From 9 to Mom

From 9 To Mom

Welcome to From 9 to Mom. Danielle & Catie are here to talk about balancing the 9-5 hustle with the beautiful chaos of motherhood. Join us as we navigate careers, parenting, and the endless love that never clocks out. No off switch here!

  1. 30 juli

    summer is over, already?!

    Summer went by way too fast and somehow it's already time to talk backpacks, school supplies, and meet the teacher gifts. In this episode Danielle and Catie catch up from two different houses (long story, it involves strep throat) and dive headfirst into all things back to school. They talk through the backpack debate (Spidey backpack or big kid plane backpack, does it fit a binder), the never ending list of school supplies and spirit week swag, and why meet the teacher gifts have officially spiraled out of control. Danielle shares her plan to survive Colton's second grade shopping list including a very expensive Messi jersey situation, while Catie preps for kindergarten and preschool at the same time and drops a genius Kohl's Cash hack you need to hear. They also get a little nostalgic, swapping stories about their own back to school shopping memories growing up, and get real about that weird mix of excitement and sadness that comes with summer ending. Plus some very funny camp stories from the kids that you don't want to miss. Chapters: 00:00 Danielle and Catie catch up from two different houses 01:06 Counting down to the first day of school 02:23 School supply lists, spirit week, and meet the teacher gifts 05:10 The backpack debate: Spidey backpack vs a new big kid backpack 09:57 Target school supply obsession and the girls section jealousy 11:16 Back to school shopping memories from their own childhoods 17:30 The Kohl's Cash hack you need to know 20:42 Kindergarten prep, the bus, and public school talk 21:26 Funny camp stories that had them laughing

  2. 9 juli

    maternity leave 411

    Maternity leave shouldn't feel like a second full-time job, but here we are. This week Catie and Danielle sit down with Akiko Thayer, founder of Maternity Leave 411 and certified leave management specialist, to break down what nobody tells you about FMLA, state leave laws, and getting paid while you're out. Akiko got into this work after her own employer botched her leave by eight weeks, and she's been fighting for parents ever since. We cover when to tell your employer you're pregnant, the difference between job protection and paid benefits (they are NOT the same thing), why HR usually doesn't know as much as you think, what dads and partners are actually entitled to, and why "maternity leave" isn't even a real legal term. Plus: should you trust ChatGPT with this stuff? Akiko gives it to us straight. If you're pregnant, planning to be, or just want to know your rights before you need them, this one's required listening. Find Akiko with Maternity 411 on Instagram: @maternityleave411 or at maternity411.com Chapters: 00:00 – Cold open (Danielle can't get through the intro) 00:53 – Meet Akiko Thayer, founder of Maternity Leave 411 01:15 – Quick catch-up: kids, ages, and summer camp chaos 04:50 – Akiko's origin story: how a botched leave turned into a business 07:53 – Why maternity leave is so confusing (FMLA + state laws + employer policy) 09:37 – Why HR isn't always the expert you think they are 11:01 – Does Akiko work with companies, not just individuals? 13:32 – When to tell your employer you're pregnant (and why earlier can help) 16:52 – Short-term disability vs. paid family leave, decoded 21:53 – The #1 mistake: confusing job protection with getting paid 25:21 – How employer pay and state benefits work together 26:54 – Paternity leave for dads and partners is underused — here's why it matters 29:02 – Catie and Danielle share how much leave their partners actually took 33:04 – How to prep for leave: get it in writing 35:12 – Bed rest and how it eats into your FMLA weeks 38:11 – The legal terms you should actually use (hint: "maternity leave" isn't one) 40:03 – Akiko's #1 piece of advice: research, research, research 41:24 – Should you use ChatGPT for leave questions? Where it helps and where it fails 44:03 – Where to find Akiko and get her help

Om

Welcome to From 9 to Mom. Danielle & Catie are here to talk about balancing the 9-5 hustle with the beautiful chaos of motherhood. Join us as we navigate careers, parenting, and the endless love that never clocks out. No off switch here!