The Truth About Parenthood

Boomers: iconic, chaotic, and absolutely unstoppable when it comes to giving parenting advice. In this episode of The Truth About Parenthood, Loren and Martin dive headfirst into the boomer multiverse. From the strangers who judge your trolley, your child, and your life choices in under six seconds, to the grandparents who show up with biscuits, big hugs, and the kind of magic money can’t buy. They spill on the unsolicited comments, the generational clashes, and the hilarious moments when boomers simply cannot mind their own business. But they also celebrate the nana-and-koro gold — the wisdom, warmth, and unconditional love that can turn even the messiest parenting week around. This is a full-spectrum kōrero on the boomers who test us, and the grandparents who lift us. (The Truth About Parenthood, the stage show, is on at New Plymouth’s 4th Wall Theatre, Dec 11 - 14.)

Parenthood is a wild ride of beautiful chaos. One minute you’re feeling like Supermum, the next you’re hiding in the pantry eating biscuits and questioning all your life choices.

Once upon a time, date night meant cocktails and gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes. Now, if you’re lucky, it’s Netflix, a block of chocolate you’ve kept hidden from the kids, and hoping no one wakes up crying for an entire hour. In this episode of The Truth About Parenthood, Loren and Martin dive into what relationships really look like after kids. From money chats to parenting clashes, communication breakdowns to those rare romantic moments — it’s a whole different kettle of fish once little humans enter the scene. But it’s not all chaos and cold dinners, because sometimes the mess and mayhem can actually bring you closer. Honest, hilarious, and painfully relatable, this one’s for every couple still trying to find the spark between snack times. (The Truth About Parenthood, the stage show, is on at New Plymouth’s 4th Wall Theatre, Dec 11 - 14)

They say it takes a village to raise a child... But then you crawl out of the newborn haze, look around, and realise... wait, where is this mythical village everyone keeps talking about? In this raw and relatable kōrero, Loren and Martin unpack the myth of “the village” and what happens when you’re parenting far from home, or without the support network you expected. From the invisible load of modern parenting to the very real impacts of postnatal mental health and postnatal autoimmune disorders, they open up about what it really looks like to raise kids in today’s world. Spoiler alert: It’s messy, beautiful, and often a little bit lonely. This episode is honest, heartfelt, and will make every parent out there feel just a little more seen. (The Truth About Parenthood, the stage show, is on at New Plymouth’s 4th Wall Theatre, Dec 11 - 14.)

Behind every good dad is someone still figuring it out day by day. This week on The Truth About Parenthood, the spotlight’s on the dads. Martin opens up about his own fatherhood journey — the joy, the guilt, and the grind — and the tools that helped him through the tougher seasons. Loren and Martin also unpack the experiences that inspired the show’s male character, Richard, a stay-at-home father drawn from one of Loren’s real-life friends. Together they go deep and talk about how fatherhood can shake up identity, relationships, and self-worth, and why it’s hard in the trenches for the dads too. (The Truth About Parenthood, the stage show, is on at New Plymouth’s 4th Wall Theatre, Dec 11 - 14.)

It all starts with birth — that magical, terrifying, occasionally swear-filled moment that changes everything. In this first episode, Loren Armstrong and Martin Quicke dive into the glorious, gory, and downright hilarious world of birth stories. From mothers helping in the delivery room to birth story plot twists, they share the moments that shaped their first days as parents, and laugh about the ones that still make them cringe. Whether your birth plan was laminated or went completely out the window, you’ll feel seen, heard, and probably a little bit traumatised...in the best way. Because the truth about parenthood? It all begins with a wild, unforgettable entrance. (The Truth About Parenthood, the stage show, is on at 4th Wall Theatre, New Plymouth, from December 11 - 14)