Parenting Out Loud

Have you ever seen a video online that made you feel like you were failing at a job you didn't even apply for? Welcome to parenting in 2026.
This week, Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks and special guest, Clare Stephens, are diving into a viral trend romanticising the bond between young siblings—and it's left some only-child parents feeling a little judged.
Plus, we discuss the basketball coach who went viral for screaming in a player's face. Was it ‘toxic’ or exactly the kind of high-stakes motivation our ‘gentle parenting’ era is missing?
And, if your child throws a tantrum in the middle of a busy shopping centre or sticks their fingers in someone else's birthday cake, they may have a fan in award-winning actress Viola Davis. We explain why.
Our Recommendations:
🏀 Monz is loving this Amazon Lock Phone Box.
📖 Clare recommends midwife Jen on Instagram @_jen_hamilton_
🧴 Stacey is loving the COSRX Snail mucin power essence.
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Support independent women's media
What To Listen To Next:
Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
The Bad Habit That's Back & The Politics Of ‘Bagsing’
New Twin Dad Luca Enters The Chat & Divorce Just Got A Rebrand
Empty Weekend Parenting & The Viral Rocking Chair Test
Wait, Did We Just Witness The Ultimate Co-Parenting Sin?
The Problem With Being The 'Easy Kid'
FFS, Just Invite People Over To Your Messy House
So, Yeah. Turns Out THIS Is The Very Last Parenting Taboo
Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts
What to read:
'My mum and dad had 8 kids. Here's the most important lesson I learned growing up in a big family.'
OPINION: 'You're not gentle parenting, you're Instagram parenting.'
"I'm 34 with three kids. My expectations of friendship have completely changed."
'My best friends ghosted me after I had a baby. It taught me a lesson I didn't expect.'
Flakiness is out of control at the moment.
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: Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester & Monique Bowley
Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine
Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock
Audio Producer: Jacob Round
Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, the rise of the Gen Alpha CEO is officially in full swing as Victoria Beckham’s daughter, Harper Seven, launches a beauty brand at 13. Monz, Stacey and Amelia ask at what point we decided teenagers need a corner office and a dedicated PR team instead of just... a hobby.
Plus, is ‘bagsing’ a spot in the playground slide queue ever acceptable, or have we officially lost our collective marbles? We unpack the world of park politics, optimisation and whether it’s just another form of snow-plough parenting.
Also, is it time to start running your home like a large corporation? We’re diving into the ‘family AGM’ trend and why the shareholders in one host’s house are very unhappy.
Our Recommendations:
🥞 Stacey is loving the viral ‘potcake’ hack from TikTok, which involves flipping a whole saucepan to create the perfect pancake stack.
📖 Monz recommends Meltdown by Lauren Novak, a well-researched deep dive into ‘mum rage’ that makes every burnt-out parent feel seen.
📺 Amelia recommends SNL's MAHAspital, a comedic take on The Pitt, describing the medical drama as ‘competency porn’ for those who love watching experts excel at their jobs.
Support independent women's media
What To Listen To Next:
Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
New Twin Dad Luca Enters The Chat & Divorce Just Got A Rebrand
Empty Weekend Parenting & The Viral Rocking Chair Test
Wait, Did We Just Witness The Ultimate Co-Parenting Sin?
The Problem With Being The 'Easy Kid'
FFS, Just Invite People Over To Your Messy House
So, Yeah. Turns Out THIS Is The Very Last Parenting Taboo
Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts
What to read:
Someone needs to gently tell Harper Beckham this is a bad idea.
'I watch TV for a living. These are the 13 best shows of 2025.'
What the hell has happened to the school Easter bonnet parade?
The bleak reason smoking is 'back' has zero to do with cool.
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: Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester & Monique Bowley
Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine
Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock
Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges
Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz
Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Move over "conscious uncoupling". Divorce is getting a rebrand. This week, Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks and Amelia Lester unpack Hollywood Actor Lake Bell’s unconventional approach to explaining her split to her kids. So, why is she banning the word ‘but,’ and is she onto something?
Plus, Australian influencer Indy Clinton has gone viral for struggling with her sons kindergarten times tables, and honestly? Same. So, is homework still a thing in 2026 or is it time to let kids just be kids?
And, a viral post by Jana Barrett has the internet talking about the invisible labor behind every successful man. He got the trophy, she got the school run. It has us asking, do we all deserve a medal for carrying the mental load?
And our very own Jessie Stevens and Luca Lavigne are officially parents of three after twins Harry and Margot came into the world slightly earlier than planned. Luca checks in from the NICU 'baby bubble' to tell us how they’re navigating life as a family of five.
Our Recommendations:
💇‍♀️ Stacey is obsessed with The Wavytalk thermal blow dry brush for a smooth, salon-style finish.
📚 Amelia recommends the Babysitter’s Little Sister graphic novels.
📝 Monz has been hit hard by Darragh Fleming’s poem ‘If I Ever Have Boys’.
Support independent women's media
What To Listen To Next:
Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
Empty Weekend Parenting & The Viral Rocking Chair Test
Wait, Did We Just Witness The Ultimate Co-Parenting Sin?
The Problem With Being The 'Easy Kid'
FFS, Just Invite People Over To Your Messy House
So, Yeah. Turns Out THIS Is The Very Last Parenting Taboo
Michelle Obama’s Parenting Truth Bomb & A Middle Finger To Mothers
The Beckham Family Estrangement: When Does Control Become Controlling?
Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts
What to read:
'As a teacher of 20 years, I’ve seen what homework can do to a student.'
Indy Clinton was determined to unmask her trolls. She's just been handed a 64-page report.
The 2026 BAFTA nominations are out, and Aussies are making their mark.
'I can't stop Googling my ex from 7 years ago. It has nothing to do with missing him.'
'The perks of divorce nobody talks about. But everyone should hear.'
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: Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester & Monique Bowley
Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine
Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock
Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges
Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz
Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Young Millennials and Gen Z are currently spiralling over the ultimate 'Why Now?' question: To procreate, or not to procreate? To help, they’ve resurrected an unlikely guru from the 1980s — Merle Bombardieri — whose decades-old 'Rocking Chair Test' is currently trending as the ultimate fix for biological-clock-induced brain rot. We unpack whether a 40-year-old therapy book can actually solve the most high-stakes dilemma of our lives.
Plus, Amelia Lester, Monique Bowley, and Stacey Hicks are diving into the rise of the 'Empty Parenting Weekend'. And, from Matt Damon’s viral 'don’t blink' dad take, to the obsession with Paul Mescal’s mum, we’re asking: Why is Hollywood parenting suddenly so wholesome?
Our Recommendations:
🏝️ Stacey recommends Survivor season 50 on Stan, an all stars season that spans 25 years of the show's iconic winner.
🏃‍♀️ Amelia recommends trading the solo gym sessions for rugby preseason drills with the kids.
🌙 Monz recommends ‘Mummy Mondays’, her ritual for getting kids to open up about their worries by simply looking at the ceiling in the dark
Support independent women's media
What To Listen To Next:
Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
Wait, Did We Just Witness The Ultimate Co-Parenting Sin?
The Problem With Being The 'Easy Kid'
FFS, Just Invite People Over To Your Messy House
So, Yeah. Turns Out THIS Is The Very Last Parenting Taboo
Michelle Obama’s Parenting Truth Bomb & A Middle Finger To Mothers
The Beckham Family Estrangement: When Does Control Become Controlling?
Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts
What to read:
There's a new parenting trend, and it's basically the excuse we've been waiting for.
'It's never the big stuff that derails our family trips. It's... everything else.'
'Australian Survivor has restored my faith in reality TV men.'
'I help women decide whether or not to have kids with these 5 questions.'
'I'm child-free by choice. But when my friend told me she was pregnant, I felt grief.'
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: Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester & Monique Bowley
Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine
Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock
Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges
Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz
Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parents of children who are 'short sleepers' — kids genetically programmed to survive on four hours of rest (and pure chaos) — we see you. We unpack the science on Parenting Out Loud this week of why some kids are simply 'built different'... and why the rest of us are drowning in caffeine.
Plus, we need to talk about the fetishisation of the 'Involved Father'. From Chris Hemsworth’s commemorative tattoos to the rise of the ‘Swiftie Dad,’ why does society throw a parade when a man does the bare minimum, yet side-eye Bobby Cannavale for skipping the Golden Globes to go to a reptile expo? (Justice for Bobby, tbh).
And, ex-One Directioner Zayn Malik is single-handedly causing Tooth Fairy inflation, but the real digital horror story is the school Facebook group. Is opting out of the 'digital footprint' a smart move, or does it just make you the ‘weird’ privacy parent who everyone is accidentally tagging anyway?
Our Recommendations:
💄 Stacey recommends the Mecca Max Vol. Tubing Mascara for the ultimate ‘lash socks’ that actually come off without a fight.
📕 Amelia could not put down I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, a comic masterpiece that’s a fascinating, heartbreaking glimpse into Hollywood.
🍣 Monz recommends the $10 Kmart sushi maker to save your bank account from the ‘chicken nugget’ of the 2020s.
Support independent women's media
What To Listen To Next:
Don't miss an episode of Parenting Out Loud
The Problem With Being The 'Easy Kid'
FFS, Just Invite People Over To Your Messy House
So, Yeah. Turns Out THIS Is The Very Last Parenting Taboo
Michelle Obama’s Parenting Truth Bomb & A Middle Finger To Mothers
The Beckham Family Estrangement: When Does Control Become Controlling?
The Clicker Test That Changes Everything & Our 'Public Nuisance' Park Fight
Bluey's Hottest Character & The Out-Of-Control Cost of Competition
Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts
What to read:
'I'm raising my daughter with a single mum I met online. I'll never live with a man again.'
MIA FREEDMAN: 'What the Taylor concert was really like.'
This is why celebrities are boring now.
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: Stacey Hicks, Amelia Lester & Monique Bowley
Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine
Executive Producer: Sasha Tannock
Senior/Audio Producer: Leah Porges
Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz
Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.