Mojo Mom Podcast

Internet safety expert Linda Criddle, president of the Safe Internet Alliance and founder of iLookBothWays.com, returns to the Mojo Mom Podcast to talk about two crucial issues:  first, what parents need to know about Facebook's new privacy policies (or lack thereof, as they sell user data to an ever-widening circle or marketers) and second, an introduction to the risks of technology in the context of teen relationship violence. Host Amy Tiemann was motivated to invite Linda on the podcast to talk about technology and relationship violence after hearing the May 10 episode of The Diane Rehm Show, which took a broader look at teen relationship violence but also honed in on technology as a tool that abusers can use to control and keep tabs on their partners.  Linda Criddle is an excellent expert to continue this conversation, as she has deep knowledge and professional experience in the areas of relationship violence and technology. Linda is currently working on a guide wtih specific strategeis on Internet Safety for Victims of Violence.  When it comes out this summer, the guide will be made available free through Linda's Website, www.iLookBothWays.com Linda also contributed a chapter to Amy Tiemann's latest book, Courageous Parents, Confident Kids, teaching parents how to guide their children through the early stages of internet use.

Amy Tiemann talks with Ellen Galinsky, President of the Families and Work Institute about her new book Mind in the Making:  The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs. Mind in the Making takes parents on an engaging tour of the science of early learning, including many classic experiments that still have relevance today.  And, Ellen Galinsky emphasizes, it's never too late to start incorporating this knowledge into your family's life!  You can learn more and see videos of experiments at the Mind in the Making website, www.mindinthemaking.org

Every parent wants to learn how to raise happier kids.  Listen in this week as Mojo Mom talks with Christine Carter, Ph.D., author of Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents.  In her work wtih the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, Christine has gathered the best scientifically-validated research into her book and translated in into practical and strategic advice that parents can understand! She draws on the field of positive psychology, which studies what works in people's lives rather than what is wrong. A refreshing approach for today's complicated times. Christine's advice resonates strongly with my work as Mojo Mom, such as the Raising Happiness chapters "Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First," "Build a Village," and "Expect Effort and Enjoyment, not Perfection." We're down to the last few days to register for the free digital download of Amy Tiemann's new book, Courageous Parents, Confident Kids:  Letting Go So You Both Can Grow.  Sign up on MojoMom.com by April 18th to receive a free copy of the e-book when it's released on April 19th. 

This week Amy Tiemann welcomes Karen Maezen Miller back to The Mojo Mom Podcast. Karen has described herself as an "errant mother, delinquent wife, reluctant dog walker, expert laundress, and stationmaster of the full catastrophe."  She's a Buddhist priest--but she could also be the Mom next to you in the school carpool line.  You may already know Karen as the author of "Momma Zen" and now she has  a brand new book "Hand Wash Cold--Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life."  Her writing will help you enjoy the life you already have, which is such a wonderfully sane and comforting concept--just what we need in today's overscheduled, distracted world.

This week's Amy Tiemann talks to kindred spirit Lenore Skenazy, author of the book Free-Range Kids and founder of FreeRangeKids.com. Lenore has been at the forefront advancing the trend of giving kids more independence and ability to roam and explore.  Her work was one of the inspirations for Amy Tiemann to join this cultural conversation wtih the creation of Courageous Parents, Confident Kids. So join Amy and Lenore for a wide-ranging discussion!  One more bit of resonance: next month on April 19th, the new paperback edition of Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry) will be published the same day as the launch of Amy's special free digital download offer for Courageous Parents, Confident Kids:  Letting Go So You Both Can Grow.  Visit MojoMom.com to learn more about Amy's limited-time offer.

We continue our ongoing series of interviews with "Courageous Parents, Confident Kids" book contributors as podcast host Amy Tiemann talks to Renee Trudeau about the absolutely essential need for mothers to practice self-care. Renee has written extensively about this issue in her book "The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal," and her training that teaches women how to form and facilitate their own Personal Renewal Groups.  Amy has also written about self-care as a core principle in her book "Mojo Mom:  Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family."  So these two have a lot to talk about! Listen in to find out why mothers in particular have a hard time claiming their own self care as a top priority,  why it's really important to learn how to do so, and how to get started.  Then make sure you register on MojoMom.com to reserve a free digital download of the new book that is a collaboration between  Amy, Renee, and 12 other experts, "Courageous Parents, Confident Kids--Letting Go So You Both Can Grow."  Sign up now and we'll send you a free digital download of the new book when it's released on April 19, 2010.

This week Mojo Mom is talking career strategies with Kella Hatcher, who along with Maryanne Perrin is a principal in Balancing Professionals consulting, advocating or a flexible, strategic, sustainable workplace.  Kella and Maryanne have also contributed a chapter on career development to the new anthology that Amy Tiemann is editing, Courageous Parents, Confident Kids -- Letting Go So You Both Can Grow. Kella and Amy talk about strategies for lifelong career development, on-ramping, putting your best foot forward and getting your confidence back as you craft your own path, which may go "off-road" rather than follow a career ladder.  Fortunately, these days more employees and entrepreneurs are advocating for alternative, flexible work, and that will benefit both Moms and Dads.  Workplace change is coming, and we are the pioneers! Get a digital download of our new book Courageous Parents, Confident Kids for free!  Sign up now on www.MojoMom.com  

The Mojo Mom Podcast is all about providing parents with valuable information that applies to all aspects of life. Parents are leaders and change agents.  So this week Amy Tiemann welcomes Dan Heath back to the podcast to talk about his brand-new bestseller co-authored with Chip Heath, "Switch:  How to Change Things When Change is Hard." Whether you are a PTA volunteer, community organizer, or CEO, "Switch" will change the way you look at change.  Dan explains the guiding metaphor of "Switch" and inspiriging examples of people creating big change in difficult situations. Listen in, check out the Heath Brothers' website for more information, and read Amy Tiemann's full review of "Switch." 

Amy Tiemann continues her series of interviews wtih "Courageous Parents, Confident Kids" anthology contributors, this week by talking politics with Joanne Bamberger, creator of PunditMom blog. In Joanne's book chapter, she talks about what it means for parents to connect with their political voices, and proclaim their opinions, often using blogs as an outlet.  Here Joanne and Amy get right into it, sharing their own opinions about their frustrations with the Democratic Party, politics, and the seeming inablity to get anything done, even when one party has the Presidency and majorities in the House and Senate. Hear what's on Amy and Joanne's minds, and then feel free to stop by the Mojo Mom and PunditMom blogs to let us know what is on yours!

When Marc and Amy Vachon married and started a family, they could not have predicted that their personal commitment to each other to act as equal parenting partners would contribute to a growing social movement.  But it has grown into a movement that Marc and Amy cover thorugh their blog and their new book, Equally Shared Parenting.  On this week's Mojo Mom Podcast, the Vachons talk to Amy Tiemann about their co-parenting strategies and the benefits--for both Moms and Dads--that come from developing an egalitarian parenting partnership.

Amy Tiemann continues her series of interviews with Courageous Parenting anthology contributors.  This week, Kidpower founder Irene van der Zande returns to the show. How can parents teach their kids to be independent and safe?  Kidpower personal safety skills are designed to do just that, for people of all ages.  Listen in and learn how to "co-pilot" your kids (without becoming a "helicopter parent") as they take their first steps out of the nest. You can register to get a free electronic download of Courageous Parenting when it is released in Spring 2010 by signing up on MojoMom.com

Mojo Mom continues her series of interviews with contributors to the upcoming new anthology she's editing, Courageous Parenting.  This week Amy Tiemann talks to Melissa Stanton, author of The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide, about The Courage to Become Your Own Parenting "Expert."You can learn even more about Melissa's work by visiting her websites, StayAtHomeSurvivalGuide.com and the Real Life Support for Moms blog.

This week Mojo Mom author Amy Tiemann continues her series of conversations with  "Courageous Parenting" anthology contributors, talking to Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions.Amy McCready's training gives parents valuable tools that prevent behavior problems from arising in the first place, and give parents tool and strategies to respond constructively when problems do arise.Today Amy and Amy delve into the substance behind the recent headline, "For Some Parents, Shouting is the New Spanking," and talk about the themes of personal belonging and significance, why this is important to kids, and how to develop these qualities within your family.Sign up on MojoMom.com and you will receive a free e-book edition of "Courageous Parenting" when it is released in March 2010.

Mojo Mom is launching her next project:  a new book called Courageous Parenting.  Its goal is to give parents the skills and strategies they need to raise independent kids, with courage and confidence rather than worry and fear.This anthology will bring together over a dozen talented authors who cover this topic from their unique angle.  So on The Mojo Mom Podcast, we'll be talking to the anthology contributors, starting out this week with the founders of the social networking site for Moms, TheMotherhood.com, Cooper Munroe and Emily McKhann.  This dynamic duo returns to the podcast to talk about how community support can empower us all to be more courageous, and how they plan to transform a chat we had online at TheMotherhood into a chapter for the new book.You can register to receive a free e-book copy of Courageous Parenting by signing up to receive the MojoMom.com newsletter and Party Kit, so stop by today!

We're trying out a new format on The Mojo Mom Podcast, focusing on one segment to give us more time for our expert guest interviews.  This week's guest Kristin Maschka is a great person to help kick off this new format, because Mojo Mom and Kristin sure have a lot to talk about.  Kristin is a past president of the national advocacy group Mothers & More, a successful businessperson, and the author of the new book This Is Not How I Thought It Would Be: Remodeling Motherhood to Get the Lives We Want Today.So tune in to learn how you can put more energy into all the facets of your identity, and find out how Mothers & More helped Amy Tiemann take a step forward on the path that eventually led to writing Mojo Mom.You can learn more about Kristin Maschka's work and sign up to receive her free "remodeling tools" at www.RemodelingMotherhood.com

Amy and Patty talk about upcoming changes in Mojo Mom, which will be more fully announced in October.Then Mojo Mom interviews Rachel Simmons, a respected author, educator and coach who helps girls develop their authentic selves.  Rachel's new book is The Curse of the Good Girl, which fascinated Amy as a guide to helping young women develop, and a reminder that grown-up women may still have some relationship skills to learn, especially when it comes to dealing with conflict.

It's time for fall cleaning.  Amy Tiemann and this week's co-host Patty Ayers talk about letting go of clutter, as Patty has done in a major way by moving to Mexico and embracing a life rich in experiences that is not weighed down by possessions.Then Mojo Mom turns to "Neat Freak" professional organizer Perri Kersh for her tips for creating a landing pad for your family's belongings. As school gets into full swing it's a good time of year to look at the flow of informaiton and "stuff" into your household, and the small step of creating a landing pad can help with that process.

Amy has been writing on her Mojo Mom Blog about what experiences students should have before they get to college.  She and Patty Ayers talk about this balance between exploration and knowing where you are going.Then Mojo Mom welcomes leading parenting expert Dr. Michele Borba to the podcast.  Michele Borba is the author of 23 books and a regular contributor to The Today Show.  Her latest release is The Big Book of Parenting Solutions:  101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries.  This encylopedic guide is organized by topic to give parents the specific solutions they need to address a wide range of issues for kids ages 3 to 13.

We're kicking off the fifth season of The Mojo Mom Podcast!  We wish a fond farewell to co-host Sheryl Grant who is starting grad school full time.  Amy welcomes her new co-host Patty Ayers.  Amy and Patty have worked together behind the scenes for many years and are excited to talk about current issues together on the podcast.  In this episode they talk about Patty's empty-nester move to Mexico (you can see photos on Patty's blog) and then discuss the controversy that erupted this week about a breastfeeding mother who was fired by the Totes/Isotoner corporation for taking "unauthorized" breaks to pump her milk.Then Mojo Mom talks to Po Bronson, co-author of NurtureShock:  New Thinking about Children.  In this important new book, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman bring to light new scientific findings that can change the way we view child development.

Amy and Sheryl talk about radical self-care and the times it rises to the level of self-preservation.  Sheryl has decided to take a break from almost all of her responsibilities outside of her family and her job.  That means this week is Sheryl's final Mojo Mom Podcast.  Amy sends out her appreciation for four seasons together, more than 60 shows.  We may take some breaks this summer, but The Mojo Mom Podcast will continue with a new co-host.  Stay tuned for details....Then Mojo Mom talks to Ms. Mindbody, Kate Hanley.  Kate is a yoga instructor and author of The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide:  77 Simple Strategies for Serenity.  She shares stress reduction strategies on her website, MsMindBody.com, and talks about her own experience caring for herself as a new Mom.

The Mojo Mom Podcast goes global this week.  First, Amy checks in with  guest co-host Patty Ayers, about Patty's ongoing adventures as an empty-nest North Carolina Mom turned global citizen living in Mexico.  Patty is a web designer who has untethered herself from her desk to create a business as a virtual assistant that will allow her to work anywhere in the world.The Mojo Mom interviews Maya Frost, author of the book The New Global Student:  Skip the SAT, Save Thousands on Tuition, and Get a Truly International Education.  Maya addresses the WHYs and HOWs of creating an international opportunity for your children or whole family.Mojo Mom highly recommends The New Global Student, as detailed in her complete Amazon.com review.

It's the week after college graduation and Amy asks Sheryl about the ways that Sheryl's family helped her along the way as she worked toward her Master's Degree in Information and Library Science.  We celebrate her success!Then Amy talks to Equally Shared Parenting (ESP) experts Amy and Marc Vachon.  ESP is currently reaching a tipping point in the media and society.   It's so interesting to see how an outspoken couple can help advance a movement that has been built upon existing ideas and sociological research.  Listen in as Mojo Mom asks for advice in her own family, and the Vachons get right to the heart of the matter.  Then visit the Equally Shared Parenting website to learn more about the strategy that promises "half the work, all the fun."

Amy and Sheryl reflect on the last three years, when they made so many plans that have now come to life: the Mojo Advisory Circle, a new edition  Mojo Mom for Amy, graduate school for Sheryl who is completing her Masters' degree.  It's been a great three years and now they are each turning the page to a new chapter in their lives.  (We'll still be here with the podcast!)Then Mojo Mom talks to Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, an organization that helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives and communities.  Zainab reminds of the strength of mothers, and the burden put on women in particular to rebuild countries in the aftermath of war and violence.  Women for Women International provides women the tools and training that women need in order to move from victim, to survivor, to active citizen.The program is funded by one-to-one sponsorships between women.  You can become a sponsor, too.

Amy recently heard a discussion about younger women who might be considering not having kids at all rather than dealing with the work-family conflicts we all face.  Sheryl and Amy tell those younger women what they would like them to know:  motherhood does rock your world, but we can't imagine our lives without it.Then writer Paula Spencer adds her perspective in Mojo Mom's guest segment.  Paula has a wide variety of experiences, as the mother of four, the author of the book Momfidence:  An Oreo Never Killed Anybody and Other Secrets of Happier Parenting, and a founding senior editor of the caregiving resource website, Caring.comYou can learn more about all of Paula's work at her website www.PaulaSpencer.com

Amy and Sheryl are really on the go this week.  Amy is recovering from last week's successful Mojo Recharge Retreat, and Sheryl has many end-of-semester balls in the air, but still finds time to call in to do the podcast!Then Mojo Mom talks to Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids.  Last year Lenore became (in)famous for her article about letting her 9-year-old son ride home by himself on the New York Subway, and now she has continued to explore the issues of giving kids freedom and responsibility in her book and blog.As Lenore writes, "Do you ever let your kid ride a bike to the library? Walk alone to school? Take a bus, solo? Or are you thinking about it? If so, you are raising a Free Range Kid! At Free Range, we believe in safe kids. We believe in helmets, car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time school age children go outside, they need a security detail. Most of us grew up Free Range and lived to tell the tale. Our kids deserve no less."

The new edition of Mojo Mom came out last week, and Amy is back this week with guest co-host Patty Ayers to talk about her book release, as well as Patty's adventures traveling back and forth between Mexico and North Carolina.Then Mojo Mom interviews Cooper Munroe and Emily McKhann, founders of the social networking site TheMotherhood.com.  Amy got to know this dyamic duo when they all worked together on MomsRising.org activism, and Cooper and Emily are interviewed in the new Chaper 10 of Mojo Mom, "Spreading Your Wings:  Mothers as Leaders."TheMotherhood.com is an amazing site with cool technical features, a ton of integrity and goodwill, and a heaping dose of mojo, so we hope you will stop on by and say hello.

Amy and Sheryl are able to easily integrate the first and second halves of the show today since the topic is technology and internet safety.Then Mojo Mom interviews Linda Criddle, world-renowned expert, former Microsoft executive and mother of four.  Linda's highly informative website is ILookBothWays.com, and her newest book is Using the Internet Safely for Seniors (for Dummies Series).Linda and I got into a pretty intense discussion as we talked about the research into internet safety.  I left the whole discussion intact, because it provided an important opportunity to go beyond sound bites and sensational headlines into a substantive examination of these issues.

Amy and Sheryl discuss their typically crazy weeks, including Jury Duty for brand-new US Citizen Sheryl.  Their minds are still wrapped up in the impact of the economic crisis on moms and families.Then Mojo Mom switches gears to interview Irene van der Zande, founder of Kidpower.  Over the past 20 years, Kidpower has taught personal safety skills to over 1.2 million people of all ages.  Amy and Irene talk about the founding principles that have made Kidpower so successful, and the reasons why it is so important to teach kids skills that will allow them to gain life experience and explore the world with confidence.  Child safety is often a missing chapter from parenting education, and Kidpower fills in that knowledge gap with strategies and skills.  Amy Tiemann has joined Irene's efforts by starting a new center, Kidpower North Carolina.

This week Amy's guest host is Patty Ayers, the "silent partner" who produces The Mojo Mom Podcast. Patty is also the talented web designer behind MojoMom.com. Now she has created a new line of work as a virtual assistant, which allows her the flexibility to reinvent herself as a newly-hatched "empty nest" Mom.  Patty now lives and works much of the time from Tulum, Mexico. You can learn more about her "working adventure" on her blog.Then in our guest segment, Mojo Mom interviews film director Pamela Tanner Boll. Pamela's  new film, Who Does She Think She Is? explores the courage required to combine motherhood and art. The film wants to highlight the importance of women as artists, the importance of women's work as mothers, and the essential humanity contained in the artistic impulse.You can view the film's trailer at www.WhoDoesSheThinkSheIs.net

This week Amy vents a little steam to Sheryl, who provides some free therapy.Then Mojo Mom talks to Melissa Stanton, author of The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide.  This is one of Amy's favorite books written specifically for stay-at-home Moms.  Learn more about Melissa's work at www.stayathomesurvivalguide.com

A few weeks ago, Sheryl was one of the first people to notice the YouTube video, David After Dentist.  This week Amy & Sheryl discuss how our private lives go public, and viral videos take on lives of their own online, as evidenced by the profanity-laden mashup, Christian Bale Takes David to the Dentist.  Then Mojo Mom talks to professional organizer Perri Kersh.  Perri's many interests seem to converge in new ways during this recession:  she is Neat Freak Professional Organizer, author of the blog Enough is Enough, a founder of the Giving Party, and an expert on Fine Living Network's show Time Makeover.  Perri and Amy talk about making the most of what we already have--relationships, values, and priorities as well as time and  possessions.

Co-hosts Amy and Sheryl have the economic crisis is on their minds, and they'll continue to work to bring together resources to help Moms make it through our country's financial meltdown.Then Mojo Mom talks to Bria Simpson about her work as The Balanced Mom coach.  Listen in to hear Bria's thoughts about Moms returning to work, and her Brilliance in Motherhood Retreats, including a special offer for Mojo Mom Podcast listeners.

Amy and Sheryl catch up, both appreciating and being sad about the fact that the podcast has become their most reliable opportunity to spend time together.Then Amy talks with Mom-in-Chief author Jamie Woolf.  Jamie is a leadership expert who helps women take the skills they've learned in the workplace and apply them to family-life leadership as well.  Mom-in-Chief is thoughtful and practical, and honors the many kinds of work that mothers and fathers do throughout their busy lives.  Listen in to find out how to enter our upcoming Mojo Mom Podcast drawings, which will include two copies of Mom-in-Chief awarded on February 13, and an iPod Nano on March 7.  Enter once and you'll be eligible for all our upcoming prize drawings, leading up to the release of the new edition of Mojo Mom on April 7.

Amy and Sheryl are still empathizing with today's kids an technology, as they grow up in a world where they have to "look good" online as well as real life.  A recent Facebook experiment got Amy and Sheryl thinking about these issues.Then one of our favorite bloggers stops by, Joanne Bamberger, aka Pundit Mom.  Amy and Joanne have a lot to talk about with President Obama's first week in office, including his first major act, signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law.   Listen in to find out how you can enter our next iPod Nano giveaway, to happen February 1 and at least once more before the new edition of Mojo Mom comes out on April 7.  Enter now and you'll be eligible for all our upcoming giveaways.

Amy and Sheryl kick of a new year of The Mojo Mom Podcast in an extended segment. First they reflect on President Obama taking office. Then they talk about developments with Amy's new edition of her book Mojo Mom, and Sheryl and Amy's experiences together as members of the Mojo Advisory Circle. Listen in to hear what can happen when a dynamic group of women work together, and learn why you should create your support network before you need it.

Amy and Sheryl are back from hiatus to start a new season of The Mojo Mom Podcast.  They talk about their plans, getting geared up for 2009 when the new edition of Amy's book will come out.Then Mojo Mom talks to Cate Colburn-Smith and Andrea Serrette, authors of The Milk Memos.  This truly unique book began when IBM manager Cate sat down in the company’s employee lactation room, shed a few silent tears, and wrote this on a paper towel: I’m a new mom and today is my first day back at work. Is anyone else using this room?

Amy and Sheryl have a lot to talk about after viewing the Oprah episode from October 1 about overwhelmed Moms.  It was a wake-up call to remind us that living mindfully is a worthy priority. Then Amy talks to Catherine Orenstein, founder of The Op-Ed Project.  She wants to change the fact that op-ed pages and airwaves are overwhelmingly dominated by men.  Through her workshops, Katie teaches women the skills and strategies needed to join the public conversation.  A timely topic in a month full of fast-moving news and an impending election.

Amy and Sheryl are in a giddy mood this week, which is a nice change of pace!They are happy because Pamela Stone, author Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home, is the guest on the podcast, and she'll be speaking in Durham, NC in person next week.  So if you are in the area, we hope you'll register for the Carolina Parent Women@Work Breakfast on September 17, and join us to form a Mojo table!

Amy and Sheryl discuss the successes of their Mojo Circle, a group of ten women who have met monthly for two years now.  The group has a shared background as mothers, but when we meet we talk primarily about entrepreneurship, and serve as a sounding board for each other.Amy and Sheryl talk about the keys to success in forming a group, and you can also find resources in the free Mojo Mom Party Kit on MojoMom.comThen Amy talks to Kella Hatcher, co-founder of Balancing Professionals and expert on alternative work arrangements (flex-time, telecommuting--the strategies that allow people to get their work done and have a life, too!).Balancing Professionals will be presenting a Career On-Ramping workshop in conjunction with the Carolina Parent Women@Work event in Durham, North Carolina on September 17, 2008.  We hope to see you there!

We are reposting the episode on Mojo Mom and Positive Discipline because only the second segment was uploaded the first time.  Here is the complete show:We're reaching the end of summer and co-host Sheryl Grant is already back to school, so Amy's friend Aparna Desai Brown is filling in.  Aparna shares her family's story of recently moving away from Silicon Valley in favor of a saner and more sustainable lifestyle in Pittsburgh.Then Mojo Mom switches gears to talk about Positive Discipline with Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions in Raleigh, North Carolina.  We have more democratic families these days, but how can parents maintain their leadership role?  Positive Discipline operates on a foundation of respect and responsibility for all family members to help parents bring up capable, competent kids.

Amy and Sheryl debrief their summers and look ahead to a hectic school year that starts very soon.Then Amy talks to EquallySharedParenting.com founders Amy and Marc Vachon.  Mojo Mom had some questions about how shared parenting works in practice.  Who better to answer than the Vachons, who practice ESP and write about it.  Their family was even featured in Lisa Belkin's June 2008 New York Times piece, "When Mom and Dad Share It All."

Amy and Sheryl discuss the recent NY Times article about parents who just can't seem to let go of their children while the kids are at summer camp.Then we meet Julie Shields, author of one of Mojo Mom's favorite books, "How to Avoid the Mommy Trap."  Julie's strategies help couples lay out a roadmap for truly shared parenting.

Amy and Sheryl talk more about Sheryl's new job working on social networking for the MacArthur Foundation and HASTAC.In addition to her work with the MacArthur winners, Sheryl is excited about the potential that social networking has to expand social horizons for Moms.Then Amy welcomes internet safety expert Linda Criddle back to the show.  Linda is the author of the book "Look Both Ways:  Help Protect Your Family on the Internet" and the website Look-Both-Ways.comAmy has gotten to know Linda well over the past year, through interviews for Amy's CNET blog and Linda's trips to give seminars in North Carolina.  Linda looks at safety and privacy issues for everybody, from kids to parents to senior citizens, to help people have positive and safe experiences online.

Amy and Sheryl discuss their new jobs.  Amy is revising Mojo Mom and Sheryl is working on social networking for the Macarthur Foundation.  Life and work mingle as usual, as Amy ponders what it means to have a 9 year old.Then Amy talks to Debra Levy of Mothers & More, a national organization providing support and advocacy for Moms.  Debra also wanted to highlight Mothers & More's campaign to save the American Time Use Survey, which we did not get to discuss on the show.  For our work to be counted as significant is first has to be measured, and the ATUS provides this crucial data.

The conversation about motherhood and feminism continues.  First Amy and Sheryl tackle the topic, reflecting on life at the intersection of feminism and reality.Then Mojo Mom continues the conversation with Amy Richards, author of Opting In:  Having A Child without Losing Yourself.  Richards is also the author of the Ask Amy column at Feminist.comThis is the last week of our latest iPod giveaway.  The drawing is on July 1, so listen to the show to find out how to enter!

Amy has big news--a new edition of "Mojo Mom" coming out spring 2009 from Gotham Books.  Amy and Sheryl celebrate this development and then announce a new iPod giveaway.  Listen in to learn how you can enter to win a 4 GB iPod Nano in our drawing to be held on July 1, 2008.Then from the material to the spiritual....Amy talks to "Momma Zen" author Karen Maezen Miller about writing, creativity and motherhood.  Karen shows us all that it's possible to become a writer even if we never find "more time."  For more of Karen's wisdom, check out her series of "Zen Writers' Workshop" entries listed in the sidebar on her Cheerio Road blog.

Amy and Sheryl talk about their failed efforts to find peace and mindfulness.  Find out why the best place to meditate might just be...the shower?Then Amy talks to Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, authors of "Why Work Sucks, and How to Fix It."  Cali and Jody pioneered a new work model called ROWE, the Results-Only Work Environment.  Say goodbye to face time and pointless meetings, say hello working however you see fit, as long as the work gets done.  ROWE applies to a wide variety of situations and can most definitely make life better for working parents.

Today's parents are sold the idea that family life requires a ton of gadgets.  From sign language to $800 strollers, sophisticated marketing campagins have parents firmly in their sites. Amy and Sheryl discuss this phenomenon, and then Amy interviews "Parenting, Inc." author Pamela Paul for her expert view.

Amy and Sheryl talk about every Mom's eternal struggle to fulfill her goals and priorities as they reflect on the NY Times article, "The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors."Then Amy talks to author Nancy Amanda Redd about her bestselling book, "Body Drama," a comprehensive, photographic guide to the female body, that includes answers to questions you've never thought to ask.  Today's girls face new body issues, so "Body Drama" is a great resource for Moms preparing to talk to their daughters about adolescence.

The Democratic primary battle has stirred up many discussions between Second Wave feminists and younger women.  Amy Tiemann wrote about this recently on Women's eNews.  Today she talks to Deborah Siegel, author of Sisterhood Interrupted and the blog Girl With Pen to find out how we can continue to work together rather than letting our generational differences widen into a fault line that prevents us from making progress on our common interests.

It's a literary week as Amy and Sheryl talk about their love of reading.  Then Amy interviews Rachel Pastan, author of the wonderful novel Lady of the Snakes, the engrossing story of a young history Professor who juggles the demands of family life while unraveling the truth about a 19th century Russian writer and his mysterious wife.Learn more at RachelPastan.com and check out the Mojo Mom blog post of February 8 to read Rachel's exclusive list of book recommendations.