A University mother and daughter will get together to discuss motherhood every weekend starting this Saturday – not around a kitchen table drinking tea, but in front of a microphone chatting live on radio.
Marti Erickson, a University developmental psychologist, and Erin Erickson Garner, a University graduate student, will co-host a new show called “Good Enough Moms” on radio station FM107.1 WFMP from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
The mother-daughter team will discuss motherhood issues, research and personal motherhood experience, Garner said.
“I think it’ll be a really great opportunity to reach moms, devote some time to talking about motherhood and talking about issues that women maybe don’t have a platform for talking about,” she said.
Both women have experience as mothers and content expertise. Erickson is a mother of two and the director of the Harris Programs at the University. Garner has a 21-month-old girl and is pregnant with a second child due this Mother’s Day. She is a graduate student specializing in maternal and child health.
Erickson said the radio station contacted her with the idea. The station was familiar with her work because she has been a guest on FM107’s Kevyn Burger Show as well as on television’s KARE 11. The station brought up the idea of co-hosting with her daughter, and Erickson said she was hooked.
Garner said the duo’s first show, airing May 6, will focus on the identity of a woman when she becomes a mother and discuss questions such as “How does motherhood change you?”
The show will allow listeners to call and chime in on the various topics they cover weekly.
“I think they’ll get a change to talk about issues that they love to talk about,” she said. “They just really don’t have a lot of opportunities to talk with other women who are facing similar challenges and having similar experiences.”
Steve Konrad, director of programming at FM107, said the radio station is targeted primarily at women.
“Oddly enough, all moms are women so it seemed reasonable for us to think that the women who listen to the radio station might be interested in a show that’s targeting for moms,” he said.
Erickson said that because mothers are so important to society, the issues are important for everyone.
“Our tagline is ‘If you are a mother, know a mother or have a mother, we’re talking to you,’ ” she said. “Everybody has a stake in really examining motherhood .”
Erickson came up with the title “Good Enough Moms” because of the idea that there are certain things children need in order to develop well.
“There’s kind of a threshold of experiences and a kind of nurturing and teaching that children really do need if they’re going to do well enough,” she said.
Garner said they don’t want people to think they’re advocating mediocrity.
“In my opinion, being a good enough mom means doing the best you can and knowing that you’re not going to be perfect,” she said. “I think part of the show is to create an environment where it’s OK for moms to not be perfect.”
Konrad said he thinks the combination of Erickson and Garner is a great fit for the radio station.
“I think that you couldn’t ask for two people who know each other any better than a mother and a daughter, especially that the daughter is a mother herself,” he said. “I think that continuum is a fascinating relationship that will really enhance the content of the program.”
Erickson said she is not too nervous but hopes she has enough to say and is not boring.
“I’m not very nervous because I know, first of all, that if moms listen to the show, they’re dying to be heard,” she said. “I’m expecting them to call in and have interesting things to say.”
