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Is Santa Claus real??? How does he get presents around the world in a short time? How come the toys the elves make look exactly like the toys in the store? These are some of the questions children start to ask about Santa around the age of 7 or 8. In this episode, I share my reactions when my daughter first asked me (and Alexa and Google) whether Santa is real, and the responses I got when I posed the questions to other parents on social media and in real life.

Summary In this episode of the Mommy Oyoyo Podcast, Berry Dakara shares her comprehensive back-to-school preparation strategies. From organizing school supplies and establishing routines to budgeting for the school year and reconnecting with friends, she provides practical tips for parents to ensure a smooth transition into the new school year. Berry emphasizes the importance of planning ahead, setting goals with children, and maintaining open communication with teachers and school staff. Takeaways Create a spreadsheet to track school supply prices.Take advantage of meet and greet opportunities with teachers.Establish a consistent sleep routine before school starts.Keep cash on hand for school events and activities.Schedule hair appointments for the first day of school.Review the school calendar for important dates.Re-download necessary school apps before the year starts.Budget for unexpected school-related expenses.Encourage children to set personal goals for the school year.Reconnect with friends to ease the transition back to school.

Typically in African society and culture, women are expected to not only have, but WANT to have children. From childhood, African women are generally told by society that marriage and motherhood are the ultimate life goals. In this episode, I speak with Zeezee, who has never felt the longing to be a mother. She shares very candidly about how she came to the decision to be childfree, navigating pushback and societal pressure, having difficult conversations with potential partners, and more! Whether you're firmly childfree, questioning your options, or simply curious about this life path, this episode is for you. RELATED EPISODES 1. Introduction to Mommy Oyoyo 24. Getting My Tubes Tied 52. African Dad Vasectomy 79. What I Miss About Life Before Kids RATE, REVIEW, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your preferred podcast platform! Follow on social media @MommyOyoyo and @BerryDakara Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics. Contact: [email protected] You can also leave a voice note HERE!

Motherhood is an incredible journey filled with love, joy, and growth. But it's also natural to feel nostalgic for certain aspects of your pre-mom life. In this episode, we'll explore some of the things moms commonly miss, with a mix of humor, honesty, and a touch of wistfulness. Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and more! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

Setting goals as a family can be a fantastic way to bond, grow, and create lasting memories throughout the year. In this episode, I share some processes and things to consider when setting goals and making plans as a family.

In this episode, I talk about choosing extra-curricular activities for your children. Topics Discussed Examples of Extracurricular Activities Things to consider when choosing extra-curricular activities for kids, including Cost, Schedule, Interest, and more

Are multigenerational households a thing of the past? In this episode I talk about the pros, challenges and my own personal experiences of multigenerational living. Topics Discussed What is multigenerational living? Why might people choose to live in multigenerational households The benefits of multigenerational living The challenges of multigenerational living Tips for multigenerational households RELATED EPISODES 69 - It Takes a Village to Raise a Child 43 - Raising African Children in The UK 18 - Growing Up African in America/Diaspora 6 - The Omugwo Experience Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

Stepmothers generally have a bad connotation from negative stereotypes driven by fairytales and folklore around the world. In this episode, I speak with Tambari about her high and low experiences of stepmotherhood. She recently started the @GoodStepmother brand on Instagram to fight the negativity surrounding step-parenting and push more positive content and provide support to a community of stepmothers. Tambari shares her candid thoughts and opinions on issues relating to stepmotherhood, e.g. the rivalry between birth mothers and stepmothers, when a potential stepmother should be introduced to her future stepchildren, etc.  Check out Tambari for more wholesome and positive content for stepmothers @GoodStepmother on Instagram. RELATED EPISODES 5. Not Your Typical African Father 25. Life as a Single Mother 31. Divorced African Mother 54. Single Mom Life 67. Dating As a Single Mom 68. My Coparenting Experience 69. It Takes a Village to Raise a Child Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

In today's world where society seems to be more and more materialistic and entitled, how do we raise children to have an attitude of gratitude? In this episode I share my thoughts on teaching children to be more grateful, with examples from my own parenting experience. I talk about some of the benefits of living a grateful life, and share practical ways to teach children to be grateful. RELATED EPISODES 2. Children's Birthday Parties 4. Discipline and How Early is too Early 15. Your Child is Spoiled Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

When your children ask if they can go to their friends' houses for sleepovers, how do you respond? In this episode I share my thoughts on letting my daughter sleep over at someone else's house, as well as results from a poll posted on Instagram asking parents if they would let their child go to a sleepover. I also share a few tips for those parents who are considering letting their children attend a sleepover.  RELATED EPISODE 60. Teaching Children About Consent Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

In this episode, I shared responses from the Mommy Oyoyo audience to the question, "Should we be friends with our children? Yay or Nay?" The responses were varied with some advocating for being friends with our children, a few saying we should not be friends with our children, and others stating that there should be a balance between parenting and friendship. I share what my opinion was, and how I see things a little differently after doing some research into the topic. Listen to find out what I learned from reading a few articles on the subject matter and what majority of child psychologists and specialists have to say. RELATED EPISODES 59. Parenting Styles 21. No-Shout Parenting 15. Your Child is Spoiled 4. How Early is Too Early to Discipline a Child Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo and the website at www.mommyoyoyo.com. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

In this episode Dr. Ijeoma Kola shares about her approach to parenting her toddler long-distance. Ijeoma talks about the decision for her family to maintain residences in two countries (Kenya and America), which takes her away from her son for a few weeks at a time. We discuss why mothers are reprimanded for prioritizing their careers, whereas fathers aren't. Ijeoma also shares what caused her to feel Mom Guilt and practical tips to mothers who may have to move long-distance in order to push their careers/education further. Follow and find out more about Dr. Ijeoma at www.ijeomakola.com and on social media @ijeomakola. Check out her nonprofit Cohort Sistas at www.cohortsistas.com and on social media @cohortsistas RELATED EPISODES 49. Managing Motherhood and C-Level Career 55. Being a Mom Boss Without Mom Guilt 56. Going Back to School as a Mom Follow Mommy Oyoyo via the website at www.mommyoyoyo.com and on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

In this episode I speak with Titi Sule about her work as an author, and helping her seven year-old son become a first-time author! Titi shares how her son came about to writing a book on his own, her initial hesitation, working with him to edit and eventually publish his book! Listen to hear some practical tips on how to foster creativity and learning within young children. You can find Titi online at her website: https://tzsonline.com and check out some of her work below: Zaki & Zoltan Adventures - Books and Youtube Channel Konga Series Also order her son, Zaki's book The Man Who Went to the Moon RELATED EPISODES 51. Youtube Mom Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

We have all heard the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child." It is an African proverb that speaks to the community or collective action of people in raising children. According to Wikipedia, "[it] means that an entire community of people must provide for and interact positively with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment." Essentially, parenting involves more than just the parents. In this episode, I share 10 places where you can find people to be a part of your own parenting village! RELATED EPISODES 40. Mom Friends Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.

In this episode I share about how coparenting has gone so far. I share candidly about some of the harder times, including periods when we couldn't stand to talk to each other (hello BLOCK button, LOL!). I also talk about how things are faring currently, and my ultimate wish for our coparenting relationship. RELATED EPISODES 54. Single Mom Life 66. Child Support 31. Dealing with Divorce as an African Mum feat. Vera 25. Life as Single Mother feat. Ebube 67. Dating as a Single Mother feat. Ebube Follow Mommy Oyoyo on social media @MommyOyoyo. Don't forget to rate, review, share and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Anchor and more! You can also leave a voice note HERE! Share your feedback to any episode, the podcast and any suggestions for future topics.