This week on Parenting Out Loud, we're joined again by Luca Lavigne, so of course things went off without a hitch. 👀

Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester and Luca are here to unpack the rise of 'Trimester Zero,' and why the over-optimisation of parenting our kids is officially getting out of hand. 

Plus, is the art of 'gathering' officially dead? Are we too scared of judgement, toddler tantrums and messy living rooms to accept anyone into our home? And at what point did hosting become synonymous with performing? 

And, the 'creepy' parenting rituals we all have to try to hold on to time, and why sushi in our kids' lunchboxes is the latest humble brag.

Our Recommendations:

⛸️ Stacey is obsessed with Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing on Netflix. 

🐎 Amelia recommends All Her Fault on Binge and horse riding (sort of).

🎧 Luca is loving the Spotify DJ, the AI playlist that can get you out of that listening rut.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• So, Yeah. Turns Out THIS Is The Very Last Parenting Taboo
• Michelle Obama’s Parenting Truth Bomb & A Middle Finger To Mothers
• The Beckham Family Estrangement: When Does Control Become Controlling?
• The Clicker Test That Changes Everything & Our 'Public Nuisance' Park Fight
• Bluey's Hottest Character & The Out-Of-Control Cost of Competition
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 9 things I wish I knew before my first trimester of pregnancy.
• 5 parenting hacks to instantly elevate your daily routine.
• 17 women on the tips and tricks that helped them most with a toddler.
• A complete guide on how to not lose your s**t at family gatherings.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester & Luca Lavigne

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is a mum's job ever done? That's the question that's come off the back of a viral moment from the Wuthering Heights press tour after its star Jacob Elordi was spotted doing something that has everyone talking. Monz, Stacey, and special guest Luca Lavigne debate whether this red carpet incident was a sweet moment for Jacob and his mum or... totally gross. 

Plus, Claire Danes just said the quiet part out loud about what's being touted as the very last parenting taboo. So, how would you feel about a surprise pregnancy at 44? The internet has its opinions — and so do our hosts. 

And, is a clear bench top the only thing standing between you and a cortisol spike? From 'CleanTok' to 'Sunday Reset', domestic drudgery on social media is undergoing a rebrand with a surprising cohort leading the charge. 

Our Recommendations:

💆 Stacey is obsessed with @toupeequeen. A new TikTok niche she's discovered of Toupee application videos. 

🎨 Monz recommends creating 'something crap' in front of your kids to break the cycle of perfectionism and celebrate the power of making mistakes.

🧚 Luca is loving the dummy fairy, as the ultimate strategic ally for transitioning toddlers away from their pacifiers.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Michelle Obama’s Parenting Truth Bomb & A Middle Finger To Mothers
• The Beckham Family Estrangement: When Does Control Become Controlling?
• The Clicker Test That Changes Everything & Our 'Public Nuisance' Park Fight
• Bluey's Hottest Character & The Out-Of-Control Cost of Competition
• The Precise Reason We Need To Reverse The Parent-Child Hierarchy
• A Genius Mental Health Pyramid & Our Dirty Little Parenting Secrets
• No-Hugs Christmas & Where Are All The Weird Kids?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'Trust me, this cleaning routine will save you hours each week.'
• Claire Danes should have been happy to fall pregnant at 44. She felt something else entirely.
• 'Trust me, these 3 hacks will make your home feel instantly cleaner.'
• 'The world is choosing daughters, but here is my case for the "boy mum".'

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Luca Lavigne

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michelle Obama spoke about a very specific kind of reality check on the Call Her Daddy podcast: the exact moment you realise you’re no longer the main character in your child’s life. Monz is feeling this deeply and Amelia and Stacey unpack precisely why it hits so hard.

Plus, a viral video of an airport lounge meltdown has us asking whether we've lost the ability to handle conflict without reaching for our phone. We dive into the rise of "public shaming" and whether we’re all just one bad day away from being filmed giving someone the finger. 

And, move over “rawdogging boredom”, is “slow vacuuming” the new mindfulness trend? Monz is deep into this one but Amelia and Stacey remain firmly unconvinced.

Our Recommendations:

🖼️ Stacey is obsessed with the renter-friendly Smarty Pals magnetic wall decals.

🍽️ Monz is loving the Marion's Kitchen Green Thai Curry It comes in a box with instructions even a 5 year old could follow.

🎾Amelia is loving backyard tennis from KMART for some family totem tennis with a serve of nostalgia.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Beckham Family Estrangement: When Does Control Become Controlling?
• The Clicker Test That Changes Everything & Our 'Public Nuisance' Park Fight
• Bluey's Hottest Character & The Out-Of-Control Cost of Competition
• The Precise Reason We Need To Reverse The Parent-Child Hierarchy
• A Genius Mental Health Pyramid & Our Dirty Little Parenting Secrets
• No-Hugs Christmas & Where Are All The Weird Kids?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I have 50-50 custody and nobody talks about the silent micro-grief.'
• 'I'm raising my daughter with a single mum I met online. I'll never live with a man again.'
• "I'm not just mummy. I'm also me." When Sally became a mother, she lost her sense of self.
• CLARE STEPHENS: A rude stranger, a note from a neighbour and the age of utter intolerance.

MOVE by Mamamia is the app that helps you fit movement into your every day. Whether you have 10 minutes, or 45, we've got the workout that fits your time, space and body. Get $20 off an annual subscription until the end of January when you use code PARENTING at checkout. Start your free trial today.

HUGGIES ULTRA DRY NAPPY PANTS: *BABY MILK BOTTLE 250ML

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Brooklyn Beckham family drama that's been all over the news and in our group chats this week has us questioning where 'doing your best' ends and maternal control begins. We unpack the power dynamics of the family unit and why the internet is obsessed with a 26-year-old finally finding his voice.

Plus, from "Make Whole Milk Great Again" to the sudden arrival of Autistic Barbie, we’re looking at the  intersection of politics, branding, and... kids' lunchboxes.

Also, a GP’s five-month suspension has raised some questions we need to unpack.

And, some fabulous reccos to make life easier, more interesting and fun. Get it while it's hot.

Our Recommendations:

☕ Amelia is all about Temple Trap a game for the kids and its associated app Playroom.

🍰 Stacey wants you to watch Heated Rivalry on HBO.

📺 Monz wants you to watch Ballkids on Netflix.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Clicker Test That Changes Everything & Our 'Public Nuisance' Park Fight
• Bluey's Hottest Character & The Out-Of-Control Cost of Competition
• The Precise Reason We Need To Reverse The Parent-Child Hierarchy
• A Genius Mental Health Pyramid & Our Dirty Little Parenting Secrets
• No-Hugs Christmas & Where Are All The Weird Kids?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'As a boy mum, the Beckham scandal is my literal nightmare.'
• CLARE STEPHENS: 'This is where Brooklyn got tired.' A very honest play-by-play of Brooklyn Beckham's viral statement.
• A minute-by-minute breakdown of Brooklyn and Victoria Beckham's wedding dance.
• 'Heated Rivalry forced me to ask myself a fundamental question. You're thinking it, too.'
• 'Millions of people are watching Heated Rivalry. It's the hottest TV show I've seen all year.'
• 'I've officially cracked the "cool mum" uniform with these 7 specific pieces.'

We’re giving away a Your Reformer Pilates bed (worth $3,400) Subscribe to enter

MOVE by Mamamia is the app that helps you fit movement into your every day. Whether you have 10 minutes, or 45, we've got the workout that fits your time, space and body. Get $20 off an annual subscription until the end of January when you use code PARENTING at checkout. Start your free trial today.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you an intensive millennial parent who feels stressed and burnt out? This week, we introduce the “Click Test,” which Amelia claims will change parenting for the better. Meanwhile, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell are taking an unconventional approach — why they are raising their children to be "intentionally disrespectful". 

Plus, Monz had a park fight with a man who told her to "get some f***ing control" because her kids were being, well, kids. We debate society's growing intolerance for children in public and ask 'Who's The Asshole?'

And finally, we’re checking on our parents. Why are the older generation spending half their waking hours staring at screens, and why are they the most vulnerable group for online scams?

Our Recommendations:

💍 Stacey is obsessed with a charm necklace from Gimme.

💸 Monz recommends the K18 Airwash Dry Shampoo.

🛍️ Amelia is loving her free calendar from the chemist, which helps her and her kids to visualise their holiday plans.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• There's a new parenting trend, and it's basically the excuse we've been waiting for.
• 'Other people's parenting nearly ruined my holiday. So now I'm a half-arsed parent.'
• 'I've finally cracked the code to screen time, and it only took this one thing.'
• CLARE STEPHENS: A rude stranger, a note from a neighbour and the age of utter intolerance.
• It's time we stopped putting ourselves first.

MOVE by Mamamia is the app that helps you fit movement into your every day. Whether you have 10 minutes, or 45, we've got the workout that fits your time, space and body. Get $20 off an annual subscription until the end of January when you use code PARENTING at checkout. Start your free trial today.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting comes with big ideas, cultural moments and the occasional guilty pleasure, and this week we’re unpacking all three.

Are fancy lollies the new Labubus? Stacey thinks this might be another sign adults are craving whimsy.

Plus, Amelia has declared Bluey’s dad Bandit a certified DILF, and we dig into why hot dads are suddenly everywhere.

And finally, Monz asks the hard question: has kids sport officially got out of control? Between fees, uniforms and weekend travel, is the cost of competition the newest victim of cozzie livs?

Our Recommendations:

🚘 Stacey recommends the Kmart portable folding lap desk for just $13, a road trip game-changer with a built-in storage lid.

✋ Monz wants you to try a specific greeting when you bump into other mums on a walk or run — a free, instant mood booster! (Guess which host is rolling her eyes)

 👜 Amelia is loving the Project Ten Beach Bag; a recycled plastic tote from a small Geelong business, which is perfect for Summer!

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts

What to read: 

• Why grown adults are obsessed with toothy little monsters called Labubus.
• The rise of the teddy bear adult.
• 'The 'boring' parent is the unsung hero': 5 things Bluey has taught me about parenting.
• Good dads get more sex. It's official. And not even a little bit surprising.
• 10 realities of kids’ sport that every parent understands.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friends, do you too have a box of keepsakes? Perhaps teeny tiny socks, some pre-school era artworks, maybe even some old baby teeth or twenty? Well your parents might have been a collector and we pitch that perhaps there’s some truth to this form of maximalism. 

Plus, are we rushing kids out of childhood? Experts are saying that to delay delay delay when it comes to kids’ first years of school but there are some serious things missing from that theory which we’re going to talk about. 

And, why we might just need to reverse the parent/child hierarchy and force our kids to fit into our schedules. Monz, Stacey and Amelia make the argument that our friend catch ups and our schedules are JUST as important as Timmy’s 3 hour soccer practice. 

Our Recommendations:

💌 Stacey recommends a Meghan-esque parenting hack to capture the moments you might otherwise forget. 

📚 Amelia recommends The Crucial Years to help guide those tricky conversations about sex and puberty with your kids.

💄 Monz is all about the lanoplips 12 hr overnight lip mask.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts

What to read: 

• 'I'm being told to delay my son's start at school, so I went and got the facts.'
• Meghan Markle writes a letter every night. They won't be opened for years.
• Exactly how much it costs to put kids through school in 2025.
• 'I got a small pay rise at work. Our childcare fees are now crippling us.'
• 'I've cracked the childcare code during the school holidays (and no, it's not vacation care).'
• Does it still take a village to raise a child? We asked 20 mums.
• 'Say goodbye to your Saturday mornings!' 7 parents and an expert on kids' extracurriculars.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Holidays Parents! Are you having fun, are you a bit sweaty, dehydrated? Well don’t be, because today we're going to talk about:

• The mental health pyramid for both kids and adults that is both genius and incredibly simple.
• Plus, should you be able to choose who you sit next to on a flight and if so, would you ever sit next to a stranger’s baby again?
• And, do you have shameful little secrets? For some it’s Diet Coke, others the Real Housewives… Amelia it’s a rather quaint delicacy. We talk about the silly habits that get us through the motherhood trenches. 

Our Recommendations:

🎒 Stacey recommends a car hack that will stop you foraging for all your sh*t and ensure you're never out of tampons again. 

📺 Amelia is all for ABC Cartoon Live Stream. Sometimes newer just isn’t better. 

🥬 Monz has got the best food hack you’ll ever hear, the Too Good To Go App is Uber Eats for restaurants/cafes fighting food waste. Want $30 assorted things from Bakers Delight for $10 - this is the place.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts

What to read: 

• HOLLY WAINWRIGHT: The details that make Nicole and Keith's split kind of about us.
• The 5 'rules' for reclining your seat on a plane.
• The ripple effect of mental illness no one warned us about, and what actually helps.
• In defence of Diet Coke.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consider this a midweek treat for summer with a bonus episode of She Built That, the podcast series where we discover incredible women and girls who didn't just dream big...they BUILT their futures! 

In this episode, you'll hear from the incredible Katherine Bennell-Pegg, Australia's first-ever astronaut qualified under the Australian flag. Hear how Katherine went from being a young girl staring up at the starry night sky and dreaming of becoming an astronaut, to building her future and making it her reality. Tune in to find out how she took her dream and BUILT it into something out of this world! 

This is a co-listening podcast for parents and kids to enjoy together.

She Built That was made in partnership with LEGO Girls.

THE END BITS:

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.
Email us at [email protected].
Send us a voice message and one of our podcast producers will get back to you ASAP.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Christmas rush has officially brought a new generational conflict: Grandparenting on Eggshells. We unpack the tension between teaching kids bodily autonomy and avoiding the Grandma guilt trip.

Plus, where did all the weird kids go? Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester and Stacey Hicks blame late-stage capitalism, social media surveillance, and a collective fear of deviance for the new conformity epidemic.

And, we've had a few epiphanies this week. Between sending your kids on an errand and rewatching a Christmas classic, we're realising just how much the mental load has increased for parents. 

Our Recommendations:

☕ Amelia is all about sending kids to get a coffee. Empowering your little ones with a simple errand.

🍰 Stacey recommends making a fruit cake; it's showy, it's healthy and it's waaay easier than actually baking.

📺 Monz wants you to rewatch Home Alone as an adult.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Gentle Parenting Just Got Flipped Off & This Season's Ultimate Flex
• Is This Our “Seatbelt Moment” & The Royal Christmas Spiral
• A Wicked Elephant In The Room & The Science Behind The Perfect Age Gap
• The Exact Reason We Stopped Getting Naked
• The Rise Of Trad Sons & Sheet Masks For 3 Year Olds
• The Group Chat Is Out Of Control & Unpacking The Exhaustion Economy
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• Baby names, and the trap millennial women are falling into.
• 'Apparently, all kids need to hear these four words. Turns out, so do I.'
• 'Every parent has an ‘I Don’t’ list at Christmas time. Here’s exactly what’s on mine.'
• Conspiracies, real spiders and potato snow: 25 things you might not know about Home Alone.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the ultimate parenting flex actually… no gifts at all? Because according to The Cut, Millennial parents now fall into two dramatic camps:
Camp Maximalist: “Here’s every toy that's ever been produced.”
Camp Minimalist: “Your present is… presence.”

Meanwhile, gentle parenting has officially been cancelled. After a viral post dragged the whole “boundary-less vibes only” approach, we’re gathered here today to mount a defence before it’s declared emotionally supportive manslaughter.

And in other critical news, the internet is deep into an investigation of the gossip going on about the Millennial mum group — Ashley Tisdale, Mandy Moore, and Hilary Duff — basically the Avengers of wholesome parenting. What are they hiding? PTA secrets? Matching snack schedules? We will, of course, be looking into it with the seriousness it deserves… which is none.

Our Recommendations:

🕺Stacey is all about jumping up and down 50 times a day. Fear not, she does explain why.

📖 Monz recommends The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage.

🍹Amelia recommends cordial. Retro but brilliant. 

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Is This Our “Seatbelt Moment” & The Royal Christmas Spiral
• A Wicked Elephant In The Room & The Science Behind The Perfect Age Gap
• The Exact Reason We Stopped Getting Naked
• The Rise Of Trad Sons & Sheet Masks For 3 Year Olds
• The Group Chat Is Out Of Control & Unpacking The Exhaustion Economy
• The Favourite Child Taboo & Why Jennifer Lawrence's Honesty Hit So Hard
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• Gentle parenting is all over Instagram. But it's not always gentle on parents.
• OPINION: 'You're not gentle parenting, you're Instagram parenting.'
• 'I'm a parenting expert and there's a new parenting trend that could do more harm than good.'
• 'I was in the 'cool gang' of Mother's Group. I didn't like the person I became.'
• 'I joined a mother’s group for parenting tips. What I found was something darker.'

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks & Amelia Lester

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.