A letter to a daughter who doesn’t exist yet. Lucia has been trying to get pregnant for three years. She tells Namulanta that she was inspired to be “less discreet” about what she’s been going through after listening to a past episode of Dear Daughter – and that since she started talking about it, she’s discovered a whole world of other people going through similar experiences. Plus, the one thing you should never say to someone struggling with infertility.

Letter writer: Lucia

Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”.

#DearDaughter

Audio for this episode was updated on 22 May 2023.

Celebrating how kids change as they grow. Claire thinks that nostalgia for babies and small children shouldn’t stop you from embracing the next stages in their development. She and her wife have twin daughters who were born prematurely. In those early weeks, they found it hard to see the future. Now the twins are seven, Claire is able to celebrate the different stages of their lives. But she’s still learning how best to parent them, and their four-year-old sister, as they continue growing.

Letter writer: Claire

Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”.

#DearDaughter

Turning into your mother can be a joy and a trial. When Jacinta in Johannesburg became a parent, she found that her perspective on her own mother changed completely. She reads a letter to her young daughters about what they can learn from older generations after realising “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”. Plus, how to avoid telling your children that they’ll only understand things when they get older.

The Scummy Mummies on friendship, bullying and embracing the chaos of parenting. Comedians Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson met when their children were little and started a podcast called the Scummy Mummies. Ten years, a sell-out UK comedy tour and more than 250 episodes later, they join Namulanta to talk about friendship – from getting through the awkward teen years to making friends as an adult.

How to give advice people will actually listen to. When Anna in Switzerland was younger, her grandmothers used to give her advice – but she dismissed it. She thought they were old-fashioned and didn’t understand her life. Now she’s a grandmother herself, and when she looks at her granddaughter she can’t imagine what the world she will live in will be like. How can she pass on what she’s learned about life? Anna and Namulanta discuss how to connect across the generational divide.

The challenges of parenting as a widower. When Ani’s daughter was just two years old, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Her illness dominated their daughter’s early years, and she died when the child was six. Ani explains how he’s trying to teach his daughter what her mother was like before she became ill. Plus, how a Joe Wicks workout helped the family manage their grief.

Follow your dreams - but remember your roots! Instead of hearing from a letter writer, Namulanta talks to Alejandra about what it meant to receive letters of advice from her grandmother. Her grandma gave her blessing and guidance on moving abroad for a new life.

Letter writer: Alejandra’s grandmother Maria

Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”.

#DearDaughter

Talking to children about money can be awkward, but it’s important to start young. Davinia Tomlinson has written a book of money advice for girls called Cash Is Queen. She explains how she talks to her own daughters about money and how the skills she learned in the British financial services industry enabled her to plan a new life closer to her Caribbean roots. Plus, Davinia shares some inspirational advice from her own grandmother.

Letter writer: Davinia Tomlinson

Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”.

Why are women expected to endure pain in silence? Meera grew up in India and has battled multiple illnesses for most of her life. They’ve impacted her relationships with her mother, her husband and her kids - especially her young daughter. She says: “As a girl I was taught that a woman’s strength came from her ability to endure great pain and suffering.” But in a letter to her daughter, Meera insists women shouldn’t say “I’m fine” if they’re not.

The generosity of others helped Monique rebuild her life. She’s gone through more trauma than most, having fled genocide in Rwanda, lived in refugee camps and lost everything in a fire in the US. And yet at every stage she’s had the help of strangers.

Audio for this episode was updated on 22nd March 2023.