In The Den With Mama Bear: Recent Episodes
Nina Shay Howard
In Part 2 of this eye-opening conversation, Legal Expert Dawn Norman dives even deeper into the must-have documents every parent needs — from medical emergencies to financial protection, especially for student-athletes and high-achieving teens.
As a bonus, we also discuss The Goodbye Gift — a valuable tool for families to prepare for life’s unexpected moments, far beyond the college years.
Hey there, Mamas! In this 2-part powerful new episode featuring Legal Expert and fellow Mama Bear, Dawn Norman, the creator of The College Send-Off Toolkit we are discussing the step-by-step roadmap she created to help your college-bound student legally document their wishes when it comes to medical emergencies, finances, and end-of-life planning.
This conversation opened my eyes to things I hadn’t even considered. The truth is, once they turn 18, they’re legally adults. That means you may no longer have automatic access to their medical or financial information — and laws around privacy and power of attorney vary by state and institution.
Some of our kids are already managing medical conditions, and when something happens, you want to be able to act quickly and without red tape. And for student-athletes? It’s often not if they get hurt — but when. Having the proper documents in place ensures the right people are making the calls.
And let’s not forget the money: with NIL deals and early earnings, some of our children are making more than we did by the time they step on campus. That’s why a Medical and Financial Power of Attorney isn’t just smart — it’s essential.
Dawn has turned all of this into a clear, customizable workbook for families, and she offers services to walk you through it all. Trust me, this is one of those conversations you want to have before it’s urgent.
So grab your coffee for the morning ride, tune in during your break, or pour a glass of wine and hit play. You won’t want to miss this one.
In this emotional and powerful episode, we sit down with Janice Miller, a devoted mother who tragically lost her daughter, Arlana, to suicide. Since we last spoke to Janice has been on a tireless mission, advocating for mental health support for our student athletes and calling for legislation to support funding and resources in the communities that need it most. She is excited to share how she is rallying the support of her community and looking forward to the upcoming mental health walk in her town of Desoto, Texas where she will announce this year's recipient of the Arlana Janell Miller Check On Your Strong Friends Foundation Scholarship given to a HBCU Cheerleader in honor of her daughter Arlana and continuing to walk out the stigma associated with mental health.
Before I was a sports mom I hosted and educated wine and spirit aficionados on the finer points of Courvoisier Cognac. In my official capacity as the Courvoisier Ambassadrice, I had my first on air radio appearance on WBLS in New York with Wendy Williams. It was nothing short of fun and a confidence booster because Wendy was the "call you out Queen". Those were some fun times!
In The Den goes off the grid with a radio interview from the archives of APR with Nina Shay aka Mama Bear. Long before she was a sports mom, Nina educated and entertained cognac aficianados, as well as fashion, sports and music royalty Wendy Williams, Russell Simmons, Queen Latifa, Jalen Rose among others on the exceptional quality and legacy of the House of Courvoisier.
Fellow college football mom and former LA Clippers and Miami Dolphins front office executive Emily Sutton shares her views on the tragic circumstances surrounding the fatal car crash and alleged DUI and weapon charges involving Raiders Wide Receiver Henry Ruggs III and puts the ongoing roadblocks facing young athletes in perspective as only an Ex-NFL wife and college football mom can.
College athletics is hard enough physically and the mental toll sometimes goes unnoticed. Today we're talking to Hilinski's Hope Foundation Founder, Kym Hilinski whose personal experience has become her biggest motivation to ensure young athletes get the same attention and training for their mental well being. We're also joined by LA Rams Clinical and Sports Psychologist Dr. Carrie Hastings to learn more about how she helps athletes overcome some of their biggest challenges.
Great talk with Stacie McCall Harris, Founder and President of College Football Moms Association and Facebook Group and Ebony Madry Wilson (Son, Michael Bond II-Itasca Community College) about her sons decision to leave a D1 school to play the position he believes he should play and Laronda Wallace-Echols (Son, Hunter Echols-USC) on how she and her son are navigating the coaching staff upheaval at USC.