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We Didn't Turn Out OK with Jennie Monness

Jennie Monness
We Didn't Turn Out OK with Jennie Monness
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  • Episode 26: From Guarded to Grounded with Whitney Port
    When I tell you that this may be one of the most moving conversations on We Didn’t Turn Out Ok so far, I’m still not doing it justice. Having Whitney Port on brought me back to growing up what felt like with her—from watching The Hills, where she seemed to live in an alternate world from my "Varsity Blues" suburbs in NJ to following her journey as she began filming for The City, where she carved her space in fashion and seemed to have everything fall into place. She met her now-husband Timmy (then a producer on the show), and began creating what she calls “beautiful things”—both professionally and personally. But if you’ve followed along with Whitney’s story, you know she’s opened up bravely and publicly—about how things didn’t stay perfectly “in place.” About how pregnancy didn’t feel magical, how her experience of starting motherhood felt really sudden and how she’s now navigating an ongoing six-year fertility and surrogacy journey. Her honesty has been incredibly powerful for those who follow her, they feel connected, seen and supported in her sharing. I wondered what was left to uncover. It turns out—so much more that we will all connect to— in different ways.  In this conversation, Whitney shares the feeling when she sees another mom in a moment, how that can feel easy to judge until we then experience the same in her own parenting. She talks about how realized that it’s not about judging anyone else or ourselves, but about awareness and confidence in how we are showing up as a parent. She shares the emotional landscape that’s shaped her: from being one of five siblings in a home where it sometimes felt like her feelings often didn’t have space, to seeing a beautiful example of a marriage in her parents, to the boundaries that were set forth for her and her siblings, to learning what emotional safety really means—first for herself, and now for her son, Sonny. This is a conversation about permission: to feel, to be unsure, to heal, and to show up—even when it feels like we don’t know exactly how. To be the kind of parent who’s still learning, still healing, still growing. Spoiler: we both shed tears reflecting on how we were raised, and how that contributed to who we are today. She’s amazing. This one’s special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  • Episode 25: Beyond the Comparison Trap - Identity After Motherhood with Dale Stabler and Annabel Lawee
    In this episode, I sit down with Dale and Annabel - the funny, real and deeply honest voices behind We Are More Than Moms, a community and podcast that supports moms in navigating identity, ambition, and the messy in-between moments of modern motherhood. We talk about the many layers that shift when we become moms - from how we see ourselves to how we compare (to other moms, our pre-mom selves, even our own kids). We dig into the power of recognizing when we’re not OK, and how those moments can actually spark real growth - especially when we allow ourselves to ask for help. Dale and Annabel also share the inspiration behind their brand-new coaching program - a supportive space designed to help moms reconnect with who they are now and step into their next chapter with confidence, clarity, and self-trust. If you’ve ever felt like you’re somewhere between who you were and who you’re becoming, just know we’ve all been there - and as Dale and Annabel say, motherhood might just be your 2.0 version… the one where you become your best self, if you can just allow yourself to see it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  • Episode 24: Parenting without Panic, Emily Oster on Tech, Routines and more
    This episode is really special to me. I got to sit down with Emily Oster — someone whose work has been a constant companion in my parenting journey. Emily is an economist, bestselling author, and professor at Brown University who has become a trusted voice for parents looking to make informed, grounded decisions. You might know her from her books Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected. Her work takes complicated data and turns it into something we can actually use — not to be perfect, but to feel less lost and more confident in how we parent. I first found Emily when I was thinking about getting pregnant and searching (desperately) for trustworthy information on whether it was okay to stay on my Zoloft. Her calm, rational, and deeply human voice stood out immediately. She didn’t just share the data — she helped me feel like I wasn’t alone in trying to figure it all out. Meeting her in person was surreal, and also… so normal. She’s a mom, just like us, and she’s as down-to-earth as she is brilliant. In this conversation, I got to ask the questions that have been on my mind for years — and her answers did not disappoint. We talked about: Kids and technology — what the data actually says, how to think about screen time, and when kids might be ready for things like phones. (Her “frontal lobe” metaphor changed how I think about it.) Routines — why they matter not just for our kids, but for us. Emily shared how having routines early on (even just for sanity) laid the foundation for flexibility later on. “Hurried Child Syndrome" — the eye rolly term that has scared us all since it started trending on instagram, Emily shares the difference between rushing through life and pushing kids ahead too fast, and how slowing down has helped her kids take more ownership in the mornings. The power of saying no — how her family protects their weekends, talks through what really matters, and why sometimes skipping a birthday party is exactly what everyone needs. At the end, I asked Emily if there was one parenting hill she’d die on — and her answer honestly surprised me. She reminds us that no single choice makes or breaks our kids. What matters most is what makes your family happy and work well together. This episode felt like the kind of conversation I needed as a parent — grounding, smart, and totally freeing. I’m so excited to share it with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  • Episode 23: Chipping Away to Your True Self: Conscious Parenting with Erin Morrison
    The Conscious Mom, where do I start? Back in 2020, when I was supporting other moms through virtual groups—craving a bit of that support for myself—I stumbled upon Erin Morrison, a.k.a. The Conscious Mom, on Instagram. What started as a digital connection during COVID quickly became a real friendship, even though we had never met in person. Fast forward five years, countless DMs, and near-misses in Florida (where Erin lives with her two kids, Ellie, 9, and Jonah, 11), and we finally made it happen. Erin flew up, and we got to share this conversation in person—a full hour of heart, insight, and so much truth. In this episode, we dive into Erin’s brilliant new book, Three Minutes for Mom, which I genuinely think is the only tangible tool every mom should have on their nightstand. It’s like a morning hug in book form—something I reach for before anything else, especially my phone. Here are some of my favorite takeaways from our conversation: The culture of over-involved motherhood: We unpack how stepping back and trusting our kids can unlock their creativity, independence, and resilience—not just from boredom, but from life’s bigger challenges. Discomfort and distraction: We talk about how the emotions hardest to tolerate in our children are often the ones we avoid in ourselves—and how our phones have become quick escapes from that discomfort. Urgency culture & boundaries: Erin and I are both recovering people-pleasers, learning to protect our mental space with boundaries—turning off notifications, reclaiming quiet moments, and modeling that for our kids. Loving boundaries: Erin shares a powerful reflection on the boundaries her own parents set that felt hard in the moment—but made all the difference. A reminder that boundaries are love in action. Weathering the storm: Erin beautifully captures the hardest part of parenting—“You have to withstand the storm of their emotions.” We talk about what it means to hold steady through our kids’ disappointments, big feelings, and heartbreaks—without taking them on as our own. Chipping away: A theme we kept returning to—how parenting (and personal growth) is all about chipping away at the noise, the pressure, the self-doubt, to get closer to who we truly are and how we want to show up. Not only is this episode reflective and relatable but it’s a conversation that will stick with you - or at least it has for me—in the moments when you need to access something to help you know you’re doing it right, when you’re setting a boundary and your kids push back, when your kids tell you their bored, when you go to look at your phone first thing in the morning instead of grounding yourself, when you really reflect and “chip away” at the stuff that’s making you think you don’t have it all within you, because you really do.  Also, buy her book immediately.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  • Episode 22: Movement as Medicine with Katia Pryce, Founder of DanceBody
    In this episode, I’m joined by Katia Pryce, the powerhouse founder and CEO of DanceBody, a dance-based fitness brand built on the belief that movement is medicine—something I deeply resonate with. What struck me most in our conversation was learning how DanceBody was born from Katia’s rock bottom moment. After moving to New York in her early twenties with dreams of being on Broadway, Katia landed a job at the iconic Tracy Anderson Studios—only to have it taken from her without warning. From that space of uncertainty and loss, she chose to keep moving—literally. DanceBody was created out of necessity, resilience, and a refusal to stop dancing. Her story embodies the idea that life doesn’t happen to us—it happens for us, a theme that runs through this episode. Now a mother to an almost two-year-old daughter, Katia opens up about the ever-evolving challenges of body image in motherhood. She’s passionate about helping women feel more connected to their bodies—more confident, more present, and ultimately, more joyful. Key Takeaways: – Katia’s energy is magnetic, especially when she talks about dance as a healing tool. She shares how movement isn’t about aesthetics for her—it’s about boosting serotonin, dopamine, and reclaiming mental wellness from the inside out. – She reflects on her upbringing, where work ethic was modeled as “non-negotiable,” and how her early experiences with dance, pom, and extracurriculars laid the foundation for self-earned confidence and community. – We dive into how DanceBody helps women build confidence, even if they walk in full of self-doubt. Katia has created an environment where women feel safe enough to let go and gain a new sense of self. – As someone who needs music and movement to stay grounded, I felt such a connection with Katia. Dance is my form of meditation, a way to connect with my girls, and my go-to for lifting the mood. To speak with someone who built an entire business on the transformative power of dance—it was everything. Whether you’ve danced your whole life or not at all, this episode is a reminder that movement isn’t about performance—it’s about coming home to yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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About We Didn't Turn Out OK with Jennie Monness

For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young children. I've connected with so many parents through my social media account, texts, calls, and leading moms' groups. When we have open, honest and vulnerable conversations—no matter who you are as a parent—that's how we connect, learn and grow. We also discover so much about ourselves and how that plays into our parenting. That's why I created We Didn't Turn Out Ok—a podcast where you'll hear real conversations about challenges we face in parenting, hear how we uncover the roadblocks, often from our own stuff, and listen to how we work through what's often keeping us stuck. There will be professionals in the field, noteworthy guests and everyone in between. Using my own parenting journey and approach—combined with research-backed best practices—I am determined to help us all move forward from our areas of where we "didn't turn out ok." Every guest will be sharing openly and honestly knowing that it will help them grow as a parent but will also help all of you listening. Welcome to We Didn't Turn Out Ok.
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