Black Ballad Presents: The Survival Guide

In this bonus bite-size edition of The Survival Guide, Chioma Fanawopo, mum, youth worker and wellness practitioner, tells us how we can communicate better with our older children, creating a bond that will last into adulthood.Follow Chioma on Twitter and Instagram, and find out more about her work.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Often, mothers are put a pedestal that it is way too easy to fall off. In this bonus episode, bestselling author Naima Coster discusses her book, 'What's Mine and Yours', messy mother characters as well as dealing with grief in her own parenting journey.Naima's novel, 'What's Mine and Yours', is available now.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this wide-ranging conversation with Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Black Ballad's CEO and co-founder Tobi Oredein discusses Laura's groundbreaking work, JoJo & Gran Gran and they get real about working motherhood and mum guilt.Follow Laura on Twitter and Instagram.Laura's book 'My Skin, Your Skin: Let's Talk About Race, Racism and Empowerment' is available now and you can watch the latest episodes of JoJo & Gran Gran on BBC iPlayer.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adoption is not a foreign concept for many black communities. Even if we don't officially name it, there are many of us who have been brought up by grandmothers, aunties and other relatives. And yet, there are many myths and misconceptions that live on. But we're here to bust them!If you want to read more about black women's experiences of adoption, the following articles are available on Black Ballad:'Why Adult Adoptees Need To Have Their Voices Heard''Belonging in Bath: Our Two Years of Mixed Heritage Adoption'“The Best Thing We Ever Did!” – Four Black Women Talk Honestly About The Joys & Challenges Of AdoptionMany thanks to Adopt London for assisting with this episode.Follow Didi & Priscilla on Instagram.Find out more about the work of Adoptee Futures on their website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.#YouCanAdopt has more information for black adopters, as well as links to agencies across the country. Find out more on their website.The Modern Family Show exists to provide more information on family-building for those in the LGBTQ+ community. Information is also available from Gov.uk.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to statistics, "blended families" are on the rise, but the idea of a happily ever after that involves children from previous relationships, is often written off by many people dating.We get into the practicalities of step-parenting and step-family life with Priscilla Appeaning. It's not all a bed of roses, but it doesn't have to be a basket of thorns either!Read Priscilla's article, 'Why More Black Women Should Prepare Themselves To Become Step-Mums', on Black Ballad.Listen back to the dating episode from the last season of The Survival Guide here.Read Rochelle Rodney's article, 'The Realities Of Dating As A Single Mother', on Black Ballad.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

***Content warning***This episode discusses sexual assault and the physical trauma of childbirth.We dive back into the conversation about sex after childbirth because it's necessary!This time we have three mums talking through their experiences from sex after a C-section, to triggered trauma and body dissociation, to gaining weight and the all-encompassing tiredness of motherhood.If anything in this episode has triggered you, please seek help and speak to a professional. Free counselling is available through Black Minds Matter UK or you can find a therapist through the Black, African and Asian Therapist Network.Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBTSG.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How often in your day to day life as a parent do you get time to just stop, take stock and address how you are feeling?It sounds like a luxury, but in order to be our best selves and create the best environment for our children to grow, we need that space for self-evaluation, addressing wounds and traumas and healing. Nehanda Truscott-Reid, aka The Soul Mama, talks us through how past wounds can reappear in our approach to motherhood and how we can begin that journey to wholeness and liberation in our parenting.Follow Nehanda on Instagram.Listen back to Season 1, Episode 6, here.Read N K Aroni's Black Ballad article 'Intergenerational Trauma, Healing And Making Sense Of My "Mother Wound"' here.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At some point, you have to accept that you're going to become the parent or caregiver you complained about when you were a teenager.But the challenges facing upcoming generations of teens are very different from what many of us faced, similar to how our challenges were different from our parents'. How do we maintain communication, boundaries, respect and our sanity when it comes to dealing with our growing kids? The one and only Jamelia let's us know how she does it and what she's learned as a mother of four different aged kids.Follow Jamelia on Instagram.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No black parent looks forward to having that conversation – the one where you explain to your sweet child what it means to be racialised as 'black'.But how do we prepare our children for the realities of racism, while still encouraging a strong, positive sense of identity? How do we go about raising black kids in mostly white environments? And can we come back to the question of multiethnic households once again?Renowned psychologist and best-selling author Dr Beverly Daniel Tatum explains how we raise black children who are confident, savvy and ready for the world, without burdening them with the trauma of racism.Find out more about the revised 20 year anniversary edition of Dr Beverly's book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race, here.Find out more about Laura Henry-Allain's children's book, My Skin, Your Skin: Let's Talk About Race, Racism and Empowerment, here.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raising black children in an interracial or intercultural household doesn't have to be complicated...does it?But with different cultures having different traditions, expectations and approaches to parenting, having children can bring unforeseen questions and tensions.Ibianga and Abigail speak about how they navigate conflicting opinions and present a united front raising when children in a household with multiple cultures.Read Ibianga's Black Ballad article 'Confronting My Childhood And Righting My Parents' Wrongs' here.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Black Ballad Presents: The Survival Guide is back with a BANG! (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!)In the first episode of our new season we are talking about sex after motherhood with Black Mums Upfront – a topic that we really don't talk about enough.How long do you wait before you dive back in? How do you (and your body) change after the trauma of childbirth? And how do you find your orgasm after you've lost it? All important questions answered with trademark frankness by Carina, Endy, Natalie and Nana-Adwoa.Follow Black Mums Upfront on Instagram and Twitter.Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Let us know what you think about this episode on Twitter by using the hashtag #BBSurvivalGuide.Not yet a member of Black Ballad? Sign up and use the code ‘THRIVE’ for a discount for 50% off 12 months membership.The theme music for this podcast was produced by Dar’rell Banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our final episode, we have an intimate conversation between Tobi Oredein (co-founder and CEO of Black Ballad) and Jendella Benson (Black Ballad's head of editorial) about working motherhood, women's health, parenting choices and future hopes for their children...Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've spoken about a lot of hard things during this season of The Survival Guide, but that only makes us appreciate the little joys of motherhood even more.In this episode, we revisit with previous guests, as they tell us about the little things that bring maximum joy along their parenting journey. Featuring Samantha & Ola (@shadesofblackpodcast), Bolanle Tajudeen (@bolanle_tajudeen), Tobi Asare (@mybumppay), Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) and Wunmi Etti (@abwunmi_).Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Motherhood is wild. Have we told you that it's wild? Just in case you haven't gathered that from the first nine episodes of this series: MOTHERHOOD IS WILD!!!!!In the process of caring for your new baby and adjusting to your new normal, it can feel like you've lost yourself in some ways, and it can be quite a process to 'find' yourself again.Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) talks frankly with us about healing from trauma, mothering herself, why mums need boundaries and so much more.Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not only are black children over-represented in the care system, but black boys wait on average over a year longer than white children to get adopted...These grim figures are encouraging some of us to make the leap into mothering in a different form: through fostering and adoption.But the road is not easy, and this week Aunika (@AunikaBlake/@recoilyouth) takes through her own journey to becoming a foster carer.Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you date when you have children? Practically? Whether you use The Apps or you're a fan of an old-fashioned lingering look across the bar, there are lots of questions that come into play when you decide you're a mum who decides they're ready to date.We talk with Wunmi (@abwunmi_) about her journey with dating, the conclusions she's come to and where she's at now.Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We just want our kids to be healthy, happy and... hopefully not in therapy in 20 years time telling someone how we messed up their lives! Easier said than done though, right?We speak with Liz Pemberton, aka @theblacknurserymanager, about creating a childhood for black children that is safe and joyful.Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If pregnancy and child birth wasn't wild enough, the period immediately after having a baby – aka 'the fourth trimester' – can feel like the jungle!This episode we're joined by Samantha (@thisislovesam) and Ola (@ola_olivia_) from Shades of Black Parenting Podcast (@shadesofblackpodcast) to talk through the joy, rage, and emotional rollercoaster of being a new mum.Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's that moment we've been waiting for... it's Baby's Big Showtime!! But you'll need to have been living under a rock to not know about latest figures that suggest that black mothers are five times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers in the UK. On the surface it doesn't make sense – how does that disparity come about?! And on a human level, it is petrifying!We revisit our conversation with Anu from episode 1 to answer the hows and whys, and also talk about the ways that black mothers and our birthing partners can advocate for and safeguard our wellbeing.Visit www.fivexmore.com for resources for mothers, birthing partners and healthcare professionals.Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Babies cost money and children cost even more!! And that's before we even start talking about the impact that pregnancy and motherhood can have on our careers...Tobi, the founder of MyBumpPay (@mybumppay), talks to us about navigating "the motherhood penalty" at work, how we can prepare for the unexpected, and how to come back to work with a bang – whether that's in your previous role or you've decided to start something new after maternity leave!Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.blackballad.co.ukJoin the conversation on social media! #BBSurvivalGuide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.