The Girl's Guide to DC
Issue 70: Phone a Mom Friend
Welcome back to Girl’s Guide! If you missed the most recent issue, find it here. I can’t believe we’re already at newsletter #70!
Since Washingtonians are notorious for their political (translation: nerdy) Halloween costumes, I want to see yours — send me a photo by replying to this email and I’ll feature it in next week’s Girl’s Guide!
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Interview with Cassie and Lindsey of How to Mom
This week, I’m interview Cassie and Lindsey, two best friends who started a podcast called How to Mom to tackle questions about everything from bathing your baby to breastfeeding! (Hmm, I wonder why such topics are on my mind!) I hope you enjoy this interview!
What does life look like for both of you?
Cassie: I've been married to my husband Brent since May of 2018 and moved from DC to the suburbs when I got pregnant in 2020. By day I work as a VP at a communications firm in DC, and the rest of the time my bosses are two little boys, Boone, who just turned 2, and Clark who is six months old. Juggling two babies and a big black lab keeps us busy, and we can usually be found at a local playground, hanging out with friends, or traveling when we can. Starting a podcast also takes up a lot more time than I could have anticipated!
Lindsey: I'm married to Michael, about 4.5 years — looking forward to celebrating 5 years on Cinco de Mayo next year in Mexico! We have 3 kids, Layne (age 10), Ella (age 3), and Reece (eight months). We live in Central Arkansas. I work in HR and spend my time balancing a full time job with being a wife, mom, sister, friend (like most of us!). We enjoy spending time as a family, playing or walking to the nearby playground.
What inspired you to start How to Mom?
Lindsey: We've watched our friendship progress and change over the years from being sorority sisters and college roommates in Arkansas, to meeting and dating our husbands, and now having kids. In college we always joked about starting a "how to" club where we could learn how to do new things — our podcast is a spin off from that 10+-year-old idea that never died. We are just like most moms, trying to figure it out!
We want our How to Mom listeners to feel encouraged, not alone, and that they are doing a good job.
Cassie: Our podcast is basically an invitation to our phone conversations, where we're constantly asking each other questions about all things parenting. We want people who tune in to feel like they're chatting with their mom friends!
How did you two become friends, and do you have advice for friends who want to start a creative project together?
Lindsey: We hit it off when we first met back in 2009 and haven't really looked back. We have complementing personalities which, I believe, is vital to this project! Advice would be to have good communication before getting started and to continue that throughout. Respect each other but let one person take more of a "lead" role.
Cassie: I would say planning ahead is vital, and be sure to stay committed. We both work full time jobs, have multiple kids, are are trying our best to juggle it all. We knew before starting this we would need to make it a priority to be successful, and luckily we're on the same page about that. That's a great thing about our friendship — it's continued to grow and evolve, and will continue to do so!
What are the unique challenges of parenting in DC?
Cassie: DC is generally a city that rewards people for putting in grueling hours, so it can be a little alienating being a mom in the workplace. I'm lucky to work at a place that values me and my contributions, yet also understands that I need to pick my kids up from daycare — not every working mom is as lucky in this city that feels more competitive than most. I feel a bit more pressure in DC than I think I would in other areas to "do it all," and be 100% crushing it in my career and turn around and be giving 100% as a mom. I think it can also be hard to find other working mom friends — so if any of your readers want to grab drinks or meet me at the playground, send them my way!
What piece of parenting advice changed your life?
Lindsey: It's okay to parent your children differently — they are individuals who have unique needs and respond to situations differently. They are equally loved but giving myself permission to have differing parenting styles for each one has been a game changer!
Cassie: Trust your gut. One of the reasons I felt qualified to start this podcast was because on nearly every topic regarding motherhood, I'd read countless blogs, medical journals, books, and more. I followed every mom Instagram account, and agonized over every decision I made in hopes of doing it right. With my second, I feel much more at ease, and have realized that at the end of the day, a parent's instincts are usually right. Don't let the stress of doing it perfectly take away the joy of getting to do it!
How can Girl’s Guide readers keep up with you?
We're on Instagram at @howtomom_podcast, where we link to all the research we've done on each topic, get episode ideas from our followers, and share more about ourselves, our kids, and everything else.
Our podcast is available on most major podcast streaming platforms, including Apple and Spotify! We'd love it if you gave us a listen and subscribed!
Find Me in Print!
Y’all, I’m so excited to share that I’ll have an article in the upcoming print issue of Evie Magazine! Find the preorder link here — I promise there’s something in the magazine for everyone. And I’ve got a little tip for Girl’s Guide readers — if you text the word "EVIE" to +1 (310) 356-9083, you can get a code for free shipping!
The Haps
Here’s what you need to know this week:
D.C.’s Marine Corps Marathon Will Close A Bunch Of Roads This Weekend: Good luck to all the marathoners — and all the DC drivers just trying to get from Point A to Point B this weekend.
How to Get Tickets for the 100th National Christmas Tree Lighting: The last time I went to this event I nearly froze my toes off, but good luck snagging a ticket if that’s your thing! The ticket lottery is open from now till Nov. 1.
Here Are the Most Expensive US Cities for Renters Right Now: The numbers aren’t looking too good for Washington, DC.
Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe from NYT Cooking: Okay, maybe you don’t need to know this, but I played around with this recipe recently by adding pineapple and it was delish. Don’t forget the Yum Yum Sauce — it’s surprisingly easy to throw together!
Ask Evie
Have a question you want me to answer in the newsletter? Click this link to send your question anonymously! You can read my most recent Ask Evie column about friendship here.
The Gift Guide Returns
Whether you’ve already started your Christmas shopping or you’re a procrastinate-till-Christmas-Eve-kind-of-gal, I need your help! Send me your favorite DMV shops or businesses for the 2022 Girl’s Guide Gift Guide. Check out last year’s Gift Guide here — all of my recommendations still stand!