freemom, conversations for modern mothers

freemom is a podcast that explores motherhood in a different way than what you're used to. From mental health issues to paid maternity leave, money matters to building a business, we are laser-focused on the modern mama who finds a way to balance it all but shouldn’t have to. At freemom, we pick the brains of authors, journalists, scientists, therapists, business owners, and politicians who want to create better opportunities for our generation as well as the next one. Best of all is that we are bringing these seriously brilliant and inspirational women right into your ears in easy 30-minute episodes that you can listen to during your daily commute or stroller stroll. Strap yourself in mama because this is going to be a ride.

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freemom, conversations for modern mothers

Mom Stress and Our Kids

October 24, 2022 • Season 2 • Episode 5

One of the things I have found most amusing in my current stage of parenting is just how absorbent my little people are. My kids repeat nearly everything they hear, including the rogue f-bomb, a habit that my husband and I are now working a bit more diligently to break. Good, bad, happy, or sad, if we are talking about something, my children want to be a part of it. All the more so if their parrot-like chit-chat gets a reaction from mom and dad.

Seeing how much young kids take cues from their parents got me wondering about other facets of their learning and developing brains. If kids say what we say, I wonder if they feel what we feel too.

Parenting these past few years has been so hard, right? I started thinking, is our overall stress and worry causing our kids to stress and worry on a level that we don’t realize and they don’t understand? Is the weight of the world today going to have a long-term effect on our kids? Will the “wild and free” adolescence that we grew up with be lost on them, therefore creating a generation of anxious and fearful young people? Let’s find out.

On the show with us is Dr. Anisha Patel-Dunn, Chief Medical Officer at LifeStance Health based in San Francisco California. Anisha has nearly 20 years of experience as a practicing psychiatrist and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Emory University and a medical degree from The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences. As a mother of two, Anisha is passionate about youth mental health and she loves working with families who are looking for ways to communicate more effectively with each other.

From mental health and managing relationships to raising changemakers and advocating for support, freemom is a podcast dedicated to ensuring that every mom feels heard. You can find us on the gram at @freemomcast or on the web at www.freemomcast.com. You can also support the show and help fund production with a sweet little five-dollar donation right here. Thanks for listening!

People on this episode

Chelsea O'Donnell

Host