Parenting, Party of One

Ep 18: From Fur Mom to Solo Mom

Before Sara became a human mom, she was a dog mom. In this deeply personal episode, Sara reflects on the 15 years she spent with Jasmine — the Havanese who quietly helped prepare her for solo motherhood long before her son arrived. What began as companionship slowly became something much bigger: practice in nurturing, responsibility, consistency, and building a life around caring for another being. Sara shares what it was like navigating solo pregnancy with Jasmine by her side, the emotional whiplash of welcoming a new baby while simultaneously preparing to say goodbye to her first one, and the grief she never fully had time to process while solo parenting a newborn. Want more? Follow @parentingpartyofone on Instagram. Have a topic to dive into, story to share, or question to ask? Email sara@parentingpartyofone.com [sara@parentingpartyofone.com]. 🎙 Hosted, Produced & Edited by: Sara Amin 🎨 Cover Art by: Esha Janssens-Sannon

Ep 17: The Story I Never Wrote

Before becoming a solo mom by choice, a social worker encouraged Sara to think about the “family story” she would someday tell her child — how their family came to be and what it all means. Four years later, she still hasn’t written the perfect storybook, script, or polished explanation she imagined she’d need. But somewhere along the way, her son quietly showed her something important: maybe children understand family better than adults do. In this episode, Sara talks about the pressure to get it all “right,” why she thinks her son has never asked where his dad is, the beautiful way children define family by who shows up, and why the real task may not be explaining their family to him — but preparing him for a world that still thinks some families need explaining. Want more? Follow @parentingpartyofone on Instagram. Have a topic to dive into, story to share, or question to ask? Email sara@parentingpartyofone.com [sara@parentingpartyofone.com]. 🎙 Hosted, Produced & Edited by: Sara Amin 🎨 Cover Art by: Esha Janssens-Sannon

Ep 16: Tiny Tales Vol 2 — Toilet Paper, Cupcakes, and Show & Tell

Today’s episode is another installment of Tiny Tales — three small stories from regular life that somehow reveal something much bigger. First: a passionate household debate over how toilet paper should be stacked and the humbling realization that sometimes “the right way” is just … your way. Then: the promise of adorable cooking subscription boxes meets the reality of impatient preschoolers, surprise ingredients, and making buttercream frosting from scratch for children who simply wanted to stir something. And finally: the evolution of daycare show-and-tell — from Sara refusing to send anything from home, to realizing that bringing a favorite toy isn’t about stuff at all. It’s about identity, confidence, and being seen. No dramatic parenting breakthrough. No perfect system uncovered. Just the ongoing lesson of this stage: your child wants to help, participate, and do things independently … and sometimes their growth requires a little less of your control. Want more? Follow @parentingpartyofone on Instagram. Have a topic to dive into, story to share, or question to ask? Email sara@parentingpartyofone.com [sara@parentingpartyofone.com]. 🎙 Hosted, Produced & Edited by: Sara Amin 🎨 Cover Art by: Esha Janssens-Sannon

Ep 15: The Other Side of Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is supposed to be flowers, brunch, gratitude, and celebration. But for many moms — especially solo parents — it can feel a lot more complicated. In this honest and reflective episode, Sara shares what Mother’s Day looked like last year after an exhausting night of solo parenting, why “celebration” can still feel like labor, and how motherhood often means making magic while disappearing inside it. From social media highlight reels to being the one always behind the camera, this episode explores the unseen work moms carry every day — and why being loved isn’t always the same as being supported. Want more? Follow @parentingpartyofone on Instagram. Have a topic to dive into, story to share, or question to ask? Email sara@parentingpartyofone.com [sara@parentingpartyofone.com]. 🎙 Hosted, Produced & Edited by: Sara Amin 🎨 Cover Art by: Esha Janssens-Sannon

Ep 14: Meet My Mom, aka "Noona": From Her Parenting Journey to Mine (part 2)

In Part 2 of this special conversation, Sara and her mom discuss the decision that changed everything: Sara choosing solo parenthood. They reflect on the years leading up to it — what her mom saw, what she didn’t question, and why Sara’s path ultimately made sense. From early signs of Sara’s desire to nurture, to honest conversations about support, boundaries, and finances, this episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to make a nontraditional path possible. It’s a story about trust, evolving roles, and the kind of family dynamic that makes big decisions feel doable. Note: This is Part 2 of Meet My Mom. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, go back and start there. Want more? Follow @parentingpartyofone on Instagram. Have a topic to dive into, story to share, or question to ask? Email sara@parentingpartyofone.com [sara@parentingpartyofone.com]. 🎙 Hosted, Produced & Edited by: Sara Amin 🎨 Cover Art by: Esha Janssens-Sannon