One Bad Mother is a podcast and it is the single greatest addition to my parenting life. I tell every single expectant mother to download it and start listening. The episodes go back years and the moment I stumbled upon it I started listening from the very first episode and binged until I could binge no more. Even now, having listened to every episode to date, I still listen to old shows a dozen times depending on what my kid is currently going through.

The two hosts, Theresa Thorn and Biz Ellis, are perfect counter points to one another while clearly on the same page about the big stuff. What big stuff you may ask? Simply that every mom everywhere is doing the very best they can in any given situation and at any given time. They are also open minded to all walks of life, they include people who became parents through adoption or IVF or surrogacy, etc. They also make sure to focus on the multicultural, racial, and gendered approaches to parenting. They are hilarious, honest, and real parents who fail and succeed in a myriad of tiny ways, just like the rest of us.

The show comes out every Thursday and has a vibrant online community of parents who are incredibly supportive. That may seem impossible, but I’m serious. The Facebook group for One Bad Mother is like a breath of fresh air in an internet full of constant parenting judgements. One Bad Mother told me that it’s ok if I drop the ball some days, if the house is a mess some days, if I want to punch my partner in the arm… again... because HOW HARD IS IT TO PUT THE DIRTY DIAPER IN THE DIAPER GENIE IT’S JUST RIGHT THERE. THREE INCHES AWAY FROM WHERE YOU DROPPED THAT POOP-FILLED STINK BOMB. But, I digress...

The show is a beacon of humor and validation for us mothers, and it not only approaches fluffy topics like ‘Glitter’ but also the trickier topics like ‘Mom Rage’ or ‘Miscarriage’. Theresa and Biz are compassionate about the daily struggles of parenthood but are also right there in the trenches with us. The constant mantra of One Bad Mother is: “You’re Doing a Good Job!” because you really, really are.

They also have a phone line you can call to leave a ‘Genius’, ‘Fail’, or ‘Rant’. This segment of the show they talk about their genius moments of the week, their failures, and then at the end of the show they always play a caller’s rant, or more accurately, a ‘Mom Having a Breakdown’.

I have called that line so many times. So. Many. Times. Sometimes you just need someone to hear the brilliant moment you had when you figured out if you blew bubbles into the fan your dog would chase them all over the house and your baby would be entertained for half an hour. Or maybe you taught your kid that the Christmas tree was actually a dog, so instead of tearing it apart and smashing ornaments, they gently pet it. Then again, maybe you failed because you bought white pants and actually wore them while caring for a toddler… because… why? What possibly could have possessed you to do that?

The amount of rants I call in is impressive. Half the time I call just to hear Biz’s recorded voice telling me I’m doing a good job. I’ve had full breakdowns on the phone, by myself, at the end of a long day. And I’ve heard my breakdowns played on the podcast, in front of live audiences, where I can actually hear people feeling what I feel, and the support that swells in the face of our most challenging days.

Ladies, I cannot express to you the importance One Bad Mother has held for me and every other parent I have recommended it to.

You can find One Bad Mother on the Maximum Fun network of podcasts. It’s downloadable through whatever app you use to get your podcasts. Give yourself this gift, and find an even greater community in your journey through parenthood.