The Kids or Childfree Podcast

In our first guest conversation of Season 8, Tyece Wilkins-Amadi gives us a unique view into her inner landscape as a mom to toddler twins — plus how her experience intertwines with themes of identity, ambition, and creativity. 
 
Hear us discuss:
How Tyece shifted from absolutely not wanting kids to becoming a mom to twins (1:16)


The early days of caring for two newborns — and how she managed the juggle (16:30)


The lessons she learned from making the wrong childcare decision (27:41)


How Tyece makes space for her writing — and why motherhood and creativity go hand in hand (31:27)


The unique challenges and joys of raising twins (49:10)


About Tyece

Tyece Wilkins-Amadi is a mother of toddler twins, a wife to a Dodgers-loving Californian and a writer exploring motherhood, ambition, and the quiet negotiations of a creative life. Her work sits at the intersection of care and becoming, where questions of identity, meaning, and worth are continually rewritten. Drawing from her background in workplace culture and well-being, she writes essays that linger in the liminal spaces between striving and rest, clarity and confusion, and the life we planned versus the one we're living. Her writing is an ongoing attempt to name what often goes unsaid, and to imagine more spacious, human ways of living, working, and creating.


As mentioned in the episode

Last call for our On Demand Fan sale! Get our full collection of On Demand classes for $269.

Save your seat for an upcoming Kids or Childfree Workshop. 

Find Tyece on Substack, at Ampersand Motherhood: substack.com/@ampersandmotherhood

Her Instagram handle is @tyunscripted

Read the piece that inspired this podcast conversation: Tyece's tending "Toward a Truer Life" essay: ampersandmotherhood.substack.com/p/tending-toward-a-truer-life

Read Cheryl Strayed's The Ghost Ship That Didn't Carry Us


MORE HELP FOR YOUR KIDS OR CHILDFREE DECISION:
Start Here: sign up for an upcoming WORKSHOP 
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/workshop
Join a GROUP PROGRAM
🔗 Kids or Childfree Group Program ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-program
🔗Confidently Childfree Group Intensive ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-group-intensive
Access an ON DEMAND class 
🔗 Peruse the entire On Demand Collection ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand
Join one of our monthly SUPPORT SERIES sessions 
🔗 Kids or Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series
🔗Confidently Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-support-series
Work with me in 1-on-1 COACHING 
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/coaching FREE resources ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources
CONNECT ONLINE
💻 Website ▸ http://kidsorchildfree.com
📸 Instagram ▸ http://instagram.com/kidsorchildfree
⏰ Tiktok ▸ https://tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree
📽️ YouTube ▸ https://www.youtube.com/@KidsorChildfree 
👉 Brought to you by Keltie Maguire, Clarity Coach ▸ http://keltiemaguire.com
Love what you're hearing? 💕 Subscribe | Like | Comment | Share with a friend

We're kicking off a brand-new season of the podcast with some of the topic takeaways from our series of On Demand classes — plus, details on a big sale! 

We'll explore:
How the stories you're telling yourself about this decision are holding you back

How cultural and societal expectations around the Kids or Childfree choice shape our desires and decisions

How to navigate this decision when you and your partner are on a different page

Why the key to considering life's hardships and this choice, is asking ourselves what makes life worth living


The importance of exploring our personal relationship with regret when we're worried about regret

As mentioned in the episode:

Check out this week's On Demand Fan sale! Get our full collection of On Demand classes for $269. 

Here's the reel with Shan Boodram, congratulating Vanessa & Xander on their childfree choice.

The On Demand classes mentioned in the episode include:

Find Calm in the Storm (4:04)
Other People (6:40)
A Difference of Opinion (9:54)
An Uncertain Future (12:31)
Exploring the Fear of Regret (14:22)


MORE HELP FOR YOUR KIDS OR CHILDFREE DECISION:
Start Here: sign up for an upcoming WORKSHOP 
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/workshop
Join a GROUP PROGRAM
🔗 Kids or Childfree Group Program ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-program
🔗Confidently Childfree Group Intensive ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-group-intensive
Access an ON DEMAND class 
🔗 Peruse the entire On Demand Collection ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand
Join one of our monthly SUPPORT SERIES sessions 
🔗 Kids or Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series
🔗Confidently Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-support-series
Work with me in 1-on-1 COACHING 
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/coaching FREE resources ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources
CONNECT ONLINE
💻 Website ▸ http://kidsorchildfree.com
📸 Instagram ▸ http://instagram.com/kidsorchildfree
⏰ Tiktok ▸ https://tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree
📽️ YouTube ▸ https://www.youtube.com/@KidsorChildfree 
👉 Brought to you by Keltie Maguire, Clarity Coach ▸ http://keltiemaguire.com
Love what you're hearing? 💕 Subscribe | Like | Comment | Share with a friend

In this episode, Keltie Maguire discusses some of the key themes and insights that have come up in her private and group coaching sessions during Season 7 of The Kids or Childfree Podcast, as well as episodes from Season 7 that address these topics. 

We'll explore:
Why it's important to make sure you're trying to solve the right problem when making this choice. (4:50)


That it's good to want to be prepared - but why you should stop striving for perfection. (15:03)


The importance of cultivating self-trust. (19:54)


How to be conscious about what you're consuming, and asking yourself what you're hoping to hear. (24:58)


As mentioned in the episode:

Ep. 95 with Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP on Childfree Trust & Estate Planning

Ep. 94 with Amrita Vijay on When Platonic Life Partners Have a Child

Ep. 99 with Helena de Groot on Finding Peace Amid the Discomfort of Doubt

Ep. 90 with Heather and Doug Boneparth on How to Money Together in Parenthood

Ep. 98 with Jordy Snyder on Overcoming Your Fears to Become a Mom

Ep. 100 - We Celebrate 100 Episodes Hearing From You

Ep. 91. with Marcia Drut-Davis on Being Unapologetically Childfree

Ep. 102: Katie Snooks on Her View from the Fence


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MORE HELP FOR YOUR KIDS OR CHILDFREE DECISION:
Start Here: sign up for an upcoming WORKSHOP 
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/workshop
Join a GROUP PROGRAM
🔗 Kids or Childfree Group Program ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-program
🔗Confidently Childfree Group Intensive ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-group-intensive
Access an ON DEMAND class 
🔗 Peruse the entire On Demand Collection ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand
Join one of our monthly SUPPORT SERIES sessions 
🔗 Kids or Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series
🔗Confidently Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-support-series
Work with me in 1-on-1 COACHING 
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/coaching FREE resources ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources
CONNECT ONLINE
💻 Website ▸ http://kidsorchildfree.com
📸 Instagram ▸ http://instagram.com/kidsorchildfree
⏰ Tiktok ▸ https://tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree
📽️ YouTube ▸ https://www.youtube.com/@KidsorChildfree 
👉 Brought to you by Keltie Maguire, Clarity Coach ▸ http://keltiemaguire.com
Love what you're hearing? 💕 Subscribe | Like | Comment | Share with a friend

In this episode, Keltie speaks with therapist, Tonya Kelly, about what happens when you're childfree by choice...but your partner is a parent. 

Hear them discuss:

How societal norms and family expectations clouded Tonya's Kids or Childfree choice.
Tonya's journey to making her childfree decision, after years of being on the fence. 
How she navigated tough conversations with her mom about her decision not to have kids, especially as an only child. - The things that helped Tonya to cultivate greater confidence in her childfree choice.
The challenges — and perks — of being married to someone who is a parent.
How unusual and challenging it can be to be a step-mom who is childfree — and why it often feels like you don't fully fit in anywhere.
(0:48) Meet Tonya and her Kids or Childfree decision (12:27) Advice for fence-sitters about outside pressure (18:07) Marriage, divorce, considering egg freezing, and re-marrying someone with a 16-year-old (34:22) Being a childfree step-mother (47:28) Tips for finding confidence in being childfree (56:34) Tonya's experience in the Confidently Childfree Group Intensive
About Tonya:

Tonya Kelly has a background in social work and is an owner of a private practice clinic in Ontario, Canada. She specializes in trauma treatment for first responders. She also works with individuals and couples to help them explore old patterns, heal from painful experiences and reconnect with their sense of self. She is deeply committed to her own healing journey and is passionate about cultivating a life that is rooted in inner peace, joy, and purpose. She spent over a decade on the fence about whether or not to have kids, shaped by her own childhood experiences, relationship changes and learning to trust her inner knowing.

Mentioned in the episode:

Find Tonya online at www.coretherapycentre.com

And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/core.therapy.and.assessment/ 

Read Cheryl Strayed's The Ghost Ship That Didn't Carry Us.

Hear these past The Kids or Childfree episodes that discuss egg freezing:

Episode 53 with Sophia Seymour
Episode 75 with Ruthie Ackerman
Episode 72 with Dr. Amanda Adeleye 

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MORE HELP FOR YOUR KIDS OR CHILDFREE DECISION
Start Here: sign up for an upcoming WORKSHOP
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/workshop
Join a GROUP PROGRAM
🔗 Kids or Childfree Group Program ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-program
🔗Confidently Childfree Group Intensive ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-group-intensive
Access an ON DEMAND class
🔗 Peruse the entire On Demand Collection ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand
Join one of our monthly SUPPORT SERIES sessions
🔗 Kids or Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series
🔗Confidently Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-support-series
Work with me in 1-on-1 COACHING
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/coaching
FREE resources ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources

In this heartfelt conversation, content creator Katie Snooks shares her journey of navigating the the decision of whether or not to have kids, from the perspective of someone still on the fence. 

Hear her and Keltie discuss:
Katie's decision to share her decision journey publicly, and why it's been equal parts helpful and harmful.


The most difficult parts of being on the fence — and the fears keeping Katie stuck.


Why Katie's "action plan" didn't work the way she and her husband thought it would.


Ways to prevent other's opinions and external pressures from getting in the way.
...and so much more
(0:45) Meet Katie & her Kids or Childfree indecision (17:50) Coaching Katie through grief & acceptance about not wanting kids (21:11) Making the decision with her husband (30:54) Sharing online about being a fence-sitter (40:00) Navigating fear and regret in this decision

About Katie:

Katie Snooks is a London-based content creator and writer known for her honest, relatable conversations around dating, relationships, and the complexities of modern life. On her social media she shares London date night recommendations in a series called #dateswithkate and has also documented her struggle with acne on YouTube.

Mentioned in the episode:

Find Katie on YouTube: www.youtube.com/snooksy

And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katesnooks/

Pre-order Katie's new book, The Ghost of Exes Past, using the links below:

https://amzlink.to/az00HvAPqTIFO

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Exes-Past-paranormal-romance-ebook/dp/B0G5FGQ6BJ
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MORE HELP FOR YOUR KIDS OR CHILDFREE DECISION
Start Here: sign up for an upcoming WORKSHOP
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/workshop
Join a GROUP PROGRAM
🔗 Kids or Childfree Group Program ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-program
🔗Confidently Childfree Group Intensive ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-group-intensive
Access an ON DEMAND class
🔗 Peruse the entire On Demand Collection ▸ https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand
Join one of our monthly SUPPORT SERIES sessions
🔗 Kids or Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series
🔗Confidently Childfree Support Series ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-support-series
Work with me in 1-on-1 COACHING
🔗 https://kidsorchildfree.com/coaching
FREE resources ▸ https://kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources