Mom Brain, Big City

Are We Raising Kids Addicted to Screens? with Megan Kiefer

This week on Mom Brain, Big City, I’m talking with Megan Kiefer — mom of two, media literacy educator, founder of Take Two Media Initiative, and author of the upcoming book The Take Back. We talk about screen time, dopamine, overstimulation, boredom, and what it actually looks like to raise kids in a world that is literally designed to keep us glued to our phones. This conversation gets into: * the addictive design of social media and technology * what Megan started noticing in students around 2018 * how screen time affects kids (and adults) * why boredom is actually important for children * finding balance without fear-mongering or shame * what “healthy” technology use can realistically look like for families We also talk honestly about the reality of modern parenting — because sometimes the iPad is survival mode, and sometimes the TV is on so you can unload the dishwasher in peace. Whether you’re super strict about screens or just trying to figure it out as you go, this episode is such an important and nuanced conversation for parents right now. 🎙️ Follow Megan: Instagram: @megankief Take Two Media Initiative: @taketwomediainitiative And if you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and share Mom Brain, Big City with another parent who’d love this conversation.

Motherhood, Military Life, and Raising Kids in Japan with Angela Gilmore

This episode is such a special one. This week on Mom Brain, Big City, I’m joined by Angela Gilmore — a military spouse, mom of two, and incredibly talented photographer who is currently living in Japan with her family. We talk about what it actually looks like to raise kids while moving around the world, navigating long stretches of solo parenting during deployments, and building a life (and a business) in the middle of constant change. Angela shares what surprised her most about military life, what it’s like raising kids overseas — including the parts of Japan’s culture that completely changed her perspective on parenting — and how she’s built and rebuilt her “village” in different seasons of life. We also talk about: * parenting without a traditional village * the reality of solo parenting during deployments * raising independent kids in a different culture * building a photography business while moving frequently * how motherhood has shaped her identity and priorities This conversation is honest, eye-opening, and such a good reminder that there’s no one way to do motherhood.

Writing a Children's Book While Raising Two Kids in NYC with Jenn Cruzado

This episode is for every mom who’s ever had an idea and thought, “When would I even have time to do that?” This week on Mom Brain, Big City, I’m joined by Jenn Cruzado — mom of two, full-time educator, and now children’s book author. We talk about what it actually looks like to write a book while raising kids, working full-time, and navigating the chaos of everyday life. Jenn shares how the idea for her book Coco! Cherry! Mango! came to life, what surprised her about the self-publishing process, and how motherhood shaped both her creativity and her perspective. We also get into something I didn’t expect to hit so hard — the stories we tell (and don’t tell) about New York City. From Harlem to Washington Heights, Jenn talks about why it matters to show kids that these neighborhoods are still vibrant, creative, and full of life today — even if that’s not always what they see. In this episode, we talk about: * Writing a book while raising two kids * Finding time for creativity as a working mom * The realities of self-publishing * Motherhood and identity * The importance of representation in children’s books * Why you should explore your own city more If you’ve ever felt like your ideas had to take a backseat to everything else — this one’s for you. You can follow Jenn's work on Instagram @authorjenncruzado, and you can find her book in your local bookstores and libraries!

Grieving While Becoming a Mom

In this solo episode of Mom Brain, Big City, I’m sharing a heavier story about grief, postpartum, and learning how to hold joy and loss at the same time. Two weeks after Mateo was born, I lost my Granjo, my grandma, my confidant, my hype girl. A month later, I also had to say goodbye to my soul dog, Athena, in a way I never expected. All while navigating the physical recovery, hormone crash, sleep deprivation, and emotional whiplash of early postpartum. This episode is about what it feels like to grieve when the world expects you to be “so happy.” About missing the people and pets you want to call when something big happens and realizing you can’t. About making impossible decisions while freshly postpartum. And about the quiet, complicated ways grief shows up when you’re becoming a mom. If you’re in a season of loss, if postpartum felt heavier than you expected, or if you’ve ever had to grieve while still showing up for someone else, I see you. Please take care of yourself while listening, and come back to this episode when it feels right. As always, thanks for being here. I’ll see you soon, after bedtime.

A Very Overdue Voice Note

It’s been a minute, and today’s episode is basically a long, overdue voice note from me to you. In this surprise solo ep, I’m catching you up on everything: officially weaning, the emotional whiplash of ending my pumping journey, sleep regressions + separation anxiety kicking my ass, and the very real feelings that came with Mateo turning ONE (tears were shed LOL). We’re talking identity shifts, hormones, leaking boobs, gentle sleep training still working and still being hard, and the strange pressure of feeling like you need to “perform” on social media just to share something you love. I get honest about why I went quiet, why this podcast is still for me, and why I’m done forcing content that doesn’t feel authentic. I also touch on the Cardi B x Bobbie formula ad drama, with nuance, because feeding babies is not a one-size-fits-all conversation and privilege plays a bigger role than people want to admit. If you’ve ever felt proud and heartbroken at the same time, burned out but grateful, or like motherhood cracked you open and rebuilt you into someone new… this one’s for you. Thanks for being here. More to come — see you after bedtime 🤍