Are moms okay right now? I really want to know. So I called on the one guest I knew would have a terrific birds-eye view: Jessica Grose, author and The New York Times Parenting Editor.

If you’ve ever had a must-read parenting article sent to you by a friend, it’s likely that one of them was written by Jess. Having talked to so many parents and parenting experts over the years and covered so many topics around modern motherhood, she has a phenomenal perspective about the forces holding us back — and even those pushing us forward.

From mental health issues and burnout (especially among moms with kids under 5), to the childcare crisis, the evolving role of parents on social media including “TikTok Parenting”, the breaking news about abortion rights, and the activists rallying to make things better for us — she talks about it all with such honesty. She even shares the one article she wrote that has always stayed with her, and has even changed the way she parents her own kids.

Take a listen right now now. It’s enjoyable, honest, and may help you feel like whatever issue you’re facing, you’re definitely not alone.

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You can follow jess at @JessGrose onTwitter, @JessGroseWrites on Instagram, and on her site, jessicagrose.com. And keep an eye out for her upcoming book that she just announced (!), Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of Mother Motherhood.

A selection of NY Times articles from Jessica Grose on the state of modern motherhood
 

Cool Picks of the Week 

Jess: The Bravo reality series Below Deck is giving her the totally indulgent, non-newsworthy respite she needs each  night.

Liz: The #BooksUnbanned initiative from the Brooklyn Public Library is a masterful counterattack on the disturbing trend of book banning around the US right now.

Top image: Inside Weather on Unsplash