LOCAL EDITION EPISODE!

I've been a pseudo-stepmom to my boyfriend's two kids since entering their lives five years ago. We waited a long while before I even met his now 18-year-old daughter and now 12-year-old son.

We've very much taken everyone else's perspectives and experiences into consideration when it has come to the pace of our relationship. We're absolutely soulmates, but we're not married yet simply for bigger-picture reasons and also some financial reasons. Although marriage has always been part of the conversation. 

We have my boyfriend's two kids 50% of the time, week on and week off. The daughter graduates high school this year, so changes are definitely in store in the coming months.

I personally always desired/chose to be child-free. However, I made the choice to accept and welcome my boyfriend's kids into my life. On the good days, I feel like I'm getting a piece of something that I would've not experienced being child-free. But on the tough days, it can be extra hard. I just super appreciate everything my boyfriend has done to help secure respectful relationships between me and his kids.

I own Kaia FIT Sierra, a women's fitness and nutrition program with four Reno-Sparks studios that are accessible to all members, as well as online workout options. We focus on personalized training in a group atmosphere through eight group class types to help women find their hard, have fun, achieve their goals, and connect with our community of supportive women.

I also manage social media accounts for several small business clients. I have a 19-year background in all things journalism/media/marketing, which has made me an expert in all things social media, including graphic design (which I occasionally teach a class about at the University of Nevada, Reno). 

I'm also exploring getting into the commercial real estate market. We'll see!

FIND HER HERE:

www.kaiafitsierra.com

http://tinyurl.com/KaiaSierraWelcome

facebook.com/kaiafitsierra

instagram.com/kaiafitsierra

twitter.com/kaiafitsierra

https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaia-fit-sierra/

facebook.com/carenroblin

instagram.com/carenroblintwitter.com/carenroblinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carenroblin/

LOCAL EPISODE! 

First time I ever did a drug I was 5 years old. My father tried to rape me when I was 11 yrs old. My mother tried to beat me when I was 12yo. My brother and I were on meth when I was 14 yo and he tried to have a weird romantic relationship with me. I left home at 16 yo. 

I say all that so you know where I came from with how I grew up and the parenting skills I started with. I waited until I was 30 to have children because I wasn't sure if I was going to fuck up my kids if I had them. I had gone through so much growing up and I was still relying on pot and alcohol to cope and escape stress in my life. I also had an abortion at 18 and I wasn't sure if I'd ever be ready to parent nor did I feel I deserved to have children after being careless.

But my hormones kicked in when I was 29 and I turned into an animal about having kids, lol. Literally, I could only think about having kids and how I must become a mom, lol. I'm laughing to myself about how quick I changed my mind and how determined I became. 

Fast forward, I became determined to be a great mom. I would be different then my parents, I thought. I'd do everything right and my children would listen to everything I told them because I would pour my love into them. ...yeah, that didn't happen. After we had our 2nd child, our 3 year old became uncontrollable. So I took parenting classes, saw a child psychologist to get advice on how to parent him, read um-teen parenting books, watched videos and trained myself to become a better parent. It was so hard. My husband traveled, I had no family to help but to be totally honest, I was a control freak. So even if I had help from him or family, I would have wanted everything done my way, when I wanted it, how I wanted it. Ha! I'm so glad I'm different now...how I've learned and grown, thank God.

Fast forward to 2024, my children are 15 and 12. I've gone through another challenging time with parenting. My husband has been ill. We weren't sure if it was terminal. He started to show signs of his illness (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) November 2023. It hit hard March of 2023.

I have been married for 20 years. We were separated for a year and a half before we decided to give our marriage another try. His behavior towards us wasn't new as most people would say once I told them what was happening behind the scenes. It was amplified understandably so since he lost his ability to walk, he has been in constant pain and we hadn't been able to get his treatments for months. Doesn't mean the behavior was ok, just means it makes sense about it being amplified.

We have had the most tremendous support. I started to drown in all of the chaos. But in the summer of 2023, more help poured in. We're in a much better emotional place in our family. I realized my partnership as husband and wife with Sean is over. But I have been determined to nurture our friendship while we work on him getting better.

Our son is still riding the line at the deep end. Our daughter has finally asked for help. We're all in counseling. And with the help of professionals and the willingness to do the work, we're taking this crazy journey on the path to success.

I am an Intuitive Life Coach. I use Astrology, Mind/Energy work, and Myers Briggs Type Assessment Indicator in my coaching practice. I also use feng shui with clients (coaching or stand alone) 

FIND HER HERE:

www.teresawalkerley.com

https://www.facebook.com/teresa.walkerley

https://www.instagram.com/teresawalkerley/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-walkerley-69615666/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPKhklkkYGtagB5ehWce24g

Here are some tips to dispel the myths of the miserable divorce, how to talk to children and promote a good divorce, which is one in which the children come first:

● Show your success and happiness with your head held high. Attend your children’s events and school meetings with your ex, gracefully acknowledge your children’s time spent with your ex as an important time for development for your children, and focus on self-care for yourself. 

● Half-truths about your divorce can mutate and spin out of your reach. Share your situation with a limited number of people, especially at work and among friends too, so that you can control the flow of information and protect your children from misinformation about the details of your divorce. 

● Children are impressionable regardless of their age. When telling children, generally less is more and simpler is better. In the best divorces Sarah has witnessed, the children are unaware of why their parents got divorced.  

● Gossips fuel the myth of the inadequate divorced parent. Surround yourself with “energy givers,” Sarah says, not energy takers, which is what gossips are. Don’t imbibe them. 

Sarah offers inspiring personal stories of how she worked with her ex-husband to structure their divorce, and she provides sage advice for taking practical steps to work toward a good divorce. 

Sarah Armstrong is the author of The Mom's Guide to a Good Divorce: What to Think Through When Children Are Involved. She is also Google’s v-p of global marketing operations and is based in San Francisco.

FIND HER HERE:

https://momsguidetogooddivorce.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mom-s-guide-to-a-good-divorce/

https://www.facebook.com/SMAauthor/

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE! 

- not a parent yet… but becoming one, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, relationally 

- childless doula / I’ve helped many people become parents but haven’t gone through the experience personally yet

- I’ve become a parent to many other things / nanny / friends kids (allo-parenting), cat(s), business(s)

- becoming a parent to my mom as she ages

Emily is also the Executive Director of DOULA CO-OP of Nevada - a non-profit whose mission is to build a powerful, diverse, and sustainable Doula presence to address systemic disparities affecting underserved communities in Nevada through education, advocacy, research, and community engagement.

FIND HER HERE:

doulapurposes.com - website (undergoing changes)

@doulapurposes on IG

After several miscarriages, we took the in vitro route. 

Even before Gabriel was born, he was saddled with multiple disabilities (physical, mental, genetic), so I like to discuss the problems for parents in similar situations when navigating their attempts to secure assistance, services, or equipment for children in need. 

It's my hope that our journey in this maze will help others as they begin their own.

I am a retired college English instructor who continues with the occasional class. I have been busy publishing my own books over the past several years (four books of poetry, a collection of short stories, and several manuscripts currently under construction).

FIND HIM HERE:

https://www.mywriteronline.net/

- I am a mom of two kids, ages 7 and 3 at the time of the podcast 

- For me, one of the hardest parenting transitions was maintaining a sense of self as a working parent, and finding time for the things important to me.  Travel was always a big one. 

- Before kids, travel was how I stayed grounded and inspired and connected to my dreams and life goals. It was how I reduced stress, and cleared my head.  

- Traveling with kids can be harder, full of chaos -- but I learned it can do the same thing.  

- After my youngest had surgery on his cleft lip at 8 months old, during COVID, we were exhausted.  We took an incredible family trip together and really reconnected, and came back with more energy and enthusiasm for life. 

- After that trip, I decided to pivot from my career as a lawyer to launch a family travel company.  

My goal is to encourage parents who value travel to keep taking those trips with kids -- and to help them do it  in a way THEY enjoy too. 

It doesn't have to be all about the kids. It can be about mom and dad too and, in fact, planning trips with your OWN wants/needs/goals in mind can help the whole family have a better, more connected experience. 

After being a lawyer in private practice for 15 years, I now run a family travel company.   

My website is a resource for new parents looking for travel inspiration from someone who understands the unique challenges of traveling as new parents.   

FIND HER HERE:

www.mangotreetravel.com instagram.com/mango_tree_travel

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE! 

I am a homebirth midwife and mother to a 2.8 year old, Max!

I completed my apprenticeship and began my primary practice in the middle of a global pandemic!

I experienced pregnancy and postpartum in 2020-2021 while I was still actively in my homebirth apprenticeship and supporting doula clients. 

I have held space for birth in many different settings since 2017 starting and a doula and I also specialize in perinatal pilates which I incorporate with my clients from preconception on. 

My mission as a midwife and mother is to help families make educated and informed decisions around their choice in childbirth and parenting.

I offer online childbirth courses and prenatal fitness programs. I also have a birth deck of cards that should be finished by the time of our podcast!

FIND HER HERE:

www.expectingwithemily.com

Instagram.com/expectingwithemily

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE! 

• I quit my career for Motherhood 

• 13 yrs as an Architect to Stay at Home Mom

• Mom died before I knew I was pregnant the first time

• 6 yrs of severe Postpartum Depression 

• This Stay at Home Mom thing wasn’t for me!

Lessons learned: all about Self-Care (no one is going to care for me except me).

Feeling called to empower other moms to find their own self-care, all while discovering my own identity again.

Oh the Mom Guilt!!! Realizing that I truly do GET to fill myself first so that I CAN be the Mom I always wanted to be. 

Now with 2 teenage boys, they call me out when they notice I’m slacking on my self-care. 

I have the BEST kids! I know everyone probably says that lol. 

Known as Your Self-Care Concierge I help people take care of themselves on every level - physical, mental, emotional & spiritual - so they can do what they were put on the planet to do. 

Bestselling author, international speaker & retreat host, and network marketing skeptic turned successful leader & professional.

FIND HER HERE:

Website URL: 

www.YourSelfCareConcierge.com

https://pamelazimmer.com  

Facebook Personal URL: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.zimmer1

Facebook Biz URL: 

https://www.facebook.com/SelfCareConcierge

Facebook Group: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfcareisntselfish/

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelazimmer1/

Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/pamelakzimmer/

YouTube URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIojqABEKxPLFXADKiYpSgg/

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE! 

Jamie Vaughn is a retired school teacher, bonus mom of 3 adult children, wife to her amazing husband, Farrell, dog-mom, and “Glamma” to 2 granddaughters. 

Jamie is a recent breast cancer survivor, who is a fierce advocate for other breast cancer patients and survivors. Her journey has been an emotional struggle and still is, at times, in her survivorship, yet she does recognize all of the silver linings as well. 

Aside from her mother’s death only 4 years ago, which was downright gut-wrenching, breast cancer has been a whole new level of trauma. 

Jamie has shared her story through social media, podcasts, and news programs. She holds a lot of space for others too. 

She has her own podcast called “Test Those Breasts!” where she holds important conversations with patients, survivors, caregivers, multiple types of therapists, and a myriad of medical providers, including surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, and nurses, in order to provide much-needed support. 

On her podcast, she and guests discuss ALL things breast cancer, including the emotional toll, advocacy, treatment/surgical options, caregiving, and more. She started her podcast as a healing mechanism AND to help shorten the learning curve for the newly diagnosed, survivors, caregivers, and anyone else who is touched by breast cancer.

Absolutely nothing is off-limits for me. I am an open book when it comes to my journey, including my initial response to my diagnosis, unexpected detours, disappointments, anger, fear, silver linings, etc. 

In learning more about the Becoming Parents podcast, I have noticed that you focus a lot on how cancer affects us emotionally, which is so important. I always encourage others to walk into and honor their emotions (good, bad, ugly) in order to embrace the process of their own individual journeys. I can also speak to support, advocacy, 2nd opinions, my surgeries, etc.

FIND HER HERE:

(IG) https://www.instagram.com/test_those_breasts/

(Personal Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/JamieAllenVaughn

(Private Test Those Breasts! Podcast Group) https://www.facebook.com/groups/305366625452942/?notif_id=1709323493333826¬if_t=group_invited_to_group&ref=notif

(LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieallenvaughn/

(TikTok) https://www.tiktok.com/@test.those.breasts

My podcast is on Apple, Spotify, and most other platforms. Here is the Apple link:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/test-those-breasts/id1691009242

https://open.spotify.com/show/5KFLrl47VUhywxhY36BjgQ?si=P2jcqqXFRcq7TdFct1judA

~Tough time getting pregnant due to an undiagnosed thyroid condition, Hashimotos. 

~Birth trauma (My daughter wasn't breathing when she was born so she was taken to the NICU immediately with my husband and I broke my tailbone during delivery, so recovering was unique/challenging in many ways) 

~Self-care after birth was non-existent and that's the way I thought it should be. Give everything to your child, nothing remains yours, that's what motherhood is. 

~After digging myself out of the darkness of postpartum depression I was determined to change the narrative on self-care for all mothers!

~I created The Great Days For Mom Method Program to empower moms to prioritize their own physical, mental & emotional health for just 2% of the day so that they can tame the chaos of motherhood, have more energy and ultimately experience more joy, resulting in MORE GREAT DAYS! 

I am an experienced personal trainer, yoga instructor, CEO & business owner, but most importantly, a mother. Becoming a mother was a dream come true and a nightmare realized all at the same time. I struggled with postpartum depression, extreme mom guilt and anxiety dictating my decision making. Having struggled on my own for so long, I was determined to change the narrative on motherhood. I take pride in helping my clients transform their lives. 

As a coach, I spend time understanding the root cause of the issue, set milestones throughout the process, and celebrate when goals and dream scenarios are achieved.  I've been recognized by moms of all ages, and stages of motherhood around the world, for my extraordinary commitment to empower them to feel their best, so they can give their best, to their families each day. Bottom line, I help moms have MORE GREAT DAYS!

I teach moms through fitness, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, nutritional awareness, and overall self-care to carve out time each day to focus on their own health. I don't believe in weight loss programs, extreme dieting, or exercising for hours a day. I focus on transformational change that can last a lifetime!

FIND HER HERE:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatdaysbysarah/

Facebook Community group for busy moms looking to make their own wellness a priority:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/timeoutformoms

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahpariseWebsite: www.greatdaysbysarah.com