Dr. Dean Rudoy is a clinical psychologist, author and educator. He is an advocate for lived experience and how we can share stories to help others in learning from other people's experiences and also the lessons we have learned. Children are all created with a gift. Unfortunately, oftentimes those gifts aren't always expressed and that's because their wings were folded in due to the expectations around them (sometimes that's intentional and sometimes it's not). Gender roles determine what they are "allowed" to do, say and how they act. For example, boys at the age of 4 boys are told that they need to "man up" and "big boys don't cry." So to please the big people in their lives, whom they love, they will usually comply and suppress their feelings. Girls are told that "girls don't climb trees." Compliance is often the barrier to true growth. A Star Wars quote says "Your focus determines your reality." Dr. Dean says that couldn' t be more true. He often tells families that being outside is the best way to ground yourself. Everything in nature is exactly what it's meant to be with no need to be anything else. Dr. Dean believes that not only does it take a village to rise a child but it takes a child to raise a village. Giving children attention, affection and admiration and acceptance (as is), as well as listening to them are the best parenting advice he can give. Good enough parenting is a concept that's also important. Dr. Dean believes you should give yourself a break and know that parenting is a constant changing adventure that you will never perfect. Adults need to pause and listen to children because they are truly here to help us remember our beginning. Being listened to and remembered is what we all truly want in life. Before we speak or act, think, "what will this further." You can find Dr. Dean and his infinite wisdom at Deanrudoy.com and you can find his book and other information. He also has a youtube channel found at (9) Dean Rudoy - YouTube

Allison Bray is the founder of My Motherhood Agenda, a line of planners designed for all things included in motherhood. The foundation of their business is that self care is important and essential to be integrated into the lives of moms. Reminding them to take care of themselves is really important. When she realized she wasn't taking care of herself, she realized that so many other moms weren't either so she created one place for all the things. Self care doesn't always have to be massages and facials but it can be a 10 minute call with a friend. As a first time mom, at the age of 28 she had her first. He is 2 ½ now and it has been everything she wanted it to be even though it's been really hard. She says it is the greatest thing she has ever done but also the hardest. Her biggest challenge has been sleep deprivation. That change in her life really rocked her world. When you aren't sleeping, everything is heightened to a place that can send someone over the edge. Her biggest supporter is her best friend who lives right next door! What a dream come true! Her best mama moment is watching her little guy learn something new that she taught him. Her proudest moment is watching her son understand emotional regulation that she modeled. Her worst mama moment has been when her full-on meltdown interrupts the flow of a day and doesn't feel good. Grace is important in these moments and happens to everyone but knowing she doesn't want to dwell on them or repeat them. She wishes she would have known that asking for help is a necessity of motherhood. Asking for help is not a weakness, it is a strength. You can find Allison Bray at her website at https://mymotherhoodagenda.com. Check out her publications, My Motherhood Agenda HERE. @mymotherhoodagenda on Instagram and other social medias.

Abbey Stone is a mama in Colorado and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and a mama of 2 ages 4 and 6. She moved to Colorado in 2011 as a travel nurse (from Tennessee). Her mama journey was a little different than she thought it would be because she was induced with her first. She had her second in a birthing center (which she wanted with her first but it didn't happen). She struggled with perinatal mood disorders and her mom told her that she actually felt "normal" when she was pregnant. So hormonal imbalances can change your whole personality and how you go through the world. Her two pregnancies were very different and her second was more familiar so that was easier. Her biggest challenge was sleep deprivation. Taking care of herself was also a huge struggle with a newborn and the lack of rest multiplied the effects. Her biggest supporter has been her husband and he only got one week of leave so her mom and mother-in-law really stepped up. Her best mama moments are when she explores the world with them. Taking them camping and learning to ride a bicycle as well as learning new things and watching them exploring the world around them. Her worst mama moment has been parenting a challenging kiddo who has deep, big feelings. His feelings become bigger and bigger and holding space for him and yet having the patience to handle it all. She wishes she would have known that most of the things that are going on internally are NORMAL. We don't talk about our mental health in a really good way and we need to do more. Anxiety, intrusive thoughts and worrying can look different for every human being!

Terry Iverson is a dad of 3 who has worked in the manufacturing sector for over 45 years. His career has focused on mentoring younger people. In 2012 he started a new organization called ChampionNow. This organization is meant to teach kids and parents that the perception of manufacturing in our country has become very skewed and is very important in our country. Going into student debt can really derail and delay success for a young person. He believes that moms have a phenomenal influence on their children and knowing the other options that are out there, can help steer their children in different ways. In 1980, when Terry started, computers were just starting to change the way that things are done. As a bored student, he attended college and after 6 years he quit because theory wasn't what interested him. He believes in skills, education and degrees but they don't always fit every person. Thinking outside the box is important because we still need a hands-on workforce and that could be YOUR kiddo! Keep options open because every child has a different set of skills and goals. There are so many people who earn a degree and never use it in their profession. What is the return on education? Keep that in mind when directing or encouraging your kids. You can find his books, Finding America's Greatest Champion, and Inspiring Champions in Advanced Manufacturing. You can find them on Amazon and his website championnow.org

Diane Cherico is in Midland Park, New Jersey and a therapeutic massage therapist and mother of 2. She started the journey of massage when she had to leave her abusive husband (and father of her kids). She wanted to be a registered nurse but didn't have the money or time to go to school for it. Her kiddos are 40 and 35 and she has always been shocked by how fast it all goes. Her biggest challenge has always been keeping herself healthy. Being a mom means you put yourself on the backburner all the time. When you do good things for yourself, you aren't pampering yourself, you are helping yourself. She takes care of herself by strengthening her core, a daily walk, eating healthy and drinking plenty of water. Her mama and her sister were her biggest supporters and her mom says that because of Diane, she is walking better. Watching her daughter say the words now that she is an adult makes her so proud and is her best mama moment. Her son married someone who doesn't love her light and it's not going well. That's hard on a mama heart. She wishes she would have known that sweating the small stuff isn't going to change it. Breathing deeply and taking care of YOU is so important. Taking the time to breathe and think of all of the blessings in your life. She has written a book called Stretch Your Pain Away in Just 10 Minutes a Day. You can find her on Amazon and her website at gettheknotsout.com

Chris Livezey is an author, speaker and mindset coach. He is also a real estate investor. He was born and raised in the Philadelphia area but now lives in Florida. Back in 1999 he set the goal to be a motivational speaker and took the path to be an investor so he can go out and change lives. His dream to be a motivational speaker started all because he was pigeonholed into a place where his teachers saw him as a behavior issue. He was diagnosed with a lot of different things that removed him from the regular classroom and this made him a victim of other people's beliefs. This led him to getting into trouble at an early age. In 9th grade he read See You At the Top by Zig Ziggler. This changed his whole life. Being told over and over that he "couldn't" do things programmed him to not be able to do things. Our environment programs into our subconscious mind and can reject others ideas. There are many instances where people were told they will never walk and 6 months later they walk out of the hospital. Your mind works in mysterious ways and we have the ability to accept or deny what we want or don't want for our own lives. People become a victim of their environmental heredity. As a mom, help your kids find their interests, talents and encourage them that they can overcome their weaknesses. Whatever you are looking at and listening to seeps into your unconscious mind and through our conscious mind we can realign. As soon as you tie emotions to what's going on around you, that's when it creates a vibrational state. His book is called The Shortcut to Magnificent. You can find his book on Amazon and on his website at chrislivezey.com

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Melissa Rod is a budding author, a nanny who married her last employer who had a little boy. Her book is about a man she thought was her dad but wasn't. Her mom doubled down and said she was switched at birth! This caused her to write a book about her experience. When she started nannying for her current husband, his baby was 13 months old. She has six children now from ages 33-19. Her biggest mamahood challenge was adopting two children because although one was placed in her arms at 1 minute old, the others were 7 and 9 and their experiences were complicated and difficult so parenting them was more challenging. She thought love would fix it all and make it all go away. Her own mom was her biggest supporter from the time she met her husband and they started their family. Her best mama moments were when they were all little and hug on her and tell her that they love her but watching them all start their own families and be parents is life changing. Her worst mama moments came when her youngest was 2 years old and spent 1 week at Texas Children's Hospital. They thought he had Leukemia. As it turned out, he didn't have cancer and he went home with all symptoms gone! It was a crazy 5 days. She wishes she would have known not to take the little things so seriously. In the long run they aren't that big of a deal! You can find her book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble online or on her website at melissajeanrod.com.