Before becoming a mom, reading used to be one of my favorite hobbies. But after finding myself in the throes of new motherhood, I quickly realized that I had no time to read, and even when I had time to read, I was too tired to read. A friend suggested using Audible and I soon found that I was devouring audiobooks during my commute to work in the morning and during chores after my daughter’s bedtime. Soon after, I ventured into listening to podcasts, too. Now, I’m admittedly always plugged in to an audiobook or podcast, whether it’s about parenting, womanhood, faith, or entrepreneurship.
I’ve rounded up some of my favorite podcasts, and am including a few reader submission podcasts too! Most fall into the parenting category, but I also decided to include a few of my personal favorites that are about simplicity + faith, which, although not directly related, have helped me a lot with parenting too.
First is the Simplified Podcast by Emily Ley.
Emily is a mom of three and the creator of the Simplified planner (also a favorite of mine). Based on the core principles of her brand, Simplified, Emily shares tactical ways to organize, simplify, and automate parts of life so you can get rid of overwhelm and focus on what matters most to you. Following her tips allowed me to eliminate a lot of overwhelm and decision making so I had more energy to spend more intentional, non-distracted time with my family.
The Birds and Bees is another game-changer podcast, especially when it comes to how to approach “the talk” with your children.
The hosts, Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson, aim to give parents the tools and confidence they need to have healthy conversations with their kids about sex. They share so many golden nuggets of advice to use when you’re helping children learn body parts and what to say when siblings ask about where babies come from. Everything they share just makes sense to me as a parent, and I fully intend to use their method when it comes time to have these conversations with my own child.
Pardon the Mess is yet another favorite, specifically about parenting rooted in biblical truth.
I love that host Cynthia Yanof is relatable and reminds listeners (it’s like she’s talking to me, specifically) that there is no such thing as perfect parenting, but there is a perfect God that loves us all, despite the messy we often find ourselves in during parenthood.
Finally, Good Inside is another podcast that I’ve found to be very valuable as I navigate toddlerhood with my little.
The host, Dr. Becky Kennedy, deep dives on topics we all face as parents like how to talk to your kids about death, how to handle sibling competition, and so much more. What I specifically love about this podcast is that the episodes are short and easily digestible—most episodes are around 30 minutes which is perfect for me to plug into during my commute or while doing the laundry or dishes.
Some other podcasts recommended by friends of mine include Don’t Mom Alone, Moms on Call Podcast (hosted by the same women that authored the sleep training book), and Raising Boys and Girls, all of which I immediately added to my to-listen-to list!
