My Mom Always Says Kate Stahl

We're wrapping up our first season with an ode to being a mom during the summer! We have a love/hate relationship with the sunny season; personally, it's our favorite, but as a parent, it can be an exhausting grind. We're talking about some of our favorite hacks to make summer fun for kids and parents (hot tip: don't over- or under-schedule yourselves), and how becoming a MOOK (that's a "mom of older kids") is ultimate summer goals. Finally, we're expressing our gratitude for all your support and kindness during our first season. We'll be back this fall with more mom wisdom from our hosts and some special guests! 

Today, we're talking about the unique, special, and sometimes sort of bizarre dynamics of siblings! We dive into the clarity raising multiple children gives you into your relationships with your own brothers and sisters, the frustrations of watching your kids torture their siblings, and the importance of giving your children individual attention in addition to family time. We love our siblings, and I'm hoping my kids will eventually remember that they love each other, too! In the meantime, let's talk about how to survive the drama, the competition, and the love/hate dichotomy that are all hallmarks of the sibling relationship. Listen now and share with your siblings. 

We teach our kids to say "please" and "thank you," but manners aren't exactly the most modern of concepts. Today, however, we're making the argument that teaching your kids the importance of good manners is actually entirely relevant in today's world — and those lessons will set them up to live a more confident, happier life. Modeling behavior is key, and don't worry. If your kids don't seem to be getting it now, they're probably still soaking it up (see Kate's path from battles with airline employees to chitchat with grocery workers). We're also telling some of our favorite dog manners stories, including one about a dachshund, a big box store, and the most refined woman we know, forgetting her manners completely. 

We couldn't wrap up our first season without talking about one of the biggest lessons my mom instilled in her kids: taking responsibility for our actions. We all make mistakes, she'd tell us; that's just part of being human. What sets you apart is admitting your mistakes, sincerely apologizing, and doing better in the future. Today we're talking about why that's such an important lesson to teach children and how it will serve them throughout their lives. We're also touching on how to talk to your kids about complicated issues (warm, racism, privilege) in honest, but understandable ways. This conversation — like those hard talks we've had with our kids  — can be awkward at times, but they're also super important. Listen now and share with us how you handle the toughest stuff with your children. 

In today's episode we're tackling the topic of self care. Sure, we all need to take care of ourselves, but "self care" as a modern phenomenon can be more anxiety inducing than stress reducing? Am I doing it right? Often enough? At all? The topic becomes especially fraught for moms, who are also told that we should always put our children's needs in front of our own, a recipe for some serious parenting burnout. So how do you navigate self care as a parent? We believe it starts with self awareness, and we're talking about how, through trial and error, you can figure out what actually serves your needs — and little ways to teach your family that those needs are indeed important, too. Self care shouldn't stress you out, but you shouldn't ignore it either. We'll help you find that balance to better serve your own physical and mental health on today's episode. Listen now and share with the people in your life who also deserve a break (i.e. everyone). 

In honor of both co-host Kate Stahl’s birthday today and Mother’s Day right around the corner, we’re talking about our most-loved gifts for moms and grandmas and some of our all-time favorite products, perfect for gifting the moms in your life — or just buy them for yourself! From clean beauty brands that have transformed our admittedly aging skin and hair to the coziest robes, pajamas, and slippers around (believe us, we’re experts!), here are the products both big and small that no mother should have to live without. We’re discussing why we’re so loyal to all today  — and giving some hints to our families on what we really want this Mother’s Day. Listen now and visit our website www.mymomalwayssays.com for links to buy and a couple of awesome discount codes.