What happens when motherhood, identity, and a creative spark collide? In this episode, I sit down with Zazi Henderson — speech and language therapist, mum of two, and the creator behind Zazi Plays, the parenting community loved by thousands across Aotearoa.

Zazi shares the beautiful chaos of raising young children while running a business, but also the deeply human moments behind it all — like the realisation that so many parents struggle with something as simple as play. As she says in the episode:

“It is just really hard. We no longer know how to play and it feels really clunky and strange. We’re adults now — it doesn’t come naturally to us. So you’re not alone in finding it hard. I don’t just find it easy.”

We talk about the emotional weight of returning to work as a first-time mum — the inadequacy she felt at the time, and the compassion she now has for her younger self. She reflects on how much more confident she wishes she’d been, and how common those feelings truly are.

Zazi also opens up about her business turning five years old, and what it’s taken behind the scenes: the partnership, the family dynamics, and the moments of guilt when choosing her own wellbeing. She shares how she started to carve out time for herself — even if that meant missing dinner for a gym class — and how she reframed exercise as something that teaches her kids what self-care looks like.

If you love Zazi Plays, or you're navigating parenting, identity, business, or mental health right now, this conversation will feel like a deep breath out.