<i>Family Looking Up</i> podcast, the product of three local residents, begins this week

BACK TO THE BLUES
by Maggie Judi
There’s a new podcast out about motherhood featuring three residents of San Juan County.
Despite the local connection, here’s the real reason it grabbed my attention.
When I pushed play to listen to the very first episode of Family Looking Up, I hear these infinite words of wisdom spoken against a familiar background: the din of childhood.
“Fact. Being a mom is really hard [background noise of kids pouting in the background]. Also a fact, Diet Dr. Pepper really helps.”
I instantly fell in love.
The idea of this podcast, is to give mothers a real, humuros and guilt-free hand in the never-ending task of child rearing.   
Andrea Nielson, Camille Ward, and Beth Millward form a trifecta as the brainchild behind this podcast that describes itself as “support for the hardest, lowest paid job. Motherhood.”
These ladies all expressed a hope that this podcast will spread some goodness by connecting moms of all cultures, races, and religions.
They hope this will become a support group of sorts, aimed at helping parents realize the commonalities of parenting, as well as learning how we can better those efforts of raising kids.
It’s funny, it’s laid back, and above all it’s informative.
In the first episode, entitled “Creating Resilient Kids,” Clinical Mental Health Counselor Nikki Olsen discusses how to help kids learn to navigate their world outside of the warm and forgiving home atmosphere.
She suggests that when we are trying to build resiliencey in our kids, “We want to be concrete with our children. When they are doing something wrong, give them examples of how to improve in the future. That is teaching.”
Nikki equates the tendency we all have to say, “No, don’t do that,” over and over with putting a child in a maze, and every time they hit a dead end you only offer a criticism such as, “You’ve hit a dead end.”
Well. Duh!  But if every time they hit a dead end you tell them go back, take a right then a left, how much quicker do they get out of the maze?  
The podcast has many episodes scheduled from topics like the above mentioned to literacy in the home, and coping with depression.
The podcast is dotted with Andrea’s laughter, Beth’s relatable sarcasm, and Camille’s wisdom and honesty.  
In the introduction to each episode, Camille deadpans, “I’m Camille.  I have six children with my husband Alan, and yes, I am on an antidepressant.”  
Although approached with brevity, Camille is being honest, and graciously discusses her own battles with postpartum in hopes that other moms can break free of the stigma and learn to heal.  
“I think the message moms seem to hear most is, perfection, perfection, perfection, and you just feel like a failure if your normal!”  In reality, she says, “We have to be selfless and give things up!”
With a hearty laugh she says, “If it’s a choice between letting your kids watch PBS cartoons or going to prison, my gosh!  Let them watch PBS! It’s ok!!
“There needs to be people willing to say, ‘You’re not a failure! You’ve had kids, and you are doing awesome, and it’s ok if your house isn’t perfect, and it’s ok if your kids don’t act perfect, and it’s ok if your body’s not perfect! It’s all ok because you are doing the most important thing on this planet.”
The lack of voices saying just those words is a big part of why these ladies are willing to take the risk of starting a podcast business.
Speaking about why these three were willing to jump into unknown waters, Andrea says, “I thought it would be valuable to me and valuable to others, so it’s worth it!  
“It’s a fun way to laugh at the fails of motherhood and a way to learn how to be a better mother. Guilt free!”  
Beth sums it up best.  “People think we are doing this because we know something they don’t, but the truth is, we don’t!! That’s why we have all these guests!”
Family Looking Up will usually feature an expert in each of the episodes to help women to continue to learn! “It’s not like we are professionals; we are just trying to figure it all out ourselves!”  
And once you tune in to this revolutionary podcast, you’ll be glad that Beth, Andrea and Camille are taking us all along for the ride.
To quote the podcast: “Motherhood is the busiest, messiest, worst paying job that we love...most of the time. You’re doing better than you think! When life gets you down, know that your family is looking up!”
For more information and to submit questions and suggestions, head over to familylookingup.com and don’t forget to go to iTunes and download the podcast.  It was set to debut on November 14!