Shows
Atomic MomsUnplug, Together with Tiffany Shlain, Internet PioneerWebby Awards founder and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain chats with host Ellie Knaus about how we can reboot our relationship with technology.Thank goodness for the internet. We crave connectivity in these isolating times - and I felt so lucky this month to be able to meet my best friend's baby over Zoom - but what connections are we missing when we're glued to our screens?In this conversation, we examine our own impulses when it comes to social media, newsfeeds, and online shopping, and we discuss what can be gained - in loving connections...
2020-10-2245 minAtomic MomsChelsea Clinton on Empowering the Next Generation and the "She Persisted" Children's Book SeriesChelsea Clinton, former first daughter, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation shares with me (Ellie Knaus) steps we can take to empower the next generation. On the podcast, she gives us a glimpse of her own family life with three young children and reveals a never before shared mother-daughter moment from her own childhood when she truly "persisted”.We also celebrate her new book SHE PERSISTED IN SPORTS: American Olympians Who Changed the Game, the third book in Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger’s #1 New York Times bestselling She Persisted picture book...
2020-09-2932 minAtomic MomsSocial Anxiety and Pandemic FOMO | Tammin Sursok, Roxy Manning: Women on Top Podcast#258 Tammin Sursok (award-winning actress, 1.3 M followers on Instagram) and veteran red carpet host Roxy Manning join me for this cheeky podcast pairing! Listen to our Atomic Moms conversation about social anxiety, pandemic FOMO, and parenting right now. And then head over to Tammin and Roxy's raucous podcast "Women on Top" to hear stuff I've never shared on Atomic Moms! (Oh, here come the vulnerability shivers!!!). I had so much fun laughing with these women. I hope you find our conversations a fun diversion from 2020. xx Ellie KnausShow Notes: Atomic Moms Official SiteAs always...
2020-08-121h 10Atomic MomsBest-Selling Novelist J. Courtney Sullivan and Becky Friedman (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood) on Mom Friends, Babysitters, and Moving AwayBest-selling novelist J. Courtney Sullivan, known for Commencement, Maine, The Engagements, and Saints For All Occasions, chats with host Ellie Knaus about Friends and Strangers (Knopf, June 30, 2020). Ellie loops in their mutual mom-friend, Emmy-nominated children's show writer Becky Friedman (or Daniel Tiger’s Becky as she’s known on the pod). We get a glimpse into Becky and Courtney’s pre-kid friendship in NY, and we share our personal experiences related to the novel’s themes, such as fertility, privilege, and the fuzzy boundaries found between lonely new moms and the caregivers who love their children so much. Also, don’t mi...
2020-07-0157 minAtomic MomsLet's Go There: Anti-Racism, The Pandemic, and Parenting Right Now (Video Podcast!)#256 - Don’t miss our first video podcast available at atomicmoms.com! Candace Trinchieri and Sophie Salvatore share their personal experiences during this critical turning point in American history. We check my white privilege, laugh about school Zoom calls gone wrong, and stress the importance of talking to our children about race in preschool.From sheltering-in-place for months on end to our collective grief over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and Ahmaud Arbery, we are facing a reckoning and a turning point as a country. There is so much for us to unpack fro...
2020-06-181h 23Atomic MomsWinning Shark Tank, Green Living, and Home Cleaning with Sarah Paiji Yoo, Blueland Founder + Toddler Mom#254 • Blueland CEO, co-founder Sarah Paiji Yoo speaks to us about green living, her deal-making moment on Shark Tank, and toddler parenting while running her company from her NYC apartment during the pandemic. We also share how her sustainability-driven company is changing how we clean our spaces and wash our hands. Blueland eliminates single-use plastic and all the dangerous clutter under my kitchen sink. With Blueland, I just drop the cleaning solution tablet into a Blueland “forever bottle”, add water, and voila! We’re cutting down on consumer costs, plastic waste, and carbon emissions. It's nice to have something to feel good abou...
2020-05-0545 minAtomic MomsPregnancy, Birth, and Mothering During Covid-19 | Mother.ly Diana Spalding, MSN, CNM#253 • Here's what you need to know when it comes to pregnancy, birth and Covid-19. Certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three, Diana Spalding talks us through these challenging times, including what expecting mothers need to know right now about their birthing plans (hospital, birthing center, or home birth). We always talk about how "It takes a village," so we also find out ways a mother can have a more connected experience after the baby arrives. Be sure to check out the first part of our series with Diana Spalding: "The Must-Have Mom Guide Right Now", available at atomicmoms.com...
2020-04-1733 minAtomic MomsThe Must-Have Mom Guide for Right Now | Mother.ly Diana Spalding, MSN, CNM#252 • Feeling isolated and claustrophobic? Our community is here to help. We're talking: boundary setting, the best way to say no to obligations when you're facing overwhelm, and how to find clarity when everything feels upside down. Certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three young children, Diana Spalding is the Digital Education Editor at Motherly and the founder of Gathered Birth, a motherhood wellness center in Media, PA., as well as the author of THE MOTHERLY GUIDE TO BECOMING MAMA: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey along with Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety out April 14, 2020.This is part on...
2020-04-1649 minAtomic MomsGlennon Doyle "Untamed" + Love in the Time of Coronavirus | #1 New York Times Bestselling Author#251 • Glennon Doyle shares how to love in the time of coronavirus. This mother of three and #1 New York Times bestselling author of LOVE WARRIOR, CARRY ON, WARRIOR, and UNTAMED (March 2020) speaks with host Ellie Knaus about mother issues, anxieties, honoring our boundaries, and feeling all the feelings while housebound.Moments after hopping off the phone with Glennon, we discovered my immunocompromised husband Adam has a 102 fever and is now in self-quarantine in our bedroom. I didn't realize it at the time, but this was exactly the conversation I needed to have in order to step bravely into this...
2020-03-2746 minAtomic MomsSocial Distancing, Extreme Family Time, and Final Moments of Freedom | Internet Mom Friends Sonni Abatta and Ellie Knaus#250 • Who else needs a girlfriend call right about now? It's Day #6 of our Sztykiel family quarantine. It’s just been me, my handsome, funny immunocompromised husband Adam, and our preschooler and kindergartner at home. Am I losing it? A little. Is my germophobia through the roof? Absolutely. But hey! Reporter turned social media rockstar, blogger, and mother of 3 Sonni Abatta asked me to share some calmness and positivity on her podcast 30 Something with Sonni Abatta. Did I do that? Not really. BUT we did have a great time commiserating over the insanity that has wreaked havoc on our family life...
2020-03-2058 minAtomic MomsEmbracing Sustainability in our Throwaway Culture | Zero Waste Expert Tara Button, BuyMeOnce.com#249 • How do we shop with a sustainable mindset? Cozy in for this comforting chat with British zero-waste expert Tara Button, a former advertising copywriter who couldn't stomach that she was selling people stuff they didn't actually need. She founded BUYMEONCE.com as a consumer guide for those of us who want to buy a quality item once and learn how to care for it. We discuss how to shop with a sustainable mindset, how to care for the things we already have, and her book A Life Less Throwaway: The Lost Art of Buying for Life (Ten Speed Press). Th...
2020-03-1750 minAtomic MomsBe More with Less | Courtney Carver, Minimalist Expert & Project 333 Founder#248 • Minimalist expert Courtney Carver (@bemorewithless), Project 333 capsule wardrobe founder, and mother with MS shares how reassessing our relationship to “stuff” can be a powerful first step towards newfound confidence and financial independence, as well as overall health and happiness. Sound too good to be true? I can’t wait for you to take a listen. xx Ellie Knaus Show Notes: https://www.atomicmoms.com/courtney-carver-project-333-be-more-with-less-atomic-moms-podcastAs always: subscribe, rate, and review! Your support for this independent pod never goes unnoticed!Subscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcast | Stitcher
2020-03-0338 minAtomic MomsUmm, Are My Kids Breaking Me? | Listener Q&A with Ellie and Adam#247 • Funny family update! Ellie Knaus and Adam Sztykiel share their attempts to keep the peace with their tyrannical two year-old, what it's like for Adam to parent with an autoimmune disease, the surprising redirection Ellie's life seems to be taking, and more. Plus, Ellie announces our new biweekly release schedule. Thank you listeners on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for all your great questions! xx Ellie KnausShow Notes Link and Official Atomic Moms Website As always: subscribe, rate, and review! Your support for this independent pod never goes unnot...
2020-02-2048 minAtomic MomsDemystifying Puberty and "Decoding Boys" | Cara Natterson, M.D., best-selling author#246 • Pediatrician and best-selling author of the American Girl series juggernaut The Care and Keeping of You, Dr. Cara Natterson joins us on Atomic Moms to demystify puberty and talk about her new book for parents Decoding Boys: The Subtle Art of Raising Sons. In this honest and informative conversation we discuss when to have "the talk" with our kids about their changing bodies, raising teens in the digital age (yes, we're talking about porn too), and how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster we can expect as our children reach adolescence.x Ellie Knaus
2020-02-121h 01Atomic MomsTrue Botanicals Hillary Peterson is Cleaning Up the Beauty Industry | Founder, CEO#245 • #CleanBeauty: True Botanicals CEO, founder, and mother of three HILLARY PETERSON joins us in studio for a heart-to-heart about raising a family while nurturing ambitions and the importance of educating ourselves about what dangers lurk in our skincare products.Shortly after becoming a mother of twins Hillary was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The experience awakened her passion for non-toxic living. Alarmed by the chemicals in leading skincare brands, she spent eight years researching a solution, which in turn became her award-winning, eco-friendly clean beauty line True Botanicals, embraced by Olivia Wilde, Laura Dern, and Zazie Beetz....
2020-02-0446 minAtomic MomsBritta Bushnell, PhD Returns | Transformed By Birth: Cultivating Openness, Resilience, and Strength for the Life Changing Journey from Pregnancy to Parenthood#244 • Dr. Britta Bushnell is BACK, this time sharing her new book: Transformed By Birth: Cultivating Openness, Strength, and Resilience for the Life-Changing Journey from Pregnancy to Parenthood (Sounds True, January 28, 2020). She shares the profound opportunity for transformation that comes with motherhood. We crack open cultural birthing expectations and how they are getting us stuck. I catch myself in a moment of ‘mom judgment’ and, together, we unravel what’s really behind it. Britta also offers healing tools for mothers who have experienced trauma. And we talk about how we can effectively ask partners for what we need and not alienate...
2020-01-281h 02Atomic MomsSundance 2020: Filmmakers Bridget Moloney + Claire Coffee on Making Art Out of Motherhood#243 • Actress Claire Coffee (Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector) and director Bridget Moloney share their excitement in premiering their short film BLOCKS -- an existential comedy about the mother of two young children who begins to spontaneously vomit plastic toy blocks -- at The Sundance Film Festival.I find out what they're planning to wear to Park City, Claire's foolproof cocktail of choice, their altitude-proof skincare regimen, and what their lodging situation is like (bunk beds, perhaps?).This is the story of two mom-friends who were creatively frustrated and feeling rejected, who decided to fi...
2020-01-2341 minAtomic MomsHow to Interrupt Your ANXIETY and Finally Calm Down with Dr. Kathleen Smith | “Everything Isn’t Terrible”#242 • Do you live with anxiety? If so, how does it show up in your relationships? For example, are you over-involved with your extended family, or do you make up excuses to avoid them?We all have our tricks for managing anxiety. (Mine is procrastination). And psychologist Dr. Kathleen Smith, author of Everything Isn't Terrible: Conquer Your Insecurities, Interrupt Your Anxiety, and Finally Calm Down (Hachette Books, Dec 2019), encourages us to curiously examine our anxiety and our efforts to squelch it. Many of us try to control other people, myself included. "Because when we feel anxious, we often tr...
2020-01-1640 minAtomic Moms"The Whole-Brain Child" and "The Power of Showing Up" | Best-Selling Author Dr. Tina Payne Bryson#241 • 2x best-selling author Dr. Tina Payne Bryson discusses how we can show up for our kids even when they’re making it really hard for us, how we can stay regulated when sh*t hits the fan, how we can gage if we have a ‘secure attachment’ (and why that matters), and what to do when you find yourself in a pressure cooker situation and parenting for an audience.We use Dr. Bryson’s latest book, co-authored with Dan Siegel: The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired...
2020-01-0849 minAtomic MomsIn the Kitchen with Catherine McCord @Weelicous#240 • From fashion show runways to celebrity kitchens, Catherine McCord feels right at home. In celebration of Catherine’s third cookbook The Smoothie Project, debuting December 17, 2019 and already the #1 New Release in Cooking for Kids on Amazon, we cover everything from how she transitioned from Glamour cover model to culinary chef, and how McCord built her company Weelicious after becoming a mother. We myth bust all my smoothie hang ups, like: “What about all the sugar?” and discuss the health benefits for our children. And you won’t want to miss her parenting suggestion for how to shut down that “…but I’m still...
2019-12-1843 minAtomic MomsKate Northrup | Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time and Energy Management for Busy Moms#239 • Best-selling author Kate Northrup joins Ellie on Atomic Moms to discuss time management for busy moms, how exactly we’re supposed to “do less”, how to break through newborn-land isolation, why tracking our menstrual cycle can increase productivity, and how to ask for help when your family's health is falling apart. As an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and mother, Kate Northrup has built a multimedia digital empire that reaches hundreds of thousands globally and speaks to us about her second book Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time Management for Busy Moms.Kate invites us all to “do le...
2019-12-1135 minAtomic MomsMomboss Medley: The Three Founders of Lovevery, State Bags, Aden + Anais#237 -Listening to entrepreneur podcasts like How I Built This, I can’t help but want to dig deeper into the guest’s personal lives. I want to ask crazy questions like: When building an empire, does your husband ever feel needy or jealous of your success? Or did your withholding mother drive you to prove yourself to the world? What kind of snacks do you keep at the office? You know, questions people don’t typically ask unless they’re your close girlfriend. And while I don’t know these wildly successful founders personally, Atomic Moms podcast felt like the perfec...
2019-11-2148 minAtomic MomsHow to Raise a Boy in 2019 |Michael C. Reichert, Ph.D.#235 - MICHAEL C. REICHERT, Ph.D., clinical practitioner and founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys' and Girls' Lives at the University of Pennsylvania shares transformational insights from his extensive studies and his book How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Raise Good Men (TarcherPerigee, April 2019). We discuss discipline and the single most important factor that shapes how a boy learns. This is a conversation every educator and parent will want to hear. You may have first heard this episode in April 2019. It's worth a revisit!xx Ellie Knaus...
2019-11-1352 minAtomic MomsThe Fifth Trimester: A Working Mom's Guide | Lauren Smith Brody & Kate Bolduan#235 - CNN host Kate Bolduan and former Glamour executive editor Lauren Smith Brody give tips for heading back to work after having kids.Just back from maternity leave, Kate Bolduan gives us three momhacks for transitioning back to work. And Fifth Trimester founder Lauren Smith Brody shares lessons from her fun, comforting, and informative book: The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom’s Guide to Style, Sanity, and Success After Baby. We talk about changing workplace culture, the gender pay gap as it relates to mamas, how to ask for flex time, signs of postpartum mood disorder, and wh...
2019-11-0752 minAtomic MomsFamily House Call | Flu Shot Rebellion, The 'Microdate', and The Silent Soccer Game#234 - Join Adam and me on our experimental 'microdate', the latest trend in staying connected after kids. In this episode, Coach Adam discusses what to do when your kid's soccer team loses every single game, and Ellie takes a premature super mom victory lap for organizing a flu shot house call for the whole family using a popular medical app. We report back after it goes horribly, insanely, outrageously awry.You should definitely not take ANY advice from us. Enjoy!Ellie Knaus and Adam Sztykiel• As always: subscribe, rate, and re...
2019-10-3025 minAtomic MomsActress Malin Akerman, Dr. Marika Lindholm | The Solo Mom: Redefining Single Motherhood, Plus Support#232 - Actress Malin Akerman (Watchmen, Couples Retreat, Billions) and Dr. Marika Lindholm (ESME.com founder) share their personal experiences as single mothers and ways in which we can support the 15 million single parent caregivers in America, including, but not limited to military moms, single moms, divorced moms, and widowed moms.Our first guest Malin Akerman speaks to the challenges, lessons, and wins during her first year of motherhood that coincided with her divorce and shares the way she introduced co-parenting to the equation with her husband Jack Donnelly, whom she married last year.And sociologist...
2019-10-1656 minAtomic MomsThe Mother's Transformative Journey + How to Strengthen Your Marriage | Britta Bushnell, PhD#231 - This week on Atomic Moms we're highlighting two previously aired conversations with one of our most beloved guests: Britta Bushnell PhD with “The Mother’s Journey” and “How to Strengthen Your Marriage After Children”.In this raw and real conversation, Britta and Ellie discuss the challenges of emotional intimacy in marriage after kids and the ways in which we can learn to reconnect as a couple post-children. We also dive deep into mythology, motherhood, and the identity shift we experience as mamas. Dr. Britta brings healing light to the unique challenges and shifts we experience as mamas and...
2019-10-091h 32Atomic MomsBeautycon: GloZell Green, Queen of Youtube (5M followers) + Sonni Abatta on All Things BeautyWith nearly 5 million Youtube followers and credits including Trolls and Wreck It Ralph 2, The Queen of Youtube GloZell Green has done it all, including a sit down interview with President Barack Obama at The White House. In this live episode in front of an audience of diehard GloZell fans, we discuss everything from screen-time (how does a Youtube star manage to get an iPad away from her toddler?) to the harsh realities of becoming a first-time mother at forty-four. We dispel the myth of the "overnight sensation" and share her secrets to longevity as a content creator. S...
2019-10-0357 minAtomic MomsDan Kois "How to Be a Family" | A Global Parenting Expedition#229 - Quick! Find your passport! DAN KOIS, Slate editor, founding host of the podcast Mom and Dad Are Fighting, and contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine, joins us on Atomic Moms to chat about the truly insane year his family spent traveling the world, hilariously captured in his new book: HOW TO BE A FAMILY: THE YEAR I DRAGGED MY KIDS AROUND THE WORLD TO FIND A NEW WAY TO BE TOGETHER (Little, Brown; Publication Date: 9/17/19). We find out what it's like packing up your family and spending three months living in four vastly different locales: New Zealand...
2019-09-2546 minAtomic Moms"When the Kids Get Sick" Survival Guide | Becky Friedman, Nikki DeLoach, Caissie Levy#228 - New! How do you make it through the week when - surprise - the kids get sick? Quarantined in her podcast studio, Ellie Knaus sends out the mom-bat signal to returning beloved guests: Emmy-winner Becky Friedman (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood) and actress Nikki DeLoach. We break down: favorite hand sanitizers, back up babysitters, the social anxiety of having the kid with the cough, and what these mothers do to reboot before heading to work after all night up with the kids. We've all heard the show must go on, but Ellie also shares a truly incredible moment from her...
2019-09-1858 minAtomic MomsApocalyptic Anxiety, Plus Making New Mom Friends | Claire Coffee, Bridget Moloney, Ellie Knaus#227 - Decade-long friends Claire Coffee (actor), Bridget Moloney (director/actor), and Ellie Knaus compare notes on their apocalyptic anxieties, commiserate over the awkwardness of making "back-to-school" mom friends, and play a round of "I'm So Jealous!" The returning bi-coastal mom squad also discuss their post-bedtime reading and watching rituals (hello, HBO's Succession), acknowledge the trickier parts of parenting, and get the New York private school admissions lowdown.And check out this month’s sponsor: FETCH REWARDS (remember promo code: ATOMIC) for the easiest way to save money on groceries! Xx Ellie KnausListen No...
2019-09-111h 05Atomic MomsThe Motherhood Mind Game | A Pep Talk with NYT bestselling author Leslie Anne Bruce#226 - A five-time New York Times bestselling co-author, returning Atomic Moms guest, and Lauren Conrad's frequent collaborator/b.f.f., LESLIE ANNE BRUCE joins us in our podcast studio to discuss the MIND GAME that is early motherhood and her new book You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom: So Embrace the Chaos, Get Over the Guilt, and Be True to You (September - Hachette Book Group). We discuss why Newborn-land is so treacherous for Type A overachievers. We share our birth experiences and the post-baby marriage fireworks (not the pretty kind). And we compare notes on how we...
2019-09-0449 minAtomic MomsMastering Back-to-School: Teacher Jennifer Hunt + Dr. Natasha Beck (@Dr.OrganicMommy)#225 - Dr. Natasha Beck, equipped with a doctorate in clinical pediatric neuropsychology, and teacher Jennifer Hunt, a second generation early childhood educator, help us tackle the home and classroom fronts in order to give our listeners the tools we need to crush this school year!First, I have Dr. Natasha Beck walk me through “the systems” she has in place for her own young family and what a non-chaotic day could look like at our house if we make some simple but deliberate changes in our routine. We tackle everything from getting to school on time, to mast...
2019-08-2857 minAtomic MomsWho's Watching Us? | Claire Coffee + Bridget Moloney-SinclairBFF’s actress Claire Coffee, director Bridget Moloney-Sinclair, and host Ellie Knaus warm up to summer with travel talk and "family gap year" dreams and bring levity to the bone-chilling subject of privacy in 2019.In this conversation, we address nanny cams, security cams, data collection, and if there’s any point in trying to protect their children’s faces on social media. Claire discusses her parenting theory regarding “specialness”. And Bridget introduces the listener question from Ann Shrake and Vivian Lee:“If you could take your family anywhere in the world for a year, where would you go...
2019-06-2653 minAtomic MomsOne Bad Mother Host Theresa Thorn on Career Shifts and Gender ExplorationTheresa Thorn, host of the beloved “One Bad Mother” comedy podcast and mom of 3, joins us to celebrate her glorious new children’s book It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity, illustrated by Noah Grigni.In this episode, Ellie geeks out over how Theresa has co-hosted over 300 episodes of One Bad Mother, how she keeps the love alive with her high-school sweetheart turned husband, American Public Radio show host and Maximum Fun founder Jesse Thorn, and all that she has learned exploring gender with her children, including her daughter who identifies as transgender and he...
2019-06-1933 minAtomic MomsSchool's Out! Plus Dad's in the Hot Seat | Adam Sztykiel + Ellie KnausHappy Father’s Day! In this family check in, we discuss our tactics for entertaining our kids over summer break, and we catch up with my husband with the impossible last name.Interrupting our conversational flow, graduating preschooler Sabrina puts Adam in the hot seat and asks questions better than her mother.And because it's the end of another school year, and we’re all grappling with the wacky passage of time thing, I recount an awkward dad moment at the neighborhood park when my kid-free past collided with a very sniffly present moment. xx Elli...
2019-06-1230 minAtomic MomsThe Sunscreen Controversy + Gut Health for Beautiful Skin | Dr. Whitney Bowe, Dermatologist, Research Scientist#221 - Did you see the FDA's recent sunscreen announcement? Not only are sunscreen chemicals absorbed into our blood, but it remains unclear whether 12 ingredients currently used in sunscreens are safe! We need to protect ourselves and our kids from skin cancer, but what’s a parent to do?Well, of course, Ellie calls the best in skincare to find out. Dr. Whitney Bowe, research scientist, dermatologist, and mom, shares her thoughts on Atomic Moms about this latest sunscreen controversy, and how we can best protect our health.And then, we riff on the microbiome, the gut...
2019-06-0549 minAtomic MomsParenting Without Ego | Dr. Shefali Tsabary, clinical psychologist, NYT bestselling author#220 - New intro/ interview aired May 31, 2016. With the recent College Admissions Scandal, this Atomic Moms replay couldn’t be more timely. Conscious parenting trailblazer and 2x Atomic Moms guest Dr. Shefali Tsabary returns to talk about ego, boundaries, and all the psychological sticky stuff that comes with parenting. Her New York Times bestseller The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering our Children , The Awakened Family: A Revolution in Parenting, and her appearance on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday has changed the conversation from how can we fix our kids to how can we heal ourselves. As Oprah Winfrey declared at a live e...
2019-05-3037 minAtomic MomsHollywood Director Julia Hart on Filmmaking, Confidence, and Motherhood#219 - Julia Hart shares her personal odyssey from HS English teacher to screenwriter and feature film director. Rachel Brosnahan, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and David Strathairn are just a few of the respected actors bringing her stories to life. In this in-studio conversation, Julia reveals how becoming a mother empowered her to step into the role of director and how motherhood influences the stories she tells. And Ellie shares an empowering matrilineal secret found in her grandmother’s locket. Also, we also discuss the importance of owning our stories as well as the sensitivities necessary in writing a character of another ra...
2019-05-2251 minAtomic MomsJordan Reid of Ramshackle Glam Returns | Our Tell-All Conversation: Anxiety, Divorce, + Falling on Our Faces#218: Blogger phenom Jordan Reid of RamshackleGlam.com returns for our tell-all conversation on anxiety, divorce, falling on our faces, and her new project: The Big Activity Book For Anxious People (Penguin Random House, May 2019) co-created with illustrator Erin Williams, which is currently #1 in Art Therapy and Relaxation on Amazon. We’re talking: perfectionistic tendencies, anxiety attacks, massive life transitions, and her new single mom life. OH, and we swap tales of hitting our absolute most humiliating rock bottoms before we became “recovering actors” in L.A. Schadenfreude for all! Love, Ellie KnausP.S. Retail therapy is now ava...
2019-05-1555 minAtomic Moms$100M "Aden + Anais" Baby Swaddle Co. Founder + Mom of 4: Raegan Moya-Jones on "What It Takes" and What She's Learned Getting There#217: We're talking to the creative entrepreneur who put baby swaddle blankets on the map and, ahem, in Prince George’s 'coming home from the hospital' photos! Australian mother of four RAEGAN MOYA-JONES shares with Atomic Moms what she learned building a $100 million company Aden + Anais from her kitchen table while raising four daughters. In this friendly and vulnerable conversation, we learn what Moya-Jones’s difficult relationship with her mother taught her about parenting and how she shared the invisible labor on the home front with her spouse. We also get this ultimate #momboss’s #1 hiring tip, what mother entrepreneurs need t...
2019-05-0839 minAtomic MomsThere's a Toddler in My Art Studio| Finding Space with Madeline Donahue, Painter and Sculptor#215: Brooklyn-based painter and sculptor MADELINE DONAHUE uses her work to celebrate the postpartum body and explore the overwhelming physical intimacy of early motherhood. In our conversation, this extraordinary artist and funny, dear friend shares how she carves out time and space to create, how she juggles her responsibilities as an artist and mother, and what it’s like to raise a kid with the boy she met when they were 12! Sign up for our newsletter at atomicmoms.com so you can be the first to know about our atomic moms x madeline donahue limited edition t-shirt collaboration! xx Ellie Kna...
2019-04-2445 minAtomic MomsHow to Raise a Boy in 2019 | Michael C. Reichert, Ph.D.In this thought-provoking conversation, MICHAEL C. REICHERT, Ph.D., clinical practitioner and founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys' and Girls' Lives at the University of Pennsylvania shares transformational insights from his extensive studies and his book How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Raise Good Men (TarcherPerigee, April 2019). We discuss discipline and the single most important factor that shapes how a boy learns. This is a conversation every educator and parent will want to hear. Listen up! xx Ellie KnausSubscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcasts | StitcherJoin ...
2019-04-1151 minAtomic MomsThe College Admissions Scandal: Parenting Lessons from the Fallout | Robin Berman, MD#213: The Operation Varsity Blues bribery scheme, you guys! Last week Lori Loughlin, Aunt Becky on Full House, was arrested and released on one million dollar bail. Thirty-three parents have been indicted so far, and when the news of the bribery scheme broke, the US attorney for the district of Massachusetts made it clear who was responsible, saying, “The parents are the prime movers of this fraud.”What motivates some parents to risk everything to get their kids into elite colleges? What can we all learn as parents from this terrible mess?Our esteemed guest Dr. Robi...
2019-03-2032 minAtomic MomsPrevent Child Sexual Abuse. HERE'S HOW. | Expert Pattie Fitzgerald (New Intro)#212: In the fall out of the Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland, child safety expert Pattie Fitzgerald shares how to prevent child sexual abuse. Because it’s not just happening behind closed doors at fancy estates, it’s happening in church communities, family reunions, and even doctors offices. Last year (March 2018), we recorded a conversation with an audience of parents. We’re sharing that along with a brand new statement from Fitzgerald regarding the Michael Jackson allegations.x Ellie KnausSubscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcasts | StitcherJoin our Instagram, Facebook, and private community.
2019-03-131h 27Atomic MomsThe Longest Shortest Time Hillary Frank on Weird Parenting WinsBefore you were a mom, did you think you'd be a good one? In this in-studio conversation with Hillary Frank, creator of the award-winning podcast The Longest Shortest Time, contributor to This American Life, and author of WEIRD PARENTING WINS: Bathtub Dining, Family Screams, and Other Hacks from the Parenting Trenches, we swap babysitting stories from our youth, where we find creative inspiration, and how we create work-family boundaries. We share our favorite weird parenting wins and our latest parenting challenges with our extroverted daughters. We also discuss Frank's recent, wildly popular The New York Times opinion piece "The S...
2019-03-0643 minAtomic MomsExistential Anxiety and Target | Claire Coffee, Bridget Moloney, Ellie Knaus#210 Claire Coffee (six seasons of NBC's GRIMM) and Bridget Moloney (AFI Directing Workshop for Women) are back to discuss mom anxiety! We're sharing our most neurotic fears, questionable spending habits, and how to kick digital addiction. Join us! xx Ellie KnausSubscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcasts | StitcherJoin our Instagram, Facebook, and private community.Show Notes, Links, and More: AtomicMoms.com Please support Atomic Moms, a self-funded project, by leaving a written review here and by sharing this podcast on your social media and Facebook mom groups. Thanks so much!...
2019-02-2755 minAtomic Moms"Marriage After Kids" Field Guide: Expert Advice + Honest TalkMarriage after kids is frigging hard! Luckily, Atomic Moms guests have given earth-shattering insights into relationships after kids. We're sharing six of our favorite relationship advice moments from experts and mothers in the thick of it. Featuring conversations with Dr. Laura Berman, Britta Bushnell, Emily Price, Nathalie Savell, Karisa Bruin, and Bridget Moloney-Sinclair, we're talking sex, blended family boundaries, and what drives us nuts. Listen up! x Ellie KnausSubscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcasts | StitcherJoin our Instagram, Facebook, and private community.Show Notes, Links, and More: AtomicMoms.com Please supp...
2019-02-2031 minAtomic Moms@AtomicMoms Mailroom | 'Relationships' Q and A with Ellie Knaus + Adam SztykielWhoohoo! Our marriage survived this podcast recording! Adam is back as my wingman in this fun and cozy Valentine’s ‘Listener Q and A' edition of Atomic Moms. The critic in my head wants to say, “What makes you worthy of giving relationship advice?” Welp. We aint perfect but we’re still married after 12 years and two kids, which in Hollywood is nothing to sneeze at. Take our advice with a grain of Himalayan salt, but keep us company on our date night in the garage. Special thanks to #atomicmamas Missy, Kelsey, Michelle, Angela, and all of our listeners who submitted...
2019-02-1342 minAtomic MomsThe Worst Parenting Tips in History (You're Doing Great!) | Jennifer Traig, ACT NATURAL: A Cultural History of Misadventures in ParentingWe could be so much worse at this parenting thing! Modern parents are making themselves crazy trying to do everything right, and it's time we give ourselves a break. I've enlisted the help of JENNIFER TRAIG, author of ACT NATURAL: A Cultural History of Misadventures in Parenting (January 8, 2019), to give us some historical perspective on this raising kids gig. In our "How Not To" parent conversation, we discuss Traig's hilarious research findings detailing the worst choices parents have made throughout history, her own family's genius "Bad Choices Day", and the perks of sibling rivalry. Listen up! Ellie Knaus
2019-02-0629 minAtomic MomsStory Pirates | Lee Overtree, Co-Conspirator in Bringing Kids' Ideas to Life!#206 Story Pirates artistic director LEE OVERTREE chats with Atomic Moms podcast about all things STORY PIRATES, including elementary school creative writing workshops in underserved communities, performances across the country, two young adult books, and an award-winning music album. The New York Times raves, "Whether you're a pirate, a parent, or an elementary school student, the results are theatrical treasure." It's also the crazy popular family friendly podcast we have playing in our car at all times, about a bunch of story pirates who take children’s stories and turn them into sketch comedy or musical performances.On At...
2019-02-0140 minAtomic MomsHow She Does It | STATE bags co-founder + creative director Jacq Tatelman#205: Our chat with Jacq Tatelman is more energizing than a full night's rest, not that we'd remember what that's like. This Brooklyn-based social impact entrepreneur and mom of two is co-founder and creative director of the wildly popular STATE bags and the co-creator of the non-profit foundation Country Roads Foundation, est. in 2009. Her brain-child STATE bags has donated hundreds of thousands of backpacks to kids in need in the United States through their buy-one, give-one model. It also happens to be the bag I carry with me, and share with my 18 month-old Eliza, every single day.In...
2019-01-2331 minAtomic MomsI'm So Jealous | Claire Coffee + Bridget Moloney-SinclairKicking off 2019, longtime pals actor Claire Coffee and director Bridget Moloney-Sinclair discuss everything from Bridget’s naughty book picks to Claire's tips for getting as much work done as humanely possible during school hours. I chronicle my all-time favorite “parenting comedown” story involving bathtub puke and the Academy Awards, share how my long-time dry cleaner verbally attacked me (which would be straight out of a Seinfeld episode if it hadn't been so scary), and admit I ordered an outdoor play system without thinking it through (How are they SO expensive? I'm embarrassed I spent so much). And after weeks of no...
2019-01-161h 11Atomic MomsThe Empathy Effect: Neuroscience-Based Keys to Connection | Dr. Helen Riess, Harvard Medical SchoolDr. Helen Riess, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, speaks with Ellie Knaus about her new book The Empathy Effect: Seven Neuroscience-Based Keys for Transforming the Way We Live, Love, Work, and Connect Across Differences. We discuss the straightforward steps Dr. Riess uses to teach empathy and what up to date scientific research reveals about empathy. In a Legally Blonde inspired moment, Ellie pitches her own empathy-related research study idea and is expecting a call from Harvard any minute now. In the meantime, Dr. Riess suggests how empathy can diffuse stressful situations and decrease caregiver burn...
2018-12-1935 minAtomic MomsDisney's Frozen on Broadway Star Caissie Levy Teaches Us How to Let It Go#202: Broadway star CAISSIE LEVY (RENT, WICKED, HAIRSPRAY) is now originating the role of Queen Elsa in the stage adaptation of the Disney juggernaut FROZEN. She chats with me about what it’s like playing Elsa in this historical year for women, the ways she helps her rambunctious two and a half year-old burn off steam in the city, and the secret as to why Let It Go resonates with so many people from all walks of life. We also talk about how ambition and professional high standards can seem at odds with raising children and how she manages to st...
2018-12-1231 minAtomic MomsMike Birbiglia: "The New One" on Broadway| Hilarious, Reluctant Father of the First Year#201: Comedian, director, and bestselling author MIKE BIRBIGLIA chats with host Ellie Knaus about his reluctance in becoming a father and his hilarious and moving solo show "The New One", a New York Times Critics' Pick, currently running on Broadway at the Cort Theater. Listen up! x EllieSubscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcasts | StitcherShow Notes: AtomicMoms.ComJoin our Instagram, Facebook, and private community.Special thanks to Ed and Whit for the introduction - and for watching our preschooler so I could go to the hospital and have our “new on...
2018-12-0533 minAtomic Moms#200: Our Family Life is a Sitcom. Seriously! (Plus the Piñata Story) |Ellie Knaus + Adam SztykielI couldn't be more excited to share that we're in the thick of writing a multi-camera sitcom for ABC inspired by our family and the pod. In this episode, my husband, screenwriter Adam Sztykiel and I discuss what it's like working together as a writing team and take a moment to celebrate Atomic Moms' double century episode by sharing secrets to the podcast's longevity.Stick through the sweet reflective moments about how inspiring you, atomic moms listeners, are, because it gets super salty when we share our latest (and maybe greatest) parenting failure. You'll never EVER look...
2018-11-2830 minAtomic MomsJamie-Lynn Sigler on Mom Confidence, Sopranos Family Lessons, + Finding Strength through Chronic Illness#199 Jamie-Lynn Sigler, boy mom of 2, and best known as Meadow in HBO’s The Sopranos, joins me in studio for a candid conversation that will stick with you. Jamie shares parenting lessons from her onscreen father, the beloved James Gandolfini, her favorite memories as Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, and what it’s like being married to a much younger gentleman. She offers a candid perspective on parenting as a mother trying to keep up with two young boys while also battling relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. She is truly a goddess onscreen and off with the biggest hear...
2018-11-1451 minAtomic MomsDeclutter Your Mind + Take Back Your Life | Bullet Journal Creator Ryder CarrollA global phenomenon, the #bulletjournal has +2.5 million Instagram mentions. On Atomic Moms podcast, we're talking with #buju mastermind RYDER CARROLL about how we can use a blank notebook and a pen to get organized, increase productivity, and live intentionally. This digital product designer created the bullet journal as a way to cope with his ADHD and the method has since taken the millennial world by storm. Self-proclaimed productivity nerd and minimalist, stay-at-home mom Becca McHugh co-captains this episode with me, and we get a little teary-eyed sharing an example of how one mother's bullet journaling literally saved her preschooler's...
2018-10-2347 minAtomic MomsHow to Keep the Love (and the Kids) Alive! | Karisa Bruin, comedy writer, director, actorWhat starts as a relaxed tête-à-tête between old friends reminiscing about theater conservatory and miniature boobs evolves into a super honest conversation about the effects of our own mother’s parenting styles, pro tips from couple’s therapy, and what we’d perhaps do differently as 'creative moms' if we got another shot at caring for newborns. Meet Karisa Bruin, you'll be fast mom-friends. x Ellie KnausSubscribe on iTunes.com/AtomicMomsFind us on social media: Instagram: @atomicmoms, Twitter: @atomicmoms, and Facebook: “atomic moms podcast”Check out our @atomicmoms Instagram Giveaway...
2018-09-2051 minAtomic MomsParenting Lessons from Neurodiverse Kids | Debbie Reber, TiLT Parenting, NYT bestselling author#190 What are the invaluable lessons neurologically atypical children teach us as parents and as a society? One in five kids is "differently wired". Debbie Reber, New York Times bestselling author and Tilt Parenting founder, shares her personal motherhood journey and inspiring life tools for all of us from her new book: "Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World." We're talking: behavioral challenges, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, accepting "what is", the education system, mom shame, and the homeschool leap. If you enjoyed our episodes with Martha Beck and Dr. Shefali Tsabary, you'll love getting to know Debbie...
2018-09-0529 minAtomic MomsHow to Be a Happier Parent | KJ Dell'Antonia, The New York TimesKJ Dell’Antonia, mother of four and hockey mom extraordinaire, chats with us from New Hampshire about all the things she learned writing her new book “How to Be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute” (August 21, 2018: pre-order now). I’ve admired this week’s guest for a long time. I would often share her New York Times Motherlode blogs on our #naptimereads. We’re breaking down some of the parenting “challenge spots” (her phrase, mine would be "moments that make me want to laugh-cry"), including chores, discipline, screen time, and getting ready in the morni...
2018-08-1441 minAtomic MomsParenting Struggles Solved: Julie Wright + Heather Turgeon on Bedtime, Tantrums, and Friendship/Sibling DramaWe're tackling whining, tantrums, baby hair pulling, playdate drama, and middle of the night wake ups with parenting experts/psychotherapists Heather Turgeon, MFT and Julie Wright, MFT. Host Ellie Knaus offers funny and frustrating scenarios from family life and our guests share their 3 step approach to effective communication from Now Say This: The Right Words to Solve Any Parenting Dilemma (May 2018) and a sleep trick from The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to helping Your Baby Get a Good Night’s Sleep - Newborn to School Age. Listen up! xx Ellie KnausThank you to our Sponsor: Ka...
2018-06-1342 minAtomic MomsHow to Protect Our Children from Sexual Abuse (Live in L.A.) Pattie Fitzgerald, safety expertIn our first Atomic Moms Live, child safety educator Pattie Fitzgerald teaches us how to empower our children and prevent them from becoming victims of sexual abuse. After all, the "tricky person" (potential predator) is nearly always someone the family knows. We learn: how to teach our children: "you are the boss of your body", why "stranger danger" is ineffective, the ways in which predators groom our children (like "accidental" touching games), how to keep your child safe from "cousin creepy", the family code word - when to use it and what to do, and sleepovers - the ones t...
2018-03-271h 21Atomic MomsRachel Blanchard on Standing Your Ground & Always Finding the UpsideAfter a forced evacuation from the raging California fires, film and television actress (and dynamite human being) Rachel Blanchard, her composer hubby Jeremy, and their baby girl Maxine spent the week with us at Chez Sztykiel! It was a terrible situation, but we were so grateful to get to have the time with them. In this hilarious mom-friend episode, we're talking: calm walks turned stressful stroller fits, dixie cups full of wine, babies falling off beds, husbands with solitary jobs (screenwriter vs composer), baby raising while working on set, co-sleeping, crib mishaps, moving houses, children's privacy, social media free...
2018-01-081h 10Atomic MomsCut the Crap and Get Organized in 2018 | Robyn Reynolds, Hollywood's Professional OrganizerHappy New Year! We're back with brand new content next week, but while I recover from some sort of holiday season plague, here's one of our favorites from May 2017. Certified organizer Robyn Reynolds swears we can organize ANYTHING that’s worth keeping and bring harmony into our homes. This single mom with a can-do spirit and no-nonsense attitude whips Ellie’s haphazard “put away” habits into shape.She teaches us how to streamline our kitchen in order to turn our morning routines into a well-caffeinated machine.She walks us through the process of getting our closets u...
2018-01-0347 min
Atomic MomsWho's Got Anxiety? | Emily Price, LCSW, SEPOriginally released 1/24/17. How do we handle the transitions we experience as mothers without losing our minds and keeping our sense of humor? In podcast #114, mom-in-chief Ellie Knaus interviews psychotherapist and favorite relative EMILY PRICE about how to handle big change and all the anxiety that comes along with it. Emily gives us grounding techniques that can keep us from freaking out no matter what life throws at us: whether that be an unexpected pregnancy (or expected), moving, switching jobs, or family loss. We also call B.S. on our “get over it” culture and share what to do instead. But...
2017-11-2200 minAtomic MomsOrganized Chaos with Claire Coffee#149 Get out the wine and the last of the Halloween candy! I’ve been leaning heavy on the experts as of late, and it was about damn time we had an unfiltered mom podcast full of laughter, commiseration, and perfectionism undone. TV star Claire Coffee played Adalind on NBC’s supernatural show GRIMM for six seasons. She, along with her musician husband Chris Thile (Yo Yo Ma told him where to get the engagement ring), and their son 2.5 year-old Calvin, rocked out at our home between A Prairie Home Companion with Chris Thile west coast shows. We talk about the s...
2017-11-0757 minAtomic MomsThe Financially Independent Mama | Emma Johnson, Business Journalist#148 In this no holds barred Atomic Moms parenting podcast, award-winning business and personal finance journalist Emma Johnson talks cents to Ellie Knaus about what money means in our relationships, where we should focus our savings, what holds us back from going big in our careers, and why we owe it to our kids to go for it! Ellie speaks honestly about her money-making hang ups. And Johnson, a champion for solo moms everywhere, alleviates listener working mom guilt, shares how she carves out guilt free me-time, and discusses the “the sandwich generation” stress when you find yourself suddenly the prima...
2017-10-3141 minAtomic MomsDr. Shefali Tsabary | Oprah's Favorite Parenting CoachIt's a zoo at the Sztykiels. This up all night with the infant thing while trying to stay semi-sane for the other kid is for the birds. (Fun updates on Instagram!) Time to enjoy an Atomic Moms classic (5/31/16). In my second interview with conscious parenting trailblazer Dr. Shefali Tsabary, we share insights from her second New York Times bestseller "The Awakened Family: A Revolution in Parenting". This exclusive interview is for anyone who wonders why her kid can drive her crazy…for anyone hungry for external validation…for anyone wishy washy with her parental boundaries. Honestly, it’s a conver...
2017-09-1236 minAtomic MomsBorn Wild: Our 4 Hour Birth Story| Ellie Knaus & Adam SztykielMeet the brand new love of our lives: Eliza Sztykiel (8 lbs, 8 oz, 21 inches long)! In this 'mom'umental episode, Ellie Knaus (hi!) and Adam Sztykiel share the highlights of our second daughter’s beautiful, hilarious, and wild unmedicated hospital birth, including audio footage Adam secretly and lovingly taped (best push present for a podcasting mom ever!) Special thanks to our birthing dream team: our mama bear doula Carmen, sunny OBGYN Dr. Susan Morrison, and all the fabulous nurses at Cedar Sinai hospital. To all you Atomic Mamas, thank you all for keeping us company on this 40 week pregnancy journey.S...
2017-08-1527 minAtomic MomsBaby Waiting Game | Ellie Knaus + Adam SztykielWe could meet this baby any moment folks! My modified bed rest restrictions have been lifted and she’s welcome to join us anytime. The acid reflux situation is real (as you’ll hear in my voice on the show) and so is nesting at our new home. Literally. You will not believe what is oozing out of our walls. I’m serious. In this relaxed and fun episode, I grill my birth partner about whether he’s ready to be my pushing wingman again. And I ask him what he plans to do differently in raising Baby Girl #2...
2017-07-1144 minAtomic MomsCh-Ch-Changes! Ellie & Adam on Moving, Bed Rest, & Third TrimesterIn this madcap family huddle, comedy screenwriter Adam Sztykiel (aka “Sabrina’s favorite”) and host Ellie Knaus catch a breath from packing up the house and make light of the insanity that seems to be knocking on their door. Ellie replays a couple Friday nights ago when she suspected another woman of checking out her husband. (And it wasn't weird at all that Ellie wasn't wearing panties at the time.) Adam, who swears he just has a really high tolerance before feeling things, shares other recent events that made “water come out of my face." And the couple kicks off Ellie’s...
2017-05-0225 minAtomic MomsMother of Reinvention | Jordan Reid, Ramshackle GlamJordan Reid hustles like a mother-lover: raising two young children, writing books, and running the uber popular RamShackleglam.com, where she shares funny parenting moments, DIY videos, and refreshingly honest details about her family life.
But before all that cool stuff started, Jordan endured what Ellie would describe as a Joseph Campbell-esque “dark night of the soul” or what Jordan calls a “truly spectacular career implosion!” (HINT: you’ll never ever look at one particular insanely popular tv show the same way ever again). From that experience, she discovered the magic of reinvention and promises us, “If you put in the work, an...
2017-04-1831 minAtomic Moms"Motherhood in Hollywood" | Heather BrookerEmmy award-winning journalist turned actress/comedian/host Heather Brooker chats with fellow parenting podcast host Ellie Knaus about everything under the L.A. sun. Join us as we laugh about the recent moment Heather's family video went Youtube viral, and go international with us as we discuss how Heather’s recent family trip to London took a shocking turn when she found her family in the midst of the Parliament attack (she gave live news coverage to US stations while her daughter played in a nearby park). Ellie shares the recent loss of their family pet, how she shared the ne...
2017-04-0445 minAtomic Moms"How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids" | Jancee Dunn, Bestselling AuthorRelationship tips + hilarious parenting stories. Podcast #122: New York Times best-selling author Jancee Dunn and host Ellie Knaus share the ins and outs of their relationships and compare funny notes on the home front. Dunn's new book, "How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids," (Little, Brown and Company) is described as "part memoir of discovery, part parenting and marriage how-to, and part intriguing exploration of science that explains why we behave the way we do." We laugh about what frustrates us most about our partners in Newbornland. For example, I remember in my sleep-deprived haze telling Adam he was not...
2017-03-2857 minAtomic MomsBabyMoon + Meeting the Baby | Bridget & Becca Return#121 Mom friends Ellie Knaus and Bridget Moloney-Sinclair crash Becca McHugh’s babymoon! We find out if Hawaii is as “relaxing” as it sounds with a three year-old and a thrill-seeking husband. We also address the Do’s and Don’ts of meeting the newborn. Sleep-deprived and always candid, brand new second time mom Bridget enlightens Becca and Ellie as to their future of juggling young children and infants (like, who do you address first when they both want something at the same time?…how about when the older one takes the new transition out on the dog?…does motherhood foster or destroy cre...
2017-03-2126 minAtomic MomsFamily Huddle | Ellie Knaus and Adam SztykielWe're celebrating the midpoint of my second pregnancy! 20 weeks down. 20 weeks to go. I sit down with Adam Sztykiel (comedy screenwriter/ sitcom show runner/ husband of almost 10 years) to catch up on all the ridiculousness happening at Chez Sztykiel. I find out what it's like living with a pregnant zombie (me) who has suddenly revived herself with an intense second trimester "nesting” frenzy. Our toddler correspondent, Sabrina, makes her Atomic Moms debut to reveal the gender of our baby! And throughout the episode, she pops in to share her thoughts on having a sibling, what’s hot in entertainment news (on N...
2017-03-0739 minAtomic MomsMoms' Night Out | Jessica Coulter ReturnsJessica Coulter kidnaps host Ellie Knaus for a Mom’s Night Out. Our award-winning advertising creative director mom-friend shares a glimpse into her life as an undercover working mom who gets everything done in time for preschool pick up, and Ellie shares her experience as a living, breathing, hormonal roller coaster gearing up for second trimester. We make a toast to the perks of socializing sober and stress the importance of leaning on mom friends when we feel depleted or stressed. We also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the musical RENT before hopping in the cab to see it at th...
2017-01-3129 minAtomic MomsHow to Handle Change + Anxiety in Motherhood| Emily Price, LCSW, SEPHow do we handle the transitions we experience as mothers without losing our minds and keeping our sense of humor? In podcast #114, mom-in-chief Ellie Knaus interviews psychotherapist and favorite relative EMILY PRICE about how to handle big change and all the anxiety that comes along with it. Emily gives us grounding techniques that can keep us from freaking out no matter what life throws at us: whether that be an unexpected pregnancy (or expected), moving, switching jobs, or family loss. We also call B.S. on our “get over it” culture and share what to do instead. But first Ellie brin...
2017-01-2400 minAtomic MomsWe're Expecting!We're having a baby! Host Ellie Knaus (first trimester) consults best mom-friends Becca McHugh (second trimester) and Bridget Moloney-Sinclair (third trimester) about the ups and downs of pregnancy while toddler-wrangling at the same time. We discuss: expanding our families, “second child-itus” (it’s like my stomach was an instant pop-up tent this time), the “mini van stigma”, VBACS, IUI’s, and a bunch of other initials I knew nothing about before motherhood, and how our toddlers pressured us into making them siblings (Sabrina has convinced me that I'm the surrogate for “HER baby”). We hear Becca’s insane ZIKA-conception story, kiss goodbye to an...
2017-01-1039 minAtomic MomsMerry Married Mayhem | Ellie Knaus and Adam SztykielSpotlight on ADAM SZTYKIEL (Ellie’s decade-long starter husband, film/television comedy screenwriter, Sabrina’s favorite). We look back on 2016 and the biggest parenting lesson Sabrina has dished up for us thus far. We brace ourselves for the tornado of wrapping paper and fun as we head to the in-laws for the holidays. Plus, we re-live a humiliating moment from Ellie’s pregnancy and decide it’s time to clear out Adam's custom mug collection from his comedy writer friends, like the one that says "Tea Bag Me", now that Sabrina is curious about reading.
Next week we’re off giving you...
2016-12-2034 minAtomic MomsMama Glow Latham Thomas on Mothering Ourselves FirstNamed one of Oprah's Super Soul 100 visionaries and "Top 100 Women to Watch in Wellness" by Mind Body Green, LATHAM THOMAS is one hardworking single mama on our side. Maternity/lifestyle maven and NYC birth doula, Latham schools ELLIE KNAUS and our listeners on her philosophy of “mothering yourself first”, saying no to make room for yes, and slowing down this winter by tuning into the rhythms of nature (when it's dark at 4 pm, it's fancy pajama time!). Latham tells Ellie about her vision of radical self-care, an act that is radical at least in part because “nobody cares that you want t...
2016-12-131h 01Atomic MomsMom Date | Actress Nikki DeLoachNikki DeLoach’s life journey has taken her from a farm in Georgia to her most recent starring role in the new Hallmark Channel movie “A Dream of Christmas,” with plenty of WILD (!) stops along the way. Nikki sat down for a mom-date over a gift of Coor’s Light and homemade “Georgia caviar” to chat about everything from her early years in the Mickey Mouse Club (with the likes of Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling and Britney Spears) to how she worked her way out of the grips of deep postpartum depression while starring on the MTV acclaimed series "Awkward". Nikki and El...
2016-11-291h 00Atomic MomsWorking Mom Crush | Creative Director Jessica CoulterAward-winning creative director Jessica Coulter and host Ellie Knaus laugh about play dates gone awry, making mom friends, and surprising details from her pre-baby past (burlesque and NFL cheerleading, what?). This year Coulter was named one of Business Insider's "30 Most Creative Women in Advertising" and we talk about what it's like being a mom-boss in the dude-centric world of advertising. Ellie also gets her to share fantastic mom hacks for getting stuff done and her personal struggle going back to work full-time. Last but not least, we bring our mutual "Hamilton: An American Musical" obsession to a whole new level...
2016-10-0447 minAtomic MomsUnderstanding Montessori | Jeanne-Marie PaynelMom pals Ellie Knaus and Bridget Moloney-Sinclair call on Voila Montessori founder JEANNE-MARIE PAYNEL to sort out our child-rearing chaos. We learn: how to simplify our family’s morning routine so we don’t lose our marbles, how to calmly handle mealtime struggles, why Montessori classrooms don't have pretend play objects or talking animal books, and how to create a home environment in which our children can thrive as independent learners. Thanks to podcast #97 Ellie is wondering how she’ll get her exercise now that she won’t be sunscreen play-wrestling her toddler every morning. And for listeners with older kids, yo...
2016-09-2045 minAtomic MomsMaking Space for What Matters | Bianca Kajlich, Actress: Rules of Engagement, Undateable, Bring It On#96: Do you suffer from obligation overload? Ever feel like what you're doing isn't enough in this age where everyone is branding themselves as a multi-hyphenate? Or are you stuck in something that doesn’t feel good anymore? We feel ya! Actress and Atomic Moms co-founder Bianca Kajlich (Rules of Engagement, Undateable, Bring It On) inspires us to commit ourselves to what matters most to us and shed the rest. This full hearted, generous, and crazily charismatic mama reveals her recent personal challenges and parenting Ah Ha's. It’s a brand new episode with our old friend and it's classic Bianca & Elli...
2016-09-1338 minAtomic MomsWorking Mom Crush | CNN's Kate Bolduan on Confidence, Funny Mom Fails, & Interviewing the PresidentListen to Ellie's new intro to a fave episode. We're sharing our uncensored and funny mom-friend call with CNN anchor Kate Bolduan. The woman is non-stop, co-anchoring "@ This Hour with Berman and Bolduan" every week day along with raising her toddler Cecelia. Atomic Moms host Ellie Knaus asks this spirited mama:
How do we juggle the parenting act while still hitting the pavement hard?
What is it like raising your kid in Manhattan when you grew up with grass?
How CRAZY was it getting on-camera parenting advice from President Obama while you were pregnant? Awesome? Awkward? Weird? All of the...
2016-09-0646 minAtomic MomsMartha Beck, Oprah's Go To Life Coach: On Loving OurselvesOprah says of our guest Martha Beck: "She's one of the smartest women I know." In podcast #93 Martha Beck encourages host Ellie Knaus to get honest in every aspect of her life with an INTEGRITY CLEANSE. Of course, Ellie freaks out that everyone will abandon her. Could YOU do it? Wouldn't it be liberating to stop "dancing on eggshells"? We also discuss: the truth about pain, how to handle self-criticism, challenging the voices in our head, what our bodies are really trying to tell us, and how to be compassionate towards ourselves when we're mad at ourselves for how we're...
2016-08-2333 minAtomic MomsGoodbye Chicago, Hello China | Adventures in MotherhoodYou know the lyrics to Frozen's "Let It Go," but how about in Mandarin? In this lighthearted and seriously entertaining 89th Atomic Moms episode, Ellie Knaus and guest co-host Bridget Moloney-Sinclair introduce you to Amber Duke, a big-hearted mama who leans into adventure and embraces motherhood camaraderie. We talk about living in China: the cultural adjustments and the toddler parenting wins. We discuss how Amber's husband quit his Chicago job to become the stay-at-home dad in China (and the partner award goes to...!). And we give a shout out to Amber's online mom group: the F15 Vipers, who prove that...
2016-07-2741 minAtomic MomsHow to Supercharge Your Parent-Child RelationshipWhat's the #1 thing you can give your kid? A healthy, loving connection with you. But sometimes it's really hard. Okay. Really effing hard. Luckily, we have some parenting world rockstars here to help. Featuring brand new commentary with host Ellie Knaus and insights from these remarkable guests:
*Erika Christakis: early childhood educator, Yale lecturer, and author of this year's New York Times bestseller "The Importance of Being Little"
*Roma Khetarpal: parent educator, Tools of Growth founder, author of the Nautilus Award winner "The 'Perfect' Parent: 5 Tools for Using Your Inner Perfection to Connect with Your Kids"
*Susan Stiffelman: licensed psychotherapist...
2016-07-1930 minAtomic MomsConscious Parenting Revolution | Dr. Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D.Returning to Atomic Moms, conscious parenting trailblazer Dr. Shefali Tsabary shares insights from her brand new book "The Awakened Family: A Revolution in Parenting" (on sale May 31). This exclusive interview is for anyone who wonders why her kid can drive her crazy…for anyone hungry for external validation…for anyone wishy washy with her parental boundaries. Honestly, it’s a conversation for all humans, with or without kids. And you don’t want to miss Dr. Shefali Tsabary give host Ellie Knaus the best spiritual pep talk ever so that Ellie can finally let go of the performance pressure she has carr...
2016-05-3136 minAtomic MomsRobin McGraw | One Powerful RevelationDr. Phil's sweeter half ROBIN McGRAW, a two-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, devoted mother and grandmother, and fierce philanthropist, sits down with Atomic Moms' Ellie Knaus for this in-depth interview. Robin encourages us to stop asking for permission in life and to go out and follow our passion! After revealing a heartbreaking moment in her own childhood, Robin shares: "You have a right to create your own legacy and a legacy for your children and your future grandchildren. You do not have to live the legacy that was dealt to you. You have a right to create your own."...
2016-04-2652 minAtomic MomsOprah Day with Teresa PalmerGlobal film star Teresa Palmer compares "spiritual school" notes with girlfriend/host Ellie Knaus after their "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Super Soul Sessions 2" mom-date. Teresa speaks to the importance of cultivating self-love, while Ellie gives the play-by-play of every egoic moment starting with “what on earth to wear to a spiritual event?” The girlfriends also chat about paparazzi, Teresa’s upcoming “Year of No”, and how Ellie’s toddler Sabrina recently played with the hottest dad at the park….ergh, planet (Mr. “Hey Girl!” himself). For episode notes and to continue the conversation, go to www.atomicmoms.com and find us on social media...
2016-04-1941 minAtomic MomsWe Choose Our Family"Mom Solo" Evie Peck was nearing forty when she decided to start a family on her own. She discusses her choice to become a single mother with host Ellie Knaus and mom-friend-Bridget-Moloney-Sinclair. They chat about the unique challenges and upsides of parenting solo, societal assumptions, and how we are redefining family in the 21st century. Subscribe on iTunes! And for episode notes and the very first video version of Ellie's intro, go to www.atomicmoms.com.
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2016-04-0641 minAtomic MomsThe Importance of Being Little | Bestselling Author Erika ChristakisEarly childhood educator ERIKA CHRISTAKIS has dedicated her life to small children. This former preschool teacher and director, Yale Child Study Center lecturer, and mother of three chats with Ellie Knaus about her New York Times bestseller "The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really need From Grownups." Preschool has become the new Kindergarten, and that's a problem! She shares research that backs up the importance of play based, exploratory learning. And she talks about how classrooms are falling short with all their worksheets and tests and meaningless crafts, and how we can give our little ones what they need...
2016-03-2944 minAtomic MomsThe “When Are You Having Another Baby?” QuestionNatalie Thomas, Emmy-nominated TV producer, Huffington Post, Today Show, Cafe Mom and Womanista contributor, Nat’s Next Adventure founder, and former editor and spokesperson of US Weekly chats with Ellie Knaus about everybody wanting to know if a mom is having another one, and her essay “Can We Just Be”. Whether you’re “one and done” or considering your sixth, this episode will have you nodding your head in agreement, rolling your eyes, and wanting to shout: “It’s none of your bee’s wax people!” In honor of the upcoming Hallmark holiday, Ellie introduces her husband Adam and gives him a Valentine’s Qu...
2016-02-0945 minAtomic MomsThe Truth About Attachment Parenting and HomeschoolingGuest EMILY FILMORE homeschools and practices attachment parenting. So host Ellie Knaus asks this former lawyer turned conscious parent and published author to explain what Filmore calls "alternative parenting" choices. They talk about the no hugging or tickling policy in schools, what it's like living with an autoimmune disease, and Emily's high risk pregnancy experience. Ellie had her baby sleeping in a crib from day one, while Emily co-slept with her daughter until she was nine! Forget Oscar and Felix, Ellie and Emily have the ultimate odd couple friendship. Please share with your parent-friends. Find us on social media @atomicmoms...
2016-02-0359 minAtomic MomsGiving thanks with Oprah's go-to parenting expert: Dr. ShefaliEllie Knaus and Bianca Kajlich share what happens when they take their little monkeys to the zoo. And then, the hosts give thanks to their wonderful listeners by sharing one of their all-time favorite episodes with guest Dr. Shefali. Oprah hailed Dr. Shefali’s NYT bestselling THE CONSCIOUS PARENT as one of the most profound books on parenting she had every read. Dr. Shefali’s approach is revolutionary as it focuses on the evolution of the parent instead of the child. Blending Eastern spirituality with Western psychology, Dr. Shefali melds the best of both worlds helping families overcome generations of stru...
2015-11-2553 min
Atomic MomsEllie's Birthing StoryEllie Knaus, Atomic Moms co-host, shares her funny, sweet, and wacky birthing story as a guest on Christine Blackburn's Story Worthy podcast.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2015-05-2044 min