Raising Resisters: Motherhood and Telling the Truth (with Renee Niemann)

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We often talk about parenting like it should exist in a bubble—lunchboxes, bedtime routines, school calendars. But as Renee Niemann makes clear, parenting doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Parenting is a political act.

In this episode of Roar, host Danielle Davies sits down with writer and creator Renee Niemann, known for Fake Adult Mom and her new project, Resist Like a Mother. Renee explains the moment motherhood and resistance collided for her—when she realized she could no longer “go about life as normal” while raising kids through rising political extremism, cruelty, and instability.

As she shares early in the episode:

“When I say parenting is a political act… there is no way that I can go about life as normal. Business as usual stops. But I still have to parent.”

Renee speaks candidly about explaining authoritarianism to her kids, teaching age-appropriate truth, and raising children who refuse to shrink. She recounts the moment her daughter was told she “didn’t belong” at an academic event—and how, instead of staying small, she self-advocated so effectively that the boy who dismissed her ended up issuing a written apology.

Together, Danielle and Renee discuss:

💥 Why “business as usual” is impossible while parenting in today’s world

💬 How Renee introduces big topics like injustice, inequality, and authoritarianism to her kids in age-appropriate ways

🔥 Why she believes mothers are raising the next generation of “little resistors”

👶 The emotional load of explaining a chaotic world while still figuring out dinner

⚖️ How she makes decisions about safety, boundaries, and who her kids spend time with—including her controversial but deeply principled rule: “My kids don’t go to Trump supporters’ houses… It’s not punitive. I just don’t respect their judgment.”

❤️ What it means to raise children who don’t shrink themselves, even when it’s uncomfortable

Renee’s story is a reminder that motherhood isn’t passive. It shapes culture, community, and the future. And for many women, telling the truth—even when it’s frightening—is a form of care.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• “Parenting is a political act.” Raising children with conscience, courage, and clarity shapes the world they will inherit.

• Kids see everything. They watch how we respond to injustice, fear, and uncertainty — and they learn from it.

• Mothers are often the first to notice what’s broken — and the ones most motivated to fix it.

• Telling the truth is not harmful; dishonesty is. Even when the truth is scary, Renee believes kids deserve honesty “with reasons why.”

• Resistance doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes it's simply refusing to shrink.
  

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Resist Like a Mother Substack → https://www.resistlikeamother.com/
  

• Renee on Instagram → @resistlikeamother
  

• Fake Adult Mom → @fakeadultmom
  

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