Why does your toddler laugh when you’re disciplining them? What do you do when potty training completely falls apart? And how do you parent the kid who feels EVERYTHING bigger, louder, harder, and more intensely than everyone else? In this Q&A episode, we’re answering the parenting questions we hear constantly — the ones that leave even loving, thoughtful parents feeling overwhelmed, confused, triggered, and exhausted.

We cover:

- Potty training setbacks and resets

- Toddlers laughing during discipline

- Power struggles and boundary-setting

- “Big Feeler” highly sensitive kids and emotional intensity

- Sensory sensitivities and nervous system overwhelm

- Why some kids melt down over seemingly “small” things

- How to respond without escalating behavior

- The parenting sweet spot between permissive and punitive

Plus:

Kristin accidentally becomes an 8-year-old softball all-star coach, Deena gets emotionally taken out by standing in the wind for an hour, and both of us realize we may be the most millennial people alive. Basically: chaos, neuroscience, nervous systems, and parenting truths that will make you feel way less alone, and answer all of your parenting questions you need help with NOW.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Hiya Health - Receive 50% off your first order of Hiya’s best selling children’s vitamin. Head to hiyahealth.com/BLF. 

Magnetic Me - Get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.com.

Momentous - Head to livemomentous.com and use promo code BIGLITTLEFEELINGS for up to 35% off your first order.

Peloton - Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com

Quince - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to quince.com/BLF for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You are not overwhelmed because you’re bad at balance. You’re overwhelmed because you’re carrying an entire operating system in your head for running a home and caring for kids, and no one ever taught you how to turn it off. You’ve split the tasks, had the talks, been very clear about “I just need more help.” And still, you’re the one remembering, anticipating and managing everything.

This isn’t about who’s doing more, it’s about who’s mentally running the entire show. And if that’s you?? Of course you’re exhausted. In this episode, we’re blowing up the biggest lie we’ve all been fed: That the mental load is a communication problem. It’s not. It’s an infrastructure problem. And once you see it, you cannot unsee it, which is exactly why this conversation is so crucial.

Deena sits down with Kelly Hubble, founder of Sage House, mom of three, and an accidental genius who built a solution most of us didn’t even know was possible, to break down:

• Why even “equal” partnerships still leave moms carrying ~70% of the mental load

• The 5 invisible layers running in your brain 24/7 (this alone will blow your mind, and unlock real change)

• Why “just tell me what to do” is actually adding to your exhaustion

• The real reason you feel burnt out - even if you have childcare

• The exact shift that takes you from constant resentment and overwhelm to *actual* relief

And then, we push into the uncomfortable truth: What if the answer isn’t doing more… or communicating better?? What if the answer is… you stop doing it all?? Not in a reckless way, but in a new, radically supported way. We’re talking about a level of support that doesn’t just check tasks off a list, it removes the invisible weight from your brain. The kind that gives you hours back every single week, and lets you actually be with your kids instead of managing life around them - one that shifts your relationship, your energy, your entire home.

And yes, we explicitly tackle every elephant in the room: The cost, the guilt, the “this feels indulgent - is this too much?” spiral. (If that thought just hit you, you need to listen to this episode.) Because by the end, you’re going to realize something: You were never supposed to carry all of this alone. Press play if you’re ready to stop managing everything yourself, and finally experience what it feels like to be fully supported at home.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Magnetic Me - Get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.com.

Nutrafol - For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering 25% off the Fullest Hair Kit--that's supplements plus their hair serum duo--and free self-care gifts when you visit nutrafol.com

Our Place - Stop cooking with toxic cookware and upgrade to Our Place today! Visit fromourplace.com/BLF and use code BLF for 10% off sitewide. 

Peloton - Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com

Visit Myrtle Beach - You belong at The Beach – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Plan the best family vacation ever at VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The episode you've been asking for is finally here : Deena's birth story for her third baby. And you're not going to want to miss this one. If you’ve been here for a while, you know her first didn’t go the way she thought it would. There was a lot of fear, a lot of not being listened to, a lot of trauma that stayed with her longer than she expected. Her second birth? Also not great. 

So now, for the first time, Deena shares the deeply personal story of her third birth. She birthed at home, in her bathtub surrounded by family and her boys (and her emotional support dog, Mokki!). And how did the birth go, you ask? You'll have to tune in to find out. This one will make you laugh, cry, laugh again, cry again, and bring you back to all those intense feelings surrounding birth.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Activations - Try Activations for 2 Weeks Free: activations.com/feelings.

First Day - Our listeners get up to 57% off and a free gift with code BLF at firstday.com.

Ka’Chava - Go to kachava.com and use code BLF for 15% off your first order!

Myrtle Beach - You belong at The Beach – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Plan the best family vacation ever at VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

Quince - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to quince.com/BLF for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Teleflora - Provide code BLFMDAY20 for 20% off a Teleflora bouquet at teleflora.com.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deep breath, friends. This is one of THOSE episodes; the kind that starts off light and then shifts into something a little heavier, a little scarier, but ultimately really important. This episode was supposed to be Kristin and Tyler sitting down to chat about 10 years of marriage. The lessons, the growth, the things we’ve learned along the way. We even brought our podcast equipment all the way to Palm Springs. But before we could even sit down to record it, our anniversary trip took a turn we didn’t see coming. I walked outside… and found Tyler bleeding.

What’s next was an ambulance, hours in the hospital, and a moment that split everything into before and after.

Not to scare you, but because it led to something we didn’t expect: clarity. Because when something like that happens, your brain doesn’t go to the argument from yesterday. It doesn’t go to the tone, the tension, or who was right. It goes to one place: please let this person be okay. And suddenly, everything you thought mattered… doesn’t. So this episode changed into something deeper.

Yes, we’re still sharing the 10 things we’ve learned in 10 years of marriage, but through a completely different lens. The real one, the one that shows up when all else falls away.

In this episode, you’ll walk away with:

* 10 honest, unfiltered lessons from 10 years of marriage (the real ones, not the fluffy, Instagrammable ones)

* Exactly what to do in conflict: including how to make a “bid” that actually de-escalates things in the moment

* The biggest mindset shift that instantly changes how you show up in your relationship (hint: it’s not about fixing “us”)

* Practical ways to communicate better, even in stressful, reactive, or heated moments

* A deeper understanding of what actually matters… and what you can finally let go of

* What to do when your partner is being their hardest to love

* Why the small, everyday moments matter more than the big ones

Because we all move through life assuming we have more time to fix things, to say what maters, and to show up differently. But guess what? We don’t always get that guarantee. And a moment like this reminds us what actually matters.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Shopify - Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/BLF.

Tumble - MachineWashableRugs, MadeBetter. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at Tumbleliving.com/BLF #TUMBLE #AD

Wayfair - Head to wayfair.com April 25th through the 27th to shop Way Day. Wayfair. Every style. Every home

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the thing running your day… is your non-conscious thought patterns that are happening on repeat?? The same ones showing up every single day, silently shaping how you feel, how you react, and how you show up as a parent, partner, and person. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the 6 sneaky, unhelpful thought patterns that drag us down day-to-day - and how to actually catch them in real time, replace them, and feel better.

We’re getting into:

- Why your brain loops the same thoughts all day (and why they feel so convincing)

- The exact moment your thoughts turn into stress, snapping, or shutdown

- The subtle difference between “venting” vs. actually moving forward

- The simple mental shifts that take you from *reactive* to calm, grounded, and in control

- Practical, in-the-moment tools you can use TODAY to change the way you think - and feel

This is the kind of episode that doesn’t just sound good while you listen. It literally changes how your next moment goes. Less spiraling, less snapping. More clarity, more “Ok, I’ve got this.” Once you see these thought patterns, you can interrupt them. And when you interrupt them, your whole day goes differently. And overtime, your new thinking habits will rewire your brain to be more resilient.

Your brain has been freelancing long enough. Time to take the mic back - let’s do this!

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Hiya Health - Receive 50% off your first order of Hiya’s best selling children’s vitamin. Head to hiyahealth.com/BLF. 

Magnetic Me - Get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.com.

Momentous - Head to livemomentous.com and use promo code BIGLITTLEFEELINGS for up to 35% off your first order.

Quince - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to quince.com/BLF for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse. We share this with care, but please listen at your own pace and take care of yourself.

Deep breath, friends. This is one of THOSE episodes - the kind that feels a little heavy, a little scary, but is incredibly important, because the tools here could change your kid’s life. In this episode, I (Deena) am sharing my own experience with sexual abuse as a child. Not to scare you, but to give you something I didn’t have back then: Clear, practical tools to help keep your kids safer.

Because the uncomfortable reality is that sexual abuse doesn’t usually look like a stranger in a dark alley. It often happens between kids, between peers or people you know, in familiar places. And most kids don’t tell, because they’re confused, don’t have the language, or think they’ll get in trouble. So instead of fear, we’re focusing on power. This episode is your “bing bang boom - here’s exactly what to do” guide. You’ll walk away with:

Concrete, simple tools you can start using TODAY

• The exact words + scripts to teach body safety in a way that feels natural (not awkward or scary)
• A clear way to explain private parts, safe vs unsafe touch, and boundaries
• How to teach your kid to say no, get out, and tell someone
• How to build a “safety team” so your child always has trusted adults
• And how to create a home where your child knows, “I can tell my parent anything, and they will help me.”

Body safety isn’t about one, big scary talk. It’s about small, everyday conversations that build kids who know their body is theirs, trust their gut, use their voice, and feel safe coming to you, no matter what. You can give your child tools, language, and confidence that dramatically increase their safety.

So take a deep breath - we’re doing this together, and it’ll be worth it, I promise.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Nutrafol - Head to nutrafol.com and enter the promo code FEELINGS for $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping. 

Our Place - Stop cooking with toxic cookware and upgrade to Our Place today! Visit fromourplace.com/BLF and use code BLF for 10% off sitewide. 

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why am I so triggered by my child’s emotions?” “Why does this feel harder for me than it does for everyone else?” Or “How do I raise emotionally healthy kids… when no one taught me how?” This episode is for you. Kristin and Deena go beneath the surface of parenting and into the work most of us were never taught to do: regulating, repairing, and reparenting yourself while raising your child.

You’ll learn:

• The real reason parenting feels so hard (it’s not you - it’s your nervous system)
• The science behind regulation and how to actually build it in real time
• What generational healing looks and feels like - in messy, everyday moments
• Why grief is a part of parenting when you’re doing it differently than you were parented
• The 4 tools to start breaking cycles, even when you’re overwhelmed

This is the episode that helps you understand yourself. And when you understand yourself, you stop blaming yourself. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be the parent you needed.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Arey - Slow the growth of greys and get 15% off by using code BLF at arey.com.

First Day - Our listeners get up to 57% off and a free gift with code BLF at firstday.com.

Jones Road Beauty - Use code BIGLITTLEFEELINGS at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Shimmer Face Oil with your first purchase! #jonesroadbeauty #ad

Little Spoon - Get 30% off your first order at littlespoon.com/BLF30 with code BLF30.

Quince - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to quince.com/BLF for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Unreal Snacks - Visit unrealsnacks.com/BLF to get $2 off a bag of Unreal. Terms and conditions apply.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We need to say something that might make you uncomfortable: we are over-parenting our kids. We are over-helping. Over-entertaining. Over-scheduling. Over-involving ourselves in every single moment of their lives. And it’s not making things better. It’s making our kids less independent, less resilient, and less capable of handling real life.

In this episode, we’re bringing back the parts that 90’s parenting got right (not the fear-based, emotion-dismissing, boooooorderline trauma parts), but the parts that actually built confident, capable kids. Because back then? Kids figured things out. They got bored. They solved problems. They had space to become themselves. And today? We’re doing so much for them… they don’t get the chance. This episode will challenge you — in the best way.

We’re talking about:

• Why your kid NEEDS boredom (and why it’s so hard for us to allow it)
• How constant involvement is quietly undermining confidence
• The science behind independent play and why it matters more than any activity
• Why fewer toys, fewer plans, and fewer interventions actually lead to better outcomes
• How to step back without feeling like you’re failing your kid

Your job is not to make your child’s life smooth. Your job is to raise a kid who becomes an adult who can handle a life that isn’t. This episode will help you pull back, without guilt, and start raising a kid who can stand on their own two feet. Repeat after me : PERMISSION TO DO LESS. Sound too good to be true? Tune in to find out just how easy this simple shift in parenting can be.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Experian - Get started with the Experian App now! See experian.com for details.

Little Spoon - Get 30% off your first order at littlespoon.com/BLF30 with code BLF30.

Magnetic Me - Get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.com.

Nutrafol - Head to nutrafol.com and enter the promo code FEELINGS for $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping. 

Shopify - Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/BLF.

 Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the goal of parenting isn’t raising kids who always listen…but raising kids who feel safe being fully themselves? In this episode, Kristin shares a realization that stopped her in her tracks: so much of her life has been shaped by the quiet pressure to be liked. To be the nice one. The agreeable one. The one everyone walks away from thinking, “Wow, she’s so kind.” From friendships to everyday interactions with strangers, that instinct to make sure everyone feels good about her has been deeply ingrained, and incredibly exhausting.

And that realization led to a bigger parenting question: how often do kids learn to people-please because they feel their acceptance depends on it? Many of us grew up believing the highest compliment a child could receive was being called a “good kid.” The obedient one. The easy one. The one who doesn’t push back, question, or cause problems. But what if that expectation quietly teaches kids something we never intended, that their job is to make adults happy?

In this episode, we unpack the hidden pressure behind being the “good kid” and why prioritizing obedience above all else can sometimes make it harder for kids to develop confidence, boundaries, and trust in their own voice.

Kristin talks about:

• Why the idea of the “obedient child” can be misleading
• How kids internalize the need for approval from the adults around them
• The subtle ways people-pleasing starts in childhood
• The difference between respect and compliance
• Why it’s actually healthy for kids to disagree, push back, and express who they really are
• How we can create homes where kids feel safe showing up authentically...even when that’s messy

Because here’s the truth: our kids are going to grow up in a world where not everyone will like them. And while that’s uncomfortable, it’s also part of being human. The goal isn’t raising kids who never disappoint anyone. The goal is raising kids who trust themselves enough to be who they are, even when it means not everyone approves. And when kids know they’re loved exactly as they are, they don’t have to spend their lives shrinking themselves to earn it.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Bobbie - Head to hibobbie.com to find the formula trusted by parents and loved by their babies–700k and counting. 

Hiya Health - Receive 50% off your first order of Hiya’s best selling children’s vitamin. Head to hiyahealth.com/BLF. 

Peloton - Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com

Skims - Shop our favorite bras and underwear at skims.com. #skimspartner

Square - Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/BLF. #squarepod

 Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is one of the most vulnerable conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast. In this episode, Deena shares something deeply personal: her experience with postpartum depression after the birth of her third baby. What started as exhaustion and overwhelm slowly turned into something heavier, constant tears, crushing shame, and dark thoughts she never imagined she would have as a mom.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing at motherhood… like everyone else is coping better than you… like your brain is telling you lies about who you are as a parent, this episode is for you. Together, Kristin and Deena talk honestly about what postpartum depression actually feels like from the inside, the warning signs that something wasn’t right, and the moment Deena realized she needed help. They also talk about the power of saying the scary thoughts out loud, the role of support from partners and friends, and the steps that helped Deena begin to find her way back.


In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What postpartum depression can actually look like in real life

• The thoughts many struggling moms are too ashamed to say out loud

• Why postpartum depression has nothing to do with being a “good” or “bad” mom

• How to recognize when it’s time to reach out for help

• The small steps that can start the path toward feeling better

If you are struggling, please know this: there’s nothing wrong with you, you are not alone, and help is out there. This conversation is raw, honest, and ultimately hopeful, because no mom should have to carry this alone. You can also contact Postpartum Support International (they have free helplines, tests, and local providers). If you’re in immediate danger, call or text 988 in the U.S. If you’re elsewhere, your local emergency number can connect you to crisis support.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Experian - Get started with the Experian App now! See experian.com for details.

Little Spoon - Get 30% off your first order at littlespoon.com/BLF30 with code BLF30.

Our Place - Stop cooking with toxic cookware and upgrade to Our Place today! Visit fromourplace.com/BLF and use code BLF for 10% off sitewide. 

Nutrafol - Head to nutrafol.com and enter the promo code FEELINGS for $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping. 

Quince - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to quince.com/BLF for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Unreal Snacks - Visit unrealsnacks.com/BLF to get $2 off a bag of Unreal. Terms and conditions apply.

 Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’ll be honest: I have a hard time with the idea of kids on social media. And still… the reality is: Teens (and preteens) are being pulled into this world, and parents are left trying to make sense of it. So, we sat down with Meta to find the safest way to protect our kids in these social media times.

In this conversation, Kristin interviews Tara Hopkins (Global Director of Public Policy at Instagram/Meta — and a mom of two teens) and asks the questions parents actually have about Teen Accounts, content exposure, messaging, time limits, AI, and what “safety” really means in a world of short-form dopamine loops.

Full disclosure, this episode isn't going to leave you saying, “social media is perfect.” But, if you've already given your child Instagram, if you're curious what limits you can place for your kid begging for social media, or you know someone in the thick of it, you'll walk away knowing *exactly* what you can, and can't do, to protect your kid online, which is exactly what I hoped.

This is an information-forward, real-world conversation for parents who want to understand:

• What Instagram Teen Accounts actually are and what happens inside them

• What protections are in place for teens (and where parents can take a step further) 

• How Meta approaches sensitive content and teen safety

• How time limits, sleep settings, and parental permissions work

• Where AI fits into all of this

My hope is simple: more clarity, less spiraling. Whether you’re firmly in the “no social media” camp, already navigating it with your teen, or you can feel the pressure creeping in… this episode gives you a clearer picture of what’s being built, how to use parameters that already exist, and what questions still deserve answers.

Disclaimer: you have to be 13+ to use Meta platforms

For access to more helpful tools and expert guidance, parents can visit https://familycenter.meta.com.

● Instagram Teen Accounts —now inspired by 13+ movie ratings—are designed to give parents peace of mind that their teens are safer with the right protections in place. Learn more about Instagram Teen Accounts at https://about.fb.com/news/2025/10/instagram-teen-accounts-pg-13-ratings/

● Support your family’s online experience with expert guidance and tools from Meta’s Family Center. Explore resources today, including Meta’s Screen Smart Program, at https://familycenter.meta.com.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

 Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.