Gritty Girls Podcast

There’s been nothing normal about 2020, education included. We’re in the middle of the Fall season and while many children are back in the classroom, there are more children than ever learning at home. Many have parents have chosen to have their children take part in their school’s distance learning program, however, there have been large numbers of families that have decided to go rogue and give homeschooling a try. Homeschooling was once thought of as something that only ultra-religious do, but as of 2018 there were as many as 1.69 million homeschoolers in the US. And believe it or not, that group is actually quite diverse. Now that we’ve entered the ‘Twilight Zone’ that is 2020, those numbers are even higher. In previous episodes we have casually mentioned homeschooling, but today we opened up and talked about our reasons for homeschooling, our experience as homeschoolers, and the pros and cons of homeschooling. If you’re curious or if you currently have a kid at home and are considering homeschooling yourself, then join us! We hope to clear some misconceptions about homeschooling and offer encouragement, support, and helpful information that will help you get started.

Do you dare to let your child lead? Set the trajectory of their own education. Set their schedule for the day. Determine when and how they'll do their chores and even what they eat. The idea of child-led education and parenting is being explored more widely as an increasing number of Americans are homeschooling and that is more true today as families choose to keep their children home during the Covid-19 pandemic. To explore these ideas, Christina is joined by two other parents who have also wrestled with their own beliefs around parenting and education, society's standards, and communities that challenge us to be bolder in order to raise self-sufficient and resilient children.

Not only has 2020 brought about a pandemic, but this year has also brought awareness to the systemic racism that still exists in America. Many of us have been watching the Black Lives Matter protests from home and wondering what we can do to become an ally to black people in America during this tumultuous time. Both of us (Christina and Leslie) have been feeling this, so we set out to find out what we can do to support people of color. We found some really great actionable steps that average folks like us can take and we're excited to share them with you! In this episode we list 5 simple things that you can do, starting today! This unedited episode may very well be one of the most important episodes we've ever done.

How has the virus impacted you personally? By now, many of us know someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or have a friend or loved one who is working tirelessly as a healthcare worker. Some of us have lost jobs and others have lost loved ones. Tune in as Christina shares what it’s like being married to an ICU doctor during a pandemic and talks about their decision to live apart in order to protect her family from potential infection. Join us as we get up close and personal in this next special, unedited conversation. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, & Stitcher. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on the Gritty Girls Podcast are strictly our own and should not take the place of medical advice from your doctor or health professional.

How are you? During a pandemic, those three little words can become quite a loaded question. A complicated situation brings about complicated emotions for each one of us. Even though we are in this together, we’re not all in the same boat. Some have it better or worse than others, yet all of us are feeling the mental and emotional effects, in one capacity or another, from the virus that looms just outside our doors. The mental health effects from this pandemic are very real and are being felt in every corner of the globe. Join Christina and Leslie for another special, unedited COVID-19 episode as they attempt to answer the question, how are you? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, & Stitcher. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on the Gritty Girls Podcast are strictly our own and should not take the place of medical advice from your doctor or health professional.

Join Christina and Leslie as they meet virtually to record this special, unedited series on COVID-19. We’ll be highlighting the many ways this pandemic affects each and every one of us. We hope our conversations will bring value to you as we all pull together to do our part to help flatten the curve. In this episode, we discuss universal masks. Should we all wear a mask when we have to get out? Will it protect me? Does it protect others? What does the evidence say? Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on the Gritty Girls Podcast are strictly our own and should not take the place of medical advice from your doctor or health professional.

The world has changed quite significantly since we last met. Join Christina and Leslie as they meet virtually to record this special, unedited series on COVID-19. We’ll be highlighting the many ways this pandemic affects each and every one of us. We hope our conversations will bring value to you as we all pull together to do our part to help flatten the curve. In this episode, we focus on a seemingly mundane aspect of our lives: grocery shopping. What used to be a normal part of the week and a chore to some has now turned into a matter of survival, debate, and even entertainment. Join us as we process how the basic act of shopping for food and necessities has turned on its head and as we praise our nation’s unsung heroes that bravely put themselves at risk of infection while stocking shelves and filling our shopping carts. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on the Gritty Girls Podcast are strictly our own and should not take the place of medical advice from your doctor or health professional.

It's an unfortunate fact, but women are three times as likely as men to not be able to save enough for retirement and generally have lower rates of financial literacy. This is tragic, given that women live longer than men and may face more long-term and health care expenses. How can we raise our financial literacy, save for retirement, increase our earnings, and make sound financial decisions with confidence? This is difficult for many women because women tend to be primary caregivers and earn less than men. It's especially hard for single moms. But, it's not impossible. If the mention of finances make you cringe, then grab a glass of wine and listen to this episode. Trust us, we're right there with you! Let's learn together!

Click and share. We do it everyday on social media without much thought. But, how much of what we share is used against us? Are we victims of our own data?

In the wake of the Dayton, Ohio and El Paso shooting, Christina and I got together to discuss the power of words. Do they matter? Should we be held accountable for what we say? Can we blame the actions of a person who was influenced by the words of another? Please join us in this important, timely discussion. And as always, we would love to hear your feedback. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @grittygirlspodcast.

On May 19, 2018, millions of people around the world tuned in to watch Prince Harry marry American actress, Meghan Markle. This was a historic event not only because royal weddings don’t happen every day, but because the new princess is a commoner and an American woman of color. Weddings are a cause for celebration, this one being no exception, and most of us watched the wedding with joy in our hearts for the happy couple. But for Christina, an American immigrant and woman of color, the wedding brought out feelings that can best be described as, well, complicated. Christina gives voice to what she feels some other women of color in America may have thinking and feeling, but may not have had the courage to say out loud. Whether your feelings were elated or complicated, tune in if you’re curious to hear a gritty take on the Royal Wedding that you may not have heard elsewhere.

It is a rare friend or family member who is completely happy with her body. We are all unhappy with some aspect of our bodies at one point in time or another. In fact, most of us devote too much mental real estate to self-destructive voices that tell us that we’re fat, ugly, not enough, etc., etc. We say enough! In addition to hearing from several friends on this topic, we invited someone who’s thought even more about this than many of us because she’s written a book about it. Jenny Wilkerson Baker, co-wrote with her close friend Sarah Blight, a book called ‘The War On Normal, How to Find Contentment in Your Post-Baby Body’. Jenny gives us all much-needed insight on how to love and embrace our bodies. This episode isn’t just for moms, though. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt that they didn’t measure up. You can find ‘The War On Normal, How to Find Contentment in Your Post-Baby Body’ at amazon.com and follow Jenny on Instagram and on Facebook @thewaronnormal.

You’re a good person. You do everything for your family and you take care of your responsibilities. You are courteous to strangers, giving to those in need, and you teach your children to treat other people with respect. However, you’re coming undone at the seams. Between your job, the lack of sleep, whining kids, needy spouse, messy house, homework help, and chauffeuring kids around town, you’re stretched thin...and all it takes is one small thing to make you SNAP! We’ve all experienced these moments, even the most docsile of us. When we do, we feel weak. Like a failure. How can we recover from these moments? Better yet, how can we prevent them?

She’s your best friend. You tell her everything and she does the same. Life’s major and minor events are celebrated together. Your families are so close that they feel like your own. Suddenly, the phone goes silent and there’s no more knocks at the door - calls don’t get returned, texts go unanswered, invitations aren’t extended and when you finally do touch base, she readily tells you how busy she’s been. Then one day, you realize she’s gone from your life. She acts as if the friendship never even happened and you’re left wondering why. You’ve been ghosted. Or maybe, you’re the ghost.

Ahh, kids...they’re sweet, they amaze us, they’re adorable, but sometimes they’re downright EMBARRASSING! Most of the time their antics are humorous and harmless, but what happens when a child’s actions cause a parent to feel shame? For the vast majority of us, our children will at some point misbehave in public— this often leaves us feeling ashamed and embarrassed. Many other parents have children who simply behave differently than most kids— this can leave those parents feeling isolated and worried about their child being picked on. This episode is all about navigating the more difficult aspects of parenting as they arise in public. In other words, it’s about those times when your child does something in public that makes you want to say, “No, that’s not MY child!” You may want a glass of wine to follow along with this one.

Most of us think we know what feminism is. We thought we knew, too. However, after Christina and I began talking about it, we realized that we both grew up with very different pictures of feminism. So we wondered...how has feminism evolved over the years? What do our friends think about it? Is feminism still relevant? Is feminism inclusive of all women, including women who choose more traditional roles? What has feminism done right and what are its flaws? This episode, while airing in March of 2018, was actually the first recording we made. And while it was recorded in 2017 just after the first Women’s March, we believe the topic is still timely and worth discussing. So, burn your bra, tell your husband to make dinner tonight, grab a cup of tea and listen in :)

Another tragedy. Another trauma. Another strike to the heart. Another life gone. Another spark to ignite keyboard wars on social media. Another thing to divide an already divided nation. Is it possible to hold a real, uniting discussion in our country anymore? Is it possible to put our political biases side long enough to come together with a common goal? What now? That's the question we are grappling with on this special episode. We've invited our social scientist friend, Dr. Kimo Quaintance, back on the show to help us gain some clarity on how we can move forward. This important and timely discussion is one that we all need to participate in, regardless of our political affiliation. SHOW NOTES: Cover photo: By Leslie Campbell. Photo taken of the Houston Chronicle cover story from Wed., Feb. 18, 2018, Vol. 117. No. 131 Article: Wired Magazine, ‘Inside The Two Years That Shook Facebook - And The World’ https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-2-years-of-hell/

We have questions...fortunately, our friends Dr. Kimo Quaintance and Steve Alaniz were there to give us some answers! Women want to know...Why do men personify their joysticks? What type of touch feels best? And what’s the deal with dick pics?! Some of the answers we heard were expected and others surprised us. The guys definitely helped make this episode not only entertaining, but thoughtful. And of course, our sides are still splitting over the comments we got from our girlfriends! Men, if you’re curious about what women think about your meat thermometer, then you’ll want to tune in, too! Put on a pair of headphones...this one’s definitely not for the kids :)

Minimalism has been buzzing for a while - there are websites, blogs, books and now even a documentary about the movement. While many proponents of this movement have taken to the extreme, we wonder how this looks for the average person who isn’t ready to sell all their possessions and move into a tiny home. We also noticed that this trend seems to be very male-dominated, but we suspect this movement is more than just a trend for hipster, white males. We hear from friends in our WDYT segment as they tell us about their thoughts on minimalism and how they would like to incorporate it into their lives. Then we chat with Leslie’s husband, Court, about how the movement has impacted him and the decisions that he and Leslie have made. SHOW NOTES: ‘The Art of Decluttering and Organizing’ by Marie kondo TheMinimalist.com FlyLady.net Netflix: ‘Minimalism, A Documentary About the Important Things'

Too politically correct or not too politically correct? That's the question we're asking. In this episode, we chat with Christina’s friend, Tiffany Brown, who is bi-racial, to hear her thoughts on political correctness and how her life has been impacted by her color. The three of us together formed a multi-ethnic panel as we talk about the current PC climate in our culture. Are we headed in the right direction or have we taken it too far? We will also hear thoughts, concerns and opinions from friends in our WDYT (What Do You Think) segment.

You heard us right! Not landscaping— ladyscaping. Of course, we’re not talking about trimming the bushes out in your front lawn...we’re talking about taking care of the ‘hair down there’ :) We talked with Cyndi Fonseca, a professional esthetician and owner of Divine Skin in Houston, TX, and asked her all the blushed-cheek inducing questions that we could think of about taming and sculpting their intimate topiaries. Curious?? You know you are...so hit play and blush, gasp and laugh along with us! SHOW NOTES:Visit YoureDivine.com to order Cindy’s custom product line or, if you’re a Houston local, to schedule your facial, bikini wax or intimate lightening. If you do, tell her the Gritty Girls sent you!

If you haven’t listened to our pilot episode, ‘1 Out of 3’, we highly encourage you to do so before jumping in to this one. This episode is a follow up to the conversation we had in that first episode about the #MeToo movement and the staggering statistic of how 1 in 3 women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. On this episode we feature the male response to the #MeToo movement and talk about what it means moving forward. Joining us in the studio for this gritty conversation is Steve Alaniz, a barber and worship pastor, and social scientist, Dr. Kimo Quaintance. We also hear some enlightening and encouraging thoughts from several male friends on our WDYT (What Do You Think) segment. SHOW NOTES: Want to hear thoughts from a male celebrity? It’s well worth your time to check out Dave Chappelle’s new comedy special on Netflix, ‘Equanimity & The Bird Revelation’. In the midst of hearing some tough love and self-reflection, you’ll laugh along the way. Slate.com, ‘I Always Felt Weird Around Him After That.’ by Christina Cauterucci https://slate.com/double-x/2017/11/56-people-shared-stories-of-the-gray-area-sexual-encounters-they-cant-forget.html

It's 2018. The internet has been out a while and by now, all of us moms are well aware of the Mommy Wars that rage in the comment sections of every dark corner of the internet. Good moms breastfeed, good moms bottle feed, good moms work, good moms don't work, good moms blah, blah, blah! We're a bit exhausted by the chatter and confused by all the conflicting information that is being thrown out there. So, what do good moms do? They make a podcast episode about all the mom shaming that is running rampant in our culture.

The #1 downloaded NY Times article in 2016 was by Alain de Botton entitled 'Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person'. We decided to dive into this article point by point to discover if or why we will (or in our case, have) marry the wrong person. We hear thoughts about marriage from several friends and chat with a couples therapist about the merits of de Botton's arguments. So even if you're single and ready to mingle, that perfect soulmate may not be out there...but don't be discouraged! We're all in the same boat. SHOW NOTES: Thank you to Amy Noelle Shih, Relationship Therapist, MA, LPC from TrueConnect. If you desire to learn how you can experience a true connection within, visit https://amyshihtrueconnect.com/ to learn more.

We decided that the staggering statistic of 1 in 3 women experiencing sexual violence is so important that it should be at the top of our gritty discussions. In this episode we listen to a personal account of a dear friend and her harrowing story that serves as a testament to the #metoo movement. We also interview Aly Jacobs from the Houston Area Women's Center and gain clarity and understanding on what's going on and get answers to some of the questions that the #metoo movement's skeptics are asking.