“It's okay to struggle in a society that doesn't support you. It's okay to be like, this doesn't work and I have to get some stuff done. The question is then, how do you approach those changes that you have to make with your family in mind [...] while considering everyone? So it's also looking at your child and saying, Yep, this may not be ideal, it may not be what I want it to be, but how do I do it knowing what's most important to my child?”~ Tracy Cassels, PhD

In this episode, Kaitlin has a conversation with Tracy Cassels, PhD. Tracy is the director of Evolutionary Parenting, an online resource and community she founded in 2011 after the birth of her daughter, Maddie.

Tracy is married to Brian, a mother to two young kids, and a stepmother to one older child. She lives in a small town in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. Kaitlin came to know her work when seeking more evidence-based resources in early parenting and has always appreciated the community she builds by way of her thoughtful approach.

Tracy and Kaitlin talk about:

• Tracy’s pregnancy/birth journey and how it compelled her to build this entire universe and approach of evolutionary parenting.
• The impact that our societal, cultural, and structural constraints –lack of federally mandated family leave and the inability to pass a federal caregiver act in the United States– have on our well-being and approach to motherhood and caregiving, as well as society as a whole.
• What it looks like to concurrently build support for you and your baby in a system that isn't designed to do so, especially when you can't afford it.
• Practical tips on carving out time for our creative pursuits alongside the constraints that becoming a mother and /or carer throws at us.

More about Tracy Cassels PhD:

Website: https://evolutionaryparenting.com/about/ 

Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-563905685

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

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