Sarah Wright Olsen

Actress, author, entrepreneur, podcast host, and mom of four Sarah Wright Olsen joins Between Us Moms for an honest conversation about motherhood, mom guilt, marriage after kids, career shifts, raising independent children, and finding yourself again in the chaos of motherhood. You may know Sarah from Parks and Recreation, Mad Men, The House Bunny, American Made, and Spinning Out, or from The Mother Daze podcast, which she co-hosts with actress Teresa Palmer. Now, Sarah is adding children’s book author to the list with When I Am Not With You, a heartfelt new book inspired by her own family’s ritual for staying connected through school drop-offs, work trips, and time apart. Sarah gets candid about why becoming a mom completely changed the way she approaches her acting career, including the moment she realized she no longer wanted a career that constantly took her away from her children. She also opens up about separating her self-worth from her career and income, navigating mom guilt, losing herself during the transition from one to two children, and eventually finding her way back to herself as a woman outside of motherhood. We also talk about marriage and parenting with her husband, actor Eric Christian Olsen, how they find time to connect after nearly 20 years together, and why their simplest “dates” sometimes happen over coffee after school drop-off. Plus, Sarah shares the routines that help their household of four kids actually function, including their “Rock and Roll List,” teaching kids responsibility through household chores, setting boundaries, the highly coveted “Ice Cream Friday,” and the parenting lessons she’s learned from Teresa Palmer and the other moms in her life. And for any parent currently dealing with tearful preschool or kindergarten drop-offs, Sarah shares the beautiful story behind When I Am Not With You and the simple phrase her family uses to remind their children that even when they’re apart, they’re always connected. In this episode: • Mom guilt and separation anxiety at school drop-off • How motherhood changes your career priorities • Sarah’s decision to step away from the Hollywood hustle • Losing and rediscovering your identity after becoming a mom • Marriage and making time for your partner after kids • Raising four children and managing a busy household • Teaching kids chores, responsibility, and independence • Sarah and Eric Christian Olsen’s parenting philosophy • The “Rock and Roll List” and “Ice Cream Friday” • What Sarah has learned about motherhood from Teresa Palmer • Finding humor when parenting feels completely chaotic • The inspiration behind When I Am Not With You • Helping children feel connected during separation, school, and travel If you’ve ever wondered how to balance motherhood and career, struggled with mom guilt, cried after preschool drop-off, or wondered who you are outside of being “Mom,” this conversation will make you feel a little less alone. When I Am Not With You by Sarah Wright Olsen is available now. Subscribe to Between Us Moms for honest conversations about motherhood, parenting, relationships, identity, pop culture, and everything moms are actually talking about. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.