Show cover of The MomForce Podcast Hosted by Chatbooks

The MomForce Podcast Hosted by Chatbooks

Welcome to The Mom Force Podcast! We know that parenting is the hardest job in the world, and we've got you covered! Vanessa Quigley, mother of 7 and co-founder of the Internet's favorite photo book company Chatbooks, hosts this refreshing take on all things mom as she chats with parenting experts to answer some of our toughest parenting questions. And check out our Facebook group — the #momforce by Chatbooks — to see the power of women supporting women. That's the MomForce!

Tracks

In this episode, the ladies of the MomForce Podcast share their thoughts on what this age of the information overload has done to their brains, and especially to how they view themselves. From something as inoccuous as fashion and not finding your own personal style to childrearing and sifting through the millions of voices who tell you the "right way", there is something a little scary and unsettling about not knowing a real source of truth. Sarah explains that she sometimes feels silly because there is so much information out there, but she isn't sure what her real intuition tells her. Julie and Vanessa both prescribe turning the phone off, finding out what truly matters, and flexing the skill that is listening to your own brain.   Check out Chatbooks and create your Monthbook now!

9/29/26 • 13:56

In this episode, Vanessa is facing her first fall with zero kids in school after 7 children — and the relief is real (even if it came with some end-of-summer office vibes). Julie and Sarah talk about how scary it can feel to admit that your 20's are often hard but we like to pretend that they're easy. And Sarah shares the biggest news of the season: she's engaged! Julie and Sarah reflect on wishing they could've relaxed into their 20s more, knowing now that things work out, and talk about the right way (and wrong way) to reassure someone in a hard season: validate first, and save the "it'll be okay" for people who've earned the trust to say it. Don't miss this heartfelt episode about the life phases that shape us. Get started on your Chatbooks today!

9/22/26 • 26:01

In this week's episode, Julie shares about how she and her eldest daughter have a shared skill of shopping together and being quite procifient at it. The conversation touches on how shopping is an actual skill that not everyone has. Julie and Sarah discuss how often skills like this are looked at as frivolous because they are something typically women are better at, but we're not taking into consideration that shopping is a balancing act and important skill that the whole family benefits from. Additionally, shopping is an amazing bonding experience for women where they can hype each other up, pass along their style preferences, and enjoy time together.   Want to do an OOTD Monthbook like Sarah? Get started on your Chatbooks today!

9/15/26 • 14:57

In this episode, Sarah and Vanessa discuss a little about their Pilates class earlier that morning that leads them all into a discussion about the lessons you learn when you "sit in the shake." In Pilates, the muscles get built in that uncomfortable moment when your experiencing muscle failure and your body starts to shake. Julie expresses how when we were young, we weren't able to get immediate answers to anything, and how her kids are experiencing the exact opposite. The conversation turns into what happens long-term when we avoid discomfort instead of sitting in it. Get your Chatbooks started now!

9/8/26 • 12:08

This week, Vanessa, Julie, and Sarah dig into a discussion that's been brewing since a fan comment recently called Chatbooks "the perfect Type-A solution for a Type-B mom." That line kicks off a real conversation about where each of them actually falls on the Type A/Type B spectrum. Julie shares about how her hyper-organized momhood was really a stress response to survival mode (and what it's looked like to let that go), while also owning her Type-B proclivities to completely color drench her office and paint without any tape or ladders. Vanessa shares that her approach to motherhood has mostly been somewhat Type B, but that things have evolved throughout different stages of her life. Sarah shares that she lands somewhere in the middle as a self-declared "Type A minus." They also discuss why lately there has been a sort of pride in being Type B while the Type A personality gets a lot of the hate for being bossy. They discuss why we should celebrate both people who get things done and people who bring the good times. The real takeaway: the label matters less than the self-awareness. Know your tendencies, build a few guardrails around them, give yourself and everyone else some grace, and stop using either type as an excuse for bad behavior.   Download Chatbooks today!

9/1/26 • 25:24

In this episode, Vanessa shares what it was like changing a tire in Disneyland Pluto costume. Julie's asks Vanessa if she is more hirable because she's had experience dressing up as Chuck E. Cheese at her day job as a teenager. And Sarah tells all about how she was hired by a catering service to serve food at a private concert and instead snuck into the concert (spoiler alert: it was an Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani private show--totally worth it). Don't miss this hilarious episode about the work lore that built us.   Get started on your Chatbooks today!

8/25/26 • 26:58

This week, Vanessa and Julie share abou the importance of the arts and prioritizing it in your life in order to find inspiration for all aspects of life including work, motherhood, and entertainment. They also discuss what creation costs the creator, and how watching something like Hamnet can be a reminder of that. Julie and Vanessa talk about the tendency to get heads-down in daily life and forget to seek out beauty, and land on a practical fix: putting inspiration on the calendar intentionally, the same way you'd schedule a dentist appointment, and buying tickets the moment interest strikes instead of waiting.   Speaking of arts, getting started with your Chatbooks is the best way to keep the important things in your life at the forefront. Get started today!

8/18/26 • 12:35

Cozy is worth the money. Subscriptions are worth the money. And claw machines from Amazon are definitely worth the money. These are the official "worth the money" lists of Emily King, Head of Creative, Julie Taylor, VP of Marketing, and Vanessa Quigley, Chief Chatbooker. One of our favorite episodes to date. You don't want to miss out on it.   What we recommend is worth the money? Getting your Chatbooks started today!

8/11/26 • 46:40

This week, Sarah shares how she has observed certain families whose teenagers are simply magnetic and very confident in themselves around adults. She asks Julie and Vanessa what they think it takes to raise confident kids and how to instill confidence as parents raising young children and young adults. The conversation also discusses a mindset shift that changes everything: choosing to be inspired instead of threatened by the people around you. Julie wraps it up with a one-liner: "Nobody knows what they're doing. We're all just trying stuff out."   Get started on your Chatbooks today!

8/4/26 • 20:38

In this episode, we get into what to actually do when you don't want to keep going and why obligation and duty are wildly underrated motivators. We also talk about laying on the ground as an actual reset (10/10, would recommend), an end-of-day ritual we've practiced for years, and why "listening to your body" on social media doesn't look anything like it does in real life. Plus, how we built positivity into our team culture with something called Manic Monday, why learning from your wins matters as much as learning from your failures, and how the same principle applies to parenting. Days that start with dread can still end well. And sometimes "pushing through" isn't a wellness routine, it's just doing it anyway. Also, if all else fails, a Baja Blast from Taco Bell is always recommended.

7/28/26 • 18:52

In this episode, we chat about Julie's casual confession to being a proud, private "Petty Betty" (and why that's different from oversharing online), the real reasons people post the messy stuff: comfort, clout, or community, sometimes all three at once, and a Brazilian wax story that made someone's teenagers beg her to stop. We also get into the mother-in-law-ripping, motherhood-is-brutal corners of the internet, the fine line between describing your life and creating it, and the hard stuff nobody shows up for. Plus, the questions we're asking ourselves before we post anything personal these days, and why a little more shame (the good kind) might actually be a gift. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. We didn't come up with that one. We're stealing it.   Get started with your Chatbooks today! There has never been a better time to make a classic book.

7/21/26 • 20:57

This week, Vanessa shares about how she threw her own birthday party and how it taught her that if you build it, people will come. Celebrating together is something that women get to be good at! This conversation led to a discussion about whether or not you're a party planner and how to not let those expectations fail when things like holidays, birthdays, and family traditions don't go according to plan. The best advice is that you get to create your own family culture, and the best way to be is to stay unbothered.

7/14/26 • 26:50

Vanessa just spent two and a half weeks in the Dominican Republic building a school with her son Declan, taking cold showers out of a garden hose, and coming home fearing permanently swollen ankles and asking herself a big question: "who am I now?" We talk about the weird whiplash of walking straight from that into an air-conditioned house and a "well-stocked Costco" — plus what happened when she got her phone back after weeks off social media. We also get into why Chatbooks just switched to fixed pricing with no hidden fees (yes, we're losing money on the big books on purpose), why we proactively cancel inactive subscribers instead of quietly taking your money, and a sneak peek at Sarah's next trip: off-grid and headed to Havasupai.

7/7/26 • 23:35

In this episode, we chat about what it actually feels like to come home after time abroad (hint: air conditioning has never felt so good), a wild pickpocketing incident in Rome that took an unexpected turn, and why a cold Diet Coke is genuinely one of America's greatest gifts to the world. We also get into why World Cup social media has been one of the most surprisingly feel-good corners of the internet lately, what it looks like to teach kids real gratitude without dismissing hard things, and why choosing a good attitude, even when it's hard, is always worth it. Plus, we're making Chatbooks a real habit now, because the memories are happening whether you're documenting them or not.

6/30/26 • 21:02

In this episode, Julie and Sarah are joined by podcaster OG and sister to Vanessa, Erika Anderson. They discuss why we should all have vices and why motherhood especially requires us to sometimes just simply chill. They discuss the trend of "health maxxing" and why that isn't sustainable over a lifetime. And sometimes it's okay to just endulge every once in a while.   Get started on your Chatbooks today!

6/23/26 • 27:19

In this episode, Julie and Sarah discuss the topic of women in the workplace. They share how attitudes have changed over time, what having female bosses looks like and how we can do better. It's an exciting episode that we can't wait to hear your thoughts on!

6/16/26 • 34:51

In this episode, the ladies share their feelings on Timothee Chalamet, riverdance, why nostalgia sometimes makes us sad, and how we can still find ways to embrace and be gracious to our old selves. You'll want to share this one with friends!   Father's Day Sale ends today! Start Chatbooking now!

6/9/26 • 23:15

On The MomForce Podcast this week, the ladies talk about how family fun sometimes has to be orchestrated and it's not always fun. Sometimes we simply have to do things out of obligation. And sometimes we have to keep fighting for it, because as Julie says, "when my kids are having fun, I'm having fun." Plus, Sarah shares her life's motto: if it isn't a good time, it's a good story.

6/2/26 • 21:15

We are SO GLAD if you've been around with us since the beginning! Happy 200! In this episode, Vanessa, Sarah, and Julie discuss how they'll reward themselves after making it through May. They also romanticize a simple summer. One where you don't have to do too much to still have a good time. It's the little moments like jumping on the trampoline, going out with the kids to the gas station, and finding your favorite local spots. It's an episode to really feel a lot less mom guilt and a lot more relief of pressure.

5/26/26 • 23:19

Not to bring the mood down, but we can't always be positive! This week, Sarah and Vanessa start the podcast off with just a little wallowing, because what's motherhood and womanhood without a little time to complain about it? And in a crazy twist, Julie is there to bring up the mood! She gives some hard, but helpful advice: sometimes you actually might need to be doing more. We know, sounds crazy. And of course, it's not a message of running yourself ragged, but instead a message of simply "it's okay to not always have to face your problems." This episode has it all: conversations about having roommates in your adulthood, Harry Jowsey, marraige advice, and tips on going on a humanitarian trip with teenage kids!   Get started with your Monthbooks today!

5/19/26 • 25:56

Julie and Sarah, who are the two youngest daughters, are coming into the episode today to sing the praises of their older sisters, while also picking a few bones because, hey, they're still the babies. Vanessa, the eldest of TWELVE children and FIVE sisters shares in her wisdom, and in true eldest daughter fashion claims that it was a "privilege" to be an older sister to younger sisters. Sarah and Julie lament that eldest sisters never got to have older sisters to rely on. What would we do without the older sisters of the world?

5/12/26 • 25:12

In this episode, the ladies celebrate how learning Mahjong has become an intentional ritual that has helped them log off and put their phones away. The intentional, forced slow down has reminded us that we're all craving community and connectedness, and that we have to be disciplined in order to achieve this.

5/5/26 • 25:36

Vanessa opens the episode with a story about Rudy—the dog she was watching for her son—and the unexpected lesson he taught her: sometimes we misjudge others until we take the time to truly understand them. From there, the conversation explores the shame many women carry around emotional regulation, especially in early motherhood, and what it looks like to grow through it with more awareness and compassion. They also dive into the weight of big life decisions—like whether to stay home or return to work—and how choosing what's right for your unique circumstances, even when it's hard, can ultimately help you show up as a better, more grounded mom.   Get started on your Chatbooks today!

4/28/26 • 24:11

This week on the podcast, we're talking about the characteristics of confident people. We share how the way we were raised helps us understand and find an internal confidence. We also discuss some of the vulnerabilities that come with insecurities.   On this episode, Julie shares, "as a mom and a boss, something I always try to prioritize is to leave people more confident than you found them."

4/21/26 • 31:21

In this episode, we share how we were inspired by the Artemis II mission and what those astronauts learned while traveling to the dark side of the moon. One of the quotes that got us thinking was from Astronaut Jeremy Hansen. He said, "We're not always on the joy train, this crew, there are many times we're not on the joy train, but we are committed to getting back on the joy train as soon as we can. And that is a useful life skill for any team trying to get something done."   Julie shares how sometimes facing reality helps her more easily get back on the joy train. Sarah shares about how when she takes the time to have awe in her life, she feels joy. Vanessa shares how she's getting her family to feel that inspiration and rally around something powerful like this experience.   Don't forget to start Chatbooking! Get started on your first classic photo book or monthbook subscription now.

4/15/26 • 34:57

This week's episode is all about coming home. Vanessa was in Paris last week and when she got back she was reminded that despite coming back to Utah where the inversion had settled in and the weather wasn't nearly as lovely as the beautiful Parisian spring, it was the excitement of being surrounded by her people that helped her to realize that the cliche, "home is where the heart is," truly made sense. Julie and Sarah discuss how they make their own lives feel like home amongst their families and they also discuss what those memories mean all these years later.

3/31/26 • 29:28

When your child calls from school because they forgot their lunch or homework, do you rush to save the day, or let them face the consequences? In this episode, Vanessa and her sisters are tackling the tough question of when saying "no" is actually the more loving choice. They reflect on their own family experience with "parallel work" — being available to help, but only when asked — and explore how small moments of discomfort can build long-term resilience. They also break down a few key factors to consider: safety, whether it's a pattern or a one-time mistake, and how to offer grace without creating entitlement. This episode is all about raising independent kids — and having the courage to step back when it counts. DM us your stories (we can share anonymously!) so we can all feel a little less alone in the process.

3/3/26 • 30:26

In this episode, Vanessa is joined by her sisters as they tackle a question many parents quietly wrestle with: are we spoiling our kids, or simply loving them well? From sharing their own "Cinderella story" childhood memories and the differences between oldest and youngest siblings, to reflecting on modern pressures like TikTok unboxings and overindulgence culture, they explore where generosity can tip into excess. Drawing on insights from experts like Dr. David Bredehoft, Jean Illsley Clarke, and Ron Lieber, the conversation dives into gratitude, entitlement, financial literacy, and the values we model through our everyday decisions. It's an honest, thoughtful discussion about what they'd do again, what they might change, and how to raise kids who feel both deeply loved and well-grounded. Download the Chatbooks app today to get started! Follow us on Instagram!

2/17/26 • 24:28

If you grew up in the '90s or early 2000s, chances are The Care and Keeping of You played a starring role in your introduction to puberty—especially if no one at home was talking about it. For so many families, those conversations were awkward, avoided, or skipped altogether. But what if they didn't have to be? In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Julie Taylor as they ask the question: how can we take the cringe out of puberty and replace it with honesty, confidence, and care? Joining as an expert guest is Dr. Cara Natterson—pediatrician, author, and podcaster—who served as a medical consultant on The Care and Keeping of You and has spent her career helping kids and adults navigate puberty with clarity and compassion. Dr. Natterson shares why these conversations matter, where we tend to go wrong, and how we can do better—for the next generation and ourselves.   Download the Chatbooks app now and start your Monthbooks today!

2/3/26 • 40:06

Vanessa is joined in this episode by her four sisters! They chat about real scenarios that have happened both when they were in school as children, and to their own 30+ children that they have amongst them. The discuss how they react as moms when they get a call from the school about a child's behavior and how to not immediately jump into protective mode while still making room for discipline. They also ask the community to share how they've handled a tricky situation with a teacher.   Follow @vanessaquigley on Instagram!   Get started on your Chatbooks today!

1/20/26 • 22:31

Similar podcasts