This past week has been awful. It's been really, really awful. So much so that the Mamas don't even really know where to begin this conversation. With the mass shooting in Uvalde just 10 days after the shooting in Buffalo, it sometimes feels like it all is too much. Listen in as the Mamas share what they have on their minds about the state of things, and what very real fears they share for their own families. Plus, what have they been sharing or not sharing with their own children? This conversation is to serve as a checkin for all Mamas.

The Mamas discuss how to inform their children about racism and how to ensure they're in spaces that acknowledge and protect their identities.

Today the Mamas are talking all things boundaries. How to set them, why they're important, and how to start teaching the kids about their importance.

Ladies! We're doing Mother's Day in the Den today! We know this is a day about celebrating all things motherhood, but look, sometimes the best gift is a day by ourselves! Listen in as the ladies share what their Mother's Days have looked like up to this point, what they all really want for mother's day, and what they do for their mothers. Plus we just might find out the best gift they've ever gotten in this celebration of mamas!

Y'all Felicia has some questions for the married folks! The dating game can be a whole situation, especially when you know exactly what you're looking for in a partner. How did the Mamas know that the men they're with now was the one? What speed bumps have come up along the way, and what do they think about the journey that got them to now? Is there a time frame? The Mamas are here to share their journeys to the one and what they found that they needed in a partner.

Let's talk about joy. Happiness is often overlooked by the busyness of life, and today the Mamas sans Codie reflect on what joy looks like to them. How has it changed with time, and how can one maintain peace along the journey.

It's easy to look at what other people have accomplished and wonder why it hasn't happened for us. This week the Mamas dive into their accomplishments and the need to have more.

The Mama's are getting real about their bodies. From pre to post pregnancy, listen in to hear what their journeys with body image has looked like.

Sometimes kids ASK the darndest things. What is the line that Mamas need to take with having those difficult conversations with their kids? Hint There is no consensus here. From anatomy to periods, to Santa Claus, and even death, we all need to find the best way to explain the tough topics to our kids. In this episode, the Mamas each share their philosophies and the stories that helped get them there.

Take a listen to a sneak peak of The Mama's Den!

The Mamas answer some of your questions!

We are celebrating Melanie Fiona's 40th birthday talking about what to look forward to in the second act of this thing called life. Let's all learn how to celebrate who we are right now!

The ladies discuss loving their bodies and the journey to celebrating themselves.

The Mamas share their expectations of motherhood versus their realities.

The Mamas play a round of Never Have I Ever.

The Mamas discuss what life with newborns is like, and what it was like when they first had children.

Mamas! Ladies! All you people listening! How are your mornings holding up? The Mamas Den group chat is a whole situation. These children have us unable to keep a single schedule. This is especially true when trying to get out of the house in the mornings! It's like these children just stay late. Luckily, Ashley and Felicia have some tips they have learned to help keep a routine, and what they do when their children don't want to cooperate with them cause these kids!

Gentle parenting, conscious parenting, patient parenting... we've all heard the terms but honestly, we're not too sure what the difference is. We just know that we're out here trying to break those generational traumatic bonds that we had to deal with growing up. We know a lot of y'all have been asking us about gentle parenting and where to start so we brought in our gentle parenting expert Charisse Sims! Charisse is an educator, PBS Early Learning Champion, and a mama of six so she knows a thing or two about raising kids. Charisse is all about conscious parenting, and if you don't know what that is, her podcast Parenting for the Culture is a good place to start! The Mamas and Charisse get into what exactly gentle parenting is, how we can set boundaries with our children, and how we ALL struggle with trying to do better than our parents did it.

Mamas, Aunties, and all of yall listening, today the Mamas sans Melanie who is out being a rockstar are answering some of your questions! Shanna in Sandy Springs GA needs to know how to not feel overwhelmed doing all the things, Leah in Tupelo MS speaks for all of us wondering why Black Love Doc has to come to an end, plus Kim in Brooklyn is wondering about gentle parenting!

Okay y'all we have to give Codie her flowers for a minute... did you all catch this past episode of Black Love Doc? If not, get yourself over to the Black Love App it's free! and watch it cause it had us all in our Mama feelings. It was all about the HARD things about parenting that often just don't get talked about. Codie and Tommy's story about her own baby's name, to what to do when our children don't turn out to be who we thought they were going to be... whew! It's a whole lot of hard conversations happening today, because being a parent is hard.