Episodios

  • 12: Navigating parenthood: Tips, tales, and toddler tantrums with Steph McGovern

    12: Navigating parenthood: Tips, tales, and toddler tantrums with Steph McGovern
    Jul 8 2025
    This episode of The Netmums Podcast features broadcaster, journalist and debut novelist Steph McGovern. Join Wendy and Alison for a chat about motherhood, family life, and finding balance between career and parenting. Steph shares her insights on keeping her daughter’s life private, being a same-sex parent, and how her experience of broadcasting during lockdown helped shape her debut thriller Deadline.

    Key topics include:
    Parenting Privacy: Steph explains why she’s chosen not to share photos or details of her daughter publicly — and the importance of letting kids grow up without the scrutiny of fame.

    Same-Sex Parenting: Stories, funny anecdotes and Steph’s thoughts on how attitudes have shifted, including a moving moment of unexpected kindness from strangers.

    Parenting Style: Steph talks about good cop/bad cop dynamics, teaching independence, and balancing encouragement with the perils of ‘over-correcting’

    Money Matters: As host of The Rest Is Money, Steph shares practical advice on budgeting, earning points, and how to teach kids about money — even in a tap-and-go world.

    Her Debut Novel, Deadline: Hear how Steph turned lockdown hours into a murder mystery, set in a money-printing factory and inspired by her days on BBC Breakfast.

    Magic Breakfast Campaign: Steph supports Magic Radio’s Fuel for Success campaign, providing schoolchildren with the food they need to start the day right.

    Stay connected with Netmums for more parenting tips, community support, engaging content: Website: netmums.com / Instagram: @netmums
    Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative
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    43 m
  • S16 Ep9: Navigating Tween Life, Friendship Wobbles, and the Power of Humour: Katie Kirby on Parenting in the Digital Age

    S16 Ep9: Navigating Tween Life, Friendship Wobbles, and the Power of Humour: Katie Kirby on Parenting in the Digital Age
    Jun 24 2025
    In this episode of The Netmums Podcast, author and parenting favourite Katie Kirby returns to chat with Wendy and Alison. Known for the bestselling Lottie Brooks series and Hurrah for Gin, Katie brings her signature honesty and humour to a wide-ranging conversation about the joys and challenges of raising tweens and teens.

    The conversation covers:

    • Relatable Role Models      : Why kids need to see themselves in the books they read — and how Lottie Brooks became that character for so many.

    • Friendship Dynamics: The differences between how boys and girls approach friendships, and why having multiple friend groups can be a lifesaver.

    • The Smartphone Struggle: How tech and social media are reshaping childhood — and what parents can do to help kids navigate it safely and confidently.

    • Real-Life Parenting: From summer holiday chaos to the art of embarrassing your kids (on purpose!), Katie shares her funniest and most heartfelt parenting moments.

    • Open Conversations: Why honest chats with our kids — even the awkward ones — are key to building trust and resilience.

    • Behind the Books: Katie opens up about the origins of Hurrah for Gin, her love of stick figures, and the potential future of Lottie Brooks on screen.
    Stay connected with Netmums for more parenting stories, support and laughs:
    Website: netmums.com / Instagram: @netmums
    Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative
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    28 m
  • S16 Ep8: Firm, fun And flexible parenting: Kate Silverton on emotional regulation for children

    S16 Ep8: Firm, fun And flexible parenting: Kate Silverton on emotional regulation for children
    Jun 17 2025
    This episode of The Netmums Podcast features the incredible Kate Silverton, a former BBC news anchor turned child counsellor and advocate for compassionate parenting. Kate, Wendy and Alison unpack the crucial parenting topic of how to help our children regulate their emotions.

    The conversation covers:

    - The Impact of Labels: how terms like "naughty" can shape a child's identity, and why we should focus on behaviours rather than personal attributes.

    - Understanding Emotional Responses: the importance of recognising our own emotional triggers as parents and how these can affect our responses to our children's feelings.

    - The SAS Method: Kate introduces her SAS method for managing children's emotional outbursts, emphasising the need to 'See, Acknowledge, and Soothe' to help children regulate their emotions effectively.

    - Navigating Tantrums: practical strategies for parents to support children through moments of distress.

    - Rupture and Repair: how acknowledging mistakes can strengthen the parent-child bond.

    Stay connected with Netmums for more parenting tips, community support, engaging content: Website: netmums.com / Instagram: @netmums
    Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative
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    45 m
  • S16 Ep7: Crumbs in Bed & Climbing Trees: Steve Backshall’s Wild Take on Fatherhood

    S16 Ep7: Crumbs in Bed & Climbing Trees: Steve Backshall’s Wild Take on Fatherhood
    Jun 10 2025
    In this episode of The Netmums Podcast, Wendy and Alison are joined by naturalist, adventurer, TV presenter, and dad-of-three Steve Backshall. Best known for Deadly 60 and his breathtaking wildlife expeditions, Steve chats candidly about the chaos, comedy, and deep joy of parenting alongside his wife, Olympic rower Helen Glover.

    From breakfast-in-bed fails to scaling oak trees with his kids, Steve brings his trademark humour and heartfelt honesty to a wide-ranging conversation about fatherhood, family life, and his latest adventure into the world of podcasting.

    The conversation covers:

    • The Everyday Wildness of Parenthood      : Why tying shoelaces, meltdowns in public, and parenting “feral” children are his new extreme challenges.

    • Finding Balance with Helen Glover: How he and Helen juggle Olympic-level careers, school runs, and quality family time (spoiler: not perfectly).

    • Father’s Day Real Talk: Why he dreads breakfast in bed and what a "wholesome" Sunday looks like in the Backshall household.

    • Parenting in the Public Eye: Navigating toddler tantrums when everyone’s watching—and yes, everyone is watching.

    • Nature as a Reset Button: Steve’s powerful belief in the mental health benefits of the outdoors, and how a walk by the river can fix almost anything.

    • Letting Kids Be Who They Are: The importance of not pushing children into your own passions—even if you really want them to love sharks.

    • Big New Adventures: Steve’s exciting move into podcasting (That’s Just Wild) and his upcoming arena tour, Deadly Live, complete with dinosaurs, stunts, and stage science.
    Stay connected with Netmums for more parenting stories, laughs, and real-life insights:
    Website: netmums.com
    Instagram: @netmums
    🎧 Produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative
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    34 m
  • S16 Ep6: Why women are so angry! Jennifer Cox on the hidden power of women's rage

    S16 Ep6: Why women are so angry! Jennifer Cox on the hidden power of women's rage
    Jun 3 2025
    This episode of The Netmums Podcast features the insightful Jennifer Cox, a psychotherapist and author of "Women Are Angry." Join Wendy and Alison as they explore the complexities of anger in women's lives, shedding light on the often-silent rage simmering beneath the surface.

    The conversation covers:

    - The Nature of Anger: the societal conditioning that teaches women to suppress their anger and the importance of recognising and expressing these feelings for mental well-being.

    - The Impact of Upbringing: how childhood messages about being "good" can lead to repressed emotions, Jennifer highlights the detrimental effects this can have on women's health.

    - Permission to Feel: giving women permission to express their anger, discussing how this can lead to improved mental health and a sense of community.

    - Anger as a GPS: using anger as a guiding force for change in our lives, encouraging listeners to view their emotions as tools for personal growth.

    - Tools for Healthy Expression: practical methods for releasing pent-up emotions in a constructive way.

    - The Taboo of Maternal Rage: the stigma surrounding maternal anger and how societal perceptions can hinder women's ability to express their feelings.

    Stay connected with Netmums for more parenting tips, community support, engaging content: Website: netmums.com / Instagram: @netmums
    Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative
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    38 m
  • S16 Ep5: Beth Mead: The Lioness Championing Girls in Sport and Mental Health Awareness

    S16 Ep5: Beth Mead: The Lioness Championing Girls in Sport and Mental Health Awareness
    May 27 2025
    This episode of The Netmums Podcast features the inspiring Beth Mead, a trailblazer in women's football and a member of the victorious Lionesses squad from the 2022 Euros. Join Wendy and Alison as they delve into Beth's remarkable football career and journey, discussing her achievements, challenges, and the importance of supporting young girls in sport.

    The conversation covers:

    - Beth’s Football Journey: Beth’s early days in football, the support from her family, and her determination to succeed despite facing negativity as a girl in a boys' sport.

    - Turning 30 and Achievements: Celebrating her recent birthday, Beth discusses her impressive career milestones, including winning the Golden Boot and being named Sports Personality of the Year.

    - The Importance of Role Models: how visibility and support from role models can encourage more girls to participate in sports.

    - Mental Health Advocacy: Beth’s personal struggles with grief and injury, and the role of support systems in overcoming challenges.


    Stay connected with Netmums for more parenting tips, community support, engaging content: Website: netmums.com / Instagram: @netmums
    Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative
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    21 m