know, this season is all about uncomfortable conversations and today’s topic might just take the cake. So let’s jump right in. Have you ever imagined what it would feel like to have an affair? Have you ever suspected that your spouse might be cheating? Well, you’re not alone. According to an article by the Institute for Family Studies approximately 20% of men and 13% of women reported that they’ve had sex with someone other than their spouse while married. But this data wi...

2 years ago

30 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Digital Death Planning

As a mom, it can seem almost impossible to think about what would happen if you died. Even preparing for this episode, I started picturing my husband in his grief, searching aimlessly for passwords, digital photos, bank records, and everyday information that lives either online or in my head. Imagine a spouse who just lost their partner, spending hours, days, and months searching for everything. Rectifying bills, closing social media accounts, deleting subscriptions, changing “case of emergen...

2 years ago

34 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Saying No and Feeling Great About It

How many times have you said “YES” to something that you really just don’t want to do? Maybe it’s a work commitment or a social event, a school function for the kids, or your spouse’s softball game. Whatever it is, you’ve found yourself pinned against the fence and the “yes” drops out your mouth faster than you can catch it. Immediately you might feel some dread, knowing that the commitment is going to mean giving up something you actually do want to do. But god forbid you say no, the guilt w...

2 years ago

30 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Women in Advertising

When you were a teenager, do you remember how it felt when the latest issue of your favorite magazine arrived in the mail? I love pouring over the pages, ogling all the fashion and beauty that was so far beyond my reach. Compared to now, there was a kind of innocence about media back then - we used to worship untouchable celebrities and models, which is so different to how we carry influencers and content creators in our pockets today. Advertising has become so personal and so clearly i...

2 years ago

33 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

All's Fair in Love and Laundry

Here’s a question. How do you and your spouse divide your household tasks? If you’re a cisgender woman in a heterosexual relationship, you might already be groaning. Yes, for women, and especially mothers, it probably feels like the cards and the laundry are stacked against us, and you’re not wrong. According to a 2021 Pew Research study, nearly 60% of women say they do more household chores than their spouse, while just 6% say their spouse or partner does more. If you ask the husbands, 46% s...

2 years ago

33 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Mothers and Addiction

A glass of wine while making dinner, a joint after the kids have gone to bed, micro-dosing on mushrooms while folding laundry - these are just a few of the ways that moms are getting through the day. The stress of parenting has never been more real and for a lot of women, a little help to let go, keep calm, and make it to bedtime is becoming increasingly common. It’s certainly nothing new - the mommy martini of the 50s became so culturally iconic that you probably know someone with a de...

2 years ago

31 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Getting What You Want From Work

If you are a working mother, calling the past few years “demanding” is the understatement of the century. Even in this “post-COVID” era, women leaders left their companies at the highest rates ever and the gap between women and men quitting senior roles became bigger than ever. As a working mom today, you’ve probably had to stay home more than once because your child is sick and you have no one else to care for them. You’re of course not alone. 45 percent of mothers with children aged ...

2 years ago

30 minutes

freemom, conversations for modern mothers

The Economics of Gender Equity

Imagine landing a new job or a big promotion and finding out that the reason you got it is that you’re a woman. Then you find out that because you’re a woman, the company figured out that they could pay you less for the same job than they would pay a man to do the same work. Pretty infuriating right? It sounds insane, but it’s very real and it’s happening not only in the United States but all over the world. Known as the gender pay gap, women earn roughly 80 cents for every dollar that ...

2 years ago

36 minutes