My TV choices these days are quite different to life before motherhood but I’ve always enjoyed a good Disney movie. 

Something that has always struck me though is how so many of these movies, and indeed fairytales of yesteryear, are based on the absence or loss of a parent and 'replaced' by a not so nice step parent coming in the scene. 

Maybe because things like divorce were not deemed acceptable or the fact that no one could ever replace a parent that was lost.

Whatever the drivers are behind the messaging around step-parents, the narrative needs to shift. And I have just the person to prove that step-parents have such great intentions and care deeply about the children in their lives. 

Join me now as I speak with Chloe Foy, Behavioural Strategist, about her journey, the expectations and reality of becoming a non-biological parent in her thirties. 

One of the biggest challenges for many of us who are parents is deciding how to structure the balance of raising our children while building and maintaining our careers.

In this episode of For the Love of Kids I talk with Jim Cregan, a guy who has not only managed to build a brand and business from scratch - one that became a household name at that - whilst simultaneously becoming a father to a family of three.  

We chat about how his parenting and career were intertwined, the incredible role his wife played to make all of this possible and how his experience has helped him shaped his thinking when raising his children. 

I can’t wait for you to hear how about his incredible rad retro methods of teaching his kids to respect their youth, as well as the way that sunrises and other beautiful moments have featured in his role as dad.

The best feel good track you'll hear and watch all day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK1_vTdUoeY

We’re at a a really exciting time in history where the narrative on parenting is shifting. Traditional roles are changing, the systems and infrastructure of childcare and the workplace are under scrutiny and pressure to change for the better and psychologists are actively championing the importance of investing time and energy in the first five years of life to raise a generation of children that have the best chance of being healthy, secure and confident.  

Speaking to fellow parent and creator, Matt Brown - host of the Every L podcast. We talk about how he’s reflected on generational and cultural learnings of his own upbringing to find what it is to be the kind of parent to ensure his children thrive in life. Even when at times it does feel like we are winging it.

How we react, adapt and embrace the changes when life throws you curveballs. In Matt’s case getting the news him and his wife were expecting twins with a one year old already in tow. 

And why it’s so important to retain a sense of self to keep not only our sanity as parent but to provide our children of who we truly are.

Matt's podcasts:

Every L Podcast: https://everylpodcast.podbean.com/

2 minute quick charge: https://open.spotify.com/show/37tnco3hgUNBB9IIAK732v

Steph talks with father of three, Matt Brown, about how his life has changed since becoming a parent.

Let's face it, nothing changes your world quite like the word 'twins' especially when you already have a toddler.

Hear how Matt's upbringing has played such an important part of how he chooses to parent, how he retains his since of self and where he draws on inspiration from his community to be the best dad he can be.

https://everylpodcast.podbean.com/

Steph talks with Zamil Zareen, new dad and strategist at the full service kids and family agency, Kids Know Best.

Hear about the learnings he's taking from his work in understanding what captivates kids to be the best parent to his little girl.

Understand how his own family life is influencing his values and ambitions.

And discover some of the key trends that a resonating with kids, teens and families alike this Christmas and in the year ahead.

In a recent study into motherhood by the parenting app Peanut.

75% of women they spoke to described feeling invisible and 94% feel unappreciated, unacknowledged or unseen.

That’s not the news you want to hear if you’re an expectant mum but it might be the news you need to hear to realise you’re not alone if you are a mum and feeling the same. 

In the #InvisibleMother report, Peanut explains that each stage of motherhood can feel like a cloak of invisibility. 

Society expects us to do it all and be it all, often without any appropriate support or societal infrastructure.

And with so many female leaders, leaving their roles in senior positions at this juncture in their lives, isn’t it time something changed? 

Having taken the leap from Managing Director of a social media agency at the time I got pregnant to freelance marketing consultant before my daughter turned two, I’m on my own journey of rediscovering my role in society as a mum, a career woman and the person I was before. 

So who better to speak to about the lessons we can all learn about leadership, freelancing and being more than just a mum than Dr Katie Best.

Katie is a leadership coach, consultant and executive educator who helps senior leaders and their organisations to accelerate their leadership and enhance their performance. 

She's a parent to one daughter, and regularly works with leaders who are parents, helping them navigate tricky issues such as work-life balance, the return to work after parental leave, and career development. And she's currently writing a book helping leaders to solve their messiest leadership problems, to be published by Hachette in 2025.

She also writes a fortnightly leadership agony aunt newsletter, Dear Katie, which I love as it focuses on helping leaders tackle all kinds of problems. 

But most importantly to me, she was my Head Tutor on LSE's MBA Essentials online certificate programme which I finished the day my daughter Naomi was born. 

Join us now as we talk about leadership lessons, being more than just a mum and how freelancing has been the way forward for a mum like Katie.

(Note: The Invisible Mother report by Peanut App was released after the recording of this episode)

—

Dr Katie Best

Connect with Katie for thoughtful content on leadership and beyond on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkatiebest/ 

Sign-up to ‘Dear Katie’, her bi-weekly newsletter that solves readers’ messy leadership problems. https://katiebest.com/sign-up/

Subscribe to Katie’s YouTube channel to develop the skills, attitudes and confidence to excel in leadership.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Io11QQ6AaZNKHyIjx2wzw

Read the Invisible Mothers report by Peanut App

https://invisible-mothers.peanut-app.io/

and join in the conversation on social media: #invisiblemothers

Follow For the Love of Kids on Instagram:

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/loveofkidspodcast/