This week, Danusia Malina-Derben brings in Wies Bratby—founder of Women in Negotiation and self-proclaimed “women’s butt kicker”—to break down why every woman needs to own her worth in the world of negotiation. It’s not just about more zeros on the paycheck; it’s about freedom, choices, and doing life on your own terms.

Wies shares her wisdom on the art of asking for what you deserve—without the guilt trip. From salary boosts to the (often trickier) negotiations at home, she dishes out practical tips for women ready to stand up, speak up, and stop settling. And heads up: there’s no room for playing small here.

This episode is a masterclass in confidence, clarity, and the sheer power of knowing your worth. Tune in to get fired up, and don’t miss Wies’s top tips on making every negotiation a win.

Discover more from us:

• Join PWT community on Substack

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia

• Find Wies here

• The Harvard Negotiation Method

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

Discover more from us:

• Follow PWT on Substack

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

Join us for the final episode of the debate, "Should Parents Let Their Underage Children Drink Alcohol?"  Our three guests tackle tough questions head-on, openly sharing their views on underage drinking. In the "If This, Then That" segment, they reveal the unvarnished consequences of allowing or not allowing underage drinking. We also explore the one habit each guest adopts based on their beliefs, highlighting how their stances influence their actions. Danusia concludes the debate with her reflections. Share your thoughts at team@parentswhothink.co.uk or on the PWT Youtube channel

PWT Guests featured in this debate are:

Keiyia Jackson-George +Dave Wilson+ Casey McMurray

Discover more from us:

• Join us on PWT Substack 

• World Health Organisation Study 

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia 

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Roger Heathers

• Assisted by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

Is life a STAGE? The multi-talented Nicole Ansari joins me for a conversation on STAGE. Whether that's her on-stage (and screen) roles, setting the stage as a director, the different stages of life and so much more (including the hemp/cannabis had on Nicole's life and work)

"It's in the uncomfortable moments that change and transformation and the deeper understanding of ourselves as human beings and our purpose here can take place." 

About my guest, Nicole Ansari:

Nicole Ansari Cox is an internationally renowned actress, producer and director of Film, TV and Theatre who, parallel to her acting career which started at the age of 14, has pursued and been certified in numerous training programs in the healing and wellness field. She was born a seeker of spiritual knowledge and is a certified advanced Theta healing practitioner, KRI certified Kundalini Yoga teacher, IAYT certified Yoga Therapist, certified OM trainer and life coach and coaches actors and professionals.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

How do we find Zen in and amongst the NOISE of motherhood? Today I’m joined by Founders of Zen Mana and Hollywood actresses and entrepreneurs, Sarah Wright Olsen (Mad Men, Parks & Recs, Spinning Out) and Teresa Palmer (Sky TV’s, A Discovery of Witches). We have a down-to-earth conversation about Finding our Zen in and amongst life/motherhood/the-whole-caboodle.

Join us as we explore:

• Finding Zen with a VERY busy schedule
• How to establish & maintain boundaries
• The power of small habits
• Letting go > embracing the peaks + troughs
• Love Languages
• And more....

Buy NOISE: A Manifesto Modernising Motherhood HERE

Buy Teresa's & Sarah's new book, “Zen Mamas: Finding Your Path Through Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond” here

About my guests, Sarah Wright Olsen and Teresa Palmer:

Sarah Wright Olsen is a mother of three, Esme, Wyatt and Winter. She started the website Yourzenmama.com with her partner Teresa Palmer to help support mothers, fathers and caregivers and provide a safe space to learn and share stories about the parenting journey. Sarah has starred in many TV shows and movies including Mad Men, Parks and Recreation, The House Bunny and opposite Tom Cruise in American Made. She is currently has a show on Netflix called Spinning Out. Sarah is also the co-owner of a plant-based organic mommy/baby skincare line, baeo.com

Teresa Palmer is a mother of three, Bodhi, Forest and Poet, and stepmother to Isaac. She has starred in many major films, including Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge, for which she received an AACTA nomination for best supporting actress, and Ride Like a Girl, the biopic of trailblazing Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne. She is currently playing the starring role in the Sky series A Discovery of Witches while running the plant-based wellness brand Lovewell.

www.schoolformothers.com — School For Mothers Private Facebook Group — School for Mothers Instagram

How do we FEED our ambition? I’m joined by TV Chef and "Challah Mummy" Allegra Benitah for a conversation on FEED. We get right into:

- What FEEDs Allegra’s ambition and how this has changed over the years
- What FEEDs her passion for all things challah and growing fruit and veg at home
- Allegra’s decision to step away from her career as a Magic Circle Tax Lawyer when she became a mother - and how that doesn’t make her any less ambitious for herself

Here’s a quote from Allegra that I adore “Being a mother ramped everything up for me intellectually”. 

About my guest, Allegra Benitah:

Allegra Benitah read Law at Magdalene College, Cambridge before qualifying as a Tax Lawyer at a Magic Circle Law Firm. After the birth of her first child, Allegra walked away from her legal career to be a full-time Mum. Allegra began baking to entertain her children and became a TV Chef and Instagram baking personality known as the Challah Mummy. Allegra has appeared on many TV Shows, including ITV’s This Morning, Good Morning Britain and James Martin’s Saturday Morning.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

We're reclaiming JOY on the podcast with Molly Mahar, founder of Stratejoy! Here’s a fab quote from Molly > “I’m not afraid of joy. I'm more afraid of boredom and numbness than I am of grief or despair. So I think that's the flipside of letting joy in. You have to let the hard ones in too.” YES to that - it’s about feeling it all!

We get into:
- Reclaiming JOY
- Being ballsy and going for gold
- The link between rest + contemplation + joy
- That Public/Private persona balance

About my guest, Molly Mahar:

Molly Mahar is the founder of Stratejoy — an online community that has helped thousands of women reclaim joy and meaning in their world. She’s an entrepreneur, mama, and adventurer obsessed with taboo topics, designing personal experiments, and the power of sisterhood. Her superpowers? Telling the truth kindly, gathering awesome women together, and yes — reclaiming joy.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

“The mother is the beginning of everything yet she’s often the last called to the table” Dr Aurelie Athan joins me for an episode about motherhood, identity, and so much more. Aurelie’s a reproductive psychologist and faculty member at Columbia University where she’s revived the term Matrescence. Her work is revolutionary - unlike the majority of academic studies into motherhood she focuses on the actual mother (not their children). She studies mothers' development holistically, both their thriving AND distress. In this episode we explore how her work on matrescence led her to new work around reproductive identity.

If you’ve seen the back cover of my book, NOISE, you’ll know that the central question I explore is “How can I be a Mother and be Me?” so talking about motherhood and identity is always right up my street. In fact, I reference Aurelie’s research in NOISE, and the quote above is included in the book.

Get my book - NOISE: A Manifesto Modernising Motherhood - Danusia Malina-Derben

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

MEET felt like a rather apt title after a year of limited meetings, and needing to meet plenty of new challenges, too! In today's episode I’m joined by Founder of @happity.co.uk Sara Tateno. We get into >>>

- How Happity began
- Gender neutrality in parenting
- The power (and importance!) of support networks
- Combining motherhood + startup life
.... and more!

About my guest, Sara Tateno:

Sara is the co-founder of Happity.co.uk, the UK's leading platform for finding and booking classes for under-5s. She is passionate about connecting new parents in their communities to make life better. Sara worked in corporate roles before having children. She had the idea for Happity during her second pregnancy having been abruptly made redundant. Determined to bring her idea to fruition, yet knowing nothing about tech, she started learning to code with her baby in tow and went on to build the first versions of the site. She now oversees the Product and Technical aspects of Happity, with a team that has always worked flexibly from home, long before Covid came along!

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

Saying YES to ambition. My guest this week is Claudia Reuter, Author of "Yes, You Can Do This!" , Podcast Creator & Host for "The 43 Percent", and a tech CEO. In the episode we get into: 

• Calling bullshit on structures that aren’t made to support mothers (Remember 85% of women become mothers! How’s that for equality 😡)
• Ambition and why we’ve no reason to be apologetic about it 🙄💥
• How Claudia focuses on strengths to move toward a shared vision 👓
• Why “Leaning In” is too binary 🔬
• And More!

About my guest, Claudia Reuter: 

Claudia Reuter is CEO of High Alpha Studio and was previously a General Manager for Techstars, the Senior Vice President of Labs and Digital Services for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and the former CEO and co-founder of SchoolChapters (acquired by HMH). She currently serves on the Board of Directors at Lessonly and has been featured on leanin.org, quoted in Forbes and Entrepreneur, and recognized for her trailblazing work by the Boston Business Journal as a “Women to Watch in Technology” and as a “Changemaker” by HUBweek. Her book, 'Yes, You Can Do This! How Women Startup, Scaleup, and Build the Life They Want" (Wiley 2020) debuted as a #1 new release on Amazon, and was hailed as a must-read manifesto for the next generation of female founders. Claudia recently had an opinion piece published in Fast Company, titled "Forget leaning in or out: These are the questions we should be asking women (and men)." She is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Innovation Leader and is the creator and host of the podcast “The 43 Percent,” which debuted in March 2019 as a “New and Noteworthy” on Apple podcasts.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

How can I be a Mother and be Me? That's what my upcoming book, NOISE: A Manifesto Modernising Motherhood, is all about. 

On the one hand, this book is about being a mother, but it's also about how, once we become mothers, we're not allowed to be ourselves. NOISE is a powerful dismantling of the barriers and central tenets that hold women back. 

This manifesto was built to start a conversation; it's a call-to-arms to get ideas flowing through our communities, and an invitation to think differently about what we're repeatedly told about motherhood.

Pre-Order here:

• Directly from the Publisher (Ships internationally)
• On Amazon.co.uk 

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

Clover’s joined me for another SFM pod ep - this one’s a cheeky bonus episode. We chat real-stuff about the many realities of mothering during a pandemic - what an unforgettably bizarre time. We also veer into words on her forthcoming book she’s currently writing. It sounds absolutely glorious (as expected). Once again she’s writing about the wonderfully messy experience of being human but from a different angle...

Before we can get our hands on that new book - her Sunday Times Bestselling book My Wild and Sleepless Nights has just been released in paperback. Now’s the moment to go and grab a copy! Here's the link to buy the paperback

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

"𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮'𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚" << I'm 100% with Sarah on this one. This week Sarah K Peck, Founder of @startup_parent joins me to talk on the topic of START. With all things IWD swilling around this week, it's the *perfect* moment to release this ep. We get right into:

- Being bold and STARTing a business 
- Why mothers make ideal startup founders
- Living to our values. [Not in any kind of twee way]
- How a book might be the best business card for you + your biz. 

About my guest, Sarah K Peck: 

Sarah K Peck is the founder and CEO of Startup Parent and the host of The Startup Parent Podcast, an award-winning podcast featuring women in entrepreneurship, business, and parenting. She runs The Wise Women’s Council, a year-long membership program for women to come together and be honest and brave together while navigating the challenges of working and parenting. Her writing and work has been featured on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and more. She lives in New York City with her family.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

Opinionated parents weigh in on the topic of underage drinking. Listen to debate guests discuss the reasons for and against allowing underage kids to drink alcohol. Is normalizing alcohol consumption harmful, and if so, why? Should parents introduce alcohol to their underage children to prepare them for adulthood? What are the risks of endorsing underage drinking?

Get surprising answers to these questions from guests who candidly give their perspectives. Share your thoughts on this debate by emailing team@parentswhothink.co.uk or by visiting the PWT YouTube channel.

Next week, we get stuck into the real-world implications of these parents beliefs. How do their beliefs affect their lives? Remember, Parents Who Think won't hand you the answers; we're dishing out the debates, and it's up to you to pick your side.

PWT Guests featured in this debate are:

Keiyia Jackson-George +Dave Wilson+ Casey McMurray

Discover more from us:

• Join us on PWT Substack 

• World Health Organisation Study 

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia 

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Roger Heathers

• Assisted by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

Having the NERVE to do big and bold things. My guest this week is broadcaster and author, Kaye Adams. A UK household name, Kaye’s known for her candour on-screen. We explore having the nerve to be transparent & open, the nerves of menopause and so much more. 

About my guest, Kaye Adams:

Kaye is a regular panellist on ITV's Loose Women for 20 years on and off and the original anchor with Nadia Sawalha . She’s bombed off Celebrity Masterchef, won Celebrity Mastermind, and was completely humiliated on Total Wipeout. Kaye presents The Kaye Adams programme on BBC Radio Scotland Mon-Thurs, 9-12. She’s also co-authored, with Vicky Allan, STILL HOT! 42 Brilliantly Honest Menopause Stories.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

Owning the power of personal branding. Sarah Ashman, Creative Director & Founder of Public Persona, joins me to explore how we can dive into personal branding in a way that feels authentic and aligned with our values. We get into Future Self Profiles, "mirror brands" and how personal branding is communicating the "real person underneath the layers".

About my guest, Sarah Ashman:

Sarah Ashman is the founder of Public Persona Studio, a small business focused on helping entrepreneurs and influencers clarify their brand, uplevel their business, elevate their influence, and increase their perceived value through branding. She has over 18 years of experience as a brand strategist and creative director, creating compelling and cohesive brands that are magnetic and memorable. She has worked with some of the foremost thought-leaders within the entrepreneurial space as well as Fortune 100 companies such as Estée Lauder, Vogue Magazine, and Mercedes Benz.

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

My guest this week is writer, broadcaster and journalist;  Emma Woolf. Emma's a prolific author (and journalist + broadcaster) - several of her books focus on eating disorders, including her own journey. As National Eating Disorder Awareness Week approaches, Emma and I discuss the impact of ED's on life (for everyone involved), recovery and so much more.

Emma Woolf is a writer, critic, journalist, former columnist for The Times and Newsweek, and TV presenter on Channel 4’s Supersize vs Superskinny. Often heard debating and reviewing on BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Ulster.

Bestselling books include:

- An Apple a Day: A Memoir of Love and Recovery from Anorexia

- The Ministry of Thin: How the Pursuit of Perfection Got Out of Control

- Letting Go: How To Heal Your Hurt, Love Your Body & Transform Your Life

- Positively Primal: Finding Health & Happiness in a Hectic World

- The A-Z of Eating Disorders

- Wellbeing: Body Confidence, Health & Happiness

- Ways of Escape

- England’s Lane

Read the full show notes over on our website

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

Finding power in the things we’re told to hate. My guest is Hollie McNish, writer and poet. We explore her  upcoming book “SLUG and other things I was told to hate” and SO much more. We talk masturbation, grief, feminism, being blunt and of course, her poetry.  PRE-ORDER MY BOOK >>  NOISE: A Manifesto Modernising Motherhood https://www.triumphpress.co/books/p/noise Hollie McNish is a UK writer based between Glasgow and Cambridge. She has published three collections of poetry – Papers, Cherry Pie, Plum – a play relating the history of UK women’s football – Offside, co-written with Sabrina Mahfouz - and one poetic memoir – Nobody Told Me – of which The Scotsman stated ‘The World Needs this Book’ and which won the Ted Hughes Prize for New Work in Poetry. Her poems have been translated into French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Polish and Japanese and she has performed them worldwide alongside the likes of Irvine Welsh, Kae Tempest, Jackie Kay, Helen Pankhurst and Young Fathers.Her forthcoming title – Slug: and other things I’ve been told to hate – is to be released in May 2021 with Fleet, Hachette.Read the full show notes over on our website >> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/118-slug-hollie-mcnish/ School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

Cut the stress & pressure out of mealtimes with fussy eaters. My guest for this special episode is Ciara Attwell; Author of My Fussy Eaters, Autism Advocate and Founder of Pick Plates. Ciara shares her no-nonsense and totally down to earth advice on how to get fussy eaters eating (!) and exploring new foods.

About Ciara Attwell:

Ciara is founder of My Fussy Eater and mum to Aoife (aged 8) and Finn (aged 5). She started her blog in 2014 in an attempt to get her very fussy eating daughter, then aged 3, to eat a better and more varied diet and to put some fun back into mealtimes. Since then she's shared over 500 recipes on her site and My Fussy Eater has fast become one of the leading family food blogs in the UK and Ireland. Her aim is to help frustrated parents, grandparents and carers introduce their reluctant eaters to mealtimes that are not only healthy but also fun. In 2020 she launched Pick Plates. 

Motherhood: raw and unedited. My guest today is NYT bestselling author Kate Baer. We get down and dirty into the highs and lows of motherhood including why mothers should be angry, the power of women writers, and the inspiration for her poetry collection: WHAT KIND OF WOMAN. 

About my guest, Kate Baer:

Kate Baer is a writer and poet based on the East Coast. Her work is regularly featured on Joanna Goddard’s A Cup Of Jo, Romper, and Huffington Post. Her first book, What Kind Of Woman, published by Harper Collins in 2020, was an instant NYT bestseller.

Is everything in your home FAIRly balanced? My guest this week knows all about making homelife equitable. Yes, I’m joined by Eve Rodsky, the author of New York Times Bestseller of Fair Play. We explore what led Eve to write this game-changing book (one-word hint: blueberries), how couples can work together to create REAL balance in their home, “unicorn space” and SO much more 💥

About my guest, Eve Rodsky: 

In her New York Times bestselling book Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live), Eve Rodsky applies her expertise in organizational management to a problem closer to home – a system for couples seeking balance, efficiency, and peace in their home

Sick and tired of being the one to think about *E - V - E - R - Y - T - H - I - N - G* at home - from birthday gifts, cleaning {or organising the cleaner}, planning life, + remembering to put the bins out—basically the whole shebang?

You’re not alone. Lockdown’s been a magnifying glass on all those niggling chores that nobody else picks up. If you could, would you renegotiate sharing these domestics and who thinks about them? The mundane repetitive stuff that has to be done by someone. But does it need to be you? Course not.

Join my guests and I, as we explore exactly how to divvy up the domestics fairly.

I’m joined by guests:

• Joy Foster - Founder of Tech Pixies
• Rebekah Bostan - Corporate Professional and Diversity Advocate
• Evelini Quarrell - Podcast Host

This episode is the audio of a LIVE roundtable I filmed with my guest over in the School for Mothers Group - come join us here

“𝙿𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚋𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎.” Time Management Expert and Bestselling Author Laura Vanderkam joins me to get into the nitty-gritty of making our time work for us. The impact of COVID-19 is pushing us to stretch our time across even more demands than ever - join us as we explore how to keep focus, switch up routines, and our thoughts on the future of remote working. 

About my guest, Laura Vanderkam:

Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management and productivity books, including The New Corner Office, Juliet’s School of Possibilities, Off the Clock, I Know How She Does It, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, and 168 Hours. Her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Fortune. She is the host of the podcast Before Breakfast and the co-host, with Sarah Hart-Unger, of the podcast Best of Both Worlds. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and five children, and blogs at LauraVanderkam.com.

Read the full show notes over on our website : >> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/115-time-laura-vanderkam/ 

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

We’re reclaiming and unpacking the word “𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑” with NYT bestselling author Nic Stone. From the way it’s thrown at women, to cliche ambitious woman = bitch tropes, and the relationship between being a conspicuous woman. Join me for a power-packed episode with, in her own words, “bad bitch” Nic Stone.

Nic Stone is an Atlanta native and a Spelman College graduate. Her debut novel for young adults, Dear Martin, and her debut middle-grade novel, Clean Getaway, were both New York Times bestsellers. She is also the author of Odd One Out, a novel about discovering oneself and who it is okay to love, which was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a Rainbow Book List Top Ten selection, Jackpot, a love-ish story that takes a searing look at economic inequality and Shuri: A Black Panther Novel based on the much-loved character from the Black Panther comics and film. Dear Justyce, the sequel to Dear Martin, was published on September 29, 2020. Nic lives in Atlanta with her family. Find her online at nicstone.info or @nicstone.

Opinionated parents sound off about whether underage kids should drink alcohol. Who are the three parents in this hot debate? Do they have predictable, progressive or polarising opinions? What’s the link between their childhood and what they think about underage kids drinking booze?

Have your say at team@parentswhothink.co.uk or over at the  PWT Youtube channel

PWT Guests featured in this debate are:

Keiyia Jackson-George +Dave Wilson+ Casey McMurray

Discover more from us:

• Join us on PWT Substack 

• World Health Organisation Study 

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia 

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Roger Heathers

• Assisted by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

Bringing up race with our kids. Blogger, screenwriter and creative consultant Uju Asika joins me to share exactly how we can raise kinder kids. We explore how Gen Z have the opportunity to change the world and our role as parents in this. As Uju says, we have to be “actively inclusive”. 

Uju Asika is a multiple award-nominated blogger (babesabouttown.com), digital consultant (mothersandshakers.net) and author of the book Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World, published in September 2020 by Yellow Kite (Hachette UK). Uju lives in Islington, north London with her husband and two football-mad boys. Follow Uju @babesabouttown on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook

Dancing on the EDGE with feminist icon and writer; Erica Jong! Yes, global-sensation Erica Jong joins me for an exploration of all things EDGE, from writing taboo-busting books, living on the edge and being, as Erica puts it, seen as a “bad girl”. This conversation takes us on a whistlestop tour of what it means to be a woman speaking out and saying the unspoken. 

Erica Jong is a celebrated poet, novelist & essayist with over 27 published books that have been influential all over the world. Erica’s most popular novel, Fear of Flying, celebrated its forty fifth anniversary in 2018. Never out of print, it’s sold over 35 million copies in 50 languages including Chinese and Arabic. Erica’s won countless international awards and her poetry has appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including The New Yorker, and L.A. Times, The Paris Review, Haaretz, and many many more. Her latest book of poetry is titled The World Began With Yes and Erica is currently working on her autobiography, too. She lives in New York with her husband and two poodles. Her daughter, Molly Jong-Fast is also a writer and political essayist. 

Read the full show notes on www.schoolformothers.com/podcast 

Taking the PLUNGE into life - whether that’s wild swimming, big projects at work and beyond. My guest this week is Vicky Allan. We explore the power of plunging into things - as Vicky says: “If we don’t do some kind of plunging we stop doing anything”. Vicky’s the co-author (with Kaye Adams) of Still Hot! 42 Brilliantly Honest Menopause Stories, which I contributed to. She’s also a journalist, who works for The Herald and has written for many other papers and magazines. She’s particularly passionate about two areas, gender and bodies, and also the climate and biodiversity crises. 

Read the full show notes over on our websitehttps://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/113-plunge-vicky-allan/

What will it take to dismantle diet culture for our kids, and for ourselves? I'm so glad to be sharing a gloriously body-positive episode with guest Molly Forbes @mollyjforbes. January's always a stark reminder that there's so much unpicking for us to do with diet culture- considering the impact on our kids is a great place to start! With kids as young as 7 wanting to count calories and PE teachers commenting on weight gain, there's so much work to be done. Molly and I explore having conversations about weight, letting go of vigilance, plus how to raise our kids to accept all bodies as worthy and wonderful.

Read the full show notes and see all of our episodes over on > https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast/ 

TREAT = something that gives pleasure and how we behave towards others.  CEO and FD of Ridgeview Wine Estate, a family run producer of International award winning English sparkling wines. Tamara’s a qualified chartered accountant and is responsible for the financial management of the business as well as setting & implementing the strategy across all other areas from grape to glass. In today’s bubbly episode we explore all things TREAT from being a leader, having ambition and more. Read the full show notes over on our website > https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/111-treat-tamara-roberts/ ‎

2020’s been dominated by COVID-19, changed plans, reconfigured lives and new directions - as if I need to remind you! If you’re thinking of changing careers by choice or, let’s get real, necessity - Sunday's podcast is one for you! I recorded this live over on facebook with my fab guests and can't wait to share on the SFM Podcast too.

We cover: redundancy, pivoting, seeing change as an opportunity and so much more!

My awesome guests are: Eleanor Tweddell, author of “Why Losing Your Job Could be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You”, Olympic athlete Michelle Griffith Robinson, and luxury fashion expert Kuo-Fang Yang-O'Connor 

RELATIONSHIPS AT CHRISTMAS can feel some added pressure. Alexandra Stockwell, Relationship and Intimacy Expert, joins me to share actionable advice on how to ease through the season. It’s less about fancier gifts and *all* about getting in touch with how we want to feel this Christmas. 

Read the full show notes over on our website 

School for Mothers Website ●  School For Mothers Private Facebook Group ● School for Mothers Instagram

What exactly is tapping and how can it help us release tension and feel calmer? My guest for this Sunday Supplement is exactly the person to answer that question! Sarah Tobin joins me to share what tapping is, how to incorporate the techniques into everyday life plus how it's especially handy during stressful times (like Christmas and a pandemic!). Sarah is an experienced Tapping Practitioner and the creator of Tapping for Mums.

This special episode is perfect for binge listeners! Listen to the complete "Should Smacking be Banned in England & Northern Ireland?" debate and enjoy an uninterrupted exploration of this thought-provoking topic. Three parents share their unfiltered thoughts and opinions, holding nothing back.

We start with guests presenting their quick 200-word LIFE STORIES, then move on to THE P THAT FITS ME segment, where they disclose whether they see themselves as Progressive, Predictable, or Polarising. Host and mother of ten Danusia shares her experiences in the DISHING THE DIRT segment before diving into the main discussion in GET UP ON YOUR HIGH HORSE.

In the IF THIS, THEN THAT section, we lay bare the consequences of smacking, without any sugarcoating. We explore the ONE HABIT each guest adopts based on their stance, highlighting how beliefs influence actions.

Danusia wraps up the “Should smacking be banned in England & Northern Ireland?” with her own reflections.  Consider this: Did this debate challenge your perspective or prompt a rethink of your beliefs? At Parents Who Think, we aim to spark thought, not dictate it.

Join us next time as we tackle the big question: "Should Parents Let Their Under-Age Kids Drink Alcohol?" Get ready for debate done differently.

PWT Guests featured in this debate are:

Roma Norriss + Jo Bull + Nicole Ratcliffe

Discover more from us:

• Join us on Substack ~ We’re building a PWT community there. Come on over. 

• 70 countries that banned smacking 

• Smacking is an act of violence Guardian article 

• Why smacking should not be criminalised article

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts 

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben 

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Roger Heathers

• Assisted by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

How do you feel about CHANGE? Are you one to embrace it or run in the opposite direction? My guest for episode 108 is award-winning editor, Trish Halpin. Trish has spent 20 years at the helm of three of the UK’s most iconic magazines: Marie Claire, InStyle and Red. She’s also the co-host of The Sunday Times Podcast, Postcards from Midlife. In this episode we cover: coping with change, mid-life changes, changes of pace and parenting teens! 

Read the full show notes over on our website >> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/108-change-trish-halpin/ ‎

This ep is all about being KIND to ourselves. Zoe Blaskey, founder of Motherkind joins me for a conversation all about wellness and nourishment. 2020's been a full on year for everyone, but *especially* for parents juggling careers, care, homeschool and everything else. This episode explores the importance of finding time to nourish ourselves in and amongst the juggle.

Read the full show notes over on our website >>> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/107-kind-zoe-blaskey/

How do we navigate Christmas with separation and divorce in the mix? Today’s Sunday Supplement episode with Nina Farr is all about making this season as drama-free as possible. Let’s face it, Christmas can be an intense time, adding a new family setup/grief/conflict (and whatever else) into the mix is tough. This ep will equip you with practical advice and tips to move forward positively over Christmas. Nina’s a Single Motherhood Coach, Author, and Founder of The Cluster Mothers community for women who parent alone.

Read the full show notes over on our website >> 

 https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/christmas-after-separation-or-divorce-nina-farr

How do we authentically stand out in a crowd? In this episode I’m joined by podcast host and entrepreneur Anna Parker-Naples. We explore leadership, fitting in (or not!) and speaking out.

Here’s the link to my special episode with George Floyd’s uncle, Selwyn Jones.

The events of 2020 have shown that the fight against racism and the struggle for equality are far from over. My guest today George Floyd’s uncle, Selwyn Jones, has a unique perspective on this topic. We explore how his life has changed since 25th May 2020 and how Selwyn and his family continue to grieve and move forward. Selwyn also shares his perspective on what’s next and the three ways we should all be working to create an anti-racist world.  

This episode was originally published over on the School for Fathers Podcast. 

Read the full show notes over on our website: https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/Race-with-selwyn-jones-bonus-episode 

We’re strategic about so many things in our lives, so why not our fertility? For Dr Cleopatra Kamperveen, my guest for today’s episode, it’s all about making the most of the PRIMEster - the time *before* getting pregnant. Join us as we talk superbabies, taking control of those prime years and so much more. Cleopatra is a Fertility Strategist & Executive Director of The Fertility & Pregnancy Institute. Join our thriving SFM Community >> https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolformothersgroup/  Read the full show notes over on our website >> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/105-prime-dr-cleopatra-kamperveen/

How do we navigate divorce with kids? My guest today is the author of “A Kids Book About Divorce”, Ashley Simpo. We explore how to move beyond that “typical” image of a family, and more! Plus Ashley shares actionable steps to accept pain whilst embracing the positive, and approve of ourselves. Please remember: marriage is not the pinnacle of success.

Join our thriving SFM Community >> https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolformothersgroup/

Systems are key to KEEPing going and thriving. In today’s episode, I’m joined Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping's Parents and Relationships. We discuss how 2020 has pushed mothers to the edge and how that’s a systemic issue, not individual - remember you’re doing a great job! I also explore with Marisa how systems are key to thriving in working motherhood. What systems have you put in place at home and at work to help you thrive?JOIN US LIVE ON SUNDAY 8th November AT 4pm
https://www.facebook.com/SchoolForMothers/posts/1235325686849160

Consider this episode permission to ROAR in a world that *still* wants women kept quiet and small. In this episode we’re exploring the power of language, living life on our own terms and taking up space. Dominique Christina is a poet and author - as well as being a a mother, educator and intersectional feminist. I’ve included two copies of Dominique’s latest book, Anarcha Speaks, in SFM’s October Book Stack Giveaway over on insta - head to @school.for.mothers.podcast to enter (look for the books and pumpkin pic). If you’ve not seen Dominique perform her poems be sure to head over to the link below. Read the full show notes over on our website >> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/103-roar-dominique-christina/

"Having Sex With Men" < it does what it says on the tin..! My guest this week is Kristopher Lovestone, relationship counsellor, sex educator, and author of Conscious Cock. This ep delves into the world of sensuality and having sex with men... We explore:

• Improving the relationship with our own sexuality and our partners’
• "Rejection as redirection"
• How to pinpoint what we want, and ask for it
• How to support sexual exploration

Kristopher’s book is included in this month’s School for Mothers giveaway - why not head over to Instagram to enter (it’s super simple). Look for the pumpkin and books image! https://www.instagram.com/p/CFzRLTWHldl/ 

Join us for the final episode of the “Should Smacking be Banned in England and Northern Ireland?” debate. Our three guests tackle tough questions head-on as they openly discuss their views on smacking and whether it should be banned. From examining its impact on children to exploring the cultural acceptance of smacking, we delve into the consequences in our IF THIS THEN THAT segment.

Next, we reveal the ONE HABIT each guest has developed based on their stance on children being smacked. Get an inside look at how these strong beliefs shape their everyday actions and approaches to handling parental stress and dysregulation.

Prepare for lively views as our guests present their arguments, whether they support or oppose banning smacking in England and Northern Ireland. Expect a mix of raw honesty, straightforward reflections, and a touch of sass – because at Parents Who Think (PWT), we thrive on the clash of ideas, never settling for empty agreement.

As host Danusia concludes the debate, she shares her personal perspective on whether smacking should be banned. After listening to this concluding debate conversation, take a moment to reflect: Has this debate changed your view? Has it made you think about your beliefs around a ban on smacking? Ultimately, ask yourself: Did this episode make you think? At Parents Who Think we present the debates, and you see what you think.

Join us for the next PWT debate as we tackle the controversial question: “Should parents let their underage children drink alcohol?” Get ready for a debate like no other!

PWT Guests featured in this debate are:

Roma Norriss + Jo Bull + Nicole Ratcliffe

Discover more from us:

• Join us on Substack ~ We’re building a PWT community there. Come on over. 

• 70 countries that banned smacking 

• Smacking is an act of violence Guardian article 

• Why smacking should not be criminalised article

• Follow us on Instagram

• Connect with Danusia

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts 

• Advertising Inquiries here

Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben 

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Roger Heathers

• Assisted by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram

What does it mean to be a "good guy" in a post Me-Too era? I explore the ins-and-out of what it means to be a man with Cleo Stiller, author of Modern Manhood. We delve into the role of men as "the pursuer", how to date beyond Me Too and male archetypes. Plus we get into how to raise emotionally literate (and happy!) sons.  Two copies of Modern Manhood are up for grabs in my monthly book stack giveaway. Head over to our instagram at @school.for.mothers.podcast, to enter. Keep an eye out for the pumpkin and book stack 
Read the full show notes over on our website >>> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/102-men-cleo-stiller/

How do we take control of our libido? Women’s Wellbeing and Menopause Doctor; Dr Shahzadi Harper, joins me to share her wisdom on libido-boosting. Shahzadi says "It's not just about sex. It's a life force. It's the joy of living. It’s an energy." Listen in for actionable steps to connect and strengthen your libido. 

Read the full show notes over on our website >> https://www.schoolformothers.com/podcast_sfm/lessons-on-libido-dr-shahzadi-harper