Here’s an admission: I had never even listened to a podcast when I decided to create my own podcast last spring. And now I’m obsessed!
Mostly, I listen to podcasts while I jog in the morning, when I’m tired of my playlists, or need a boost of motivation, or inspiration, or just some laughs. Sometimes I’ll even finish an episode that’s really grabbed me while I’m waiting for the kids at school pickup, or when I’m getting ready to go out. If I could wire my shower to maximize those extra few minutes, trust me, I would—there are so many awesome podcasts to check out!
I have dozens of podcasts I’ve subscribed to, spanning interests from parenting to entrepreneurship to creativity and mindfulness. But when it comes to everything mom, these are my go-to choices right now. Tune in for great tips, interesting conversations and some serious laughs!
Toronto’s own Cat & Nat win the award for Most Fun with their #MOMTRUTHS podcast. I can listen to these two gab all day. Though they’re new-ish to podcasting (their first episode launched about a year ago), they’ve been entertaining audiences for years with their hilarious YouTube videos, and Cat & Nat fans will love their podcast, too. The bonus of joining in now is that it will be pretty quick and easy to catch up on past episodes. I love listening in for their views on what it takes to run a business, though the conversation will just as easily segue from talk about sex to kids and anything else that comes to mind for these bold, ballsy hosts. I’m not an easy target but these ladies have made me LOL every episode; I cannot believe some of the things they’ll say and I love their open, honest sharing. You know you’re in no-holds-barred territory when they remind you that even JLo has to wipe her own bum. Note: Might not be the best choice if the littles are hanging around. Think of this as cocktail hour with the girls.
The Mom Confidential got me hooked with their episodes on So Your Child Wants to Act. (Oy vey, mine does.) They delivered the goods with expert advice from actors, agents and casting directors, who offered so many great insights and tips. (The only question they didn’t answer, that I’m still asking is, should you let your child act? I’m terrified of leading my child down the path to another Cory Monteith.) San Diego-based host Daniel Schaffer is fun to listen to and opens up about her own experiences. I also really enjoyed her interview with Chriselle Lim, who really needs to bring her Parc co-working for parents enterprise to Canada! (Like, five years ago, when it would have made a difference in my life.) The show covers fascinating topics like mompreneurship and features guests like Nikki Sixx. Juicy!
#3: Mom Brain
Hilaria Baldwin and Daphne Oz have a great podcast with Mom Brain that’s super fun to listen to. They have interesting guests like Cat & Nat and actress Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out. I love getting a behind-the-scenes peek at these celebrity moms and hearing about what life is like on their side of the world. (Not so different, surprisingly.) Where #MOMTRUTHS feels more like Happy Hour, this podcast is a nice, cozy catch-up over coffee with your besties. Albeit one where vaginal rejuvenation is a topic of conversation and celebs like Brooklyn Decker and Laura Prepon (OMG, love her!) make an appearance.
Hosted by Sportsnet anchor Evanka Osmak and CityNews’ Melanie Ng, Moms in the Middle is a Canadian podcast that covers everything from woman crushes and going back to work after having a baby to me time and oversharing on social media. I love the CanCon aspect of the show, with guests like Today’s Parent editor Kim Shiffman, Mabel’s Label’s co-founder Julie Cole and Workin’ Moms star Dani Kind. Lots to listen to!
#5: This Mom Loves
This Mom Loves is another Canadian podcast, with teacher, writer and mom Kate Winn talking about everything from business strategy to birthday parties. Guests include parenting expert Ann Douglas (a personal favourite of mine!), HGTV’s Jillian Harris and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. It’s a great, down-to-earth, informative show offering practical advice, and even book reviews and suggestions. (Shout out to Kate for convincing me to start abandoning books I’m not loving reading—life’s too short!)