You're bleeding, leaking, sleep deprived. There is a lot of crying; mostly yours but also the baby. You can't remember what day it is, when you last showered, or even your own name. But hold on - are you soaking it up, mama? Because you should be!

This week, the relentless pressure to enjoy every second of motherhood while you’re still very much surviving it. Because apparently we only get 18 summers, every cuddle could be the last cuddle, and we’re all meant to feel nostalgic in real time. Ok? 

Then, should Book Week be cancelled? There’s a very fair argument that it piles pressure onto already-stretched families. Which is fair. But if sports get a whole day dedicated to it...can't books too? 

Plus, the Dishwasher Dad theory, and why a night alone in a hotel might be the best money a tired mum ever spends.

Reccos:

Monz recommends Ted Lasso S4 on Apple Tv

Amelia likes this sleep spray from The Goodnight Co for people who scroll too much before bed 

And Grace recommends a night in a hotel, because what price can you put on a 2 cups of tea uninterrupted, TV in bed, and a full nights sleep? 

Get access to Very Peri, Mamamia's exclusive perimenopause series, for just $59. 25 world-leading experts, over 20 on-demand sessions, available now. We’ve sorted through the noise so you don't have to. Go to veryperi.com.au and join me today. You hot? Same. Buy today and save 40%

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Class Photo Ban & The D*ckhead Dad Rebrand
• The Text You Need To Stop Sending
• The Hit Show Making A Case For 'Best Friend' Parenting
• Where Has All The Swearing Gone & The Bush Wee Rule
• A Celebrity’s Secret Children & The Dark Side Of An 'It' Toy
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'Book Week accidentally drove me to petty crime.'
• The 5 unwritten rules of Book Week (because your survival is important to us).
• 'Everything that made my first few months with a fussy newborn easier.'
• 'I was ready to hate Ted Lasso Season 4. I've never been so happy to be wrong.'

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suri Cruise has dropped her megastar dad’s surname and it’s starting to look less like celebrity gossip and more like a new wave of family estrangement.

We unpack why the adult children of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are making their distance official, the PR strategy that helped both men quietly sidestep the conversation, and why mothers are still so often blamed when children cut contact with their fathers.

Plus, a genuinely chilling warning about school photos, AI deepfakes and the new risks of sharing children’s images online. Is this the moment schools and childcare centres start going analogue?

Also, a 13-year-old Australian piano prodigy, Meghan Markle’s dessert rule and Monz solves dinner with four life-changing words: Chook. In. A. Bag.

Reccos:

Monz recommends Chicken In A Bag for dinner 

Amelia recommends Just Crazy by Andy Griffiths, and DEAR: Drop Everything And Read.

Stacey Natasha Sholl’s beautiful Mamamia essay, A Letter To The Siblings Of Kids With Additional Needs.

Get access to Very Peri, Mamamia's exclusive perimenopause series, for just $59. 25 world-leading experts, over 20 on-demand sessions, available now. We’ve sorted through the noise so you don't have to. Go to veryperi.com.au and join me today. You hot? Same. Buy today and save 40%

The Out Loud hosts have handpicked their all-time favourite reads and one subscriber is winning the entire 12-book stack. Subscribe to Mamamia to be automatically entered to win. Current subscriber? You're already in the draw. T&Cs apply.

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Text You Need To Stop Sending
• The Hit Show Making A Case For 'Best Friend' Parenting
• Where Has All The Swearing Gone & The Bush Wee Rule
• A Celebrity’s Secret Children & The Dark Side Of An 'It' Toy
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I quit teaching after 15 years. What I witnessed should worry every Australian parent.'
• 'I've been a teacher for 15 years. This is why every good one is leaving.'
• We need to talk about the siblings of kids with additional needs.
• This week, two daughters have dropped their famous fathers' last names. The response is predictable.
• Another of Brad Pitt's children has filed to drop the Pitt name. Angelina Jolie's response says it all.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a birthday party ritual that has snuck into the modern parenting mental load - so we’re calling for a national amnesty. 

Meanwhile, the Ashley Tisdale has turned her toxic-mum-group drama into a TV show and Stacey is cancelling all plans to watch.

A Wall Street Journal feature on “CEO parenting” blew up the internet this week. With wealthy parents detailing the tasks they outsource - everything from clipping toenails to riding bikes - we unpack the very charged response.

And a former teacher and principal makes the case that schools aren’t there to teach your kids every single life skill. Plus the reason every kid is now singing about Eastern Rosellas (and you will be too). Spare a thought for the Western Rosellas, won’t you. They were there. 

Get access to Very Peri, Mamamia's exclusive perimenopause series, for just $59. 25 world-leading experts, over 20 on-demand sessions, available now. We’ve sorted through the noise so you don't have to. Go to veryperi.com.au and join me today. You hot? Same. Buy today and save 40%.

Reccos: 

Amelia recommends the New York Times Magazine article My Relationship With My Brother Was Fraught. Could Sibling Therapy Help Us?

Stacey reccomends jojoba oil as a deeply affordable hair treatment for dry, brittle ends.

and Monz recommends Alone Australia Season 4 on SBS — now in the Arctic Circle, with an excellent cast and maximum heated-blanket viewing conditions.

The Out Loud hosts have handpicked their all-time favourite reads and one subscriber is winning the entire 12-book stack. Subscribe to Mamamia to be automatically entered to win. Current subscriber? You're already in the draw. T&Cs apply.

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Hit Show Making A Case For 'Best Friend' Parenting
• Where Has All The Swearing Gone & The Bush Wee Rule
• A Celebrity’s Secret Children & The Dark Side Of An 'It' Toy
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I quit teaching after 15 years. What I witnessed should worry every Australian parent.'
• 'I've been a teacher for 15 years. This is why every good one is leaving.'
• TEACHER'S OPINION: We're teaching kids to read the wrong way. It needs to change.
• 'How I'm trying to teach my son to be a good bloke when the internet wants him to be the opposite.'

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The biggest show on TV right now - Amazon Prime's Elle -  is making best friend parenting look deeply aspirational. Monz wants in. Amelia absolutely does not, and Stacey is blaming Gilmore Girls for making the whole thing look normal.

Then, is reading really dying, or are kids just consuming words in completely different ways? Amelia brings the panic, Monique brings the Australian research, and Stacey wonders whether asking children to read every night is accidentally killing the joy.

Plus, the World Cup dad who blamed the referee, the post-birth meals that tasted better than anything before or since, and one extremely committed recommendation for a futuristic apple.

Get access to Very Peri, Mamamia's exclusive perimenopause series, for just $59. 25 world-leading experts, over 20 on-demand sessions, available now. We’ve sorted through the noise so you don't have to. Go to veryperi.com.au and join me today. You hot? Same. Buy today and save 40%.

Reccos: 

Amelia wants you to readThe Epically Awesome Odyssey, as told by Nanny Piggins.

Stacey wants you to sink your teeth into Cosmic Crisp Apples.

and Monz reckons ABC Kids Listen’s Story Salad is the listen of the week.

The Out Loud hosts have handpicked their all-time favourite reads and one subscriber is winning the entire 12-book stack. Subscribe to Mamamia to be automatically entered to win. Current subscriber? You're already in the draw. T&Cs apply.

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• Where Has All The Swearing Gone & The Bush Wee Rule
• A Celebrity’s Secret Children & The Dark Side Of An 'It' Toy
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I thought the Legally Blonde prequel was a terrible idea. I was wrong.'
• OPINION: People say parents shouldn't be best friends with their kids. I think they're wrong.
• TEACHER'S OPINION: We're teaching kids to read the wrong way. It needs to change.
• 'No one is reading bedtime stories to their kids anymore and I know exactly why.'

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You hot? Same. Grab a fan, because Very Peri is officially here. Created by Mamamia, we’ve sorted through the noise to answer your most urgent perimenopause questions.

There is no shortage of perimenopause information out there. In fact, there is too much and most of it is unregulated, incomplete or contradictory. Consider Very peri your single trusted source, built purely around your needs.

Get instant access to over 20 on-demand videos featuring 25 leading perimenopause experts from Australia and around the world, including Australia's most trusted medical voice Dr Ginni Mansberg, New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned gynecologist Dr Jen Gunter, acclaimed neuropsychiatrist Professor Jayashri Kulkarni and leading menopause dietician Nigel Denby.

Together, they deliver trusted, up-to-date advice on HRT, periods, weight gain, skin, insomnia, brain fog and so much more, alongside the Mamamia women you already know and love, including Out Loud's Holly Wainwright and Amelia Lester, You Beauty's Leigh Campbell and Unleashed's Cath Mahoney.

Best of all, you get six months of flexible access to watch entirely at your own pace, whether that's from your couch at 11pm, at your desk during your lunch break or in the kitchen while you try to remember why you walked in there in the first place... because you know, brain fog.

LAUNCH OFFER: Get your all-access pass for just $59 for a limited time only. That’s 40% off.

Head to veryperi.com.au today.

Disclaimer: The information provided through Very Peri, including video interviews, panel discussions and digital downloads, is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your general practitioner (GP) or another qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment pathway.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The sibling gold standard has officially been set by Harry Styles and his sister Gemma, but it’s giving Stacey some serious 'parent of one' guilt. Plus, the Australian schools that are handing out codes of conduct to an unlikely group — the parents. 

Plus, in the celebrity world, can motherhood be used as a strategic 180 to swing public perception, or do we just inherently view mothers differently? And, how old is too old for a bush wee? 

Also, the study that nobody knew existed has confirmed explicit songs are on decline and yet kids are somehow swearing more than ever. But is that such a bad thing? Monz and Amelia aren't too sure.

SUBSCRIBE here: Support independent women's media 

Reccos: 

Amelia recommends sitting on the floor AKA the newsletter How to Move by Anna Maltby.

Monz recommends Child's Play - 60 Years of Play School on Australian Story.

Stacey is doubling down on Amelia's previous recommendation; Micador Colour and Learn tablecloth for $25 — they also have placemats. 

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• A Celebrity’s Secret Children & The Dark Side Of An 'It' Toy
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• 'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag
• Signs You’re A Beta Mum & How To ‘Bounce Back’
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• ‘It becomes a power struggle’: How private schools are taking on entitled parents
• Sam Kerr and the big problem with 'reverse racism'.
• 'I spent 2 years thinking my son was just 'behind' at school. Then I found the real problem.'
• 'I'm both a teacher and a parent. And I'm scared for both sides.'
• Australian parents are pulling kids out of school in record numbers. One reason dominates.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can a celebrity really keep their family a secret in 2026? One very famous parent is believed to have two children that most people don't even know exist, or do they?

Plus, it's school holidays, which means one thing: Dad-cation season. But after we witnessed one father do absolutely nothing on a long-haul flight while his partner did everything, we need to ask... are we still having the same parenting conversation?

And finally, remember all the dumb things you said before you had kids? Turns out, pre-parenthood you was absolutely delusional. 

SUBSCRIBE here: Support independent women's media 

Reccos: 

Amelia recommends saying Mens World Cup instead of The World Cup 

Monz recommends her own Letters and Numbers Game

Grace recommends Mini Zali Bags

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• 'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag
• Signs You’re A Beta Mum & How To ‘Bounce Back’
• The School Holiday Rule & The Big Bluey Stuff Up
• The Holiday Decision One Mum Regrets & Party Bags Are Officially Cancelled
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I thought Toy Story 5 would be an easy family watch. It's a gut punch.'
• 'I've finally cracked the code to screen time, and it only took this one thing.'
• Think of the parents: 3 reasons taking your kid to playgrounds is an adult's worst nightmare.
• CLARE STEPHENS: A rude stranger, a note from a neighbour and the age of utter intolerance.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Grace Rouvray

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fun playground or toddler emergency room invitation? Melbourne parents are fiercely divided over a controversial new playground featuring... checks notes... giant rocks. Is this brilliant independent play, or have we officially reached peak chaotic parenting? We have thoughts.

Plus, Monz and Stacey ran to see Toy Story 5 and what they witnessed was a brutal gut punch. Pixar took our greatest screen-time guilt and put it on a 90-minute tear that has us questioning how imagination can possibly coexist with addictive tech.

Also, as some Australians demand child-free flights and resorts, Amelia asks the question: Is this really so bad?

Support independent women’s media and get our biggest offer of the year. Subscribe here for 30% off your annual Mamamia subscription. Code applied at the checkout. Offer ends June 30.

Reccos: 

Stacey is loving America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Netflix. 

Amelia recommends the Finlay bedazzle kit, a incredibly soothing $40 craft pack featuring 24 sparkle colours that you can use to transform sunglasses and notebooks with your child. 

Monz recommends dump bags, the ultimate dietitian-approved meal-prepping hack where you freeze all your raw ingredients in one Ziploc bag so you can just dump it straight into the slow cooker midweek.

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• 'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag
• Signs You’re A Beta Mum & How To ‘Bounce Back’
• The School Holiday Rule & The Big Bluey Stuff Up
• The Holiday Decision One Mum Regrets & Party Bags Are Officially Cancelled
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I thought Toy Story 5 would be an easy family watch. It's a gut punch.'
• 'I've finally cracked the code to screen time, and it only took this one thing.'
• Think of the parents: 3 reasons taking your kid to playgrounds is an adult's worst nightmare.
• CLARE STEPHENS: A rude stranger, a note from a neighbour and the age of utter intolerance.

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Acting Group Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Executive Producer: Grace Rouvray

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan’s national soccer team and their supporters have gone viral following their World Cup match after leaving the stadium and their locker room absolutely spotless. We want to know how we can get our kids to follow suit.

Influencer and Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague has stepped out 10 days postpartum in a white dress and everyone has lost their minds, but not for the reason you’d think. 

Support independent women’s media and get our biggest offer of the year. Subscribe here for 30% off your annual Mamamia subscription. Code applied at the checkout. Offer ends June 30.

Plus, from Meghan and Harry to your next-door neighbor, everyone is suddenly adopting a millennial social media trend that's sparked a debate about 'sharenting'.

And, have parent-teacher dynamics turned into a customer service nightmare? We discuss why every playground incident now seems to require an email trail and a call to management.

Reccos: 

• Stacey: Breakfast Sprinkle Muffins packed with banana, oats and honey.

• Monique: L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil. 

• Amelia's reccommendation is for private schools with sporting facilities to open their grounds up to the public.

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• 'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag
• Signs You’re A Beta Mum & How To ‘Bounce Back’
• The School Holiday Rule & The Big Bluey Stuff Up
• The Holiday Decision One Mum Regrets & Party Bags Are Officially Cancelled
• So, Are You A Popcorn Mum?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I'm both a teacher and a parent. And I'm scared for both sides.'
• 'I'm a psychologist. I need you to stop saying this one common phrase to your kids.'
• 'I asked other toddler parents what they'd tell a first-timer. Here's the shortlist. 

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Acting Group Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Executive Producer: Grace Rouvray

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever dreamt of packing up your family and escaping to the country? Former AFL player Buddy Franklin and his wife Jesinta have ditched the big city for something a little... quieter. Monz, Amelia and Stacey are unpacking whether it’s possible to completely reinvent your family life. Plus, Stacey explains her 'Florist Theory.’

Also, there’s a new solution for parenting exhaustion that involves dividing household duties differently, and we’re trying to decide if it’s genius, or not all it’s cracked up to be. And, what about the ‘double drop-off’?

First it was ponytails and pints and now it’s pints and periods. British dads are going to the pub to learn more about periods and how to show up for their daughters. Monz has thoughts, but honestly? We think it’s kind of wholesome. 

Reccos:

Stacey is loving Office Romance on Netflix.

Amelia recommends the Micador Junior Colour Wash Repeat Tablecloth, a $27 lifesaver that keeps kids calm and centred during family dinners or chaotic parties.

Monique is loving buying cheap silicone ear putty from the chemist to turn down the volume on sensory overload at deafening basketball stadiums and supermarkets.

Support independent women's media

What To Listen To Next: 

• Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
• The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day
• The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?
• 'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag
• Signs You’re A Beta Mum & How To ‘Bounce Back’
• The School Holiday Rule & The Big Bluey Stuff Up
• The Holiday Decision One Mum Regrets & Party Bags Are Officially Cancelled
• So, Are You A Popcorn Mum?
• Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts 

What to read: 

• 'I'm a psychologist. I need you to stop saying this one common phrase to your kids.'
• 'I asked other toddler parents what they'd tell a first-timer. Here's the shortlist. 

GET IN TOUCH:

Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at [email protected] 

Join our Facebook group Mamamia Family to talk about the show.

Follow us on Instagram @mamamia_family

CREDITS:

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester & Stacey Hicks

Acting Group Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock

Executive Producer: Grace Rouvray

Video Editor: Julian Rosario

Associate Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.