Podcast
Catholic Mom Calm
Hosted by Sterling Jaquith · EN
Calling all Catholic moms! Did you know it's possible to do this Catholic motherhood thing without losing your mind? Parenting these days is so hard because most of us are doing it without the tools we need. I'm Sterling Jaquith, a homeschool mom to six young kids, a business owner and I teach busy Catholic moms how to have more peace in their lives and homes.
Each week on the Catholic Calm Mom podcast, I'll give you practical tools for calming yourself down, discerning what God wants you to do, and making rock-solid plans so life doesn't feel so overwhelming. If you're a Catholic mom, you're in the right place. Life is about to get so much better!
And if you love the content of this podcast, check out all tools we offer at www.catholicmomcalm.com.
37episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
4 Ways We Block God's Voice
Mar 600:07:04Tap to summarizeAre you struggling to hear God's voice? If you're trying to discern a decision — about your family, your home, your work, or something deeper — and you're not getting clarity, it may not be because God isn't speaking. It may be because something is blocking Him. In this episode, we talk about four common ways we unintentionally block God's voice: Hardness of heart and lack of forgiveness Asking God… but being afraid of the answer Only giving Him Option A or Option B When God says, "It's up to you" We also talk about: Why forgiveness (even of God) is about releasing yourself How fear reveals whether you trust His goodness The subtle difference between unrest and peaceful freedom Why discernment and obedience are two separate skills The goal of motherhood is not performance. It's not image. It's not measurable success. It's learning to hear God's voice — and doing what He tells you. If you're not getting clarity in prayer, gently examine your heart. There may be something blocking what He's trying to say. Do whatever He tells you. 💜 Sterling
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Two Reasons You Snap at Your Kids
Mar 500:06:20Tap to summarizeAre you constantly snapping at your kids… and then immediately thinking, "I'm a bad mom"? There are two thoughts that quietly destroy a Catholic mom's interior peace: "This shouldn't be happening." "I'm a bad mom." In this episode, we break down what I call the Mad Bad Mom model — how resistance turns into anger, and anger turns into shame. You'll learn: Why resisting reality creates instant stress in your body Why your kids actually should misbehave sometimes How anger is usually sitting on top of fear How to repair after you've reacted poorly Why self-hatred is not holy — and not helpful How to love yourself while still growing in virtue Your child hitting their sibling. Your teenager rolling their eyes. You forgetting something important. These moments are not proof that you're failing. They are parenting moments. And you do not have to live the next 20 years of motherhood disliking yourself. You are not a bad mom. You are a mom who is learning. 💜 Sterling
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Calm Doesn't Mean Easy
Mar 400:06:59Tap to summarizeCalming Down Won't Make Your Life Easy (The Cross Still Remains) | Catholic Mom Learning how to calm your nervous system is powerful. Breathing slowly. Stepping outside. Drinking water. Getting out of fight-or-flight. These tools matter. But they do not mean your life will suddenly become easy. In this episode, we talk about where psychology meets Catholicism — and why even the most regulated, peaceful Catholic mom will still have a cross to carry. You'll hear about: Why calming down helps you think clearly — but doesn't remove suffering The difference between reducing chaos and eliminating the Cross What redemptive suffering really means Why no one escapes the Cross (and why that's actually mercy) The temptation to carry crosses poorly — or carry ones God never asked for How to stop trying to "out-hack" your suffering The grace God always gives for the day you're in God does not forget you. He does not accidentally assign you the wrong life. He does not ask you to carry something without giving you the grace for it. You may still have hard days. You may still say, "I'm having a very human day." But the goal isn't a cross-free life. The goal is to carry your cross well. And strangely — that is the easiest life available to us. You are not alone in your suffering. And your cross is not meaningless. 💜 Sterling
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The Mental Load of Catholic Moms
Mar 300:08:51Tap to summarizeThe Mental Load of a Catholic Mom (And What You Can Let Go Of) The "mental load" of motherhood has been all over the internet lately — and often the conversation turns into women vs. men. But before we talk about who should share the load… We need to ask a harder question: Should you be carrying all of it in the first place? In this episode, we take a deeper look at the invisible weight Catholic moms carry — especially the mental load of imaginary futures and unnecessary worries. We talk about: The difference between real problems and imagined ones Why sibling bickering does NOT predict their adult relationship How future "doom stories" drain your energy The schooling anxiety spiral (and how to step out of it) The pressure to give your kids the "perfect childhood" Why prudence includes choosing what not to think about How to bring your mental load to the Lord before bringing it to your husband Before you make a list of everything you're thinking about and ask your husband to share it, pause. Some of the things on that list may not belong there at all. God does not give grace for imaginary burdens. He gives grace for what is real — today. Interior peace grows when we: Discern what is actually ours to carry Release the rest Refuse to live in constant future fear You don't have to carry everything. And you were never meant to. 💜 Sterling
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Accepting The Day You're Given
Mar 200:04:42Tap to summarizeAccepting the Day You're Given | Interior Peace for the Catholic Mom Part of having real interior peace as a Catholic mom comes from accepting your day the way it actually is — not the way you planned it. You wake up with a picture in your mind: Quiet morning prayer Kids waking at reasonable times Smooth breakfast Shoes on, backpacks packed Maybe even a little cleaning done And then… A child wakes up at 5:15. Someone is sick. Shoes are missing. A glass of juice shatters on the floor as you're trying to get out the door. Now you have two choices. You can resist: "This shouldn't be happening." Or you can receive: "Alright, Lord… I guess this is what we're doing now." In this episode, we talk about: Why resisting reality drains your energy How the thought "this shouldn't be happening" creates tightness and stress in your body The Marian posture of receptivity What "fiat" looks like in everyday mom life How accepting the moment actually makes you a better problem solver Why receiving your day gives you more energy than fighting it This isn't about being passive. It isn't about being a doormat. It's about living the feminine genius — receiving what God allows, then asking: "How do You want me to show up right now?" Interior peace begins when we stop arguing with reality. You are not behind. You are not failing. You are being invited into deeper surrender. 💜 – Sterling
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Will Your Kids Resent Religion?
Mar 100:12:39Tap to summarize*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:9f81b902-d4c5-48aa-8218-76bb59781e99-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> How to Let Go of Perfectionism at Mass (Especially with Little Kids) | Catholic Mom If you've ever brought small children to Mass and silently panicked about the noise, the wiggling, the outfits, or what everyone else thinks… this episode is for you. Today we're answering a tender, honest question from a Catholic mom with four very little kids: How do you stop expecting perfection from your children at Mass — while still wanting them to love Jesus and the Church? We talk about: Why you are not responsible for your child's future salvation The difference between teaching the faith and controlling the outcome Why most children will think Mass is boring (and why that's okay) The hidden fear behind perfectionism at church How imaginary future worries steal grace from today What your real job is as a Catholic mom If you're worried your children will resent the faith… If you feel embarrassed when they wiggle or make noise… If you're carrying pressure to "get it right" religiously… This conversation will help you breathe again. God does not give grace for imaginary problems. He gives grace for today. And today, with five-year-olds and toddlers and babies, the "Jesus you can give them" might simply be: not yelling. You are not failing. You are forming souls. And God loves your children even more than you do. 💜 – Sterling
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You're Not a Lazy Mom
Feb 1600:09:41Tap to summarizeAre you telling yourself you're a lazy mom — even though you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and doing a million things every day? In this episode, I want to lovingly but firmly tell you the truth: You are not lazy. You are tired. And those are not the same thing. I've had six kids in eight years, and I know what it feels like to sit on the couch and wonder what is wrong with you… even though you've been giving everything you have all day long. In this video, we talk about: - why "lazy mom" is almost always the wrong diagnosis - the difference between exhaustion, burnout, and true laziness - how mental load fries your nervous system (even when your body still has energy) - why negative self-talk makes motherhood feel heavier than it has to be - how silence, prayer, and compassion for yourself restore capacity - why managing your mind gives you hours of energy back This is especially for Catholic moms who love their families deeply but feel worn down, overstimulated, and discouraged. Nothing is wrong with you. You don't need to try harder. You need more peace. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. 💜 Sterling
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Hey You! You're Doing a Good Job.
Oct 2200:20:20Tap to summarizeYou’re doing a good job. Really — you are. In this heart-to-heart episode, Sterling reminds every Catholic mom that even when the house isn’t perfect, the kids are wiggly at Mass, and the laundry’s taking over the couch... you’re still doing holy, meaningful work. She shares what it looks like to pause, breathe, and actually believe that you’re a good mom — not because everything’s done, but because you keep showing up in love. We’ll talk about: ✨ The spiritual and cultural forces that make moms feel “not enough” ✨ Why you should celebrate yourself (without pride!) ✨ How to find gratitude in ordinary chaos ✨ A simple mindset shift to end the day with peace If your heart’s been whispering “I’m failing,” this episode will wrap you in truth, laughter, and grace. 💜 Share this one with a mom who needs to hear, “You’re doing a good job.”
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The Feeling We're All Chasing
Oct 1500:18:56Tap to summarizeWe're all chasing a feeling... and it's a feeling that only comes from the Lord. Find out how you can slow down your thinking to see where you're seeking this feeling and how you can turn to the Lord instead.
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Your Kids Should Misbehave
Oct 800:15:57Tap to summarizeOne of the most peace-stealing thoughts is when we think, "They shouldn't do that!" Let's open up this thought and see how it leads us to parent from anger.
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