A curated list just for Solo Moms who miss adult conversation
Like every other Solo Mom I know, I run around like a headless chicken most days of the week. I drop off the kids, pick them up, drive them to sports practices, pick them up, drive them to friends’ houses, pick them up, run errands, attend work meetings, and on and on it goes.
Literally from the moment my alarm goes off in the morning, I am on the move. I walk or drive or do something all day long until my head hits the pillow in the evening. I’m not sure how many hours I spend en route to someplace, but it’s a lot. And truth be told, I get a little lonely. And I wonder how the hell my life became so simultaneously busy and boring. There’s no one to talk to, and I’ve grown tired of the six CDs that have been cycling in my car’s CD player for longer than I’d like to admit.
So, naturally, I’ve become a podcast junkie.
I present to you my Solo Mom podcast lineup. From parenting to real talk about being a Solo Mom to current events and culture, I’ve curated this well-rounded list to keep myself entertained, intellectually stimulated, and culturally engaged with the world around me, and to ease the (approximately bazillion) lonely hours I spend driving all over the place.
Unruffled. Are you parenting toddlers or young children? Then I’m going to suggest that you need Janet Lansbury, respectful parenting guru, in your life. You may have come across Lansbury’s books No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame and Elevating Child Care: A Guide to Respectful Parenting (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014, for both). Or maybe you’ve seen her numerous parenting articles floating around the Internet, which feature advice about how to parent young children in a way that honors and respects the age-appropriate feelings and experiences of our young ones. With a calm voice and a clear philosophy, Lansbury gives real, tangible advice, and it’s not judgy or annoying. In the vast and ever-changing forest that is parenting and child development, I really appreciate Lansbury’s voice in my ear.
1A. I can’t say enough about this thoughtful NPR show, in which host Joshua Johnson addresses the most pressing issues in the United States with a diverse panel of guests. The conversation is engaging and respectful, and I learn something every time I tune in. Episodes address issues such as racism, free speech, climate change, national and regional identities, and so much more. Each Friday features the news roundup, which is a really helpful rundown of the week’s most important news.
Single Mom Nation. This podcast focuses on “girlfriend-to-girlfriend advice” and real talk about life as a Solo Mom. Listen as certified divorce coach Jessica Ashley interviews fellow Solo Moms about self-care, style, coparenting, dating, and relationships. Recent episodes include “Getting Rid of Marriage Crap” and “Single Mom Entrepreneurs.”
Dear Sugars. If you haven’t listened to or read Dear Sugar, I’m going to introduce you to a balm for your soul. Dear Sugar originated as an advice column on The Rumpus and was unlike any other advice column out there in terms of its originality, intimacy, and aching beauty in the exchange between advice asker and advice giver. In 2012, “Sugar,” who for years was anonymous, was revealed as Cheryl Strayed. Today you can read a collection of the most popular columns in Strayed’s book Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar (Vintage, 2012) or listen to Strayed and writer Steve Almond (the original Sugar before Strayed took over) give “radically empathic advice” on their podcast. Get your tissues—if you’re like me, you’ll cry at some point during every episode.
Stuff Mom Never Told You. Listen to this show for conversation that goes down the rabbit hole of issues facing women, including what domestic violence looks like, homelessness among women, female friendships, birth control, parenting, and female body image. One episode to listen to immediately is “Single Moms, Then and Now,” in which Solo Mom statistics are explored, and the age-old stigma against Solo Moms is smashed to smithereens.
One Bad Mother. This is a comedy podcast hosted by Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn, who will quickly become your new best friends. They swear, they laugh their asses off, and they get real about “life after giving life.” With a great selection of guests, they tackle the frustrations, embarrassments, thrills, and joys of parenting. At the end of the day, the One Bad Mother message is that we’re all doing a great job and that parents should laugh more and judge each other less. I completely agree.
On that note: You’re doing a great job, Solo Moms. Happy listening!
What podcasts would you add to the list?
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