Episodes
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Itâs been a year since everyoneâs lives were flipped upside down because of Covid-19. Working from home, home-schooling our kids, and managing family expectations. Itâs been hard.
Now imagine getting pregnant and delivering a baby during a pandemic? OH waitâŠthatâs exactly what happened to many of us this past year. Including our very own Evanka!
In this episode, we dive into the world of pandemic pregnancy to share the ugly truths everyone is scared to talk about.
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At this point, the pandemic is feeling like a marathon with no finish line in sight. If youâre a parent struggling to keep up with virtual learning, a spouse finding it hard to keep the peace with your partner, an employee fighting distraction while working from home, or all three (!!), the burnout is real. So how do we carry on and ensure that our mental health is taken care of?
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Episodes manquant?
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Since the pandemic began, millions of Canadian women are struggling to juggle child care, household responsibilities, and paying jobs. Saying it hasnât been easy is an understatement. Trust us, weâre right there with you! Now, recent reports are coming out with discouraging data that shows women are leaving the workforce. What does this say about our fight for gender equality? And how can we stop the backwards slide? To help us answer these tough questions weâre joined by Dr. Sonia Kang. Sonia holds the Canada Research Chair in Identity, Diversity, & Inclusion and is an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources management at University of Toronto. Sheâs also the host of her own podcast, For the Love of Work.
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If you said no, youâre not alone. Maybe this sounds familiar: As you head off to bed late at night, you have to remind your pre-teen (for the millionth time) to also hit the sack. In the other room your wee toddler canât seem to get into a bedtime rhythm. Or maybe all the heavy news has you tossing and turning. Sleep has become one of the biggest challenges during COVID-19, so we turned to the go-to sleep expert, Alanna McGinn, to help us catch some much needed Zâs.
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We, like many of you, have been watching the protests around the world, reading and listening to Black voices and having challenging conversations about race and racism in our lives. Systemic racism and social injustice have been happening for centuries but itâs only been a problem for some. And finally the world is waking up to it. But in order for this revolution to have positive change on our futures, and the futures of our little ones, parents need to include their kids in the conversation. So how do you do that? How can you engage them in meaningful and effective ways that they will understand? This episode weâre joined by Sportsnet personality and father of one, Donnovan Bennett, and writer and mom of two, Natalie Preddie.
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Weâve all been affected financially by COVID-19. And when times get tough itâs easy to feel like youâre spiralling out of control. So how do you rein in your spending and rethink money to regain your power? Is it by deferring your mortgage? Or cutting subscriptions? Even if youâre still getting a paycheque, what can you do to make the most of this extraordinary time? This week weâre talking to certified financial planner, author and mother of two, Shannon Lee Simmons.
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Since the pandemic started weâve all been feeling a little cooped up and part of that is seeing our families a lot more than weâre used to. We love them, but if weâre being honest itâs starting to put a strain on the connections we have. So how do we use this new situation to help build stronger relationships, instead of tearing us apart.
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We were in the middle of recording new episodes when the pandemic hit and disrupted our lives, and yours. Now that weâre finally settling into this ânew normal,â we wanted to check-in and give you an update on whatâs been going on in the last few months. And thereâs been A LOT. Including a new addition to the Moms in the Middle family! Weâll also hear how some of our favourite guests from past episodes are surviving lockdown.
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Did you just roll your eyes at this episode title? Yeah, we know how it goes â youâre starry-eyed and hopeful on January first, ready to keep up with all of your New Yearâs resolutions. But before the end of February (definitely by March) you quit it. Why is it so hard to stick to the promises weâve made to ourselves? And how do you really, like actually, stick to one? Hina Khan is a personal development coach and sheâs on this episode to coach you through making a resolution you can keep.
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Did you know Canadians produce about 25 per cent more waste during the holidays? Think about it â thereâs the wrapping paper, the decorations, the toys! We consume more, which means we waste more, too. So what can we do this year to reduce our carbon footprint? Award-winning environmental journalist, Candice Batista is on this episode to help you adopt better habits that you can pass on to your kids.
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Youâre in the thick of the holiday planning. Grandma wants to be with the grandkids on Christmas morning. Aunt Cindy wants everyone over on Christmas Eve. The in-laws are planning a Boxing Day feast and you consider yourself lucky because at least nothing falls on the same day? You should go to everything. But none of it is close to home, or what you want to do⊠But you have to. Emotional fitness expert and mom-of-two, Dr. Natasha Sharma, says maybe you should not and, actually, you donât have to. Itâs time to stop should-ing and hav-ing all over the holidays and sheâs here to help.
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Have you been telling yourself that youâre going to hit the gym as soon as the holidays are over? Well, this episode weâre here to tell you thatâŠmaybe you donât have to? I mean, you can if you want. But thatâs the point: Only if you want. We are tired of the guilt and self-loathing that comes with the holiday parties and get-togethers and we just want to enjoy. So how do you do that? Cookbook author, restaurateur and super-mom-of-two, Devin Connell, is on this episode to help you figure it out. Spoiler alert: She shares the best idea for a fun and wacky holiday party everyone will remember!
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The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, right? Ha! For moms itâs easily the most stressful time of year. Thereâs the gift giving, schedule planning, cleaning, decorating, hosting and often times the managing of family politics â all of the behind the scenes work that make the holidays magical. Not to mention, this is on top of our daily chores and responsibilities!
Intentional or not, most of us have morphed into MOMAGERS and that is where the concept of EMOTIONAL LABOUR comes into play.
So, what is emotional labour and how do we tackle it? Gemma Hartley, author of Fed Up, a book about emotional labour and the mental load, is on this episode to break it down.
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We all do it. We tell our kids those little white lies to get through the day. âThe iPad is broken.â âIf you make that face for too long it will stake like that forever.â But those lies get a little more complicated around the holidays. âA man is going to come down the chimney with presents!â And, âThereâs a little Elf whoâs watching to make sure youâre behaving!â Alana Keyfetz and Dr. Dina Kulik, from the âMoms That Say F*ckâ podcast, are here to help us figure out when these fibs are helpful and when could they be harmful.
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Gift giving is somewhat of a skill. Youâre either a pro, or an amateur. But stress no more, whatever your skill level, this episode will help you be the greatest gosh darn giver there ever was. From this yearâs hottest trends to meaningful experience-based gifts, guest Kim Shiffman brings the best advice. And she has the research to back it up. Not only is she the mom of two boys, she also comes armed with the Todayâs Parent gift guide!
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The parties, the presents, the partridge in a pear tree! There are a lot of things to spend money on around the holidays and it all adds up, quick. Shannon Lee Simmons is a financial planner, business owner and mother of two (including a newborn, who she brought to the studio to record this episode!!) so she knows a few things about juggling life, including how to balance the books! Sheâs on this episode to help you know your limit and spend within it.
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Celebrating Fatherâs Day got us thinking about the role fathers play in our childrenâs lives. How has the role of dad changed over the years? What myths and stereotypes are they fighting? How are they teaching their kids about these changed? To find out, Mel and Evanka go straight to the source. They talk to two dads who are doing things a little differently, and thatâs okay!
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It happened. Your little human did the thing that triggered a weeks worth of stress and you lose your shit. A yelling match ensues, and alas, no winners and losers emerge, only guilt. Do they even understand whatâs going on!? How do you recover from a big fight? Can you stop it before it gets started? Award-winning author and mother of four, Ann-Douglas, joins Mel and Evanka to share a few tips that will make the next blow-up better.
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If this is you, you probably know it. Your evenings and weekends filled with taking the kids to their activities, so much so that thereâs no time for anything else. No judgementâyou mean well! But if you said yes, then Mel and Evanka are here to help. In this episode, they call on designer, author and mom-of-seven(!), Lisa Canning, who says over-scheduling your kids can be harmful to both them and the family, and offers some advice for restoring sanity.
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Why is it that the person you love the most can also be the person who knows exactly how to push your buttons? Relationship and mental health expert, Nicole McCance knows, and sheâs here to help! In this episode, Mel and Evanka find out how partners can keep the flame alive after the baby arrives.
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