Nicole turns the mic toward, Shannon, and it gets real fast. We go back to the small-town kid who thought her older brothers were the coolest, held an eighth-grade triple jump record, and learned early what it looks like when a single mom is in full survival mode. We talk about the kind of childhood you don’t fully remember until someone asks the right question and how family, neighbors, and grandparents quietly formed a village that feels rare now.

Then we jump to motherhood, where expectations get demolished. I share what labor felt like with Lucy and Thomas, the shock of postpartum intensity, and that protective, panicky feeling that makes daycare drop-off feel impossible. We also unpack the hard stages that don’t get posted online: battling with little people you love more than anything, trying to regulate your own emotions, and carrying mom guilt when you yell or forget the million tiny details schools expect you to track.

We also talk about identity, creativity, and why joy counts. I finally admit I’ve always loved interior design, from rearranging my childhood bedroom to putting my “stamp” on every home, and how sharing that passion helped me feel like me again. We end with our rapid-fire segment for a laugh, including thrifting wins, unread email chaos, and the story of me getting into the wrong car.

If you’ve ever thought, “What is wrong with me?” we’re here to say it's not you, it's motherhood. Subscribe to Mom Com, share this with a mom friend who needs a breath, and leave a review with the part that hit you hardest.

The content of this podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. We are not licensed therapists, doctors, or medical professionals, and we do not provide medical or mental health advice. Any opinions expressed are based on personal experience. Listeners should consult with a qualified healthcare provider or licensed professional for advice regarding their individual needs, diagnoses, or treatment.

One minute you’re packing a tiny backpack for the first day of preschool. The next minute you’re hearing the words “oncology floor” and trying to understand how your child can look perfectly fine while something life-threatening is happening inside their body. That’s the reality our friend Katie Holifield lived when her son Hunter was diagnosed at age three with a Wilms tumor, a form of pediatric kidney cancer that showed up without warning.

We walk through the day everything changed, the pediatrician visit that uncovered a mass, and the rapid-fire hospital decisions that followed. Katie shares what it’s like to face surgery, staging uncertainty, and a long treatment plan that included 28 weeks of chemotherapy and seven days of radiation. We also talk about the parts people don’t always see: the “fever means go now” rule, keeping a bag by the door, the way trauma lingers even after remission, and how scan season can bring anxiety roaring back.

What makes Katie’s story land so deeply is what she built from it. Hunter’s Heroes brings practical support and real joy into hospital rooms and family centers through need-based donations and kid-led fundraisers like a Fourth of July lemonade stand. If you’re navigating childhood cancer, parenting through crisis, or simply trying to live with more purpose and empathy, this conversation offers both honesty and hope. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

The content of this podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. We are not licensed therapists, doctors, or medical professionals, and we do not provide medical or mental health advice. Any opinions expressed are based on personal experience. Listeners should consult with a qualified healthcare provider or licensed professional for advice regarding their individual needs, diagnoses, or treatment.

Motherhood has a way of turning made-up rules into daily proof that we’re “doing it wrong.” We’re Nicole and Shannon, and we’re calling out the myths that trigger mom guilt, perfectionism, and that heavy feeling you carry to bed at night. If you’ve ever looked at your dinner, your messy house, your short patience, or your morning chaos and thought, why can’t I get this right, you’re our person.

We talk through the big lies we’re handed: that good moms always have it together, that loving your kids should feel fulfilling 24/7, and that other moms are doing it better. We get honest about how social media comparison warps your perception, why “kid-approved menus” can make you question perfectly normal choices, and what’s really happening when you’re trying your best and still feel like you’re failing. We also unpack how survival mode and your own childhood can shape your nervous system, your energy, and the way you experience parenting stress.

Then we get practical about the myth that asking for help means you’re failing. We name the mental load, the real barriers (including kids who won’t go with anyone else), and why support has to be realistic to be useful. Our takeaways are simple and repeatable: catch the myth when shame shows up, replace perfection with presence, and laugh at the lies so they stop controlling you.

If this conversation makes you feel seen, subscribe to Momcom, share it with a mom friend who needs the reminder, and leave a review so more parents can find our little village. Which myth do you want to unlearn first?

The content of this podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. We are not licensed therapists, doctors, or medical professionals, and we do not provide medical or mental health advice. Any opinions expressed are based on personal experience. Listeners should consult with a qualified healthcare provider or licensed professional for advice regarding their individual needs, diagnoses, or treatment.