The Village Thrives

There’s what you think parenting will be… and then there’s reality. In this episode, we’re sharing all the things we know now that we had no clue about before becoming parents — the unexpected discoveries, the moments that caught us completely off guard, and the lessons you really only learn in the trenches.
From kids’ ever-changing obsessions (yes, including a surprising dive into WWE) to the wild phases and stages that take over your household, we’re talking about what we never saw coming. We also dive into the dad perspective — how fatherhood hits differently, and the question we don’t talk about enough: do dads have a village too?

What is The Village Thrives?

The Village Thrives is a real-talk parenting podcast hosted by fellow parents and professional on-air personalities Donna Ruko, Kristina Guerrero, and Bradley Hasemeyer. With decades of combined experience in storytelling — and in the trenches of parenthood — we bring honest conversations, diverse perspectives, and plenty of laughs to the mic. Together, we explore what it truly means to build — and rebuild — our village in today’s world, and why none of us are meant to do this alone. Because when we lean on each other, we don’t just survive — we thrive.

Join our village @TheVillageThrives
Donna Ruko @DonnaRuko
Bradley Hasemeyer @BHaz
Kristina Guerrero @KristinaGuerrero

Intro song - Temptation by Doug Locke
Outro song - Precious by Doug Locke
Available on Spotify and iTunes