She’s back! In this special return episode, Vanessa catches up with Myriam Sandler of @mothercould, who first joined The MomForce Podcast three years ago, and a lot has changed since then. Myriam is now a published author, and her new book, Playful By Design, is a tool for parents everywhere to rethink how they approach play at home.

From her viral take—“I hardly play with my kids”—to her genius strategies for cultivating independent play, Myriam shares how creating the right environment (not more Pinterest crafts) is the secret to raising curious, confident kids. As she puts it:

“Yes, I engage and connect with them… but I’ve built a space where they can play on their own and that’s the goal.”

Vanessa and Myriam also dive into:

• The unexpected power of Play Dough

• Why chia seed goop is a sensory win and a parental cautionary tale

• How to turn “no” moments into easy yeses

• And how Chatbooks photo books are actually made for kids to relive their own stories

This conversation is full of real talk, practical tips, and plenty of laughs—especially if you’ve ever found slime in your carpet! I know you are going to love it.

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Order Playful By Design

5:35 Why Myriam "doesn't play with her kids"

9:36 The weirdest thing Myriam has made for her kids.

10:47 Why Myriam is not afraid of messes at her house

15:20 How Myriam organizes her family memories

22:17 What is the balance between sensory play and your sanity as a mom?

29:28 Connection is at the heart of everything

32:39 How to approach alone time and self care -- without guilt!

Today’s episode is extra special—it’s our Mother’s Day episode, and I’ve got my oldest daughter, Laken, in the studio with me! I’ve been wanting to have her on the podcast for a long time, and since she was in town this past week, I finally convinced her to sit down and chat about motherhood.

If you don’t already know her, you’re going to love her. She’s the most amazing mom to my granddaughter, Mauve, and she’s been a huge part of this podcast since the very beginning—six seasons ago! She actually wrote and recorded our theme song and has been our audio engineer ever since. I’m seriously so lucky to work alongside her... and even luckier to be her mom.

In this episode, we swap stories, laugh a lot, and share a few lessons we’ve learned along the way as a mother and daughter. It's a little peek into the beautiful (and sometimes messy) reality of family life—from both sides of the generation gap. Think of it as a celebration of the little moments that make it all worth it—and a reminder of why we do what we do at Chatbooks.

We also know that Mother’s Day can bring up all kinds of emotions. For some, it’s a day full of joy. For others, it might feel bittersweet or even heavy. However you’re feeling this year, please know we see you, we’re thinking of you, and we’re sending you so much love.

Listen to my podcast episode featuring my mom

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I Am My Mother!

4:30 Expectations on your first Mother's Day as a new mom

8:30 What it is like to see your daughter become a mother

15:00 "Family Fandangos!"

21:15 Moments in your parenting journey when you have to step into the role of mother

23:20 The drawbacks of parenting in the age of social media

29:01 Why Monthbooks are the greatest gift for a grandma

33:00 Behind the Scenes of the newest top secret project at Chatbooks

40:00 The ups and downs of parenting through the teen years

44:00 The different seasons of life and motherhood that you can lean into as an artist

47:08 Mom as a camp counselor/daughter as a camper dilemma

50:00 "I hope you will do better than we did"

If you haven’t come across RaQuel yet—aka The Capacity Expert—that’s about to change. With bold, truth-telling videos that are equal parts empowering and uncomfortable, RaQuel is shaking up the mental health conversation in all the best ways.

Instead of prescribing prevalent self care solutions like bubble baths and spa days, RaQuel invites us into deeper work—work that involves honesty, self-responsibility, and a better understanding of what we’re actually capable of.

I brought questions straight from our MomForce community to this conversation, and RaQuel delivered. You're going to be challenged, in the best way, and inspired to think differently about your own capacity.

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5:00 Why RaQuel is disrupting the mental health space.

6:05 Capacity is strength

7:15 Why don't the self care practices society prescribes work?

9:43 The power of choice and how to avoid playing a victim

11:00 Does a diagnosis limit your capacity?

14:51 What to do about volatile emotions during pregnancy

17:49 When do you know it's time to get professional help?

21:45 How to explore your relationship with responsibility

22:30 How to find low cost therapy

27:50 Feeling discomfort is an opportunity to grow

34:40 Why we pathologized struggle