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7 Motherhood Podcasts That Keep It All The Way Real
Can you take a moment for all the mamas? If you've ever had the privilege of watching a mother in action, you would be amazed by her ability to handle business and multi-task responsibilities; all while making it look effortless. Still, with moms having their fair share to balance their households, relationships, and work life, it’s important for mothers to take small moments during the day to fill their cups up.
Taking a moment for yourself not only helps you to recharge your mommy battery but can also benefit your family in the long run — because we know that when mama is happy, the home is happy. Creating these moments doesn’t have to be as elaborate as a spa day, in fact, taking your mind off things can be as easy as listening to a podcast.
As a mom, listening to podcasts can hit the sweet spot between being entertained and supported, while having audio homegirls to keep you company throughout your busy day. Moms often have a lot on their plate and may not have all the time to sit down, read a book, or watch a TV show. However, podcasts offer the flexibility to listen in on your favorite topics while tending to other more important duties.
Whether you’re a new mom, single mom, or veteran mother in this game of parenthood, you deserve to have access to support and an online community. Listening to podcasts can do the job of helping you feel more connected, gain new insights on a variety of topics, and allow you to feel seen, even on your toughest days.
While every mother’s journey is different, it’s important to feel supported, even if it’s just through a couple of internet friends you’ve adopted into your family. So to help, we’ve put together a list of the best podcasts for moms to stay informed, connected, and inspired while managing their busy lives.
1.Moms Actually
Moms Actually
If you're looking for a podcast that provides real, relatable perspectives on motherhood, sisterhood, and womanhood, Moms Actually is the perfect show for you. Hosts Blair Gyamfi, Sopha Rush, and Morgan Taylor discuss their personal experiences with parenting and offer candid insights into the challenges and joys of raising children. This podcast provides a fun and safe space for mothers to come together and support each other.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.2.The Suga
The Suga
Join actress Tika Sumpter and HartBeat CEO Thai Randolph, for laughs, new learnings, and candid convos around the joys of motherhood and sisterhood. It’s the sweet spot for Black mothers to share their experiences and gain insight from their favorite celebs like Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mara Brock Akil, Kyla Pratt, Tia Mowry, and more.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
3.Motherhood in Black & White
Motherhood in Black & White
Hosted by Gen X moms, Kaanji Irby and Tara Campbell, this duo provides a unique perspective on motherhood from their diverse backgrounds and shared experiences. Their honest, empathetic, and humorous discussion is a great way to tap into real conversations about life, motherhood, and everything in between.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
4.Experiencing Motherhood: Single & Black
Experiencing Motherhood: Single & Black
Tune into Experiencing Motherhood: Single & Black if you’re looking for a real and vulnerable space to discuss the unique challenges and joys of single parenting. Hosted by Kim Wiliams, you can benefit from Kim's personal experiences as a single mom, as well as her practical tips and insights on raising children alone.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
5.Good Moms Bad Choices
Good Moms Bad Choices
Meet your new internet besties, Erica and Milah. For years these two provided a space for uncensored and candid conversations about parents, life, and everything in between. Whether you feel like you’ve made “good” or “bad” choices along your journey, the Good Moms Bad Choices podcast is the judgment-free zone you’ve been looking for.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
6.Motherhood Sessions
Motherhood Sessions
Tap into the Gimlet Media's Motherhood Sessions if you're looking for emotionally honest conversations about the profound identity shift that accompanies becoming a mother, a topic that is often overlooked in mainstream media. Hosted by reproductive psychiatrist, Dr. Alexandra Sacks, you’ll get a range of topics for mothers to discuss their biggest struggles and questions, from career uncertainty to sex to ambivalence about motherhood, with the science to back it up!
Listen on Spotify.
7.Parenting for the Culture
Parenting for the Culture
If you want to raise confident, successful, and happy children who shape the future, the Parenting for the Culture podcast is for you. As a PBS Early Learning Champion and mother of six, host Charisse Sims takes a spin on modern parenting advice with an educational lens, providing you with a unique roadmap to parenting that you won't find in typical parenting spaces. Tap in!
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
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Featured image by StefaNikolic/Getty Images
Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."