Hello Mama's! This is an episode I have wanted to record and share since I started this podcast as it is something personally I feel I have so much to learn about & find so interesting so I am sure there are other Mama's out there feeling the same. Josie is a Mama of 3 girls aged 5.5, 3 and 4 months old. She is an Early Childhood Educator and runs the Instagram account @playbasedpepi where she shares play ideas, parenting survival tips & conversations on topics that people can be nervous to bring up or discuss openly. In this chat, Josie and I talk about:

• how do we play with our children at different ages & stages from newborn through to school age?
• do we need to sit with them on the mat & play with them for hours?
• how do we encourage independent play?
• Josie's views on toys and what is needed vs wanted
• how the TV is incorporated into Josie's parenting tool box and her views on it
• big emotions & big feelings - how do we survive, tips & tricks and understanding what is actually happening
• sensory seeking, what is it?
• mental load of parenting, how Josie & her husband work through it and balance it all
• school holiday activities and what works for her family
• for her, what was the biggest adjustment 0-1, 1-2 or 2-3?
• milestones & development - rolling, crawling and walking, Josies views on these and what she has experienced
• learning by play vs structured education
• coming to the decision that this is her last baby

Josie also shares with us where she is at in her motherhood journey; what she is finding challenging and what she is loving. I learnt so much in this conversation with Josie and had so much fun recording it, Josie has also created an Alphabet Chart which is phonetically correct and instantly recognisable to kiwi children which you can purchase here.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and follow along on socials @bumptomum.podcast to stay up to date with upcoming episodes. I hope you will love this chat as much as I do, enjoy Mama's!