Share your thoughts with us! They say it takes a village to raise a child. But what happens when the village isn't there? In this episode of Roots & Rhythm Podcast, Vlad and Angie sit down with Chantell Ford, founder of HomeTRYB, for an honest conversation about parenting, isolation, marriage, boundaries, mental health, and why so many parents are trying to do something that was never meant to be done alone. After experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety while becoming a mother during COVID, Chantell began to recognize just how isolating parenthood can become. That experience eventually inspired her to create HomeTRYB, a platform designed to help parents and caregivers organize their support systems and make it easier to actually ask for—and receive—the help they need. The conversation gets REAL. Why does asking someone to watch your child feel like such a burden? Why are so many parents surrounded by people but still feel like they don't have a village? And what happens to your marriage, identity, and mental health when you're Mom or Dad 24/7 with no opportunity to simply be yourself? Chantell shares how she and her husband reached a point where isolation, working from home, homeschooling, and years without a real date night forced them to make a major decision: sell their home, move closer to family, and rebuild their lives around having support. We also get into parenting boundaries, judgmental relatives, social media parenting groups, overstimulation, co-sleeping, ridiculously early bedtimes (6:30 PM?! 👀), finding parent friends as an adult, and learning that protecting your peace sometimes means becoming comfortable saying NO. Because maybe the problem isn't that the village disappeared. Maybe we've forgotten how to build one—and how to let it help us. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 — Welcome to Roots & Rhythm 03:15 — Meet Chantell Ford & the mission behind HomTRYB 04:27 — Postpartum depression, anxiety & becoming a mother during COVID 08:48 — What happened to “the village”? 17:38 — Finding parent friends you actually connect with 18:46 — A real village helps—it doesn't judge 19:37 — When family members disturb your peace 21:30 — Parenthood taught Chantell how to set boundaries 24:40 — When parenting puts your marriage on autopilot 25:43 — Four or five YEARS without a date night 26:29 — Selling their home and moving closer to family 27:50 — The controversial 6:30 PM bedtime 👀 31:55 — Why Chantell refuses to co-sleep 33:45 — Parenting advice nobody asked for 35:57 — Are online parenting communities actually making things worse? 42:38 — What parents say they need most: “Give me a break.” 43:23 — How HomTRYB makes asking for help easier 45:35 — The village isn't just for mothers 53:14 — Protecting your mental health by letting things go 59:27 — How where you live can change your parenting experience 1:06:43 — Your village should change with your needs 1:07:39 — Setting boundaries with family and in-laws 1:10:12 — How to start building a village when you don't have one 1:11:12 — Your village doesn't have to live nearby 1:14:59 — Why accepting help can feel uncomfortable 1:16:45 — What Chantell hopes her children learn about asking for help 1:18:39 — Connect with Chantell & HomTRYB 1:21:12 — The mission: parents shouldn't have to do this alone 👤 ABOUT OUR GUEST — CHANTELL FORD Chantell Ford is the founder and CEO of HomeTRYB, a parent-support platform created to make it easier for parents and caregivers to organize their village and communicate what they actually need. Her mission grew directly from her own experience with postpartum depression, anxiety, isolation, and the realization that parents often reach their breaking point before asking for help. HomeTRYB is designed around a simple idea: instead of repeatedly reaching out to individual people and wondering who is available, parents can communicate their needs to their support network and allow the people who are able to help to step forward. 📸 Follow Chantell / HomeTRYB on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hometryb/ 💭 THE BIG QUESTION Who is actually in your village—and when was the last time you allowed them to help you? Drop your thoughts in the comments. We want to hear from the parents, grandparents, caregivers, aunties, uncles and friends who have lived this. 🔗 LISTEN & CONNECT🌐 Website: https://www.rootsandrhythmpodcast.com 🎙 Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rootsandrhythmpodcast 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/rootsandrhythmpod ❤️ SUPPORT ROOTS & RHYTHM🎙 Support the podcast on Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2469020/support 📖 THE EMBRACE METHOD Learn how to leverage your trauma and pain to build the life of your dreams! https://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Method-leverage-trauma-dreams/dp/B0CM3V2K5X 💧 GALLON GEAR / 6 PACK FITNESS Stay hydrated and stay ready. https://gallongear.com/?ref=vladlouissaint Use code STAYROOTED for 15% OFF. 👟 STAND SHOES https://standshoes.com/?ref=vladlouissaint 🌿 NATURAL E-MAN https://naturaleman.com/?ref=vladlouissaint 🎤 WANT TO BE A GUEST?Have a story, perspective, or experience that belongs on Roots & Rhythm? 📧 rootsandrhythmpodcast@gmail.com Roots & Rhythm Podcast Where we explore the rhythms of life, one story at a time. 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Get your next pair: https://www.standshoes.com/discount/ADX Support the show Roots & Rhythm Podcast is where culture, healing, and real-life conversations meet. Hosted by Vlad Louissaint and Angie, the podcast explores healthy relationships, healing childhood trauma, identity, parenting, spiritual growth, social commentary, and generational healing—through an Afro-Caribbean and lived-experience lens. Tagline: Where we explore the rhythms of life, one beat at a time. New episodes drop weekly on all major platforms. 🔗 LISTEN & CONNECT 🌐 Website: https://www.rootsandrhythmpodcast.com 🎙 Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rootsandrhythmpodcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootsandrhythmpod 📘 RESOURCES & SUPPORT 📖 The Embrace Method (Second Edition) by Vladimir Louissaint A powerful guide to healing trauma, reclaiming purpose, and living authentically. 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Method-leverage-trauma-dreams/dp/B0CM3V2K5X 👕 Gallon Gear — Support Mental Health & Community Use code STAYROOTED 👉 ...
