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Do you want the truth?
Welcome to Do You Want The Truth? where we dive deep into the real raw stories from parents in the trenches of parenthood.
Season 2 is brought to you by Sam Strom and Freelance Journalist Zara Hanawalt, along with guest co-hosts such as Jaime Fisher.
Season 1 is brought to you by Paige Connell & Sam Strom. They bring you candid conversations with parents who share their experiences of parenthood and what they wish they knew before having kids. You'll hear the real stories. The stories that are typically reserved for best friends. The stories with TMI. We believe in the power of truth telling because when someone asks, do you want the truth? We always say yes. Join us as we explore the highs and lows and everything in between so you can feel less alone on your journey.
Connect with Sam: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms
Episodes
81 episodes
The Truth About Mom 2.0, Emma Grede’s “3-Hour Mom” Rule & Pop Culture Chaos
In this episode, Sam & Zara break down our real experience at Mom 2.0—from imposter syndrome and “blogger energy” to the surprising moments that actually felt empowering and healing. Then we get i...
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The Truth About: Executive Function in Teens with Gayle Alexander
You can feel it in families right now: everyone is tired, kids are wired, and a simple “How was school?” gets you absolutely nowhere. We sit down with Gayle Alexander, a licensed professional counselor who works with teens, young adults, and pa...
The Truth About: Hidden Costs Of Putting Children Online with Fortesa Latifi & Sheisapaigeturner
The internet doesn’t just “share” your child. It archives them, copies them, and can weaponize them.We’re joined by journalist Fortesa, author of Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online, to talk about what ...
Pop Culture Hour: Epstein Files & Influencer Kids: We React to the Internet’s Darkest Moments
In this raw, wide-ranging Pop Culture Mom Talk episode, Sam and Zara are joined by new co-host Rachel Gibbs (@rachonlife) for an unfiltered conversation about what’s flooding women’s algorithms — and why it feels so overwhelming right now.<...
The Truth About: Building A Career And Identity As A Creator Mom with Cameron Rogers
A high-pressure desk at JP Morgan. A meal-prep side account called Freckled Foodie. A car accident that made everything loud and urgent. Cameron Rogers takes us through the leap from finance to full-time creator and the even bigger transition t...
The Truth About: Casting for Disney & Building a YouTube Empire w/ @thisisdanabowling
From Blake Lively to Bank Accounts: Casting Kids, Quitting Hollywood & Making Money OnlineWhat happens when a former Hollywood casting director walks away from Disney, kid actors, and a very dark industry… and accidentally b...
The Truth About: Building a Flexible Family Life with Kaleana Quibell
Parenthood didn’t just change our guest’s calendar; it rewired her relationship with work. Kaleana Quibell spent years inside Bay Area benefits, rolling out wellness, mental health, and family programs for marquee tech companies. Then two kids,...
The Truth About: Why The System Fails Working Parents with Melissa Panzer
The cracks in the system aren’t hairline—they’re chasms you feel every school morning and late-night Slack. We sit down with filmmaker and producer Melissa Panzer (WABE’s The Work Behind the Work) to unpack why so many women who could be leadin...
The Truth About: ‘Difficult Kids’ and What Attachment Science Really Says with Dr. Jessie Stern
What if your child isn’t “difficult” — just wired differently?In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jessie Stern, assistant professor of psychology at Pomona College and co-author of
The Truth About: The Divorce Hype Team with Olivia Howell
In this episode, we sit down with Olivia Howell, CEO and co-founder of Fresh Starts, the world’s first divorce regis...
The Truth About: Being an Mom and Entrepreneur
From NICU trauma to a homestead with donkeys—and a construction empire bringing in $6 million in a single month. Angela Artymovich’s story is the kind of entrepreneurial rollercoaste...
The Truth About: Weight, The Holidays & Ozempic with Dr. Rachel Goldman
In today’s conversation, we sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel (@drrachelnyc) to unpack something...
The Truth About: Car Seat Safety with Safe in the Seat
A quiet panic at the hospital exit changed everything. Michelle thought she had done everything right—researched the “best” infant seat, checked every box—and still drove away with a major mistake she didn’t catch until a stranger gently interv...
The Truth About: Co-Parenting with Julia Dennison
What happens when a parenting journalist becomes a parent and the plan falls apart mid-pregnancy? Julia Dennison joins us with a story that’s equal parts raw and reassuring: an affair discovered while expecting, a divorce before the first birth...
The Truth About: Stay-at-Home Dad Life with @sahdnotsad Brandon Morgan
Forget the viral outfits—this conversation goes inside the daily decisions that shape a family. We welcome Brandon Morgan, a stay-at-home dad in LA, to talk about the real work of leading from the background while his wife practices medicine, a...
The Truth About: The Attorney Who Negotiated Motherhood Like a Pro with @NotActuallyGolden
What happens when a proudly private Gen X attorney agrees to become a mom—not because she always wanted to, but because it mattered to her partner?In this episode, we sit down with L, aka @notactuallygolden, a civil rights attorney, Tik...
The truth About: Going Through 9 Rounds of IVF + Surrogacy with Alison Beder Soloway
A positive pregnancy test felt like the start of a familiar story—until Alison Beder Soloway couldn’t breathe at 32 weeks and doctors discovered heart failure linked to HHT. That moment rewrote everything. She was told carrying again would be t...
The Truth About: Your Baby's Milestones with Pediatric PT Allison Mell
Ever watched a baby rock on all fours and wondered whether to cheer or worry? We sit down with pediatric physical therapist Dr. Allison Mell—founder of Tots on Target and mom of four, including twins—to unpack the first 18 months with rare clar...
The Truth About: Having it All with Lia Higgins
This episode starts with a simple truth few people say out loud: sometimes the first chapter of parenthood is grief. Lia Higgins joins us to unpack an early miscarriage at 28, the shock of a postpartum hemorrhage, and the quiet ways trauma can ...
The Truth About: Being a Mom in America with Reshma Saujani
Want to know why motherhood in America feels like a solo sport—and how we turn it into a supported team game? We sit with Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, to unpack the design flaws baked into school calendars, workplac...
The Truth About: Raising Resilient Kids With Child Development Expert Tovah Klein
Psychology professor Tovah Klein takes us beyond social media soundbites to reveal what truly helps children develop resilience. Drawing from her 30 years directing the Barnard Center for Toddler Development, Klein offers a refreshingly balance...
Truth Bomb: How Ozempic Finally Made Me Feel Like Me Postpartum
Have you ever wondered what it's actually like to take GLP-1 medications beyond the celebrity headlines? In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the reality of semaglutide medications like Ozempic, exploring their profound effects on bot...
The Truth About: Red Carpets and #Motherhood with Emmy Winners @Betweenusmoms
What happens when red carpet journalists trade celebrity interviews for motherhood? Katie Krause and Hallie Stevens, Emmy-winning Entertainment Tonight alums, pull back the curtain on their dramatic life pivot in this raw, revealing conversatio...
The Truth About: Breaking Down Parenting Data with Emily Oster
Economist Emily Oster transformed parenting literature by applying data analysis to decisions most books treated as black-and-white rules. After becoming pregnant in 2010, she found herself frustrated with pregnancy recommendations that came wi...
Truth Bomb: The Truth About Finances in Our Marriages
Marriage and money—two topics that individually carry enough weight to sink a dinner party conversation, and together create one of the last true taboos in our social discourse. When Sam shared her experience spending $1,650 on Daxxify without ...