I’m really looking forward to having the opportunity to chat with you and hear about your story! Below are some of the questions I might be asking you during the recording, but I strive to have the interview flow more conversationally so we may end up talking about things off the list.
Take a look at the below, give some thought to your answers and let me know in your pre-interview questionnaire if there is anything you definitely DO want to be asked and things you definitely DON’T want to be asked. Also, be sure to flag any stories or aspects of your family or yourself that are interesting that you’d like to share with other moms to add some color and personality to you and your family’s life.
- What was life like before kids?
- Tell me your journey of becoming a mother. Did you try for a while? Become a mother by surprise? Any subsequent pregnancies (after your first) noteworthy?
- How did your marriage change as a result of having kids?
- What do you love about being a mom?
- What is the hardest part about being a mom?
- How is your work/life balance?
- Walk me through a typical day
- Are you happy with being a working mom/stay at home mom?
- What surprised you the most about motherhood?
- Tell me about your kids: personality, likes/dislikes, struggles & successes
- Is motherhood what you expected?
- What keeps you up at night? What worries you the most?
- What is your biggest struggle right now?
- How have you changed as a result of having kids?
- What tips, tools, and tricks do you use that you’d love to tell other moms about?
- What else do you feel like you’d like other moms to know about your story?
- What are some things that your parents did that you definitely wanted to/didn’t want to do when you became a mom?
- What advice would you give an expectant mother about motherhood?
- What do your kids do that makes you nuts?
- What makes you feel inadequate? What do you wish you did a better job of?
- What things did you let go of when you became a mom? Hobbies? Interests?
- What is your dirty secret about motherhood?
My intention behind interviewing real moms is to create a sense of camaraderie – that we’re all in this together, that motherhood today is not always the sunshine and smiling faces that we see on social media… Being a mom is really a tough job, and I want to create a community and a safe space to share our struggles and help lift each other up and find support through the tough times. A sense of “it’s not just me who’s going through this!” With that said, my goal to keep the tone of our time together to be:
- Supportive in nature, offering tips/tricks/tools to help other moms on their journey; sharing your story to give a sense of camaraderie that we’re all in this together
- “This is harder than I thought it would be” – sharing your frustrations and looking for support tone or
- A lighthearted/comical view of the ridiculousness of the stuff we have to deal with as moms tone
and NOT - A bitch session, complaining about your kids/spouse/job/house/family/financial situation etc…
I realize that can be a fine line, but hopefully that makes sense! Please keep that in mind as you give some thought to your answers to proposed questions. I’m happy to talk through it before we record as well.
Rapid Fire Questions
These will be asked at the end of the interview – just a fun getting to know you game!
- Last show you binge watched
- Favorite movie of all time
- First concert you saw
- Dinner you have most frequently
- What smell do you love?
- Favorite me-time activity
- Toy or game that you enjoy playing with your kids
- Favorite store
- Something you swore you would do/not do when you became a mom that you didn’t follow through on
- Phone app you spend the most time using
Thanks so much for your willingness to be a part of this project… I’m excited to chat with you!
Carrie 🙂
How is the podcast recorded? Anything else I need to know about the recording part of the process?
We will be chatting via Zoom (similar to WebEx) and will only be using the audio portion of the recording, so feel free to come as you are (unshowered and in your PJ’s is ok by me!). Zoom will require a program or app download to your computer or phone, so please make sure you do that ahead of our interview. Please be somewhere where you have a good WiFi connection (preferred) or excellent cell reception. Make sure your surroundings will be quiet and you will not be disturbed during the recording.
How long will the recording last?
I like to keep my podcast episodes around 30 minutes, but we may go shorter or longer depending on how the conversation goes. Please block an hour out of your calendar just in case we go over. Please note some editing may be involved to get our interview down to around the 30 minute mark.
Can you edit if I stumble over my words or if my kid is yelling in the background?
Yep, I sure can. But I prefer keeping it to a minimum, so please try to minimize distractions.
When will my interview air?
While all interviews will be featured on the blog, due to the volume of interviews, not all will be on the podcast. Either way, I will let you know a couple of weeks ahead of time when your interview will go live on the site so you can let friends and family know!
Anything else I need to know?
I will be back in touch to provide you a proof of your page on the Modern Mom Society so you can review and approve about a week or two ahead of your air date.
I am so grateful for your participation! Thanks for being a part of The Modern Mom Society!