Is Parenting Supposed to Feel This Complicated?

Parenting today can feel like one long stream of decisions.

Should we sign up for the baby music class? Is preschool soccer worth it? Are camps helpful, or are we doing too much? What if my child cries at drop-off, wants to quit, or seems totally uninterested in the activity everyone else is doing?

There are so many ways to support our kids, which can be wonderful. But it can also make parenting feel heavier than it needs to. With every class, sport, routine, behavior challenge, and milestone, it’s easy to wonder: Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? And what actually matters here?

That’s why I’m so excited for this upcoming Auggie conversation:

Parenting, Simplified: What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t) on May 12 at 1 PM EDT.

From baby classes to sports, camps, and everyday routines, today’s parents are navigating more options than ever — and more pressure to do it all. With so many activities available, it can be hard to know where to start, what’s worth it, and how much is too much.

Join us on Auggie for Parenting, Simplified: What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t) — a grounded, practical conversation with Dr. Mona, pediatrician and parenting expert, Alex Stried, CEO & Co-Founder of Hey Poppins, and Amy Kiska, Co-Founder of Recess, moderated by Auggie.

Together, we’ll cut through the noise and explore how to thoughtfully support your child’s development from ages 0–10 — without overcomplicating it.

We’ll cover:

• What actually supports child development at different ages — and what’s just noise

• When (and how) to introduce activities, from baby classes to sports, camps, and beyond

• How to find the right balance between free play, rest, and structured activities — and how much is too much

• What to look for in classes, camps, and programs — and how to know when your child is ready

• How to navigate common challenges like separation anxiety, transitions, and difficult drop-offs

• What to do when your child resists an activity or says they want to quit

• How to approach activities with multiple children and different needs

• How to approach behavior without overcomplicating it

• How to support your child while also taking care of yourself

Whether your child is 3 months or 10 years old, you’ll walk away with a clearer, more confident approach to navigating activities, development, and everyday parenting decisions.

Because parenting doesn’t have to feel this complicated — and it wasn’t meant to.

It’s free to attend, and I hope you can join us for this conversation. It’s such an important one, especially for any parent who has ever wondered whether they’re doing enough, doing too much, or just trying to make the best decisions with the information they have.

On The Podcast

Motherhood is often painted as pure joy, endless patience, and unconditional love.
But what about the moments of frustration? The resentment? The overwhelm? The quiet thought of, “I love my child… but this is really hard.”

In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist Dr. Margo Lowy to talk about maternal ambivalence – the completely normal experience of holding love and difficult emotions at the same time. We unpack the difference between ambivalence and indifference, why so many mothers feel guilt for being human, and how naming these emotions actually strengthens connection rather than weakens it.

If you’ve ever questioned yourself because motherhood didn’t feel magical 100 percent of the time, this conversation will feel like exhaling.

A question I get often is: “How do I know if EMDR might be right for me?”
In this episode, we break down what EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) actually is, who it can help, and what a session really looks like.

Originally developed to treat PTSD, EMDR is now used to support people struggling with birth trauma, childhood experiences, anxiety, panic, phobias, depression, parenting triggers, and more. You do not need a formal diagnosis to benefit from it. Many parents come in simply feeling reactive, overwhelmed, or triggered in ways they do not fully understand.

Ask Dr. Mona

An opportunity for YOU to ask Dr. Mona your parenting questions!

Dr. Mona will answer these questions in a future Sunday Morning Q&A email. Chances are if you have a parenting concern or question, another parent can relate. So let's figure this out together!