Mom Jeans and Minivans

And Then There Were Three... The Parents Are Outnumbered

Apparently, Trisha and Morgen need to record in the mornings because the energy level is palpable. And how appropriate as we introduce Morgen and Phil’s 3rd edition to the family, Harlow Rae! 
Trisha and Morgen catch up on life with the three and the dynamics in the home. They discuss the challenges of giving each child one-on-one attention while also managing big emotions and ensuring there is quiet downtime from the constant go. 
As the family grows and being working parents, it also means recruiting childcare to help out. You won’t want to miss Charlie and Auggie’s little voices at the end of this episode and the momfessions. Please don’t hesitate reach out and say hello at momjeansandminivins@yahoo.com

Viewer Email - Newborn Bonding, Books, Diapering Tricks, and More

Get ready for some Morgen and Trisha squirrel moments because this episode got them. Every once in a while, Mom Jeans and Minivans likes to take a listener email and share their responses with the whole listening clan. Follow along as Morgen and Trisha tackle newborn bonding and entertainment, sensory bin ideas, their favorite children’s books, diaper-changing tricks, tv shows, and parental advice. It’s like eight mini-episodes rolled into one, a smorgasbord of topics. Enjoy! Reach out, and maybe you’ll make the next episode, momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com!

Raising Grateful Kids and Not Spoiled Kids

How do we teach gratitude to our children? Morgen and Trisha discuss how they have been handling the girls, who are four years old and with an influx of birthday parties to attend. Charlie has been struggling with gift-giving and being unable to keep or open the presents herself. Morgen can't help but wonder if there is more she should be doing to teach her about giving to others and ensure Charlie isn't becoming spoiled. Morgen is hoping Trisha is right and this is simply a phase. 🤞🏽

Trisha continues to teach Remi the importance of giving to children and people who are less fortunate. It is challenging to go into a store and not have Remi ask for toys, so Trisha made a rule that she will purchase a small item for Remi with every four toys she donates. 

What do you do to help teach gratitude to your children? Please share because, as parents, we are constantly learning and growing! Also, you're not going to want to miss our end of the episode mom-fessions! They're the best part. 

3’s Company... Having Three Kids and Being One of Three

We’re talking 3’s today. Morgen is expecting baby #3, and Trisha is one of 3, with an older sister and twin sister (who also has three children!) There are 3s all around! 
So what’s the big difference going from 2 to 3 kids? How do the dynamics change except for the obvious, being officially outnumbered? We can say that 3, whether having three or having two siblings and being 1 of 3, definitely adds an extra layer of adventure. A.k.a., it’s pretty awesome! Con: Be ready to upgrade your vehicle to one with a third row. Space gets tight quickly with the bulky car seats.

Do you have three kids? Are you one of three? Are you thinking of having three? Write in and share! We can be reached at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com.

It’s Time to Pat Yourself on the Back as a Parent

It’s time for a pat on the back.

Morgen and Trisha, more like Trisha, wanted to take the time to acknowledge what we think we do well as parents. Morgen is the ‘but mom,’ lol, no pun intended, who has a hard time admitting what she loves about herself as a parent because she feels she could do it all better. Unless we are the exception from the norm, pretty sure that’s a prerequisite to becoming a mom! Us moms (and dads) don’t take enough time to stop and acknowledge what we do well, regardless of whether it could use improvement. So here we are!

Morgen even came around at the end and had two things she thinks she excels at in her mama role! Listen in for what we think they do well at when it comes to parenting (shout out to Phil in this episode as well) with some fun stories and examples. Please share what you love about yourself as a parent to momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com. It will feel so good! 

Riddles, Surprises, and Announcements

Wait until you find out the punch line of this riddle. Hint hint, Mom Jeans And Minivans is growing!! Did you catch on or need more time like Trisha did in this episode? 🤣
Not to give too much away, Morgen talks about pregnancy, medical scares, complications, morning sickness, and the joy of surprising your little's with news that they will be a big sister or brother… again. Ok, we gave it away! MORGEN'S HAVING A BABY!!🤭
Charlie is very excited about "Pirates Booty Girl," and her true nurturing side really emerged. Good thing because mom-brain is in full effect, so some sympathy and understanding is needed. You'll have to listen in to Morgen's momfession(s) for a good laugh, at her expense, of course. Sorry mama's, gotta laugh right?! 

High School Sports, and Helping Your Child Be Seen By Colleges

You will not want to miss this episode, especially if you have older, athletic kids. We have a very special guest, Andre Collins. Not only is he Morgen’s brother-in-law, but he is a father of 3, played for 10 seasons in the NFL, and has been working for 18 years in the NFL Players Union, helping NFL athletes find purpose after a life of football. 
Dre shares what the journey has been like for his son, Chet, a senior in high school, as they navigate getting him noticed and recruited for basketball in college. They transferred from their home in Arlington, VA, to be in Dre’s hometown for Chet’s senior year, where his chances of getting noticed are better. 
There is no questioning the sacrifices that are made for our children. Dre and his wife, Erika’s experience with their children and athletics is pretty incredible. Get ready to be inspired and learn a bunch along the way too. Momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com is where we can be found for questions or sharing of any kind. Thanks for checking in, ENJOY!

4-Year-Old Responsibilities and Capabilities

To us adults, our responsibilities are chores, but to children, particularly our 4-year-olds, they’re fun tasks that empower them and make them feel like they are helpful and independent!

In this episode, Morgen and Trisha discuss the responsibilities and chores they encourage the girls to take on. Morgen has Charlie starting to load the dishwasher, putting shoes away when she walks in from outside and dressing herself in the mornings. 

Trisha dives into behavioral challenges or shifts she has encountered with Remi since she turned 4, such as “negative” talk, “violent” talk, and her intense interest in genitalia.

Join us and share your stories with us at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com.

Single Mom Life

In this episode, we have our special guest, Kat, a single mom of 3-year-old (or as Charlie would call it, 3 3/4) twins, Aubrey and Evelyn! Let’s just say Kat’s journey to single-mom-hood has been far from easy. Kat dives into the nitty gritty of how that came to be while also expressing that ‘momming’ is her favorite job, the girls are angels, and her ex is, by far, the most challenging part of all of it. Are we safe in assuming there are sadly too many women who have contended with this same struggle? 

Kat has had her heart broken twice since the girls were born, so she has taken the past year to work on herself. She is giving her heart space to heal and learn who she is. In focusing on being her most authentic self, she is hoping it betters herself and also attracts the right person. 

She’s taking a break from dating apps as they have not yielded the best results and hoping she can find someone the good ol’ fashion way. She has been fortunate enough to have a fantastic family and friends support system and a great community around her. She also apparently has dating options, so it looks like that self-care is paying off.

Do you hvae a single mom dating story for us? You can share at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com, and thanks for being the best listeners!

 

My Spouse is Older and We Have Kids

Got a spouse that robbed the cradle? Haha, kidding, we’re so rude. Seriously though, you’re probably not going to want to miss this one with our special guest, Emily, as we talk about, can you guess? Yup, all things when dealing with an older spouse.

There are pros and cons to every relationship, but in this episode, we discuss how an 8-15 year age gap can affect them. We cover social life and how that shifts, families and what that means for having children, how our friends and families took the news, and overall health and staying active is not only essential but can be one of the biggest concerns.
We dished on our older spouses; now let’s hear about yours. Side note, we think we need to start a group for us younger spouses! Keeping it real as usual. Thanks for listening in, and reach out anytime at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com!