What’s the hardest part of being a mom? What’s the hardest part
of being a mom?
“Not overparenting.”
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Dem.
“Watching them grow up.”
Alexis, 34, Pa. Repub.
“Worrying about their safety.”
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Dem.
Americans are increasingly exposed to health and wellness influencers, debates over additives, microplastics and forever chemicals, and politicized questions about the food, medication and vaccines we put into our bodies. On the left, some of these questions and debates are influencing environmental and consumer policies in places like California and Colorado. On the right, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement wield immense power to shape policy across the country.
Much of this attention is focused especially on parenting and childhood. So for Times Opinion’s latest focus group, we spoke with 14 mothers from across the country and across the political spectrum about parenting today, dealing with doctors and illness, vaccines, food, MAHA and Mr. Kennedy. For this conversation we cast a wider net than just Mr. Kennedy’s supporters, but specifically brought together people who said they had a particular worry about the food their families eat and an interest in doing some of their own research, not just deferring to doctors.
While six of the 14 participants said they would describe themselves as “MAHA moms,” the others did not. The overall group included pro-Trump voters, anti-Trump voters, people with concerns about vaccines and people who approved of the Trump administration’s focus on chemicals or food but felt it was going too far on vaccines or Tylenol.
What comes through in the conversation is how hard it can feel to be taken seriously by doctors and how hard it is to make choices — whether as a parent or as your own person — in the age of social media.
Katherine Miller, Margie Omero and Adrian J. Rivera
Ms. Miller is a staff editor in Opinion. Ms. Omero is a pollster. Mr. Rivera is an editorial assistant in Opinion.
Participants
Alexis 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
Bethany 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
Betsy 37, Ark., independent, white, realtor
Catherine 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
Cherrie 45, Ore., independent, Asian, education
Cynthia 37, Ind., Democrat, Latina, events director
Jerusha 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
Kristy 42, Minn., Democrat, white, nanny
Nataliya 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
Rita 44, Texas, Republican, Black, waitress
Sapphire 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
Sarah G. 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
Sarah V. 31, N.Y., Democrat, Black, teacher
Sydney 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
Transcript
Moderator, Margie Omero
What’s the best part of being a mom?
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Democrat, Black, teacher
Being alive with my kids.
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
The fulfillment.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
Being someone’s safe place and being her best friend.
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Democrat, Latina, events director
Never boring.
Cherrie, 45, Ore., independent, Asian, education
It’s a blessing.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
It’s like watching your heart outside of your body.
Rita, 44, Texas, Republican, Black, waitress
An adventure.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
Being able to be a kid again and have fun with them.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
I love watching my children achieve things and grow and be proud of themselves.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
Their sense of wonder.
Betsy, 37, Ark., independent, white, realtor
Watching my girls be confident.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
Watching her grow and rise to the challenge of all the preteen stuff.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
Watching them grow into who they are becoming and seeing all their accomplishments.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Democrat, white, nanny
I’d say it’s rewarding and joyful just to be able to see it all and experience it all.
Moderator, Margie Omero
What’s the hardest part of being a mom?
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
Not overparenting.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
That I need to pay someone to watch her so I can make money.
Rita, 44, Texas, Republican, Black, waitress
You have to be able to adjust.
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
Watching them grow up, it’s bittersweet.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Democrat, Black, teacher
Worrying about their safety.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
Balancing time.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Democrat, white, nanny
Watching them struggle when you see things that you can fix, but they need to work it out themselves.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
It’s kind of a duality. I don’t want to do a half-good job at being an employee, and I don’t want to do a half-good job at being a mom. But I’m the only one running the show here.
Do you spend a lot of time doing
research on being a mom? Do you spend a lot of time
doing research on being a mom? 4 people raised their hands.
Alexis, 34, Pa. Repub.
Bethany, 37, Colo., indep.
Betsy, 37, Ark., indep.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Repub.
Cherrie, 45, Ore., indep.
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Dem.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Repub.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Dem.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Dem.
Rita, 44, Texas, Rep.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., indep.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Rep.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Dem.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Repub.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
I spend more time researching health-related things. My daughter has some autoimmune neurological struggles, and I also have autoimmune struggles. I feel like I spend a lot of time researching supplements or different therapies or things that could help her to feel better.
Moderator, Margie Omero
What’s your top source for your research?
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
I have a couple of different bloggers that I follow to some degree, some influencer-type people on Instagram, although I’m a little picky about who I listen to there or really give my time to because I feel like a lot of them are very gimmicky or just trying to sell different things. I also rely on my daughter’s doctors. And so it’s kind of a plethora of different places.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
I’m a stepmom and we’re co-parenting, so I always look at like, OK, how do I not step on toes? With health problems, I have some friends that are doctors, and I’ll ask them questions about best approaches.
Moderator, Margie Omero
And how do you know who to trust when you do research online?
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
I don’t particularly trust influencers online. I do subscribe to The New York Times, so if there is a health article or parenting articles, I feel pretty good about them and how they’re researched and things like that. I also go to my friends with children who are now adults and who’ve turned out well.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
I get library books. If I like a certain author, their style, the recommendation, I’ll just get all their books.
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Democrat, Latina, events director
We became a blended family four years ago. Before that, I got a lot of my family input on how to raise my girls from my faith, my church family. And then when we became a blended family, we had a lot of issues at the beginning. I found a blog that was really helpful in that the family was just like mine, and my pediatrician recommended other quality sites.
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
I follow different Instagram people or on TikTok who are parents. I definitely don’t take everything they say word for word, but I get different ideas for things to do on holidays or gifts, and also appreciate the reminders about perspective they share. The days are long but the years are short, for example.
Moderator, Margie Omero
How easy or hard is it to find information about being a mom to your family?
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
It’s too easy. I feel like everybody wants to tell you how to parent, whether that’s the internet or your family.
Moderator, Margie Omero
How is the internet telling you how to be a mom?
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
Seeking out the content is one thing. But if you just let content appear, there’s people who are telling you, oh, you’re doing it wrong. This shouldn’t be how it is. News articles tell you one thing. Others tell you the opposite. You’re like, what’s reality?
Moderator, Margie Omero
Do you have a specific example?
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
Breastfeeding. From the beginning. It starts at the beginning. They’re like, you’re doing that wrong. You should be doing it this way. You should be bottle. You should be breast. You should not do formula. You should do formula. It doesn’t matter. From the second you have a kid, everybody has something to tell you.
Betsy, 37, Ark., independent, white, realtor
I wholeheartedly agree that no matter where you are on any level, the algorithm is going to find a way to see if you agree or disagree with a new thought. I think there’s a lot of mom-shaming that goes on social media. For stay-at-home moms versus working moms, that’s always been a huge battle on social media that is not anybody’s choice but a personal one. I guess it just tugs on your heart on social media sometimes. When you feel like you’re doing something wrong, you start seeing things that it’s kind of like: Yeah, you should have done this a little bit better.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
I definitely feel that way, though I do think my algorithm has changed and it’s gotten less overwhelming as my daughter’s gotten older, I guess. Still, it’s just a lot of unattainable high standards in every different aspect. Like, you should be baking your bread, and you should be doing your laundry this way, and your house should look a certain way. And for the most part, that’s unattainable or really difficult to get if it’s not your full-time job.
Has social media made it harder or easier
to feel like you’re making good choices as a mom,
or has it made no difference? Has social media made it harder
or easier to feel like you’re
making good choices as a mom,
or has it made no difference? It’s made it harder. Alexis,
34, Pa. Repub. Bethany,
37, Colo., indep. Betsy,
37, Ark., indep. Catherine,
33, Ala., Repub. Cherrie,
45, Ore., indep. Cynthia,
37, Ind., Dem. Kristy,
42, Minn., Dem. Nataliya,
47, Calif., Dem. Rita,
44, Texas, Rep. Sapphire,
28, Ga., indep. It’s made it easier. Sydney,
27, Mass., Repub. It’s made no difference. Sarah G.,
41, Fla., Rep. Sarah V.,
31, N.Y., Dem.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
I do feel like I’ve found ways to feel validated through social media. It just takes weeks for the algorithm to realize: Oh, this is what you’ve decided to do. And then you start getting content about that. And then I feel validated that, oh, other people are doing what I’m doing. Or I have people I talk to online, and so that helps me feel validated.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Sarah G., you said it makes no difference.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
I think there’s moments of validation and then moments of, oh, maybe I should do that different. But I think in the end it balances out, and I don’t let it affect me personally.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Most people said harder. Kristy, you were one of them. Tell me why.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Democrat, white, nanny
I feel like when you get so many options thrown in your face, there’s so many people doing the same thing in so many different ways. It’s hard not to feel like you’re just comparing, and that comparison just invalidates. It’s just overwhelming. When you’re already kind of struggling with the job and the house and the marriage and the kids and all the things all the time, just trying to day to day, and then you’re looking at the comparisons. But if I hadn’t seen that, if it hadn’t been in my face, I wouldn’t be thinking about it. I think it’s too much for society. It’s too much for families. It’s too much for our kids. It’s just too much all around the board.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Let’s switch gears a bit. When you’re looking for information online, how much of that information is related to health and wellness?
Betsy, 37, Ark., independent, white, realtor
We do a lot less online research when it comes to health stuff. We try to do old school, dig out some books and things, because there’s a lot of controversial stuff that you’ll find online. And we try to stick to as natural as possible.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
My in-laws are both doctors, so I would rather call them than Google something and get two different answers to the same question. Or call my pediatrician if it was my daughter, or my own doctor.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Is health one thing and wellness another thing?
Catherine, 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
I’d say health is more physical where wellness is more mental well-being. I focus more on keeping my son and daughter healthy, which I always hope helps their mental wellness out.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
Well, library. I have church people that I talk to and I go to meet-up groups. So I like a lot more one-on-one conversations. And I went to school for Chinese medicine in Minnesota, so I like to hear alternative voices a lot and just gather all my information from people’s firsthand experiences.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Democrat, Black, teacher
I also have family. My church, very active in my life, my children’s lives. And I try to be careful with the information I listen to online versus what I apply to my life and my children’s lives. On vaccinations, for example, I had people come to me after the pandemic and share their opinions in person and say: I feel this is what you should do with yourself, with your kids. And I would spend time online and I would see different opinions. I go to my doctor. I go to our family pediatrician and I feel that sometimes I can’t always listen to what other people say, so I’ll go to a professional. I will do what feels best. And I pay attention to my children, and I listen to them above other people.
Moderator, Margie Omero
What’s a health or wellness question that you had? How’d you find the answer to it, and did you think it was trustworthy?
Rita, 44, Texas, Republican, Black, waitress
I’m always looking for alternative medicines for me and my family. Lately I have been going on TikTok and sometimes find a lot of helpful information. I find people that look like me, maybe in the same age range, and sometimes I look at the advice that they’re giving. I’ll try different vitamins or minerals because they are recommending it. You can read the comments and they’ll let you know, hey, this did work.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
I turn to a local mom’s group on Facebook. I really do not use Facebook for anything besides this group. Anytime we have a question about almost anything, I say: I’m going to go ask the Mommies. And almost every time they come up with answers or just things I hadn’t thought of. I feel a little more confident trusting women who, some of them I know personally, but also just knowing they live in the same area as me. We’re dealing with a lot of the same things and the same kind of demographics.
Moderator, Margie Omero
When you do research, how do you feel about what you’re finding out?
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
I become a down-the-rabbit-hole kind of a girl. I will stay up till one, two, three o’clock in the morning sometimes when I have my own time and just research and study and look at the NIH website or TikTok or Instagram or even the mommy groups also. Whatever is continuously repetitive across sources and has worked is what I’ll apply. Because even TikTok and Instagram, it’s kind of like even relationship advice, same thing with parental advice, you can’t take all of it and absorb all of it because you’d be divorced tomorrow if you take all of that advice.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Give me an example of something you’ve cut loose.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
They kept pressuring me while I was pregnant to get vaccines. But every time I would look at the ingredients list, I’m like, what’s this and what’s this and what’s this? And when you ask them straight up, they’re like, I don’t know. And I’m like, what do you mean you don’t know what this is? You’re the doctor. So then I would have to go do my own research. I feel like the health care industry has never been on my side personally unless I basically do all the work at it myself.
Have you seen something online
that you’ve taken to a doctor? Have you seen something online
that you’ve taken to a doctor? 5 people raised their hands.
Alexis, 34, Pa. Repub.
Bethany, 37, Colo., indep.
Betsy, 37, Ark., indep.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Repub.
Cherrie, 45, Ore., indep.
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Dem.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Repub.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Dem.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Dem.
Rita, 44, Texas, Rep.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., indep.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Rep.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Dem.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Repub.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Alexis, what was that experience like?
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
I feel like doctors are quick to dismiss, like: Oh, what? Did you Google? That’s the worst thing you can do. And that was regarding a vaccine. So I felt like I was a little bit dismissed, where I just kind of ended the conversation. But it’s still something I feel strongly about.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
I found out I had Hashimoto’s because I looked online. I told my doctor that I had all the symptoms of Hashimoto’s. I asked him for a test. He was reluctant because my blood work looked normal, but more testing was done and I found out that I had severe antibodies to a point where it was Hashimoto’s. Had I not brought it up …
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
I feel like I’ve been able to search out and cultivate a team of doctors for myself and my daughter who are all pretty willing and open to listen to information that I bring to them. Generally, I don’t feel like they just instantly dismiss me.
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Democrat, Latina, events director
My experience has been, I usually get more of an attentive and analytical response from my female doctors. My male doctors tend to be a little bit more like: No, don’t worry, I know what I’m talking about. Trust me. Like: We’ll just wait for the lab work. Or: The lab work is saying this, so don’t worry about it.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
A lot of people in this group are pretty interested in health and wellness stuff. How long have you felt interested? Was there something specific that drew you to these topics, an inciting moment?
Cherrie, 45, Ore., independent, Asian, education
My daughter was diagnosed with plaque psoriasis. That’s when I began to look up what are the vegetables, what are the foods that she can eat without flaring up? Is she allowed to take dairy? Is she allowed to do this or that?
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
I thought about health differently before I had kids. And immediately when I was pregnant and going through the immense amount of doctor’s appointments and ultrasounds and all of that is when I started thinking about everything and asking more questions, and then being dismissed because of certain questions or experiencing rudeness just because I was asking a question. That made me think more, like, I should be asking even more questions once you get that kind of experience. And then it just kind of stemmed from there. I never thought about vaccinating until I had kids. That was just where it all started for me and when I started questioning the medical health industry.
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
Parenting’s just so different now versus what it was previously. I just feel like there’s constantly new possible issues arising that you have to be extra vigilant with your kid to make sure they don’t text somebody the wrong thing or say the wrong thing.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
I took most of my parenting advice from my own mom, and it works for me. And so I try to just focus on knowing in myself what is working. And then, like we’ve been talking about, anything health-related I go to an actual doctor for because I’m just — I don’t want false information.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
I got some really strange symptoms after backpacking and it turned out to be Lyme disease. And I brought it to my doctor, who said there is no Lyme in Tahoe. And I’m like, all the same, would you test? And I had to convince her. And then she tested it and came back and was like: Oh, no, my bad. You do have Lyme. And afterwards is when I realized it’s just you have to advocate for yourself and your child and do at least a little bit of research. I still absolutely trust the doctors, but it’s easy to be dismissed.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Do you trust doctors and health professionals?
Catherine, 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
I didn’t go to school to do the doctor thing, and they did. And they had to do all the work, and so I trust them. But at a point it sometimes seems they’re in it for the money rather than helping people.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Democrat, Black, teacher
From my past experience, even before having children, I’ve seen doctors treat patients like a number. In and out, in and out. I believe in doctors sometimes. But then I also do my homework, and I do my due diligence. I pay attention to myself, my children. And I’ve unfortunately seen doctors be wrong about certain things for elders in my family. And because of that, my answer is I’m neutral.
Betsy, 37, Ark., independent, white, realtor
Just as a whole, I feel like doctors are more treating symptoms than finding the root cause. Treating symptoms and getting new symptoms to treat with side effects of medication.
Moderator, Margie Omero
What does “Make America Healthy Again” or MAHA mean to you?
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
The biggest focus in that movement is figuring out why chronic illness, especially in our children, is so high right now versus 20, 30 years ago. What has changed? What’s in our medicine? What are we being given? What’s in our food? It’s getting to the bottom of why we’re having all these health issues.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
It means completely different things to me. It’s a great catchphrase that R.F.K. Jr. came up with. He just took a bunch of nonscientists that are making decisions on behalf of the American people. The things that he’s researching I agree with, the things that he’s focusing on. But how he’s going about it and what he’s coming out with makes zero sense, Tylenol being a very lovely example as of recently.
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
I think some people, they’d rather just ignore it. And just because what Make America Healthy Again is associated with and their hate for that, they just bypass it. But I think it’s something that’s way overdue. And the fact that different ingredients are banned in all other countries, but here in America, where we’re supposed to be thriving and on top of everything, there’s bad things that are legally OK to go into our food.
Moderator, Margie Omero
I want to call on people who weren’t so sure initially what MAHA stood for. Kristy, how about you?
Kristy, 42, Minn., Democrat, white, nanny
It sounds familiar, but I feel like Robert Kennedy is just not somebody that I would rely on for healthy information. I feel like there’s just been so much skepticism around it all, and it’s just kind of a scary subject. I think social media kind of tends to gear us into that regard, too, or you’re leaning towards whatever the majority thinks. It’s just a slippery slope.
Do you identify as a MAHA mom? Do you identify as a MAHA mom? 6 people raised their hands.
Alexis, 34, Pa. Repub.
Bethany, 37, Colo., indep.
Betsy, 37, Ark., indep.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Repub.
Cherrie, 45, Ore., indep.
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Dem.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Repub.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Dem.
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Dem.
Rita, 44, Texas, Rep.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., indep.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Rep.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Dem.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Repub.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
I do, because people my parents’ age, they’re healthy people. I’m not healthy. My children are even worse than me, even though I feed them better than my parents fed me, and we weren’t allowed junk food in the house. And I believe that Make America Healthy Again is getting rid of those dyes that are causing the neuro problems.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
I agree with concerns about ingredients and what’s being pumped in our everyday foods, especially the multiple underlying names of sugar now in all of our products. And why are our health care inflation costs growing exponentially and much faster than our general?
Moderator, Margie Omero
Why do you think that is?
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
Because everyone’s sick. Everybody’s getting sick and everybody’s relying on the pharmaceutical industry, which is getting money for people being sick and just fixing small problems and not getting to the root, because they need you coming through their doors for them to get paid.
Moderator, Margie Omero
What, if anything, do you feel like MAHA goes too far on?
Cynthia, 37, Ind., Democrat, Latina, events director
Trying to link anything and everything to the amount of autism and A.D.H.D. diagnoses that we have now in our children and our young teens, in my opinion, goes a little bit too far. And it’s a little uncontrolled as far as the scientific sources that they’re using for it. To me, it plays on the fact that we have advancements now in technology and in science that we didn’t have back in the ’30s and the ’40s in order to diagnose.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
So I would not consider myself a MAHA mom, but I feel like I’m kind of like an O.G. MAHA before there was MAHA. I have a lot of chronic illness, and so does my daughter. And we know that it’s linked directly to mold that is in our very old house that we are about to tear down and go on a journey of healing from the mold that has made us all very sick. So I feel like I have already kind of been doing all of the MAHA stuff for now like a decade, as far as avoiding all the sugar, avoiding all the dyes. I feel like I was already aware of the dangers of Tylenol way before. I don’t feel like MAHA is very genuine.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Tell me more.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
It just feels very put on and very showy, and I’m not really hearing a lot about actual scientific evidence, I guess, coming directly from the top of the movement. So I don’t have an issue with R.F.K. Jr. personally. He’s got some good things to say, I guess. But I just think the whole Trump White House in general is just too much for me.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Has anybody changed a practice or a view because of something that R.F.K. Jr. said or did? OK. Well, we’re going to talk about that a little bit, but I don’t want to get there quite yet. I want to hear from some other folks. Doesn’t look like anybody — why not?
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
Like it’s been mentioned, a lot of people already formed opinions before the last couple of years with the MAHA thing. And so for the ones who have already been questioning artificial dyes and G.M.O.s and sugar and all these things, it felt like: Oh, someone else is finally talking about it. But it didn’t change the way we thought because all of the red flags were already there.
Sapphire, 28, Ga., independent, Latina, painter
I was living in California, which has a disclaimer on anything that has carcinogens. As a kid, I never saw that outside of a Chick-fil-A, walking in and there’s a warning sign. So then I became more curious, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole of the dyes, the sugar, the this and that. And I was like, oh, my God, it’s so much. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And then you’re just kind of guiltily doing things. When I had my daughter, that’s when I became a stickler for whole foods, healthy eating.
Moderator, Margie Omero
So a lot of you were doing this stuff before but now there’s a name for it. How does that make you feel?
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
Finally. Like, other people are saying it out loud.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
Joining a holistic moms network, I learned a lot from them. I’ve been on medications. I’ve gotten off all mine, and I would trust more surgical doctors than the experiences I’ve had with more primary care doctors because they don’t really — a lot of them just don’t really listen to you, and it’s hard to make that good connection. With MAHA, I think that they’ve gained a lot of momentum because people are really desperate for results.
Sarah V., 31, N.Y., Democrat, Black, teacher
Having children truly, truly changed my perspective on health. I see the impact that a movement can have in a very populated area. And if I see the schools start to implement healthier habits, I know that it’s going to affect the kids. I know it’s going to affect everybody long term if it continues in a positive direction.
Rita, 44, Texas, Republican, Black, waitress
I really wasn’t following along with the healthy stuff, but I do agree that there needs to be some changes made with our foods. Some of the other countries don’t take our products. I’ll just say that I don’t feel like Mr. Kennedy is just putting on a show. I really do feel that he wants to make a difference in American foods. He just seems like the first person that has come out and said: Hey, we need to do something about this.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Some people have mentioned food. Some people have mentioned chronic disease. Some people have mentioned vaccines. Do people feel like R.F.K. Jr. is focused right now on the right things, or are there things you’d prefer him to be focused more on?
Nataliya, 47, Calif., Democrat, white, delivery director
I’d like him to stay the hell away from vaccines. That would be great. I do like that he’s focused on fluoride in our water. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It’s questionable. Additives, things that are legal here that are not legal in other countries, that type of stuff, perfectly happy if he focuses on that.
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
I feel like the seed oils issue is a major thing that we haven’t talked about in the country. And so that, to me, is something I’d love to see more action being done around. Avoiding them has completely changed my health, and I’ve seen it change the health of so many people.
Alexis, 34, Pa., Republican, white, client services
I think it’s going in the right direction. I feel like literally every week there’s a new food brand in the news, saying, oh, they’re taking this dye out of this product. Companies are actively making the changes on their own.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
He should focus more on neurotoxins, what’s actually a neurotoxin, what’s not, and how does that link to autism.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Do you feel the idea of MAHA is more of a Democratic thing or a Republican thing?
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
I saw this funny thing that was like, if you described the list of what MAHA is working on, it was a super liberal thing to do like five, 10 years ago. And now it’s like everyone’s associating it with the Trump administration, so it’s super Republican. So I think it’s both.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
I agree. And I know you’re asking if we think it’s one side or the other, but it really shouldn’t be. Everyone should care about what they’re putting in their body. But I absolutely agree that it used to be liberal, and now it’s seen more as Republican because it’s coming from more of the Trump administration.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Why is it like that?
Sydney, 27, Mass., Republican, white, translator
Because they’re associated with a person.
Sarah G., 41, Fla., Republican, white, designer
I think it has actually nothing to do with Trump, really, but if Kennedy had not joined Trump, I don’t think it would be happening. And I don’t think we’d be getting red dye No. 40 removed from all these brands and this and that. So I think Trump adding Kennedy is why it’s happening.
Bethany, 37, Colo., independent, white, nanny
I tend to not want to associate myself with the MAHA thing because I don’t identify as a Republican. But I do agree with a lot of the things they’re doing, and that, to me, feels like this very conflicting place to be. But I agree it should be a bipartisan issue.
How would you rate President Trump’s
job performance so far? How would you rate President
Trump’s job performance so far? A Alexis,
34, Pa. Repub. Jerusha,
45, Mo., Repub. Sydney,
27, Mass., Repub. B Cherrie,
45, Ore., indep. Sarah G.,
41, Fla., Rep. C Betsy,
37, Ark., indep. Catherine,
33, Ala., Repub. D Bethany,
37, Colo., indep. Rita,
44, Texas, Rep. Sapphire,
28, Ga., indep. Sarah V.,
31, N.Y., Dem. F Cynthia,
37, Ind., Dem. Kristy,
42, Minn., Dem. Nataliya,
47, Calif., Dem.
Kristy, 42, Minn., Democrat, white, nanny
He’s just so divisive, and I feel like the division is causing a lot more trouble than it needs to be. Even blaming the shutdown on the Republicans and being associated with claiming that Tylenol is bad and all these off-the-wall things, I think it just creates diversity in division.
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
I gave him an A. I’ve just always been a supporter every term, mainly for the business aspects, the things that are brought into light that most people don’t have the courage to bring to light.
Moderator, Margie Omero
Like what?
Jerusha, 45, Mo., Republican, white, insurance
Well, a lot of people don’t like the attitude, the controversial topics, but I think it actually is a catalyst for change that we need. ICE, the economy, tariffs, you name it.
Cherrie, 45, Ore., independent, Asian, education
I gave him a B. It’s because it’s a long time coming. I know that it’s been an issue when it comes to Tylenol, but he brought that up and made it come to light.
Catherine, 33, Ala., Republican, white, self-described homemaker
I was a C. I got out of the whole watching the news because of the fact that everything was either we hate Trump or we like Trump. And there’s no middle ground anymore for anybody to sit there and just be like, OK, well, I don’t agree with him on these things, but I agree with him on these things. He’s just a puppet for Congress. I feel like all presidents are.
Betsy, 37, Ark., independent, white, realtor
I was a C, just middle ground. I don’t love anything specifically or hate anything specifically. I’m indifferent to how things are going. I’m not loving anything specifically or hating anything specifically.
Rita, 44, Texas, Republican, Black, waitress
To be honest, I was sort of a fan of Trump’s because I did like his boldness, and I like that he wasn’t afraid to say what he wanted to say. But I am disappointed in the divisiveness. I feel the president shouldn’t come down off of his perch to chirp back and forth with the little people. But I feel like he does, and I think that takes away from being the president. He would probably do a good job, but it’s like he’s so focused on getting back at people instead of focusing on bringing the country together.