Do you ever feel like you constantly say ‘no’ to your kids? My daughter has just started telling me that’s all I say, and I feel like I’m constantly replying with ‘you’re too little to do whatever you want’. But what if you just said ‘yes’. 'Yes' you can do whatever you want. Would it make life easier or would you ultimately raise spoilt brats? Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramirez star in a new film just released on Netflix called 'Yes Day' and the mum-of-three caught up with us about the hard ‘no’...
Mar 10, 2021•11 min
The Covid vaccine arrived in Australia mid Feb, with frontline health and quarantine workers, as well as those in aged care first in line. But what about if you’re pregnant, or trying for a baby? Will kids ever get it? How do they know what the long term effects will be? So many questions! Luckily we got Professor Peter Collingnon - an Infectious Diseases physician and microbiologist - to join us to answer some of those questions – as best he can – and give us all some peace of mind. See omnystu...
Mar 09, 2021•15 min
Those first few days, weeks, even years with a baby can be a real struggle if they’re not good sleepers. It can also be incredibly confusing as a first-time parent to know what to do! Routines, baby-led weaning, swaddles – what do all these things even mean?! Then when you’ve got to go back to work, ugh, it feels like you’ll never be able to manage. Well, help is here! Today we're joined by Maryanne Sayers, a certified baby sleep consultant, with some much-needed advice to help the whole family ...
Mar 08, 2021•14 min
There are a lot of conversations about girls at the moment and whether or not enough has been done to give them equality in the workforce during their lifetime - especially today, International Women's Day. Today's guest says that she wants her daughter to grow up in a world where she has choices about where she works and what she does, but feels there are still not enough role models for them, particularly in professions dominated by men. Kate Bushell is the CEO & Founder of Girls of Impact...
Mar 07, 2021•13 min
This week, Sarah and Mel chat swimming lessons - how hard do you push if they’re really hating it or can we just teach them ourselves? Lady J / Julia Morris shares her nice-but-not-very-bright life advice and reveals how she lets go of the working mum guilt. We meet a single mum who has packed up her house and hit the road with her two kids on an outback adventure in an old campervan. Bondi Rescue is back, and we catch up with new dad Beardy about juggling fatherhood and saving lives. And Sarah ...
Mar 06, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Ugh guilt. We all know it's such a wasted emotion but sometimes it's really difficult to keep in check - especially if you've spent the morning yelling at the kids to leave the house. Mel and Sarah get candid about the struggles of getting to work, that dreadful feeling when you've had one of 'those' mornings' then have to switch into work mode, and how we can try to stop with the self-flagellation and be kinder to ourselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 04, 2021•13 min
I didn’t know this, but Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach was shut down for the first time since WWII in March last year due to Covid. But it’s now back in business, and that means the team from Bondi Rescue are back. I can’t believe the show is in its 16th season, and during that time there have been a lot of changes – on and off the screen. One of the biggest changes this year involves Daniel McLaughlin AKA Beardy, who has been promoted to head lifeguard alongside Hoppo AND welcomed a new baby six m...
Mar 03, 2021•11 min
During Victoria’s lockdown, single mum Carol Owen realised that her lockdown life looked pretty much the same as her normal life. So she decided to do something about it. During the second lockdown, Carol and her two boys, Wesley and Monty, packed up their South Gippsland home, put their things in storage and set off in a 1992 campervan - affectionately nicknamed the Wocomo Turtle - and hit the road. Carol joins us to share why they headed off on the adventure of a lifetime and how she made it h...
Mar 02, 2021•14 min
She is the queen of TV – and Instagram. If you don’t follow her, you need to, stat. She’s hilaire. And she makes life look super easy, and super fun. Julia Morris is the host of I’m A Celeb (as well as a million other credits to her name), and now she’s dishing out nice-but-not-very bright life advice on everything from parenting to work, in a new audiobook on Audible, called 'Julia Morris makes it easy'. Lady J joins us to share the story behind her part comedy memoir part self-help piss take, ...
Mar 01, 2021•17 min
Living in a country surrounded by water, with backyard pools, lakes, rivers and dams everywhere, it's so important that our kids learn to swim. But sometimes it can become a chore if your child really hates the water. Sarah and Mel talk about whether you should push it, or give them a break and maybe teach them yourself when they're ready. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 28, 2021•11 min
This week, Sarah and Mel talk about how quickly girls seem to be losing their innocence before they become aware of their body and how they look to other people. We are joined by a travel expert to find out how to holiday with a large family and still enjoy it. Author and social researcher Maggie Hamilton joins us to talk about whether we’re raising our children to live isolated lives. Lisa Wipfli stops by for a chat to share her tips on getting out the door and to school on time without losing ...
Feb 27, 2021•54 min
Car sickness in children can make it very tough to go anywhere, especially right now when road trips are really are our only option! For some parents, even short trips can be a nightmare with kids. So how do you handle it? Sarah and Mel share their experiences in today's ep. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 25, 2021•9 min
The kids have been back at school for a couple of weeks now and we are slowly getting used to making lunchboxes again (god how boring is it, and washing all the bits is the pits!). But it can still be super stressful to get the kids out the door, especially with many companies transitioning back into the office. We are joined on the pod today by Lisa Wipfli who shares three kids with Nova Sydney brekkie host Wipa. She shares her tips on getting ready and out the door in the morning, and opens up...
Feb 24, 2021•11 min
Living through a pandemic this past year has taught us all easily we can get by without seeing anyone. Literally, everything we want or need is available on our smartphones. But that also means we’re missing out on social interactions, and for some people, that could mean loneliness slowly creeping into their lives. So what does that mean for our children, growing up with all this technology and less face to face time? We’re joined today by acclaimed social researcher Maggie Hamilton who has a n...
Feb 23, 2021•13 min
Mel is one of four and knowing what she knows now about travelling with kids, she's not sure why they ever went on holidays! Mum-of-six, yup, SIX, Rebecca Mason, was working for her family’s travel agency Mr Chocolate’s Travel when Covid hit and everything came to a screeching halt. So she took her travel experience and wrote a book - especially for large families - called The Expert’s Guide to Large Family Travel. Rebecca us to share her wisdom and tips to travelling with a large family - and h...
Feb 22, 2021•13 min
When we're younger we're so blissfully unaware. We haven't started noticing our looks, or what other people think of us. We have this beautiful innocence, and then slowly it's moulded out of us. We become self-conscious, that little voice in our head starts chiming in with negative comments and we become more aware of other people's judgement. And it seems to be happening younger and younger. Mel and Sarah talk about why this is happening and what we can do about it. See omnystudio.com/listener ...
Feb 21, 2021•12 min
This week, we meet Sam Bloom, the incredible mum behind the new Naomi Watts film Penguin Bloom. We chat with a mum who still suffers from anxiety and grief three years after nearly losing her twins. Blogger Victoria Vanstone reveals how to say goodbye to the people pleaser in you and how she finally put down the wine glass for good. And Sarah opens up about how to handle her toddler telling lies! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 20, 2021•46 min
Porky pies, fibs, tall tales. When kids reach the stage where they start telling lies, it can be funny but also embarrassing. So how should you handle a lying child? Sarah and Mel share their experiences, with plenty of laughs along the way (mostly at their expense). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 18, 2021•10 min
We've all seen the mummy wine time memes and had a LOL. But what happens when that stress release gets out of control and you can't get up and parent the next day? Originally from the UK, mum-of-three Victoria Vanstone been writing about motherhood and her sobriety journey for the past couple of years, and she joins us to share her story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 16, 2021•14 min
When Diana Nicolls was ten weeks pregnant, she found out she had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome - a rare pregnancy where twins share one placenta and a network of blood vessels. Her complicated pregnancy took a huge toll on her mentally and physically, and the grief and anxiety still lingers three years later. Diana, who is also a personal trainer and marathon runner, has now released a book about her experience called 30 Weeks and 1 Day and she joins us to share her story. See omnystudio.com...
Feb 15, 2021•12 min
When Sam Bloom headed off on a family holiday to Thailand with her three sons, she never could have imagined what would happen. The young mum and keen outdoorswoman fell off a rooftop and broke her vertebrae in two places, as her children looked on. Paralysed from the waist down, she was left questioning who she was as a woman and a mother, and spent long months battling depression. Then a year later her children brought home a wounded baby magpie and her life changed. Her incredible story is no...
Feb 14, 2021•13 min
This week, we catch up with one-half of the parents competing on The Amazing Race after a cancer battle and losing their business. Finance expert Effie Zahos shares the best way to save for your child’s education. Author Dr Susie O’Brien joins the pod to tell us why we should all strive to be half-arsed parents. (so here for this). Actress Zoe Naylor opens up about the 'healing' of her second birth. And the gorgeous Taryn Brumfitt shares her top tips to change your mindset when you’re having one...
Feb 13, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Today’s guest is one of our absolute favs. She oozes body confidence and positivity, but it wasn’t always that way… Taryn Brumfitt was on the cusp of getting plastic surgery after her third child when she realised the example she was setting for her daughter. So instead, she posted a nude picture on social media showing how much her body has changed between her bodybuilding days and now. It quickly went viral with more than 3.6 million people viewing and sharing it - including Ashton Kutcher! Sh...
Feb 11, 2021•13 min
Aussie actor Zoe Naylor has two beautiful children with fellow actor Aaron Jeffries, and now she's stepping behind the camera. Zoe has opened up about the trauma of her first birth, and how her second a few years back was the complete opposite and actually ended up being a ‘healing’ experience. This prompted her to produce a film called Birth Time, and embark on a mission to find out why an increasing number of women are emerging from their births physically and emotionally traumatised. See omny...
Feb 10, 2021•13 min
Ah being a parent, full of love and wonder, while simultaneously being exhausting and stressful. But we are creating all that stress ourselves? Today’s guest says we need to let all that pressure to be perfect go, and just go back to basics. Dr Susie O'Brien is a journalist and columnist with a PhD in Education, and she has a new book out, The Secret of Half-Arsed Parenting - Raising kids with half the guilt and twice the joy. She joins us to (hopefully!) share some of those secrets… See omnystu...
Feb 09, 2021•15 min
I’m a words not numbers person, so thinking about finances and planning for the future does hurt my head a bit. One thing I did do when my kids were born, was start an education fund. But I have often wondered whether it’s the best way to save for their schooling. Today’s guest is one of Australia’s leading personal finance commentators, and the author of Ditch the Debt and Get Rich (yes please!). Mum-of-two Effie Zahos joins us to share her advice on saving for schooling and where families go w...
Feb 08, 2021•15 min
Last year was tough, but for firefighter Deb and former NRL player Shane it was particularly tough. Shane was diagnosed with prostate cancer and Deb lost her gym during Covid. With Shane’s health improving, they decided they were ready to make the most of life and compete in the race of a lifetime – The Amazing Race Australia. They join us and reveal the hardest thing about the race, why they did it and how much the prize money would change their lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...
Feb 07, 2021•13 min
This week, we chat with Beau Ryan who reveals his top tip for travelling with kids and actually enjoying it. We get some incredible tips on raising girls who like themselves (in a world that tells them they're flawed). We meet the mums competing in The Amazing Race Australia and find out why they entered. Former Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson opens up about how she keeps smiling after a heartbreaking loss. And Sarah and Mel chat managing conflicting opinions around social distancing with families...
Feb 06, 2021•1 hr 12 min
The rules around what we can and can't do and with how many people has been nothing short of confusing! It's also been interesting to see how different family and friends have reacted to covid restrictions - some are very strict, some a bit more laid back. So how do you navigating varying opinions around what should or shouldn't be done without falling out with family or friends? Sarah and Mel share their experiences and how to navigate this complicated world we find ourselves in. See omnystudio...
Feb 04, 2021•10 min
I’ve been dragging my kids to swimming lessons since they were only a few months old. We had breaks here and there when it all becomes too much – and too expensive – but now they both love the water. I know that’s not the case with every child, so how can we make sure our kids are water confident without the headache – and the drain on the bank account? Today’s guest is an Australian Olympic Gold medallist in swimming and the mum of four – they lost their son Jack in 2011 at 9 months old after h...
Feb 03, 2021•19 min
