Why do we treat it like a problem when babies want to be with their moms all the time?

In this episode, we dig into the obsession society has with making babies “independent” before they’re ready. Kate shares what it was like putting her son in daycare as a newborn and how that shaped her view on what’s biologically normal for babies. We talk about the pressure to return to work, the myth of socialization at daycare, and why so many of us feel conflicted between careers and motherhood. We open up about homeschooling, the cost of hustle culture, and the ways other people end up raising our kids if we’re not careful.

You’ll Learn:

• Why babies are wired to stay with mom 24/7
• Why skin-to-skin and those early years of constant connection aren’t just nice, they’re essential
• What really happens when daycare becomes the main influence
• The link between mother–baby contact and lower cortisol
• The damage of treating separation as “normal”
• What it feels like when a newborn calls someone else “mom”
• How other cultures carry babies vs. our push for independence
• Why “socialization” at daycare is a myth in early years
• Simple ways to make a one income family work
• How hustle culture pressures moms to ignore instincts
• The power of skin-to-skin and the golden hour

Timestamps:

[00:00 ] Introduction

[09:00 ] Why society pushes moms to separate from babies

[12:45 ] The pressure to return to work and send kids to daycare

[15:10 ] The myth of early socialization in daycare

[17:30 ] How to make a one income family possible

[23:45 ] Public school, culture, and what kids are really exposed to

[26:40 ] Protecting innocence in the age of iPads and internet access

[29:30 ] The real value of homeschooling and learning in the real world

[32:20 ] Why kids don’t need endless activities and programs

[34:15 ] The power of skin to skin and the golden hour

Follow us on Instagram:

Kate @thatcrunchymomkate

Jordan @themoderncrunchymum

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