Working Moms Redefined

We all want our kids to succeed. But somewhere between encouraging them, giving them opportunities, helping them through disappointment, and wanting the best for their future, is it possible our good intentions can start to feel like pressure?

In this episode of Working Moms Redefined, Denise sits down with Margot Machol Bisnow, author of Raising an Entrepreneur, for a conversation that is about so much more than raising future entrepreneurs. It's about raising kids who know who they are, trust themselves, and have the confidence to pursue what genuinely lights them up.

Together, Denise and Margot talk about:

How parents can recognize and nurture their child's unique gifts and interests

Why raising a fulfilled child may require a different approach than raising a “successful” one

The subtle ways we can accidentally connect our children's worth to their achievements

How to know when encouragement has crossed the line into pressure

Why it's so difficult, and so important, to let our kids struggle without immediately fixing things for them

What Margot learned from interviewing families who raised creative, resilient entrepreneurs

Simple ways to encourage creativity and independence at home

How to raise ambitious kids without making them feel like they constantly need to do more

Why giving our children permission to define success for themselves matters

What Margot learned from stepping back and trusting her own sons as they grew

For the mom who wants to give her kids every opportunity, this conversation offers an important question to consider: Are we creating the path we think our children should take, or are we giving them the confidence to discover their own? Our job isn't to determine exactly who our kids will become. It's to create an environment where they feel safe enough, supported enough, and confident enough to figure that out for themselves.

Join us!

Connect with Margot

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/margotbisnow/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/raisinganentrepreneur1/?fref=ts

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margot-machol-bisnow-a29550b5/

Margot’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Entrepreneur-Children-Achieve-Families/dp/1098377745/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1649777585&sr=8-5

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:  

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined  

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!  
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!  

Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingmomsredefined2025/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workingmomsredefineddenisetallcott  

Website: https://www.workingmomsredefined.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/working-moms-redefined/posts/?feedView=all

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denisetallcottleadership

Some kids have it incredibly hard. Others grow up with opportunities, stability, and support. Some children show remarkable kindness and gratitude despite difficult circumstances, while others struggle with respect and accountability.

And sometimes, watching the struggles people are facing leaves us wondering what we can actually do to make a difference.

In this solo episode of Working Moms Redefined, Denise shares what's been weighing on her heart lately: the different realities children grow up in, the challenges families are facing, and the responsibility we have as parents to shape how our kids see and respond to the world around them.

At the center of this conversation is one powerful reminder: How we view things is how we do things.

Denise explores:

Why some children face challenges that others may never fully understand

The importance of teaching gratitude, respect, and accountability without losing compassion

How our own attitudes and reactions shape the way our children see the world

The difference between understanding someone's difficult circumstances and excusing hurtful behavior

Why allowing our kids to experience disappointment can help build resilience

The emotional weight of watching people struggle when we can't fix their circumstances

What we can control, what we can influence, and how we can make a difference without carrying everything ourselves

This isn't an episode with all the answers. It's an honest reflection on parenting, perspective, and the kind of people we're raising, while also recognizing the kind of people we're becoming.

Because we can't promise our children an easy life. We can't protect them from every disappointment. And we certainly can't fix every hard thing happening in the world.

But we can teach them how to respond.

And maybe one of the most important parenting questions we can ask ourselves isn't what we're telling our kids about life.

It's what are we showing them?



Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:  

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined  

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!  
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!  

Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingmomsredefined2025/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workingmomsredefineddenisetallcott  

Website: https://www.workingmomsredefined.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/working-moms-redefined/posts/?feedView=all

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denisetallcottleadership

Working moms are really good at handling things. The career. The kids. The marriage. The schedules. The expectations. The mental load. We can keep going for a really long time, but being capable of carrying it all doesn't necessarily mean it's good for us.

In this episode, Denise talks with performance coach and Don't Fkn Shrink podcast host Daffney Allwein for a conversation about what happens when high-performing women stop simply pushing through and start paying attention to what their minds and bodies are actually telling them.

Together, they talk about:

How to recognize the difference between being busy and living in burnout

What your nervous system has to do with the way you respond to everyday stress

Why some high performers thrive while others eventually run themselves into the ground

How to let go of perfectionism without lowering your standards

What to do when fear and self-doubt start making decisions for you

Health and fitness after 40 and the myths women need to stop believing

Small habits that can create a major ripple effect in how you feel

How to reconnect with yourself when you've gotten lost somewhere between work, marriage, motherhood, and everything else

And we get into the heart of Daffney's message: don't shrink. Don't make yourself smaller to make everyone else comfortable. Don't assume being strong means pushing harder. And don't let the many roles you play become the reason you lose sight of the woman underneath all of them.

This conversation is for the woman who knows she's capable of a lot, but is beginning to ask a better question: How do I build a life where I don't have to run myself into the ground to feel successful?


Connect with Daffney

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daffney-allwein-a5a516214/

Daffney’s Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/30vCPVIj8DeeIG804DOl6n

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dontfknshrinkpodcast/



Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:  

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined  

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!  
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!  

Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingmomsredefined2025/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workingmomsredefineddenisetallcott  

Website: https://www.workingmomsredefined.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/working-moms-redefined/posts/?feedView=all

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denisetallcottleadership

Politics can feel complicated enough as adults. Then your child comes home repeating something they heard at school, sees something online, or asks a question about an election and suddenly you're trying to figure out: How much do I explain? How much is too much? And how do I teach my kids what I believe without teaching them that everyone who believes differently is wrong?

In this episode, Denise sits down with political scientist and fellow parent Dr. AJ Simmons, Research Director at the University of Illinois Springfield's Center for State Policy and Leadership and host of Crashing the Political Party, for a conversation about parenting in a politically divided world.

And this isn't a conversation about telling you what to believe politically. It's about how we raise kids who are curious, thoughtful, informed, and capable of forming their own opinions.

Together, Denise and AJ talk about:

Age-appropriate ways to explain elections, government, and politics to kids

The danger of teaching children to view politics through a simple “good people versus bad people” lens

Why relationships with people who think differently can be valuable for kids

What to do when political conversations with family or friends get heated

How to raise curious kids when the world around them can feel incredibly divided

AJ also brings the perspective of a dad raising four curious kids of his own, which makes this conversation about much more than political science. It's about what happens when politics enters our homes, our relationships, and the questions our kids are asking. We don't have to give our children every answer. Maybe one of the most important things we can give them is the ability to ask good questions, listen to people they disagree with, think critically, and eventually decide what they believe for themselves.

Link to Election Cake Recipe: https://hylandhouse.org/at-home-activities/bake-a-historical-election-cake/
Connect with AJ

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ajsimmons1987/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ajsimmons1987

Crashing the Political Party: Crashing The Political Party | Podcast on Spotify

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Time-J-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0FW3YQB6Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=MJBP32V8JVYD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PKgTta0gipcKel6zyyHq3Q.8VrpQnNPa-zaYYrO6PAB61QzY61xBLQEZn1DAgI2UxM&dib_tag=se&keywords=aj+simmons+space+and+time&qid=1760663758&sprefix=aj+simmons+space+and+time%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1&dplnkId=4ad5a480-8c54-40e6-9e6a-e2cd3f5e862e&nodl=1 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:  

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined  

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!  
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!  

Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingmomsredefined2025/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workingmomsredefineddenisetallcott  

Website: https://www.workingmomsredefined.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/working-moms-redefined/posts/?feedView=all

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denisetallcottleadership

Between activities, academics, technology, milestones, and all the things we’re told our kids should be doing, it can feel like raising healthy, confident kids has become incredibly complicated. But what if some of the things our kids need most are actually much simpler?

In this episode, Denise talks with Amy Peters, CEO of Quincy Children’s Museum, to talk about the power of play, connection, socialization, and everyday interaction in helping our kids grow.

Together, they talk about:

What Amy is seeing kids and families need most right now

Why play is doing far more developmental work than parents may realize

How play builds confidence, communication, problem-solving, and emotional resilience

What healthy socialization actually looks like and why it won't look the same for every child

How to support quieter kids or children who have a harder time socially

Why unstructured play still matters alongside sports, activities, and busy family schedules

How to navigate screens while still making room for real-world interaction

Why the early years of brain development matter without turning that knowledge into more pressure for parents

How simple things like talking, reading, playing, and doing life together support our kids in meaningful ways

This conversation is a reminder for working moms that helping our kids thrive doesn't have to mean adding more to the calendar or creating Pinterest-worthy childhoods. Sometimes what they need most is room to play, opportunities to figure things out, people who engage with them, and parents who are present for the ordinary moments. Because play isn't “just play.” Our kids are learning how to navigate the world through it.
Connect with Amy

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/imamypeters/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/amy.peters.965928

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amypetersquincy/

Follow the Quincy Children’s Museum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincychildrensmuseum

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quincychildrensmuseum/

Website: https://www.quincychildrensmuseum.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quincychildrensmuseum/posts/

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:  

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined  

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!  
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!  

Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingmomsredefined2025/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workingmomsredefineddenisetallcott  

Website: https://www.workingmomsredefined.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/working-moms-redefined/posts/?feedView=all

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denisetallcottleadership