Episode Description:

There is nothing quite like seeing the world through the eyes of a child—especially when that child is reflecting on the love and influence of her mother. In this very special episode, host Deanne Taylor is joined by National Co-Chair Nancy Kennedy, along with the winner of our American Mothers 5th Grade Essay Contest and her proud mom!

We take a behind-the-scenes look at the essay contest, from the guidelines and judging process to what inspired this remarkable young writer to put her feelings onto paper. You'll hear the winning essay read aloud by the author Serena Wu herself, along with her mother’s, Wanda Wu, heartfelt reaction to hearing how much her love means to her daughter. Plus, we re-live their trip to the National Convention, including the special moment our winner led the Pledge of Allegiance at the closing Gala.

To top it all off, we celebrate the $500 grant awarded to a nonprofit in honor of our winner! Tune in for an episode full of pride, inspiration, and sweet reminders of why we honor mothers every single day.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• Behind the Contest: How the 5th grade essay contest works, what the judges look for, and why giving young people a voice matters.
• In Her Own Words: Hearing the winning essay read aloud by the author, and her mom's emotional response.
• National Convention Highlights: Memories from the closing Gala, leading the Pledge of Allegiance, and celebrating on the national stage.
• Giving Back: How this year's winning essay helped award a $500 grant to support cancer research and control.

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn More About the Contest: Check the show notes or visit American Mothers to read the contest guidelines and learn how to submit for next year.
• Honored Grant Recipient: Learn more about the grant provided in honor of our winner: Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester Foundation Inc. (Supporting cancer control and research)
• Join our Tribe: Learn more about our mission and get involved at American Mothers
• Celebrate a Mom: Do you know an incredible mother who deserves recognition? Nominate a Mother of the Year today!
• Join the Conversation: Share your favorite part of the essay with us on the American Mothers Community Facebook Page.

A Note from Deanne: Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be a great mother. Give yourself grace along your journey. We love you!

Episode Description:

Following our raw and powerful conversation last week with birth mother advocate Ashley Mitchell, we are broadening the circle of our conversation. Today, we sit down with adoptive mother Kirsten Johanson for a deeply honest, warm, and eye-opening conversation about what it truly looks like to walk the path of adoption.

Kirsten shares her beautiful journey of adopting her son at 9 months old through an open adoption. She gently pulls back the curtain on the "unseen labor" of adoption—the profound emotional, mental, and physical preparation that prospective parents navigate before they ever hold their baby in their arms. Together, we explore the beautiful concept of the "adoption constellation"—the understanding that adoption isn’t just a transaction, but a lifelong, interconnected journey that deeply touches the birth family, the adoptive family, and, most importantly, the adoptees themselves.

If you have ever wanted to understand the realities of open adoption, or if you simply want to grow in empathy for the different ways we build our families, this episode is full of heart and wisdom.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• The Unseen Labor: Shifting our understanding of adoption from an "easy route" to honoring the unique, heavy, and beautiful preparation adoptive mothers go through.
• The Adoption Constellation: Looking beyond the traditional "adoption triangle" to see how everyone involved—including extended families and future generations—is uniquely impacted.
• Honoring the Adoptee’s Voice: Understanding how the narratives we use about adoption must serve and protect the child, who didn't get a choice in the process.
• The Reality of Openness: How Kirsten navigates a healthy, respectful open adoption with her son's birth family.

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Kirsten’s work: Visit website: Known Together
• Learn more about the community: Discover THE Adoption Conference
• Join our Tribe: Learn more and join American Mothers
• Celebrate a Mom: Do you know an incredible mom who deserves recognition? Nominate a Mother of the Year today!
• Join the Conversation: We want to hear your thoughts on this episode! Head over to the American Mothers Community Facebook Page to share your heart with us.

A Note from Deanne: Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be a great mother. Give yourself grace along your journey. We love you!

Adoption is often spoken about as a beautiful fairy tale, but the reality is a deeply complex landscape where profound grief and immense love walk hand-in-hand.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Ashley Mitchell—a birth mother in an open adoption, co-founder of Adoption Rights, and a trusted, influential voice in the adoption space for nearly two decades. Ashley strips away the sugarcoating to talk about the raw emotional journey of a birth mother’s post-placement grief. We also dive into the anxieties and self-imposed expectations that adoptive parents face, how to build a healthy relationship between all sides of the adoption triad, and why continuous support groups are a lifeline for everyone involved.

• Ashley’s Story: How her personal journey as a birth mother fueled a 20-year mission to advocate for ethics and transparency in adoption.
• The Hidden Grief: Honoring the intense, lifelong emotions of birth mothers and breaking the myth that they just "move on."
• Bridging the Gap: Navigating the unique, evolving relationship between birth mothers and adoptive parents.
• The Adoptive Parent Pressure: Unpacking the self-imposed expectations and anxieties that adoptive families carry, and how to find peace in the messy reality.
• Finding Your Village: The crucial role of specialized support groups for both birth mothers and adoptive families.

• Connect with Ashley & find birth mother support: Big Tough Girl
• Support Group Curriculums & Resources for Birth Mothers: Knee to Knee
• American Mothers, Inc.(R) - Learn more, join, or nominate an outstanding mom for Mother of the Year(R)