The Mom Flow: Rude Vibes + TV Recos

Welcome to The Mom Flow, where I share things that are on my mind in the hopes of helping you connect to your Mom Flow. Thanks for being here! —Erin Sousa

Lola had another sick week so it meant that the juggle was real. Every time this happens, I thank my lucky stars for my in-laws. They are my village and always ready to be there for us, caring so much about Lola, but also being there to take care of her when I need it – which was very much this week. It got me thinking about the village that some of us do and do not have. The family, friends, or even paid village – Lola is in preschool and daycare (both paid), but then we have help with Lola and life. The grand parents, housekeeper, and my dream would be a meal prep assistant who worked with me to get it all sorted on budget, too. But I digress. The world as we now know it isn’t set up to make a village easy, but for so many, it’s essential. I asked my 33K IG following: who is your village paid/unpaid, and this is what you said (so many more answers I can’t fit in here, but this is a start!).

I think it’s important to build your village – just even somewhere online or IRL where you feel connected, and I hope that this place, The Mom Flow, can be that. I just started a new chat where we can meet each other and share info, recos, and just conversation (yes, commiserating is welcome!). I hope you will join in?

 IRL rudeness realness

One of the trappings of being online a lot (and gosh we can’t get away from it, can we?!) is that we have our phones with us a LOT. It’s become a weird crutch at times, especially in social situations. Something happened recently that gave me a pit in my stomach and made me feel, just, bad. I feel like sharing it here helps, because maybe we’ve been in this scenario on both ends? So, I was chatting with a friend IRL, and she was spilling her thoughts, feelings to me – my attention to her was undivided – I really try to be ‘present’ when a friend is speaking to me. The moment I started to respond, she picked up her phone, opened IG, and started scrolling. Like, right in front of me. For no apparent reason. My feelings were hurt. I felt unimportant and invisible. With Lola, I’m so careful to put down my phone when she walks into a room – there are times I’m so busy with work, and I’m trying to fit it all in, but she won’t know it. It’s so important to me I am present with her, and she doesn’t feel like my attention is split. Why shouldn’t we do this with our friends, too?

New weeknight meal on rotation

Alert, alert. I have a new fave weeknight meal that ticks the boxes. Easy, nourishing, and both my hubs and toddler (ummm can we even call her that, she’s almost 5!) like. I also was told I have a very low iron (honestly everyone I know does?!), and eating red meat three times a week will help – if not, iron pills it is, which I’d like to avoid. So, this beef stir-fry is my new fave, and it provides amazing leftovers, too.

Beef Stir-Fry

Sliced beef (Fettini Di Manzo is what I used, and wow, so freaking good)
Broccoli
Carrots
Onion

Sauce:
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar or honey
Dash fish sauce and sesame oil
Lots of minced garlic and ginger
2 tbsp corn starch (you can omit if you don’t care about the sauce feeling thick)

Brown beef on high heat, remove from pan. Add veggies to same pan, cook until slightly soft. Add beef back in, then sauce. Cook about 7 mins until done!
Serve with rice or noods, sesame seeds, hot sauce, cilantro. Obvs, all optional.

Let’s talk TV

If you don’t look forward to that hour of couch time with a show at the end of the day (and heck, during nap time, quiet time, down time…) then this will not be for you. Ok, for the 100% of you that are still reading after that disclaimer, we are here and we are proud. I don’t think this list is exhaustive, but it’s current. Also, I’ve learned that if I’m scrolling and watching, I’m defeating the escapism purpose… I’m looking for a complete break from my brain. The White Lotus is my current fave fave, this season is fantastic. The nuances, the character development. I had to asterisk if it’s a movie bc we need a warning and will most likely be splitting it over three nights, let’s be honest.

There’s more! Keep reading this week’s edition of The Mom Flow by Erin Sousa; subscribe for free to receive new posts and support her work, here!