28 episodes
The Mother of it All Sarah and Miranda
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- Kids & Family
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5.0 • 32 Ratings
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We are Miranda Rake and Sarah Wheeler, two friends, mothers and professional writers on the parenting beat. The Mother of it All is our place to go deep into the culture of modern motherhood and have the conversations that truly challenge, feed and excite us. Expect warmth, humor and over-considered takes on hot topics, fresh takes on old ones, expert guests and good times. We're diving into the grey areas beyond the tropes — the wine moms, the rage moms, the anything moms — and instead spending real time with the ideas that help us grow as mothers and people in this cultural moment.
motherofitall.substack.com
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EPISODE 23: We Can't Have Nice Things
Sarah flew to Iceland, only to be immediately taken down by a stomach flu. Meanwhile, back at home a Covid-like virus knocked Miranda’s family out for 14 days. So we called an emergency recording session of Mother Of It All just to vent about it all together. Why can’t parents have nice things, like occasional vacations or a week or two without absolutely disgusting viruses? Is every virus we get now actually worse since Covid lockdown, or does it just feel that way? What ever happened to the normal cold? Like a nice, 3-5 day stuffy nose? When you s**t your pants on a plane but everyone’s asleep, did it really happen? And is being sick in a hotel room by yourself the only “joy” left for parents??
Links:
-Plane landed by diarrhea (true fact)
-A quick guide to Norse Gods
-Nose sprays are either sketchy or amazing
-Miranda’s doctor lady was right
-Follow us on Substack! (Summer reading club is coming!)
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EPISODE 22: Screen Time with Phil Maciak
Sarah and Miranda host their first dad, cultural critic Phillip Maciak, and dig into screen time, shame, nostalgia, hugs, and multi-level marketing for second-graders.
Links:
Phil’s book, Avidly Reads Screen Time
Phil on Instagram
Phil’s review of Season 2 of the Bear in The New Republic
The NOLA Pelicans’ King Cake Baby mascot
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Stephanie Murray’s thoughts in the Dispatch
’ thoughts in Romper
Melinda Wenner Moyer’s thoughts in
’s The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life
Sky Guide
Jessica Grose on Screens in Schools
The Digital Wealth Divide in Schools
Phil on Frog and Toad
on Bluey as the Breaking Bad of family television
Culture Recs:
She-ra and the Princess of Power
Hilda
City of Ghosts
Harriet the Spy Show
Muppet Babies
with and
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EPISODE 21: The Mothers of the Mother of it All
Sarah and Miranda are joined by their moms, Bev and Linda, to talk about modern motherhood, what has and hasn’t changed in a generation, “Folly Fridays,” and whether mothers ever truly get their flowers.
Links:
* Terry Brazelton
* Lydia Kiesling’s Golden State
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EPISODE 20: 'Matrescence' Is Not A Dirty Word with Lucy Jones
Sarah and Miranda talk to Lucy Jones, author of the book Matrescence, out May 7th, about how becoming a mother is truly a biopsychosocial evolution, how motherhood in nature is more often about chaos and violence than dyads and instincts, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, and our favorite Bluey episodes.
Links:
Order Lucy’s book, Matrescence
Alexandra Sacks’ The Birth of a Mother in the NY TImes
The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush
Natality by Jennifer Banks
Partum Gardens Portland
Andrea O’Reilly
Sarah’s favorite Bluey episode
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Episode 19: Who's The Beef?! Sarah & Miranda Talk Vasectomies, Turning 40 & The 3rd Kid Question
A little one-on-one time with Sarah and Miranda! A fun chit-chatty check-in about vasectomies, the third kid question, the weird pressure of turning 40, why Sarah "doesn't get" Hawaii, mole moms, hopping on the 'crone train, and calendar reminders gone wild. Plus, a big announcement!
How To Catch A Mole by Marc Hamer
Poser by Claire DedererKrtek The Mole, Clementine, Psychic Sister
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Episode 18: Dr Becky and The Parenting-Optimization Era, With Kathryn Jezer-Morton
Columnist and sociologist Kathryn Jezer-Morton returns to give the inside scoop on her recent profile of Dr. Becky. Sarah, Miranda and KJM dive deep into what’s great (and maybe no so great) about the advice Dr. Becky doles out, and Kathryn explains what ultimately surprised her most about spending time with Dr. Becky and the “Good Inside” parent community.
Links:
KJM’s NY Magazine Profile of Dr. Becky.
More thoughts about the profile in her Cut column, Brooding.
Dr. Becky on Instagram
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mother-culture-pod/message
Get full access to The Mother Of It All at motherofitall.substack.com/subscribe
Customer Reviews
Just the best!
This podcast is FANTASTIC! Sarah and Miranda are authentic, honest, and intentional with every topic they discuss and the guests the bring onto the show. Even better - they’re both incredibly witty! I appreciate the amount of research they do to prepare for each episode and their willingness to be vulnerable. The two of them have made me feel seen and validated as both a mom and a person. I look forward to every episode that comes out!
Essential Listening
A podcast about parenting that’s actually funny!!!!! The hosts are smart, warm, thoughtful and hilarious. They complement each other well and don’t shy away from the thornier aspects of parenting or culture. Diversity of guests is on point, and there’s always something surprising. I love this podcast so much. Do yourself a favor, and give a listen. You’ll be hooked.
The mom friends I wish I had
Hilarious AND deep. Such a refreshing break from “bad mom” discourse, while still keeping it authentic and open. Love their approach to difficult topics like grief, neurodivergence, and disability. The only challenge is keeping my parasocial attachment under control…