Single Parent Podcast: Recent Episodes
Christina M. & Christina P.
Christina Monai and Christina Paling are single moms walking the path of single parenthood. Welcome to a podcast focused on providing great information, listening to stories of single parenthood, and building a supportive community. Let's go from surviving to thriving!
It's been a while, and we're sorry we kept you waiting for this one! Tune in to part 2 of our beautifully frank and honest conversation about sex from the ladies point of view!
Today we get a little spicy on the podcast! This time, we're bringing two ladies, one of whom is a past guest, to talk about sex from the woman's side of things. Instead of coffee, you may want to grab something a little stronger for this one!
Today, we talk about our Father's Day Giveaway, as well as some spicier more provocative conversation to set up our upcoming panel where we invite a couple of single dads to talk about... well... sex!
We're back with another episode! This time, we're celebrating and talking about the fathers in our lives - both our own growing up and the fathers we've encountered along our journeys, one of the Christinas gets vulnerable about how she really feels about Father's Day, and also how important self-growth is for both mothers and fathers to be the best we can be!
The Christinas get back together to talk about life, sunshine, the ocean, and how parenthood can be the equivalent of being an octopus. Grab your coffee and settle in for some heart-to-heart conversation with dashes of laughter and keeping each other honest.
Some life changes have come our way, so the Christinas sit down and catch up about relationships, life, and enjoy the fact that we may not always agree, but we always respect each other.
It doesn't matter whether you're a public figure or not, being a single parent is a challenging path to travel. Today, we sit down with Molly Hopkins from 90 Day Fiance to talk about her single mom journey, her time in the spotlight, and also about her new calling that helps women feel confident and gorgeous in their own skin!
It doesn't matter whether you're a public figure or not, being a single parent is a challenging path to travel. Today, we sit down with Molly Hopkins from 90 Day Fiance to talk about her single mom journey, her time in the spotlight, and also about her new calling that helps women feel confident and gorgeous in their own skin!
We're so excited to have Sean (aka @nativepoolboy) join us on the podcast today! As a single dad, he's loving the adventure of raising his daughter, launching his comedy career, and creating hilarious content to the delight of social media users everywhere!
Today, we sit down with Darnell, founder of Single Parents Win and host of the podcast 30 Minutes w/ D Oaks. He shares his story of being a single father for the majority of his son's life, as well as his passion for advocacy for single parents!
Today, we dive into our DMs and answer some questions put forward by you, our amazing listeners!
Happy 2023! It's a brand new year, and we're sitting down today to talk about the holidays, the upcoming year, and also about that post-Christmas mental letdown experienced by many. Mental health is a topic near and dear to both our hearts, as this is something we both deal with. We talk about how January can be a tough month for a lot of people in all ways, especially when it comes to our mental wellbeing.
Well, we're at the end of our second year of this podcast, and we're so grateful to still be doing this podcast and for you, our listeners! Today, we talk about the Christmas pressures we face as parents, some of our favourite Christmas traditions, and how important it is to teach our children how to give back to others. Merry Christmas!!
Today, we sit down with Lyndsay, a single mama of a 2-year-old boy, as she tells her story of moving to the States, becoming pregnant, driving almost 22 hours to come back home, and then moving through the difficult decision about what to do next.
Today, we sit down with Charles Fair from Fair Legal, a Calgary-based law firm specializing in separation and divorce litigation. Charles shares his experiences as a litigation lawyer, how he guides and helps his clients, and also provides some tips for how to best handle things if your divorce ends up going to court.
Today, we sit down with Amanda, a single mom out in BC who has walked not only the path of single parenthood but also the path of being a partner to someone dealing with addiction. She shares how she's grown out of co-dependency, come into her own as an independent woman, and how addiction doesn't affect just the person abusing - it affects the whole family.
The Christinas are baaaaaack! We've missed all of you and are so excited to put on our headphones on again! Today, we catch up and share what's been going on during our hiatus. Grab that coffee and tune in!
Today, we sit down with Susan van Hart from Body Language Doula to talk about all things childbirth, from societal views surrounding childbirth, the difference between a midwife and a doula, and Susan also shares some interesting ways to help labour along!
Today, we sit down with Dawn Balash from Luminous Soul Coaching as she shares her story of single motherhood.. We talk about how she became a single mama, her journey of self-discovery, and how she was able to break the generational cycle of trauma and create a beautiful relationship with her daughter.
Today, we sit down with Matt MacLean from PMA Coaching and talk about some of the biggest obstacles we face in our personal growth journeys (spoiler alert, sometimes it's ourselves) and what we can do to overcome those obstacles to live rich, fulfilling lives.
We sit down with Jess Derksen of True to You Lifestyle. Jess is a former podcast guest and lifestyle coach and mindset mentor, and she specializes in helping women re-discover who they are at their core. This was one of our earlier episodes, so if you want to check out Jess and her amazing work, head over to www.truetoyoulifestyle.com, or follow her social media handle @mindsetmentorjess!
Today, we sit down with two lovely ladies, Lennea and Sherri, and talk about our experiences in the dating world. Strange and bizarre profile pictures, write-ups that make us cringe, and what actually makes us swipe right. Nothing is off the table, so guys take note! And don't worry - we'll be doing a panel of single dads to even the score!
Hayley's journey into single motherhood was not a path she chose. When her marriage ended, she walked the long difficult path of figuring out what came next, both for her and for her kids. Through that healing journey, she rediscovered herself and has created a thriving life for both her and her kids!
The Christinas reconnect and talk about what's been happening with us over the last month - coaching soccer together, dating and relationships, and working on getting rid of that mom/parent guilt.
Being single moms, we understand the struggles we face as mothers and as women. Today, we sit down with Tanis Moore from CCMF (Canadian Centre for Men and Families) and talk about the struggles that men face, especially as fathers.
We've talked on this podcast before about the stigma surrounding men and mental health. Tanis shares how CCMF supports and uplifts men to create healthier dynamics within their relationships, with their children and partners, and with themselves.
Tune in today as we sit down with Jess, a single woman who fell in love with a father of two. Being a parent is challenging in and of itself - Jess shares her story of how she navigated the difficult waters of fitting into a set family dynamic and how she, her now husband, and the kids figured out their new family groove!
Today, we sit down with Natasha, a single mom of three rambunctious and loving kids. She talks about the difficulty she experienced as an oilfield wife and living life as a single mom within a marriage.
She also shares how she came to the difficult decision to leave, and the challenge all single parents face in balancing work, kids, and maybe squeezing in some time for yourself.
After a short hiatus, the Christinas get back together to talk all things Mother's Day! Welcome to year two of the Single Parent Podcast!
Today, we celebrate a whole year of resources, stories, and growth for us as hosts! We look back on some of our favourite stories and guests, as well as talk about how much we've enjoyed creating the podcast and growing this beautiful community of followers! Thank you to everyone who has supported us and this podcast over the last year - we couldn't have done it without you!!
Everyone, at some point in their life, has encountered and experienced grief and/or trauma. It could be the death of a loved one, a relationship that ends, or a friendship bond that breaks. All of those involve one commonality - loss. And loss can trigger all kinds of emotions and feelings that we may not be equipped to deal with. We sit down with Ashley Mielke from the Grief and Trauma Healing Centre to talk about different kinds of trauma, how it affects every aspect of life, and what we can do for both ourselves and for others when grief and trauma happen.
Rebuilding your life after your partner is no longer a part of it is a tough enough process. What's even tougher is trying to find yourself again while going through that process. Tamara shares how, after her split, she began rediscovering herself again. And now, she's committed to helping other women rediscover their inner light and letting it shine through.
One of the worst fears we have as parents is that we'll lose our children. Katrina faced that fear when she was told her 10-month-old daughter had a rare form of brain cancer. She shares how difficult it was to watch her child go through such a traumatic experience, how hard it was for her to shoulder the stress and anxiety that came from that, and how incredible her community was in supporting both her and her daughter.
This episode, we tackle a topic that runs deep for a lot of people - body positivity. This is not something that was easy for us to talk about, but we knew this would resonate with a lot of people, both men and women. So, we decided to get vulnerable, get authentic and peel back some of the layers of experience we've both had in our lives that have shaped us and how we view ourselves.
Today, we're doing a follow up episode with one of the front line counsellors of SAiF (Stop Abuse in Families) Society, Karelia Gamache. She works with youth and adult clients who are processing and healing from trauma caused by abuse, separation/divorce, and other challenges families today have to navigate.
"Do you. Be you. Love you." This has been Matt's mantra for as long as he can remember. And it served him the best when he went through his divorce. Today, we sit down with Matt to find out more about his journey as a single dad and how he's used his personal experiences to help others.
The path of healing is never easy. And if you're a well known radio show host in your hometown, it can make it that much harder. Today, we talk to Ryder, the other half of PLAY 107's morning show, to hear about how he and his ex have created a solid coparenting relationship and how he walked through his own healing journey.
January has gotten off to a rough start for us - we both had to deal with Covid for almost the entire month, and holy smokes was it brutal for both of us! Today, we share our experiences of going through the illness, the challenge of trying to take care of our children and ourselves, and the loneliness that comes with being in isolation.
Today, we're mixing it up a bit and having a panel with TWO guests, and we're talking about a topic that you maybe weren't expecting to hear on here... sex! As single parents, this is something that we have to navigate not just ourselves, but with our kids, as well, so tune in as we have an open conversation about sex positivity, how both men and women view sex, and how having discussions about sex can lead to greater intimacy and stronger relationships.
Today, Lennea shares her story of becoming a single mom twice over and how challenging it can be to recognize red flags when you are in the midst of a toxic relationship. She also shares how she began to realize her own strength, began setting healthy boundaries, and finally started stepping into her power as a woman and as a single parent.
Recognizing you and your spouse are headed in different directions is never easy. Shannon shares her journey of how she came to this realization and her journey through single parenthood, dating, how challenging it can be to blend families on a new path together, and how important vulnerability really is to launch yourself into a new level of growth.
WARNING!! In this episode we talk about Santa, so use your discretion if you're listening to this around your kids!
Today, the Christinas get into the festive spirit and talk about our Christmas traditions, how being a single parent around Christmas time can be both beautiful and difficult, and share some laughs and tears before we take a break over the holidays!
Today, we sit down with Areni from SAiF Society to talk about how challenging and difficult it is for families when they get stuck in a toxic dance of emotional, verbal, financial, or physical abuse. Family violence is something no family should ever have to go through, and Areni shares some of her own story, as well as some great resources and classes SAiF Society offers to help those who have experienced and are currently experiencing family violence.
Part 2 of Rob's story where he shares his story of single parenthood, addiction, and coming through to the other side.
We've talked before on the podcast about creating a good relationship with your ex post split / separation / divorce. Rob and his ex, however, took it to a whole new level and now live behind each other so their kids can climb over the fence! It didn't happen overnight, though. Rob shares his story of single parenthood, addiction, and coming through to the other side.
After a couple months of hearing the stories of other single parents and resources shared by amazing experts, the Christinas sit down with some hot coffee to talk about spending habits as single parents, sheltering during a snowstorm, and making some great memories with our kids!
We've talked about dating a lot on the podcast, and we're so thrilled to sit down with Alaya Rain, a kickass dating coach who has gone through the experience of dating as a single parent. We talk about all things dating - creating profiles, things to remember when you're going on dates, and some great tips on how to keep dating fun. That's right... we said it... dating can be fun!
Today, we continue with part two of our first in-person recording session (interesting audio at play here!) where Dan shares his story of single fatherhood, his battles with anxiety and depression, and the change that needs to happen with how men approach mental health.
Today, we sit down for part one of our first in-person recording session (interesting audio at play here!) where Dan shares his story of single fatherhood, his battles with anxiety and depression, and the change that needs to happen with how men approach mental health. Stay tuned next week for part two!
Today, Christina M. is flying solo as she sits down with Noel Murdoch, founder of Executive Ascent and a fellow single mom. We dive into how Noel arrived at a self-realization about the direction she wanted her life to go, what led her to become a coach, and what called her to help others come to their own self-realization.
When you first get married, you tend to have expectations about what married life and life after kids will be like. Sometimes, though, those expectations don't become reality. Enza shares her story of how she saw her marriage change after her kids were born, how she felt she had to mute parts of herself to keep the peace, and the moment she recognized she had to bring herself back.
Today, we welcome back Mariel, a previous guest on the podcast, to share her own story of single motherhood. After making the decision to leave her marriage, Mariel worked hard to keep collaboration at the forefront of her journey through the divorce process. She speaks to the importance of letting go of things you can't control, and how this approach can alleviate conflict and power struggles, which ultimately benefits our kids.
Balancing single parenthood and a new relationship can be extremely challenging, especially when that relationship is the one your ex has with their new partner. Today, we talk about how we handled things when our exes introduced new partners, as well as our own relationship experiences over the last year.
Today, we welcome back Anna, who shared her story of single parenthood a few episodes ago. As a psychologist, Anna has helped many families and children navigate the hard emotions and feelings that happen when separation happens in a family. The biggest thing you can do for your kids? Be emotionally available and present for them!
Growing up in a single mom household wasn't always easy for Jeff and his siblings. There were definitely struggles and tough times, but one thing that never wavered was his mom's resiliency and strength in raising four kids while working full-time. And Jeff is forever in awe of her and her strength in raising him and his siblings to be kind, generous, and all-around amazing human beings.
As single parents, we have all wondered at some point how a separation / split will affect our kids as they grow into adults. And we've all had doubts as to whether we're raising our kids to become strong and independent adults. Raised by a single mom, Britnee shares her story of how her mom's quiet strength as a single parent helped shape her into the woman she is today!
It's been a while since we've hopped on here ourselves, and we've missed you all! So today, we sit down with our strooooooong coffees to talk about prepping for the new school year, how it's going so far after two days, and tackling summer vacations as a single parent!
As we've talked about before on the podcast, divorce is never an easy thing to go through. It's stressful, emotionally draining, and there can be extreme feelings of resentment on one or both sides. Anna shares how her top priority when going through her split was to have a good divorce - one where there was collaboration, peace between her and her ex, and, most importantly, where her son and his emotional and mental wellbeing came first.
Having been raised by a single mom, Carrie is closely familiar with the struggles faced by single parents. Listen in as she shares her story of becoming a single mom twice over, and how her childhood experience helped shape how she shows up as a single mama to her kiddos.
One of the biggest challenges couples face when going through a split can be all the legal hurdles you need to face and understand. We sat down with Wendy Phillips-Berard from Good Law in St. Albert to talk about the different legal processes available to couples going through a split, with a focus on collaborative divorce law. Collaborative divorce means you, your ex, and your lawyers all sit down together to work out your divorce agreement. The goal is to have open communication throughout the process, which will hopefully lay the foundation for a healthier relationship after divorce.
The only thing more difficult than going through a split / separation / divorce is to experience the loss of a loved one - Andrea had to go through both. Before she went through her divorce, Andrea lost her son to suicide, which is a level of grief and pain no parent ever wants to feel. After losing half her family within a couple of years, Andrea shares how she kept her faith and her spark alive and how she has come out on the other side.
Jenn never expected to be a single parent. She met her soulmate, Scott, later in life and they built a beautiful life together. However, an unexpected cancer diagnosis for Scott meant Jenn had to carry on as a solo parent to their three daughters. Jenn shares how she helped her daughters deal with the loss of their dad, how she coped with her own grief, and how her rock-solid faith in God helped her through one of the most difficult times in her life.
It's incredible how dating is as a single parent is so different from dating before you have kids. This episode, we share some of our own dating experiences, talk about red flags and warning signs we've learned along the way, and challenges we've faced as single parents as we re-entered the dating world.
Today, we sit down with psychologist Mariel Ansion to talk about how we as single parents process a separation / breakup / divorce, recognizing healthy and unhealthy ways of coping, and how to take control of your own actions and emotions to create a calmer, healthier coparenting situation for yourself.
Ron (aka Papa Bear) shares his story of becoming a single dad twice and raising three kids as a single dad for over 20 years! He also talks about how we need to build community as single parents, regardless of whether you're a single mom or a single dad, and most importantly, that you're not alone.
Ryan's journey of single parenthood began with a long hard look in the mirror when he realized he was not the dad he wanted to be to his two kids. Since that moment, he has had to make some difficult decisions and have even more difficult conversations with his ex, with his two kids, and most importantly with himself. He also shares some of the unique challenges he faced and continues to face as a single dad, emphasizing the importance of self-care, recognizing when you need help, and having the strength to ask for it.
At the age of 12, Krystal went through the loss of her mom, who passed away after a long battle with cancer. Her dad was then faced with the reality of raising two girls on his own. Krystal remembers how challenging it was for her dad to help her cope with the loss of her mom while grieving himself, and she's grateful to him for how he raised her and her sister with love, kindness, and a whole lot of laughter!
Grab a coffee or your favourite adult beverage and join us as we talk about the challenges and successes we had during the recent round of online schooling. Special shoutout to all the teachers who helped us parents over the last few weeks!!
Tune in as we talk to Layna Haley, founder of Kaleo Collective, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting single moms. Layna became a single mom at 16 and knows the unique challenges faced by single mothers. She has made it her life's mission to make sure other single moms know they aren't alone, and that they feel part of a strong and supportive community.
Meet the other half of the podcast's dynamic duo! Listen to Christina M's story of how she unexpectedly found herself on the path of single parenthood and how she was able to navigate this difficult journey with the help of an amazing village!
Today is the day where the first half of the Christinas - Christina P. - shares her story of how she became a single mom not once, but twice.
"I started my single mama journey over a decade ago, and I'm ready to share it with you all!" - Christina P.
Welcome to the pilot episode of the Single Parent Podcast! Meet Christina M. and Christina P., two working single moms who wanted to create a community where single parents could find some great information on how to navigate the sometimes difficult journey of being a single parent and find solidarity in hearing stories from other single parents. Welcome to our community!