Podcast · Kids & Family

Parenting Out Loud

by Mamamia Podcasts · English · Kids & Family

Your weekly dose of culture-savvy conversation parents actually want. We break down the latest from the zeitgeist, news cycle and trending MumTok conversations, with smart takes and zero sugar-coating. Sharp, funny, never sanctimonious: if parents are thinking it, we’re talking about it.. Hit pla

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 38 min
Latest: 2 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

2 Oct 2026 · 39 min

"You Should Leave Your Husband" & Is Weaponised Pooing Really A Thing?

A 20-second clip of a mum carrying a baby, a backpack, and three trays of food had millions of strangers screaming “LEAVE HIM”. Is it the parenting equivalent of the Coldplay viral video? Also, we regret to inform you there is now a name for husbands disappearing into the toilet for suspiciously long periods: weaponised pooping. Also, if parenting feels impossibly hard right now, it's not your fault. We unpack the speech about Australian parenthood that had parents crying with relief, and the three changes that could actually make family life easier. Reccos: Stacey recommends the…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

25 Sep 2026 · 37 min

The World’s Worst Kid's Party & Is This The Gold Standard Divorce?

A fun idea for a kids party ends in a five-hour furore and that's not even the weirdest thing that happened this week, because Gabby's Dollhouse - after 14 seasons - suddenly has a sister, and dogs. What is happening? Meanwhile, Amelia issues an apology for everything we said about Gwyneth Paltrow and conscious uncoupling, because turns out she was onto something. Monz brings us the school mums' Facebook argument that's gone nuclear. Who killed the school volunteer? And why are mums still expected to keep the cake stalls running? Plus, Stacey reveals the post-partum crime almost every new…
18 Sep 2026 · 43 min

Why You Should Cancel That Playdate & We Have Oreogate News

Playdates are cancelled. Because the French reckon adults just need to get together when it suits them, and let the kids figure it out themselves. Sacre Bleu. Meanwhile, The Oreogate plot thickens; was the entire thing a marketing ploy? An ad? Stacey has the official update. Gen Alpha's are making their parents drive three hours for a very specific haircut, Lady Gaga joins the celebrity stealth-baby club, and when a Good Dad of the Internet asks what public toilet he should take his daughters into, 4 million people had thoughts. Plus, Australian schools are winding back classroom screens and…
11 Sep 2026 · 40 min

Rent-A-Nana & Can Meghan Rebrand Motherhood?

Would you rent a nanna? One Australian grandma has built a business on what so many exhausted parents are missing. Take our money, Nanna. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle has been dubbed a submarine parent. Is she really doing anything different from a FIFO dad or does it get complicated when motherhood and domesticity are also part of your brand? Plus, should we stop telling our kids they’re amazing at everything? Raygun, North West and one brutally honest dad have us asking whether endless praise is actually doing kids any favours. Also: the deeply bleak world of AI slop for kids, Matty J is…
4 Sep 2026 · 32 min

Where Have All The Rissoles Gone & “Who’s Your Least Favourite Relative?"

1980's dinners are back. One mum got so sick of weeknight dinners, she went back to cooking only the simple meals of her childhood. Fish fingers. Meat and potatoes. And we love it more than Fritz and Sauce in a bowl (whatever the heck that is). Also, a viral series where adults talk like kids has us wondering whether we're lost the art of great convos. Should we skip straight to: “Who’s your least favourite relative?” We have a five-minute explainer on the big changes coming for kids and families accessing the NDIS, and why the new Thriving Kids system has parents and…
28 Aug 2026 · 39 min

What's Wrong With A Wine Playground & Is The Oreo Mum Even Real?

Grace Rouvray is back this week, alongside Stacey Hicks and Amelia Lester as we remember Dolly Parton and consider the roles 'favourite aunts' have in our child's lives. Plus, Stacey takes us deep into the viral 'Oreo-gate' drama to reveal why the internet’s favourite mum group feud is almost certainly fake. And, we’re rating two new playgrounds — including a wine-barrel setup and a slide that simulates the sinking Titanic. What could go wrong? Right now, every Mamamia subscriber is automatically entered to win a $5,000 Dreamworld holiday for four; flights, accommodation,…
21 Aug 2026 · 37 min

Radical Irwin Parenting, Bluey's Glow-Up & The Lindsay Clancy Trial

Bluey’s had a Hollywood glow-up and some don't love the 3D fur on Australia's best dogs. But are we all just terrible at change? The Lindsay Clancy trial has become the case mothers can’t stop talking about. Why has this horrific story captivated so many? (Skip ahead to 26 minutes if you this isn't for you.) Also, Sarah Abo brought her four-week-old baby onto breakfast TV. A gorgeous “meet the baby” moment… or a tiny glimpse of the pressure women feel to prove they’re still at work while on maternity leave? And Australia could have a parenting expert…
20 Aug 2026 · 24 min

Mamamia Out Loud: The Lindsay Clancy Conversation

This is a heavy one, and an episode we wish we didn’t have to record. Today, we're sharing a story that has broken hearts globally: the Lindsay Clancy trial currently taking place in the US. Mia Freedman is joined by The Quicky journalists, Tamsin Rose and Georgie Page, to unpack the details of this incredibly distressing case. We’ve kept this as a standalone episode so you can choose if, and when, you’re ready to listen. Please look after yourselves. RESOURCES: If you or anyone you know needs to speak with an expert, please contact your GP or in Australia, contact Lifeline…
14 Aug 2026 · 28 min

The Worst-First Theory and Do Babies Belong In Business Class?

Would you let your five-year-old go to the park alone? One mum did, and the internet went straight to abduction, neglect and worst-case scenarios. So… have parents become addicted to imagining the worst? And what’s all that fear doing to our kids? A baby cried in business class and another passenger decided that was simply not part of the premium experience. Anne Hathaway showed off a very normal, very pregnant belly and the internet promptly accused her of faking it. And in wholesome dads of the internet, a Melbourne dad started a walking group for dads, and nobody turned up.…
7 Aug 2026 · 40 min

"You've Only Got Eighteen Summers” & The Case For Cancelling Book Week

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…
31 Jul 2026 · 42 min

The Class Photo Ban & The D*ckhead Dad Rebrand

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…
24 Jul 2026 · 40 min

The Text You Need To Stop Sending

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…
17 Jul 2026 · 38 min

The Hit Show Making A Case For 'Best Friend' Parenting

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…
12 Jul 2026 · 7 min

Your Most Urgent Perimenopause Questions, Answered By 25 Leading Experts

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,…
10 Jul 2026 · 41 min

Where Has All The Swearing Gone & The Bush Wee Rule

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…
3 Jul 2026 · 41 min

A Celebrity’s Secret Children & The Dark Side Of An 'It' Toy

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…
26 Jun 2026 · 43 min

Our Honest Toy Story Review & The Case For Child Free Spaces

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…
19 Jun 2026 · 37 min

The Birthday Post That Sparked A Sharenting Debate

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.…
12 Jun 2026 · 35 min

Buddy & Jesinta's Free-Range Flex & Are You A Relay Parent?

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…
5 Jun 2026 · 32 min

The Royal School Run Is Just Like Yours & What Kids Think We Do All Day

Future King Prince William claims his morning school run is actually just as chaotic and messy as ours. We’re trying to decide whether or not we believe him. From a cryptic countdown to 13 clouds on a billboard. Taylor and Toy Story have officially collabbed. We’re breaking down all the Easter eggs and whether she might be attempting to reach EGOT status with her new song ' I Knew It, I Knew You.' Plus, what do your kids think you do all day? We discuss the hilarious reality of trying to explain our jobs to our children. Also, if you think boarding school in Australia is strictly…
29 May 2026 · 35 min

The One Word You Need To Stop Saying & Were 90s Mums 'All That'?

Are Australian parents okay? If you're finding parenting deeply exhausting, a study has found you're not the only one. Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester and Stacey Hicks are unpacking why parents are feeling so stressed out. Plus, Stacey has a theory that might just be genius. Also, are you constantly saying sorry for your kids just being...kids? We're discussing why we feel the need to apologise all the time and what it might actually be teaching them. Plus, whimsical grandparent names. Everyone is now 'Mimi' and 'Zaza' instead of 'Nanna' and 'Pop'. We discuss whether this new trend is just an…
22 May 2026 · 32 min

'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag

Sienna Miller and Laura Henshaw are presenting two very different versions of new motherhood in our feeds — so why is the internet upset with both of them? Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester and Stacey Hicks dive into the unrealistic expectations on new mums and how there might be no right answer. Also, Mandy Moore has officially entered the chat over Ashley Tisdale’s viral ‘toxic’ mum group essay back in January, and suddnely it feels like we're back in high school. Plus, Japan's late-night ‘crying cafes’ offer the ultimate sanctuary for exhausted mothers, and…
15 May 2026 · 39 min

Signs You’re A Beta Mum & How To ‘Bounce Back’

How soon is too soon to return to work after having a baby? Netballer Paige Hadley was back on the court ten weeks postpartum — and the internet had thoughts . Monique, Amelia, and Clare unpack why we all have so much to say about other women's postpartum choices. If you've ever given up on pairing the kids' sock or let them quit that extracurricular activity — you might be a 'Beta Mum'. We dive into why mums are rejecting the optimised parenting grind and whether it's a feminist revolution or just collective burnout. Plus, the low-key genius parenting hacks hiding in a Reddit…
8 May 2026 · 38 min

The School Holiday Rule & The Big Bluey Stuff Up

Naming a person is a challenge—but one Melbourne family has made their relatives compete for the privilege of a surname. This week Monz, Stacey and Amelia are talking about the Melbourne couple who settled their surname debate with a best-of-three rock-paper-scissors showdown. So, should we be making all family decisions via a game of competitive Jenga from now on? Plus, the school holiday rule that has parents feeling like they’re back in detention. Amelia shares the enormous effort she poured into an official essay just to take her kids overseas, as we debate if ‘world…
1 May 2026 · 37 min

The Holiday Decision One Mum Regrets & Party Bags Are Officially Cancelled

Have school photos become redundant? This week, Monz, Stacey and Amelia are unpacking the $180 million industry that's preys on nostalgia, guilt and the trust that no parent wants to be the one to opt out, despite their phones overflowing with perfectly good pictures of their kids. Plus, an Aussie influencer sparked a firestorm after leaving her baby in a hotel room to grab a quick massage, baby monitor in hand. Was the ensuing internet pile-on a genuine act of concern, or just a new way to pass around the "Bad Mother" baton? And, party bags are officially cancelled, you're welcome. Why…
24 Apr 2026 · 34 min

So, Are You A Popcorn Mum?

This week, Monz, Amelia and Stacey explore the ‘performance’ of public parenting, inspired by Elin Strong’s viral article. So, are you actually parenting for the other people at the park? If the answer is yes, you might be a popcorn mum. The swaddling fail by TV’s favourite doctor has ignited a firestorm amongst fans of medical drama The Pitt and we have thoughts. Also, we discuss Schitt’s Creek actor Dan Levy’s controversial take on planes and babies, and why even most parents are onboard. Plus, Prince Harry and Hamish Blake are opening up about…
17 Apr 2026 · 35 min

The Lunchbox Theory & Our Complicated Feelings About YouTube

This week, Monique, Amelia, and Stacey are discussing the ‘Jessica’ hack gone slightly awry. We talked about it. Our listeners tried it, and some of the results were…spooky. So, why has even Jessica Biel weighed in on this viral trend? Also, we unpack the YouTube-ification of Netflix and why Danny Goh and Miss Rachel are suddenly taking over our Netflix profiles. We dive into the ‘Wild West’ of YouTube and why it’s banned in Monz’s house after a Peppa Pig incident. Plus, we talk about the list of things you must be able to perform to be considered a…
10 Apr 2026 · 33 min

The 3-Hour Mum & The Viral 'Jessica' Hack

This week, Monique Bowley, Stacey Hicks and Amelia Lester unpack the 'max 3-hour mum' theory. That’s how long Skims co-founder and Kardashian-adjacent CEO Emma Grede thinks women should spend with their kids each day on weekends. We discuss whetther the mother of four's ‘quality over quantity’ approach is genius - or missing the point. Also, is kids’ sport officially broken? From private strength sessions for 8-year-olds to parents getting red-carded on the sidelines, we ask when sport stopped being about 'having a go' and started being a ‘gateway to…
3 Apr 2026 · 44 min

Golden Retriever Dads & The ‘You Come Last’ Rule

We’re unpacking the 'parenting rule' that blew up the comments section this week: While the kids are awake, you come last. The Internet had thoughts and so do Monique Bowley, Clare Stephens and Amelia Lester. So, does putting yourself first actually make you a better parent? Plus, we look at the the Barbie Dream Fest — or as the internet is calling it, Fyre Festival for toddlers. Imagine paying $190 USD for an ‘immersive experience’ only to find a warehouse, a concrete floor and a cardboard box with a pink blanket. Also, Parks and Recreation actor Chris Pratt's wife…
27 Mar 2026 · 48 min

The Celebrity Who Loves Bad Kids & The Sibling Effect

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…

About Parenting Out Loud

Parenting Out Loud is a English kids & family podcast from Mamamia Podcasts. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Mamamia Podcasts
Language: English
Category: Kids & Family
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 38 min
Latest episode: 2 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id981373142
Rights: 2026 Mamamia Podcasts

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