Podcast by Kim Anderson & Jenny Chate
13 June 2026
Joy doesn’t always arrive on the timeline we expect, but when it does, it can be profoundly sweet. In this episode of Contagious Joy, hosts Kim and Jenny sit down with Kim's dear friend Wendy to pull back the curtain on the emotional rollercoaster of reproductive grief, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and infertility.
Wendy shares her raw and beautiful story of traveling across the world to Ukraine during the Orange Revolution to adopt her eldest son, Eagan. Just when she and her husband thought their family map was set, a switch in medical care led to the absolute shock of back-to-back natural pregnancies. From dealing with dismissive medical advice to navigating the beautifully chaotic reality of raising three boys, Wendy’s story is a vibrant reminder that your story is never truly finished.
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52:25
25 May 2026
Episode Summary
In this episode of The Contagious Joy Podcast, hosts Kim and Jenny wrap up their month-long series on family and motherhood as they prepare for contrasting seasonal changes—with Kim heading into summer holidays and Jenny bracing for a rainy Australian winter.
The episode centers on the complex, beautiful, and sometimes difficult realities of parenting and family systems. Kim shares an intimate look at a real-time parenting standoff with her son over chores and screen time, explaining why it is vital for children to safely experience boredom and why she purposefully uses a positive reinforcement structure to build an internal sense of pride in her child. Jenny reflects on how her own family dynamic has shifted over time.
Deepening the conversation, the hosts candidly look back at their own upbringings to explore how childhood structures shape adulthood. They discuss the profound impact of rules and expectations, navigating childhood traumas to dealing with ADHD and rejection sensitivity in motherhood, Kim and Jenny offer a comforting, raw reminder that while parenting stages never truly stop being hard, they are filled with opportunities to heal, grow, and pass down love.
Welcome Back to The Contagious Joy Podcast Kim and Jenny officially open the show by welcoming listeners back for the final week of May. They touch on their contrasting climates as Kim prepares for the U.S. summer break and Jenny faces a long, rainy winter in Australia.
Cross-Continental Core Memories The hosts reminisce about past family travels, detailing the lasting impact that cross-continental visits between American and Australian cultures have had on their children's worldviews.
Life Under Chuck’s Roof: Rules, Manners, and Telephone Etiquette Kim fondly remembers her father, Chuck, and his strict but loving rules for teaching neighborhood kids accountability, proper manners, and how to respectfully answer a landline telephone.
The Hard Realities of High School Counseling Drawing from her background as a school counselor, Kim discusses the heartbreaking realities of hidden childhood neglect, referencing an old family friend who realized for the first time as a guest in another home that "normal" fathers didn't have to be abusive alcoholics.
Rewriting the Script on Discipline Kim opens up about her childhood as a "prickly pear" and explains how her past experiences with strict parental yelling led her to consciously develop safe, boundary-focused parenting style with her son.
The Memorial Day Pool Standoff & Brain Rot Kim shares a humorous, real-time look at managing a three-day holiday weekend. She explains her strategy for handling her son’s reliance on YouTube, using the setup of a backyard pool to teach the valuable lesson that "if you want to have the fun, you've got to do the help too".
Parental Burnout and Mothers Who Are Jealous of Their Kids Jenny reflects on falling into a parenting role at just five years old to care for her siblings. She bravely opens up about her mother's severe mental illness and the complex trauma of having a parent who felt envious and frustrated by her child's capabilities.
Navigating ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity in Motherhood Kim dives into the emotional layers of parenting with ADHD, explaining how Rejection Sensitivity Dysmorphia (RSD) can make criticism agonizingly heavy. She shares how she actively manages her instinct to be a "prickly pear" so she can remain a safe, comforting space for her son.
From Everyday Chores to Prison Escapes Jenny tells a wild piece of family folklore about an ancestor who famously broke out of prison multiple times, bringing a hilarious conclusion to a conversation that started with simple childhood chores.
The Bittersweet Evolution of Motherhood The hosts close the episode by debunking the myth that the newborn phase is the only difficult part of parenting. They reflect on the bittersweet emotional trials of watching adult children pack up their things to officially move out, reminding listeners that motherhood is a beautiful, lifelong commitment.
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18 May 2026
In this episode of the Contagious Joy Podcast, hosts Jenny and Kim celebrate a massive milestone—reaching 800 downloads! Before diving into the main celebration, they pull back the curtain on their typical pre-recording technical chaos and dive into a hilarious debate over American versus Australian terminology. From the quick onset of American "hot flashes" to the enduring body-heat of Australian "hot flushes" (accompanied by toilet-flushing hand gestures), they compare the cultural quirks of their respective home countries.
The heart of the episode centers around a major family milestone: Jenny’s adult daughter, Emily, and her husband, Phil, have officially exchanged contracts on their very first home in Sydney’s notoriously brutal housing market. Jenny shares the grueling 12-month journey of hunting through poorly constructed units, avoiding real estate tricks, and the sheer pride she and her husband, Tim, feel in helping the couple finally break into the property ladder. The hosts also discuss the emotional side of packing up 28 years of life, how furniture reveals a couple's true personality, and why neither of them will ever live in a minimalist, all-white house.
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01:00:38
10 May 2026
In this episode of the Contagious Joy podcast, Jen and Kim dive deep into the multifaceted journey of motherhood. Set against the backdrop of Mother’s Day, the hosts share their personal and often contrasting experiences—from the physical toll of difficult pregnancies to the emotional complexities of family legacies. They discuss the societal expectations placed on women regarding starting families, the current financial barriers like rising housing costs and interest rates that impact young people's decisions today, and the reality that Mother's Day can be a day of both celebration and grief.
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43:01
02 May 2026
In this episode, the hosts celebrate a major milestone—surpassing 700 downloads—before diving into deeply personal updates. Kim shares the surprising results of her recent blood work, revealing she has moved into the post-menopausal stage of life at age 52. This sparks a broad, heartfelt discussion on the "Remarkable" nature of the female body, ranging from the struggles of infertility and miscarriages to the complexities of Mother’s Day and the "Cruel" judgments women sometimes face from one another. The episode also touches on the humor of midlife crises—including a sudden interest in colorful underwear—and the importance of knowing when to "Think it" rather than "Say it".
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54:29
25 April 2026
In this episode of Contagious Joy, hosts Kim and Jenny interview Lois Pajari, the owner and operator of Cook’s Country Connection. Lois shares the devastating story of the June 2013 fire that destroyed her business, the Cook Dollar Barn, and left eight families homeless. Out of that tragedy, Lois returned to her great-grandparents' 1900 homestead to build a new sanctuary. Now celebrating its 10th season, the farm has become a vibrant community hub featuring a mobile zoo, farm yoga, summer camps, and a sanctuary for "misfit" animals.
You can find Lois at Cook’s Country Connection at www.cookscountryconnection.com
Instagram: cookscountryconnection
Facebook: Cook's Country Connection
Check out Cook’s Country Connection on HipCamp.com/Cooks Country Connection
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