The Mom Room

Mental health is health, and sometimes our kids need support that we simply cannot provide on our own. Which is why The Mom Room is partnering with Family of Support: Child & Youth Mental Health Initiative, led by the Empire Family of Brands, The Sobey Foundation and Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations.

Renee is joined by Jenna Kedy, a 22 year old National Patient Youth Ambassador who has navigated anxiety, arthritis, depression and an eating disorder, and by Renée Hopfner, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Empire. Jenna shares her experience with mental health, including the signs adults missed, the "b...

September 17th, 2026: Has motherhood become performative?

In Part 2 of this conversation, Renee continues exploring how social media has changed motherhood, and the way we actually experience our lives as moms.

Are we enjoying the moment, or are we thinking about how the moment will look in a photo? Are we creating memories for our kids, or unconsciously thinking about how those memories will translate to social media?

Renee talks about how motherhood has increasingly become performative, how documenting everything can pull us out of actually experiencing it, and why social media can leave...

After preparing for birth, who prepares your marriage? Six weeks into having his third baby, couples therapist Eli Weinstein joins The Mom Room to talk about what happens to a relationship after kids. He wrote the book on it while living it!

Renee and Eli get into the conversations worth having before the baby arrives, how to ask for what you need without playing head games, and his rule that you respect the ask every time. He explains the pushout, the moment a parent decides it is easier to do it themselves and quietly teaches their partner...

September 10th, 2026: In this solo episode of The Mom Room, I’m recapping our Labour Day weekend, Milo’s pickleball birthday party, and his first day back at school. And somehow, what was supposed to feel like a fresh start has turned into… anxiety?!

I’ve realized I put WAY too much pressure on September and back-to-school. Get back into a routine! Be productive! Get organized! Get ahead! Fix everything! But really… it’s just another day.

After spending the last few months making small changes that helped me feel less burnt out, I can already feel...

September 8th, 2026: Has social media made motherhood harder?

In this solo episode of The Mom Room, Renee talks about the ways social media has added to the mental load of motherhood and created new pressures for moms. From constantly comparing ourselves to other mothers online to feeling like we need to create the “perfect” childhood, social media has changed what we think good motherhood is supposed to look like.

Renee breaks down the pressure to have the perfect home, make elaborate meals, create enriching activities, find the best products, research every parenting decision, and constantly opti...

Thursday September 3rd: Renee is back with a full recap of her trip to New York City to see Harry Styles, because obviously we need to discuss EVERYTHING. From the NYC adventure to seeing Harry live, Renee shares the highlights, the chaos, and all of her thoughts from the trip.

Then, things take a very different turn when Renee recaps the absolutely ridiculous series of unfortunate events that happened while she was just trying to fall asleep last night. A bug lands ON HER HEAD, her phone mysteriously falls off the dresser, her iMac screen turns on...

Renee revisits one of her favorite conversations, with psychologist Dr. Tanya Cotler, on everything you need to know about gentle parenting: where it came from, what it was intended to be, and what it turned into online. Dr. Cotler takes apart the biggest myths, including the idea that gentle means no boundaries, no consequences, and never losing your temper. Renee shares some of the harder moments she has had with Milo that sparked this conversation, from toddler tantrums to the guilt that shows up after you yell.

Together they get into the nuance the internet skips: gentle...

Thursday, August 27th: Apparently I’ve entered my “try new things” era.

I’ve been thinking about why so many of us stop learning, experimenting, and picking up new hobbies once we become adults. I recently started getting into art, painting, drawing with markers, learning about different techniques, and I am OBSESSED. My entire algorithm is basically art now, I’m taking art classes this fall, and I genuinely can’t remember the last time I was this excited to be a complete beginner at something.

I’m also taking tennis lessons, attempting to actually get better at a...

Revisiting an important episode this week with Dr. Alison Yeung, family physician and creator of @thesmartphoneeffectmd, where she talks all things smartphones, social media, and (of course) kids. Why are so many parents struggling to set screen time boundaries? How is technology impacting our kids’ mental health, attention spans, and motivation? And how do we navigate platforms like Roblox, YouTube Kids, and even school-issued iPads?

Renee and Dr. Yeung get real about balancing technology use, setting routines, and why it’s not just about “parenting harder”—it’s about pushing back against industries designed to hook our kids. If you...

Thursday, August 20th: Is seven the new two?! Lately, it feels like everything I say is met with “NO,” an argument, or a negotiation, even when I’m suggesting something my 7-year-old actually wants to do. I mentioned this on Instagram and was flooded with messages from parents of 7- and 8-year-olds saying: SAME.

So, what is going on at this age?

In this solo episode of The Mom Room, I’m talking about why kids around 7-8 can suddenly seem more argumentative, oppositional, and determined to challenge everything we say. I get into what’s happenin...

After months of living in fight-or-flight that no doctor could explain, Beth, aka The Garbage Mom, figured out the cause herself... She was on the wrong dose of progesterone!

She joins The Mom Room this week to talk perimenopause, hormones, and how much of women's health women are still left to research on their own. Beth also shares how she was diagnosed with celiac disease a year ago, after five years of iron infusions and a hematologist who told her that as long as she was getting her period, she'd keep needing them.

Renee and...

August 13th, 2026: What does being "productive" actually mean when you stop comparing your life to hundreds of other people's lives online?

In this solo episode of The Mom Room, I'm chatting about a few things that have been on my mind lately, starting with the fact that I've somehow fallen back into my old habit of making MASSIVE to-do lists. Summer has been amazing, but being out of our normal routine, constantly changing schedules, and trying to fit work into unpredictable weeks has definitely made staying organized a little harder. I'm already looking ahead to September and s...

At 13, Shenae Grimes-Beech booked her first commercial in Toronto. By 18, her life had completely changed. She'd moved out of her mom's house for the first time to film 90210 in Los Angeles. Now a mom of two building a career as a content creator, Shenae joins The Mom Room to talk about that whirlwind path from Degrassi to 90210 to motherhood, and to bring up a major AI concern most of us have never even heard of.

Shenae unpacks what it was like growing up on camera before social media existed, and how her approach to sharing her daughter...

August 6th, 2026: In this episode of The Live Better Project, I'm sharing one of the biggest changes I've noticed since I stopped mindlessly scrolling social media: my attention span is coming back.

For years, I couldn't watch a TV show without checking my phone, read a book during the day without getting distracted, or simply enjoy a moment without wondering if I should be filming it for social media. Even conversations were constantly interrupted by notifications or the urge to check my phone.

But after just a few weeks of intentionally putting my phone down f...

From not wanting kids, to loving being a mother to one, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes joins The Mom Room this week to talk about motherhood and her new standup comedy special Ugly Baby. She shares her experience going through IVF, getting pregnant at 41, and how her purpose has shifted after having her child. Renee and Anjelah discuss the early stages of motherhood, intrusive thoughts, and share their theories on why postpartum rage towards the father happens. They also relate on wishing that they had done a better job being a support system for their friends and family who have gone through...

July 30th, 2026: What happens when you stop mindlessly scrolling social media? In this episode of The Live Better Project, I'm sharing one (of five) of the biggest changes I've noticed since stepping away from scrolling and consuming content mindlessly... and it has nothing to do with screen time.

I've stopped caring about what I look like!

I'm wearing less makeup, throwing my hair in a messy bun, leaving the house without worrying about looking "put together," and feeling more like myself than I have in years. We talk about why constantly consuming curated images changes th...

Marlie cohen, aka Kale and Krunches, joins The Mom Room this week to talk all about fitness and nutrition! This episode is for anyone who feels overwhelmed with all the weight loss, diet, and exercise advice online. Marlie stresses why strength training is so important for women, and speaks to those who have grown up in the "shrink yourself" era. As someone who fell in love with fitness later in life, Marlie knows the struggle of balancing it all - working out, sleeping well, being a mom, etc. To help other busy working moms out there, she created an...

July 23, 2026: Welcome back to The Living Better Project! This week we're talking about one of the hardest, but most freeing, skills to practice: saying no.

So many of us automatically say yes to invitations, commitments, and opportunities without stopping to think about what they actually require. We don't just commit to the event, we commit to the preparation, the travel, the mental energy, the recovery afterward, and everything else that comes with it.

Lately, I've been fully embracing my "saying no" era, and it's been one of the biggest contributors to feeling happier, calmer, and more...

Nina Spears, aka The Baby Chick, joins The Mom Room this week to share her wealth of knowledge about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Nina, a child birth and newborn care educator, shares the things she thinks first time moms misunderstand about labor and delivery, and what's often overlooked. As someone who has attended more than 350 child births, Nina knows that planning for birth extends to so much more than what's packed in the hospital bag. Expecting mothers need to prepare their minds, bodies, and partners for this new chapter in life. She stresses more than anything the importance of...

July 16, 2026: Welcome back to The Living Better Project! In episode three, we're talking about one of the biggest mindset shifts that's helped me feel more consistent, less overwhelmed, and actually make progress: choosing just 1–3 non-negotiables for the day or week.

Instead of trying to improve every area of your life all at once (and inevitably feeling like you're failing), I'm sharing why narrowing your focus has been a complete game changer. Whether your priorities are going for a walk, making a high-protein breakfast, reading before bed, or getting to bed earlier, keeping small promises to yourself builds confi...

Melissa Janzso, home, fashion, and lifestyle content creator, joins The Mom Room this week! From having a 9-5 to then having kids, Melissa started her online brand after being pushed by her husband to take an interior design course when she decided that she would not be fulfilled by just being a mom. Now, Melissa has an audience that looks to her for furnishing their homes and building their wardrobes on a budget, as well as home improvement ideas and raising children. This honest, relatable conversation is filled with discussions from hormone testing to reality TV, to whether or...

Welcome back to Part 2 of my Living Better series! 🌿

This week, we're picking up where we left off after last week's conversation about decluttering and creating a calmer home. I share some new realizations I've had over the past week, including how shifting your focus away from yourself and toward other people can have a surprisingly positive impact on your mindset. I also take you through the simple morning routine I've been loving lately and why it's been helping me start my days feeling calmer, more intentional, and more energized.

Then we dive into Living Better T...

Laura Clery, content creator and author, joins The Mom Room this week to talk about her new book What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Hotter. After dealing with a traumatic separation and divorce from her children's father, Laura has found the shift to single motherhood liberating and empowering, despite challenging at times. Going through divorce when you have children is hard, and Laura shares what it was like having her personal life on display for the public to weigh in before she even had time to process everything. Laura had been making content online long before she had children...

July 2, 2026: This week on The Mom Room, I’m kicking off a new series all about the small changes that have completely shifted how I feel day to day. A few months ago, I made a list of simple things I wanted to focus on to help me "live better", feel calmer, more energized, less overwhelmed, and more present in my everyday life. And honestly? The changes have been bigger than I ever expected.

In this episode, we’re starting with one of the most impactful changes: decluttering and organizing your spaces (including digital!) one small area at a...

Stephanie Venn-Watson, founder of Fatty15 and veterinary epidemiologist, joins us on The Mom Room this week to discuss the supplement that supports healthy aging for all. From working with the Navy to study dolphin populations in California and Florida, to creating a c15 supplement based upon her research, Stephanie brings us a wealth of knowledge on why fats are so important in every stage of life, especially during pregnancy and childhood. The awareness of how important c15 levels are in humans is growing. On average, one new peer-reviewed paper on c15 is being published a week through the world...

Thursday, June 25th: Today I'm covering a truly thrilling topic: dust. Specifically, why there seems to be an endless amount of it in my house, why I recently found myself cleaning blinds and washing curtains, and how home maintenance somehow feels like a full-time job.

I also share my latest food prep obsession, a ridiculously simple high-protein chicken bowl recipe I found on Pinterest that has completely transformed my lunches. It's easy, delicious, and somehow even got my husband's approval (which is saying something).

Then we get into Milo's newest YouTube obsession and the boundaries...

Angela Santomero, co-creator of Blues Blues, creator of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Super Why!, and the new Princess Penelope's Purse of Preposterous Things, joins us on The Mom Room this week to talk all about kids media. With a masters in child development, Angela has been a key player in bringing child psychology to kids shows by asking herself the question, 'what if you could put the very best curriculum on TV?' She has applied her "view and do" method to create some of the most highly regarded kids shows, where every moment has something in it that can...

Thursday June 18th: I'm recording from up north at my mom's house (excuse the bird sounds) and sharing a little life update. A few weeks ago, I was honestly feeling like I was on the verge of burnout. Everything felt harder than it should have, I was constantly stressed, and my energy was completely depleted.

So I made some major changes.

In this episode, I talk about how the results of these changes have been shocking. My mood is better, I'm sleeping better, my productivity has improved, my motivation is back, and I have more...

Alyssa Blask Campbell, NYT Bestselling author of Tiny Humans, Big Emotions and Big Kids, Bigger Feelings, joins The Mom Room this week! Alyssa is the CEO of Seed and Sew, the leading organization for regulation and emotional intelligence in schools. In this episode, Alyssa goes through the five components of emotional intelligence, what taking care of your nervous system looks like for different people, tips for fostering intrinsic motivation, and how her books relate to adult emotions as well. Renee and Alyssa also discuss the difference between setting boundaries and making requests, and what Alyssa's advice is for parents...

Thursday June 11th, 2026: For years, I've dealt with a collection of seemingly random symptoms that never quite made sense when looked at individually. But what if they're all connected?

In today's solo episode, I'm sharing the health rabbit hole I've recently found myself down as I explore the possibility that many of my long-standing symptoms could be related to connective tissue issues. I talk about my sister's recent Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome diagnosis, the genetic testing process, and answer some of the questions I've been getting from listeners who are navigating similar concerns.

I also share a...

Oona Metz, therapist, author, and speaker, joins The Mom Room this week to talk about the emotional journey of divorce. Oona has led divorce support groups for the past 15 years, and during that time she learned that her patients were wanting a divorce book specifically for women, written by a therapist. On the search to find such book, Oona realized there were none, so she wrote Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide For Women. Renee asks Oona questions about the current divorce rates, what is it that breaks a marriage, the emotional labour of women in marriage, why it takes...

Thursday June 4th: Welcome back to The Mom Room!

Today’s solo episode starts with a trip down memory lane as I share the full history of my sinus issues, from years of recurring infections to sinus surgery in 2015, the complications that followed, and why this has remained such a frustrating part of my health journey.

Then we shift into something that has been on my mind a lot lately: burnout.

Over the past year, I started noticing subtle signs that something wasn't quite right. I was feeling irritated by completely normal work em...

Miranda Kerr, mom of 4 and founder of Kora Organics, joins The Mom Room this week! Renee asks Miranda about her motherhood journey - childbirth, the newborn stage, raising 4 boys, being a public figure, and the mental load. Miranda shares some incredibly insightful parenting takes, including how she not only teaches her boys to forgive others, but to forgive themselves. Renee and Miranda also discuss Miranda’s skincare brand, Kora Organics - why she started it, breaking down the ingredients, and how her products not only cleanse the skin, but cleanse the spirit. And Miranda gives Renee her own catered sk...

Thursday May 28th, 2026: Welcome back to The Mom Room! Today’s solo episode starts with a realization I think a lot of parents are missing when it comes to social media and kids. The reason TikTok or Instagram may seem “harmless” to you… is because YOUR algorithm is tailored to YOU. My feed? Mostly Pomeranians, home content, Bravo drama, and random mom-life videos. So naturally, I assumed kids weren’t really stumbling across anything too concerning besides the occasional swear word.

Then one day I searched “massage” on TikTok looking for physio therapy exercises, self-massage, and lymphatic drainage video...

Taylor Wolfe, author, mother, comedian and online creator, joins The Mom Room this week! Taylor's has a new book called Just a Busy Season, and she shares what led to her writing this book, diving deep into what having a busy season really means. Renee and Taylor discuss what their identities were like before and after motherhood, the mental load and balance of parenting, and the reality behind social media. Taylor shares her career journey, from online blogger to stand-up comedian to author, and gives some incredibly relatable insight into how she manages (or doesn't manage) her time. Check...

Thursday May 21 2026: Welcome back to The Mom Room! In today’s solo episode, I’m diving into one of the most misunderstood topics online: parenting “data.”

After seeing endless debates and ignorant comments surrounding Tuesday's episode with Emily Oster, I wanted to explain what people actually mean when they reference “the data.” Spoiler alert: it’s not one magical study that tells parents how to raise their kids. I break down how research typically works, why the public gets flooded with misleading clickbait headlines from single studies, and how nuance completely disappears once parenting conversations hit the internet.

Emily Oster, CEO of ParentData, mom of two, economics professor, author of Expecting Better, Crib Sheet, and The Family Firm, joins The Mom Room this week to discuss how data-driven parenting is needed in today's online world full of flashy headlines and anxious parents. As an economist focused on social policy, Emily dives into research around TTC, pregnancy, and parenting, and interprets studies through a thoughtful, nuanced lens. She shares with Renee her findings about breastfeeding, jumpstarting labor, screen time, extracurricular activities, bed rest, and more. If you're a parent trying to keep up with the ever-changing information online...

Thursday May 14th, 2026: There’s a part of the mental load that no one really talks about… your own thoughts. The constant questioning. The nonstop noise. The invisible checklist running through your brain 24/7.

In today’s solo episode, I talk about a bit of an epiphany I had recently: why am I working so much? Somewhere along the way, I slipped into full workaholic mode and started prioritizing productivity over the things I’m constantly stressed about “neglecting”, home cooked meals, organizing the house, quality time with family, maintaining friendships, slowing down, and actually enjoying my life.

So this...

Therapist and mom, Mika Ross, joins Renee this week on The Mom Room for a relatable, honest, non-therapy babble talk about parenting and relationships. In working with couples, Mika has learned the most common types of issues that come up, especially when the couple has children. Mika and Renee discuss parenting a child with ADHD, standards for mothers vs. fathers, resentment, and co-managing parenting, especially in heterosexual relationships where gender roles often present themselves. Mika brings a wealth of knowledge and relatability to this conversation, and answers questions around relationship conflict, including intimacy issues, with real, tangible tools that...

May 7th 2026: Ever taken an imitation NyQuil thinking “how different could it really be?” Well… apparently VERY different. In today’s solo episode of The Mom Room, I recap the recent cold that absolutely took me out and the off-brand nighttime cold medicine that somehow managed to derail my entire night instead of helping me sleep. Turns out the non-medicinal ingredients matter more than I ever knew, and I have thoughts.

I also share my honest review of Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden. This review may ruffle a few feathers, but if you know me, you k...