It is the parenting topic that turns calm people into control freaks. Phones.

They get into the real stuff parents are dealing with right now. Dopamine hits, scrolling, attention spans, school rules, the social pressure of being the only kid without one, and the big question of whether you can make a smartphone work without it taking over.

Expect honesty, sarcasm, a few uncomfortable realisations about adult screen time, and practical ideas from other parents who have already been through it.

You sent them in and we weren’t prepared for how relatable they were.

Some are funny, some uncomfortable, and a few spark a bit of disagreement. The goal is simple. Less judgement, more honesty, and maybe feeling a little less alone in the process.

Plus, You Be The Judge returns with a school situation that raises serious questions about privacy and boundaries.

Relatable, honest and unfiltered parenting chat.

It was meant to be a wholesome Christmas break… until Sara had a full-on “menti B” and Dean got personally offended at the idea of her driving off for two weeks. Once we’re back from the brink (and a farm-pod reset), we tackle the most unexpectedly controversial parenting topic we’ve ever posted about: kids’ sleepovers.

We get brutally honest about what actually worries us: not just safeguarding and “you don’t really know anyone,” but also sleep deprivation, phones/iPads, dodgy late-night content, friendship fallouts, and why some parents are fine with sleepovers only if it’s at their own house. Plus: the code word idea we genuinely rate… and Dean’s traumatic sleepover story that should’ve stayed buried.

If you’re navigating sleepovers with primary-school kids, starting secondary school, or just wondering what the hell the “right” call is—this one’s for you.

Dean and Sara do a brutally honest run-through of the parenting milestones that actually matter (and the ones we all pretend we’ve nailed). From starting reception basics like toilet training, getting dressed, and tidying up without a full-scale protest, to starting secondary school with reading confidence, sport, emotional resilience, and actually being able to hold a conversation without hiding behind WhatsApp.

Then it gets spicy with this week’s You Be The Judge: if your 10-year-old wants to invite every girl in the class to her birthday… except one mean kid - do you respect your child’s boundaries, or is it cruel to exclude a single child?

Relatable, sarcastic, slightly chaotic - standard service.

You told us the parenting beliefs you refuse to budge on, your total non-negotiables, and we’re debating them properly.

After surviving Christmas Jumper Day chaos, we get into your strongest takes: no major life decisions in the first year after having a baby, whether kids should hit back if they’re hit, the whole united front thing (and why it falls apart in real life), sleep training, counting down discipline, TVs in bedrooms, and the never-ending argument about food rules and “picky eaters.”

Plus: You Be The Judge: in-laws who say they want to see the kids but never invite you over. Do you stop hosting, or keep the peace?

Dean and Sara are weekly for now (for their sins), and this episode they’re dragging modern parenting trends straight to the bin.

From gender reveal parties and pre-teen skincare “glow ups”, to phones in primary school and screens before the school run, they’re asking: are we all just sleepwalking into raising addicted, anxious mini adults?

They also get into the pressure of kids “choosing” their secondary schools, OTT advent calendars that are basically 25 days of presents, and the ever-present “Mama needs a wine” culture now that Sara’s taken a long, hard look at her own relationship with booze.

Plus, Dean has a go at shouty sideline sports parents, there’s a Movember moustache mishap, and in this week’s “You Be The Judge” Sara puts Dean on the stand over one very serious domestic crime: doing a poo with the bathroom door wide open.

If you like your parenting chat honest, sweary, a bit judgy (but self-aware) and genuinely useful, this one’s for you.

In this episode, Dean and Sara tackle two big parenting headaches: whether kids should be watching I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (and all the adult chat that comes with it), and the growing pressure around Christmas.

They chat about what age they let their girls watch the show, how much of the jungle drama and sex talk is suitable for little ears, and whether Dean could actually survive the trials himself. Then it’s onto Christmas: the unseen mental load, how much to spend on presents, whether siblings need equal-value gifts, if Santa should get all the credit, and whether we’re accidentally raising kids to expect too much.

They finish with a listener dilemma: a 21-year-old son’s girlfriend who eats, stays over, but never says hello or thank you. Is Mum being unreasonable, or is it just bad manners?

Perfect for anyone juggling screen time, Christmas pressure and grown-up kids with partners – with plenty of laughs (and a few savage truths) along the way.

This week, Dean and Sara wade back into the wonderful, chaotic, emotionally charged swamp that is the mental load - and they swear it’s a discussion, not an argument… despite already having an argument about the argument earlier that morning.

With no guest to interrupt them, it’s full unfiltered Dean vs. Sara energy as they unpack:

Why mums often end up the default parent (and why Dean sometimes forgets the tumble dryer even exists)

Emotional vs. financial responsibility - the invisible tug-of-war

How “helping” isn’t helping if it’s your house too

Childcare, societal expectations, and why breakfast clubs are both a blessing and a sad indictment of modern family life

The constant project management mode of parenting

The big question: Should society adapt work to fit parenting instead of forcing parenting to fit work?

Why Sara dreams of a world where she can actually cut toenails on time

Why Dean would absolutely leave washing up for 24 hours without blinking

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Half-term’s over and the house is loud again. Dean stayed home for football duty while Sara hid in a rain-lashed caravan with the Halloween-hating six-year-old - guess who actually parented?

We swap notes on one-on-one time vs the chaos of two kids, then play Fact or Fiction with research-ish claims about family dinners, letting kids win, boredom, late nights, and whether dads doing housework really changes daughters’ ambitions.

Also on the docket: the roast dinner that turned into a row (Celine Dion at full blast may have featured), a mini-war over swearing rules, and You Be The Judge: should Dean take our anxious 11-year-old to her first West Ham match? It’s relatable, honest, sarcastic, and just enough stats to sound clever without being boring.

Fresh off their family holiday, Dean and Sara unpack the highs, the lows, and the absolute chaos of travelling with kids.

From lost laptops and water slide injuries to BBQ boat trips with zero health and safety, it’s a mix of laughs and lessons learned.

The pair dig into how they handle stress, who really stays calm in a crisis, and why disappointment is totally valid - even on a dream holiday. Plus, it’s game time with “Dean or Sara,” and the listeners weigh in with “You Be the Judge.”