Oh Crap with Jamie

In today’s episode, I sit down with my friend and brilliant food-nerd Erica Litzner—Montessori chef, former restaurant pro, and mom to a daughter navigating ARFID, autism, ADHD, and the very real fallout of modern food culture. We’re talking picky eating, snacking culture, dopamine, France, the USDA, how the food industry hijacked our kids’ taste buds, and why this mess is absolutely not your faul...

In this tiny bite-sized episode, I’m sharing a moment that absolutely cracked me open: standing in my kitchen, impatiently waiting 40 seconds—FORTY SECONDS—for a mason jar to fill with water. I caught myself thinking, “Ugh, I wish I could go do something else while this fills.” And then I had to laugh because… where the hell was I going? This episode is a gentle (and slightly heartbreaking) remind...

In this episode, I’m sharing the surprisingly profound parenting lessons I’ve learned from my dog, Maverick. From the early days of dealing with a reactive dog to becoming a more intentional leader, this episode covers why consistency matters , why your tone carries more weight than your words , and how kids—just like dogs—feel safer when you are the sturdy one in charge. I also talk about oversti...

In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest sources of stress for modern families: kids’ sports and activities—especially in the 6–10 age range. Someone asked me on Instagram what I think about structured sports for this age bracket, and the truth is… I have a LOT of thoughts. We talk about what kids actually need developmentally, why free play is still crucial after age six, how oversch...

In this festive (and absolutely ridiculous) episode, I’m sharing the true story of how my son Pascal found out the truth about Santa—and why I’ve always said I should’ve saved for therapy instead of college. From psychedelic mushroom folklore to reindeer pee (yes, really), to the moment Pascal asked me point-blank, “Are you Santa?” in JULY… this episode is part comedy, part chaos, and part parenti...

In this very birthday edition episode (yes—it’s my birthday!), I’m talking about a feeling we parents try way too hard to rescue our kids from: guilt. Guilt is uncomfortable, but it’s also one of the most powerful emotional teachers we have. I share a personal story about the year my son Pascal completely forgot my birthday—despite me handing him the Amazon link for the gift I wanted. Instead of s...

In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most common holiday parenting struggles— grandparent gifts. Every year, I see posts complaining about grandparents “going rogue,” buying the loudest toys, or ignoring wish lists altogether. But here’s the thing: grandparents want to see your kids happy. They’re after that moment of joy, not the perfect Amazon link. I’ll share practical ways to handle the...

In this episode, I’m tackling one of the biggest parenting traps— “banking behavior.” You know that thing we all do where we take our kids somewhere special, buy them a treat, and expect them to be good later? Yeah… it never works. I’ll break down why kids can’t “bank” good behavior, why gratitude doesn’t come naturally until much later, and how to manage your own expectations (especially around t...

Today I'm sharing a podcast that I was lucky enough to be a guest on. The information was so good I'm sharing it here. Kat and April, both seasoned parenting experts with over 15 years of experience, bring unique perspectives to the field of parenting expertise and experience. Kat emphasizes that true parenting expertise stems from practical knowledge gained from working with numerous families, va...

In this episode, I’m talking about resentment—the kind that sneaks in when we keep saying yes to things we don’t want to do. I share a story about my son Pascal, a pile of deer meat, and how one small “dirty yes” turned into a full-blown meltdown. (Spoiler: it wasn’t really about the meat.) We’ll talk about the difference between a clean yes and a dirty yes , why women struggle with boundaries, an...

In this episode, I’m diving deep into one of the biggest problems affecting us—and our kids—right now: dopamine overload. We’ve built a world that’s too comfortable, too fast, and too easy—and it’s wrecking our motivation, focus, and happiness. From snacks and screens to constant stimulation, our brains (and our kids’ brains) are stuck in overdrive. I’ll explain what dopamine actually is (it’s not...

In this episode, I’m talking about something that’s taken over modern parenting— the obsession with validating everything our kids do. Somewhere along the way, we started thinking we had to be front-row cheerleaders for every kick, drawing, or math problem. But here’s the truth: that constant validation actually chips away at your child’s confidence. I share stories from my own time coaching baseb...

In this episode, I sit down with mom and content creator Tori Winstead to talk about the parenting culture we’ve built—and how something as simple as snacks reveals so much about it. We unpack the rise of “snack addiction,” instant gratification, and how we’ve turned food (and screens) into emotional pacifiers for both kids and parents. Tori shares her viral story of quitting snacks cold turkey—an...

In this episode, I’m calling out the biggest myth of the holiday season—that you can make magic or “craft core memories” for your kids. You can’t. What your child remembers isn’t the matching pajamas or perfect tree—it’s how they felt. I’ll share stories from my own childhood (poverty, oranges, and pancake dinners), and how those simple, cozy moments turned into the most meaningful memories of all...

In this episode, I’m diving into why dinner has become so overcomplicated—and how you can stop worrying about it. Somewhere between Pinterest recipes, wellness trends, and the “eat the rainbow” movement, we’ve lost sight of what feeding a family actually means. I’ll walk you through my recent food experiment (yes, it involves potatoes, rice, and butter), what I learned about nutrition tracking, an...

In this bite-sized Oh Crap with Jamie episode, I’m sharing my favorite new year mindset shift: the 26 Before 26 Challenge —a simple way to wrap up the year with intention, calm, and a sense of control. We’ll talk about why “being in control” isn’t the dirty word it’s made out to be, how to reclaim your power in parenting and life, and what it really means to lead your home with sturdiness, decisiv...

In this episode, I’m talking about one of those behaviors that makes every parent’s blood boil— spitting —and what it really means when your kid does it. Whether it’s silly toddler raspberries or full-on disrespect, spitting (and other physical behaviors like hitting, biting, and jumping on furniture) are never random. I’ll walk you through how to identify what’s underneath the behavior—attention-...

In this reflective Oh Crap with Jamie episode, Jamie shares a heartfelt reminder that this is all we get. From hiking challenges to motherhood moments to the stories that shape our lives, she explores why we make things harder than they need to be—and how to shift toward ease, presence, and joy. Jamie opens up about the lessons she learned from her mom’s passing, the power of simplicity, and the i...

In this episode, I sit down with Ali Stalwood , known as Wildly Ginger on Instagram, to talk about something every parent craves but struggles to find — community . After moving back home to Pennsylvania, Ali realized that waiting for a “village” wasn’t working… so she built one. What started as a simple dinner rotation between families turned into a thriving support system built on shared meals,...

In this bite-sized nugget, I’m talking about something that’s been bugging me for a while—how we’ve forgotten that our kids and our homes are actually our jobs. Somewhere along the line, we started treating family life like an afterthought—whatever scraps of energy we have left after work, errands, and endless to-dos. But what if we reframed it? What if we treated home and family like the meaningf...

In this episode, I’m talking about one of the biggest modern parenting struggles—how to feed your family real food without cooking every single night. It’s not about meal plans or Pinterest-perfect prep days—it’s about creating systems that work in real life. I’m sharing how to think like our grandmothers did: stretch meals, simplify ingredients, and ditch the guilt around not being a “foodie.” Yo...

In this bite-sized nugget, I’m tackling a big one—what I call tiny dictators. You know the type: the kid who decides who sits where, who can talk, or which parent is “allowed” in the bathroom. When I hear a parent say, “My child won’t let me…,” I know we’re already in trouble. Kids are hardwired to want control, but when we hand over the wheel, it makes them feel unsafe and chaotic. In this episod...

In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the most misunderstood parts of parenting—the toddler tantrum. What’s developmentally normal? What’s not? And why do some kids melt down over a peeled banana while others roll with it? I’m walking you through the four big triggers that cause tantrums (hungry, tired, overstimulated, and loss of control) and which of those you can actually do something about...

In this bite-sized nugget, I’m sharing some simple solutions for those middle-of-the-night kid struggles—growing pains, restless legs, and even the start of night terrors. We’ve all been there: your child is finally drifting off and suddenly their legs are twitching, cramping, or they’re up screaming in pain. I’ll walk you through what might be going on (from magnesium loss to plain old overtiredn...

This week I’m diving into a hot-button October topic: Halloween candy, picky eating, and the myth that food is “neutral.” Everywhere I look, I see advice about making candy an everyday side dish so kids won’t care about it come Halloween. And you guys—I can’t even. Candy is supposed to be a big deal! It’s a treat, not dinner. In this episode, I unpack why serving candy at every meal backfires, how...