In this episode, Jenny and Dayna shed some light on childhood anxiety with the guidance of Dr Melanie Woodfield, a mum to two teenage boys and a highly regarded clinical psychologist of over 20 years. As key contributors to Parenting Place’s latest self-guided online course, Untangling Anxiety, Dr Melanie and Jenny chat about the increase in anxiety in primary and intermediate-aged New Zealand kids, and what we can do as parents to help build resilience and boost independence in our young people. Dr Melanie also openly shares about some of her own parenting stories, the importance of ‘the village’ (and how the needs of the village change from season to season) and reassures us that while having knowledge of parenting is one thing, using that knowledge in a pressured moment is another thing altogether – and something that takes practice and patience. Note to parents and caregivers: Anxiety is more normal than we realise, and we don’t need to be afraid of it. We can work with it. Untangling Anxiety is a self-guided online course designed to give you tools and strategies to help manage your child’s anxiety or worries. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok @parentingplacenz
Today on the couch we have actor, content producer and mum, Rebecca Randell, though to most of New Zealand she would be better known as Dawn Robinson from the country's longest running drama, Shortland Street. Rebekah is refreshingly open as she shares with Dayna and Jenny the emotional journey that her and her hubby Bevan went on to become parents, hunkering down in those exhausting first months with a colicky newborn and the delight that she’s now finding in slowing down and embracing simple moments with her daughter. With Jenny’s help they address the familiar tension of being a busy parent while also wanting to feel ‘productive’ and the magic that can come from re-orientating ourselves to a slower pace with lower expectations in order to lay those all-important ‘lifelong rocks’ for our kids. Trigger warning: This podcast episode mentions topics related to miscarriage and loss. If you or someone you know is affected by pregnancy loss or infertility, we encourage you to seek support from friends, family, or a mental health professional. Your well-being matters. You can find more about our Space ante-natal programme here: Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok @parentingplacenz
Having uncomfortable conversations, recognising blind spots and saying sorry well – this meaty episode is equal parts earnest and fun. A small disclaimer - this episode contains mention of sensitive topics around mental health and includes a sprinkle of mild swearing so just be aware if the kids’ are around. Richie Hardcore is a dad to two boys, a social activist with a Masters in Sociology, a Muay Thai trainer, speaker, advocate and educator working in the space of family and sexual violence protection. Sitting on the couch with Jenny and Dayna he takes a deep dive into some of the topics and ideas that are close to his heart, including some that don’t get a lot of public airtime. We also get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his fatherhood journey and the opportunity it has offered him to peel back layers of past hurt to grow and heal. With intelligence and candour, Richie reflects on his own upbringing, his journey as a Muay Thai champion, and the importance of giving our boys and young men social permission to be authentic to themselves. Trigger warning: This podcast episode contains mentions of sensitive topics, including suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek support from a mental health professional or connect with Lifeline Aotearoa by texting 4357. Your well-being is important. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok @parentingplacenz
One of New Zealand’s most-loved TV presenters (former host of The Project), Kanoa Lloyd joins Jenny and Dayna for a thoughtful kōrero on motherhood, her career and the joys of raising a child with all their glorious quirks and qualities. With Jenny’s expert guidance, we address those big old ‘red-brain’ feelings (namely anger!) that can surface when you become a parent, and the challenge of having a flexible mindset to roll through the waves and changes that inevitably come with this parenting gig. Kanoa inspires us with tales from her own childhood, and how intentionally she seeks to grow confidence and a great work ethic in her daughter by involving her in everyday tasks (even grating cheese!) that affirm her as capable. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok @parentingplacenz
Jenny and Dayna are excited to share the couch with New Zealand musician and songwriter Nathan King who has reunited with his former band Zed (after two decades – where did that time go?!) to create a fresh new album, Future Memory. A doting dad to three young people, Nathan chats candidly about family life and his music career, but also about the complexities of raising a neurodiverse child, from the emotional toll it has taken on the King family unit to the love and resilience that has grown out of their struggles. He and his wife Rachel have navigated many highs and many lows, as you’ll hear in this episode, learning about their son’s unique neurology and advocating for him in a system that they feel isn’t well set up to support his needs. They also delve into some juicy topics like emotions and love languages, quoting psychologist Dr Gordon Neufeld who offers parents some handy tools to help children grow into adults who can ‘turn mad to sad’ and express themselves in healthy ways. Strap in for a chat filled with hope, wisdom and solidarity for parents facing similar struggles with raising neurodivergent kids. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok @parentingplacenz
Buckle in for an uplifting conversation filled with laughter and wisdom! Petra Bagust is the host of popular Rova podcasts Grey Areas and Sunday Sanctuary, a radio personality and TV presenter, a media chaplain, mum to three young people and all-round wonderful wāhine. In this episode, Petra shares candidly how she has approached the highs and lows of motherhood with grace for herself, and the many things she’s learned along the way. With energy, wit and wisdom, she delves into the richness that can be found in relationships, the magic of her personal te reo journey, and the freedom that comes with tuning into what we place our value in, particularly as we age. A small disclaimer, this episode contains a sprinkle of mild swearing—nothing that would make your grandma faint, but maybe cover the kids’ ears if they’re around. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Follow us on Instagram / Facebook / YouTube
We're back with a 2nd season of Parents We've Met. The first episode of Season 2 will be dropping on Tuesday 15th October - and while you wait, here's a little preview of what's to come. This season, co-hosts Jenny Hale (author and parent coach) and Dayna Galloway (former TV presenter and mum-to-two) will be sharing some laughs, tears and tales with well-known New Zealand parents, including: Petra Bagust – Media personality, podcaster and media chaplain Nathan King – Musician and songwriter Kanoa Lloyd (Ngāti Porou) - Media personality Richie Hardcore - Muay Thai trainer, social activist, advocate and educator Rebekah Randell – Actress and creative Dr Melanie Woodfield – Clinical psychologist Scott Parry – founder and co-presenter of Fishing & Adventure Kylie DellaBarca Steel - Facilitator, film producer and writer Leigh Hart – Media personality and entrepreneur Jackie Clarke – Entertainer and singer Clint Randell – TV and radio personality Dr Jin Russell – Developmental paediatrician and researcher While most of these chats are light-hearted, at times we also delve into some big topics of conversation that are aimed at a parent audience – and not suitable for little ears! Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE. Follow us on: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube
Did you hear the one about the kids who were allowed to write on the toilet wall? And no, we don’t mean toddler scribbles! In our Season 1 finale episode, Jenny and Dayna unpack the stand-out stories, curly questions and honest reflections from our nine guest episodes to bring you a snackable selection of parenting ideas, expert advice and inspiration. A huge thank you for tuning into the first season of Parents We’ve Met. We’ve loved receiving your feedback, reviews and ratings and look forward to bringing you more chats, laughs and special guests in 2024. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
The final guest for Season 1 is one of our very own: the much-loved media personality, Parenting Place pou tangata and father-to-three Pio Terei. Pull out the tissues as this kōrero is full of tears – the happy ones and the sad ones! Pio shares openly about his journey with grief after the loss of his youngest son Teina and offers some self-care advice for others living with grief. He also chats with Jenny and Dayna about his simple but beautiful upbringing, his love of creating connections through kai (food) and kōrero (conversation), and the importance of instilling in our kids’ a deep sense of belonging and unconditional love. Buckle up for a chat peppered with parenting tips and wisdom, and of course, Pio’s signature wit. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Find free parenting advice and articles HERE - or sign-up to our newest self-guided parenting course, Untangling Anxiety: Supporting kids through worry and fear.
Now if you wear clothes this episode is totally for you! This week, Jenny and Dayna are joined by the wonderful personal stylist, image consultant and mum-to-two, Heather Hale. Heather shares honestly about the magic of being a mum, but also the unexpected hard stuff she’s navigated including post-natal depression, letting go of ideals and grieving expectations. If you think your parenting wardrobe could do with a refresh, Heather also shares some great, practical styling advice for mums and dads, including tips on what we should be retiring from our wardrobes in order to feel like our best, parental selves. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
This week, Jenny and Dayna are hanging out with a top bloke and legend of a dad, Sean Brown. Sean’s the chippie that has put Dayna’s home back together after various floods and burst pipes, but you may also recognize him as the fix-it, make-it-better builder extraordinaire from the TV show, Sort Your Life Out NZ. Sean inspires Dayna and Jenny with the sense of fun and playfulness he brings to his dadding role, and in this gorgeous episode, we hear more about how he strives to be a ‘present’ dad and create a fun homelife for his girls – while also acknowledging that he won’t get this parenting gig right all the time. Jenny and Dayna take the opportunity to pick the brain of someone who, through his TV role, has witnessed households drowning in clutter and ‘stuff’ – and has come to the rescue with a bunch of great hacks for home storage and harmonious family spaces. We also chat about the beauty of simple parenting and the power that Sean has found in sharing the journey of dadding with other blokes like himself. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Co-star of the popular reality TV show, The Casketeers and māmā to SIX, Kaiora Tipene joins Jenny and Dayna for a beautiful kōrero on motherhood, whānau and a topic that’s a little bit taboo in some families: death. Through her humble stories and reflections, Kaiora shares about her own upbringing, how she honours her Māori heritage in her work and whānau, and the value she places on ‘I love yous’ and a fearless expression of feelings. Jenny and Dayna take the opportunity to seek Kaiora’s advice on grieving well, supporting our kids when facing the death of someone they love, and giving ourselves the grace to ‘re-do’ the moments of parenting that we might not get right the first time around. Thanks Kaiora for bringing your gorgeous, gentle self (and your youngest pēpē) to this kōrero! Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Jenny and Dayna are joined by another awesome dad guest this week! Some of you might remember Ido Drent as Daniel Potts from New Zealand's favourite soap opera, Shortland Street, or more recently from his roles on The Gulf and Offspring. In recent years, Ido has shelved his acting work to spend more time focusing on the tough but wonderful job of parenting alongside his wife Mandy – the chief memory maker of the family. As you'll hear in this episode, Ido approaches the season that his young family is in right now with a lot of emotional intelligence and some great frameworks, and Jenny and Dayna love delving into that more with him. Ido chats about setting family values, creating super cool childhood memories for his kids – and the paradigm shifts that parenting has brought to his life. He also talks sleepless nights, picky eating, letting go of ideals and stepping whole-heartedly into this magical but endlessly messy parenting gig! Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Jenny and Dayna sit down with sex and relationship therapist, Jo Robertson, for a glorious chat on all things ‘motherhood’, including surviving deep-sea sailing adventures and navigating the sexual culture and pornography landscape that our kids are growing up in. We learn about who Jo is as a mum of three boys, how she encourages curiosity and risk-taking in her household, and how growing up in a home where no topics were off the table has helped to shape the woman she is today. Jenny and Dayna also take the opportunity to grab some tips from a ‘sex-pert’ on how to approach the birds and the bees talk with our kids, and how to ensure that what our tamariki are encountering online is suitable for their age and maturity. On a mum level, we also take some inspiration from Jo on how to keep a hand in things that bring us joy! Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Award-winning radio host and super proud dad Ben Boyce sits down with Jenny and Dayna to share some glorious tales from his parenting journey. Ben’s been making people laugh for years; he's one of the creative forces behind the hit comedy series, Jono and Ben, and he's the co-host on The Hits Breakfast show. We reckon he might have been the King of Dad jokes and pranks before he became a dad himself! In this episode, we hear what it’s like for Ben raising daughters in today’s landscape, the challenge of distractions when you’re a busy parent, and how he deals with seeing his girls navigate disappointments of their own. Jenny also shares some useful tips on how to communicate where we’re at with our kids, how to say sorry well when we stuff up, and why often it’s the simple moments of connection we have with our kids that trump everything else. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Former Silver Fern Sulu Fitzpatrick joins Jenny and Dayna for an inspiring kōrero about the juggle of life as an athlete and a mum to a blended family of six. Sulu shares openly about the highs and lows of her career, what it was like becoming a mum to multiples as a teenager, and the winning mindset she’s embraced as she’s navigated the ups and downs of a professional sports career. We delve into Sulu’s beautiful upbringing, and reflect on the importance of her village and the value she places on raising confident and resilient children. Dayna also takes the opportunity to ‘pick the brain’ of a sporting legend to find out how we can support our own kids to have fun and flourish in sport. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Actor and comedian Josh Thomson sits down with Jenny and Dayna to share some humble and hilarious tales from his dadding journey. The ‘Tongan of Timarū’ as he’s known to some, Josh is a well-known face of New Zealand television, having had roles on The Project, Seven Days, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The New Legends of Monkey, Young Rock, Gary of the Pacific – and even Studio 2, the kids’ TV show that Dayna co-hosted back in the early noughties! Through beautiful personal reflections and anecdotes, Josh shares the ups and downs of becoming and being a dad, including the struggles that he and his wife Liz faced early-on with miscarriage and loss. We learn more about Josh’s own upbringing, and the award-winning web series he produced with his dad while navigating the loss of his beloved mum. We also share plenty of laughs about the everyday trials of poo, getting pants on toddlers, and injuries sustained while trying to score ‘daddy’ points with the kids. Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. You can find more free parenting advice and articles HERE.
Kia ora and welcome to Parents We’ve Met, where we share in the glorious, horrendous and hilarious world that is parenthood. In this first season of our new podcast, co-hosts Jenny Hale (author and parent coach) and Dayna Galloway (former TV presenter and mum-to-two) chat with some well-known New Zealanders who they admire, and who just like them are navigating the wild and wonderful terrain of parenthood. Our Season 1 guests include: Josh Thomson – comedian and actor Sulu Fitzpatrick – Silver Fern Ben Boyce – radio and media personality Jo Robertson – Sex and relationship therapist Ido Drent – Actor and property developer Kaiora Tipene – Business owner and entrepreneur Sean Brown – Builder and TV personality Heather Hale – Personal stylist Pio Terei – Media personality and Parenting Place Pou Tangata Every parent has their own stories and their own struggles, so join us as we chat through the magic and mess of this parenting gig. Our first episode is dropping on Monday 9th October so hit subscribe now (if you haven’t already) and be the first to hear about it.