This Mamma Chats

What happens when a childhood spent on a cattle station shapes the way you parent on the Gold Coast?In Episode 11 of This Mamma Chats, I sit down with Laura Beveridge, a mum of two boys who grew up on her family's cattle station near Charters Towers. She now runs a construction business on the Gold Coast with her husband Jesse, around 1,500 kilometres from her family.Laura shares what it was like being homeschooled by her mum alongside her four siblings, from radio lessons through distance education to doing jobs every morning and helping host Contiki tour groups on the station every winter. We talk about the work ethic and people skills that upbringing gave her, starting boarding school at 13, and how she is passing those values on to her own boys.We also chat about moving away from "you'll be right" parenting towards a firm but fair approach that makes room for feelings, why resilience and emotional regulation matter more for school readiness than counting to ten, sharing the load with a hands-on dad and wanting to raise gentlemen. Laura is also really open about being hard on herself, living with ADHD, postnatal depression, holding on to her identity and building a village when your family is far away.This is such an honest, warm conversation, and I think a lot of mums will see a bit of themselves in Laura's story.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but for many families, that village is not always easy to find.In Episode 10 of This Mamma Chats, I talk about the role a great early learning centre can play not just in a child’s life, but in the life of the whole family.A good centre can become a place where parents feel known, supported and understood. Educators can become trusted people to talk to, children can build strong relationships outside the home, and families can connect with a wider community going through many of the same stages.For me, early learning should never feel transactional. It should feel like a partnership between families and educators, with open communication, trust and a genuine understanding of the child as an individual.I talk about the value of having people around you who know your child, can celebrate their progress, help you through challenging stages and sometimes simply reassure you that what you are experiencing is normal.Because while early learning is about children, a really great centre has the opportunity to support the whole family too.

Technology is part of our children’s world, but what role should it actually play in an early learning centre?In Episode 9 of This Mamma Chats, I talk about the use of technology in early childhood settings and why I think we need to be really intentional about when, how and why it is being used.From screens and tablets to taking photos, documenting learning and using digital tools behind the scenes, technology can have a place in early learning. But for me, it should never replace the things young children need most: play, movement, relationships, conversation, creativity and real-world experiences.I also talk about why my expectations around technology at kindy can be different to the choices I make as a parent at home. Children already have plenty of opportunities to engage with screens outside of care, so I believe early learning environments have a responsibility to protect space for hands-on, child-led learning wherever possible.This episode is not about saying technology is all good or all bad. It is about finding the balance and making sure every digital tool being used actually has a purpose.

What happens when the parent you become looks completely different to the parent you imagined you would be?In Episode 8 of This Mamma Chats, I sit down with Danica Vukelic for a really honest conversation about motherhood, family, mum guilt and finding the parenting style that actually works for you.Danica shares her experience of becoming a mum young, growing up in a traditional Serbian family and how those influences now shape the way she raises her two boys. We talk about balancing gentle parenting with boundaries, raising children with different personalities, keeping culture and language alive, and learning when to hold on and when to let go.We also chat about the emotional side of sending your child to kindy, why children can sometimes need more than we can give them at home, the never-ending mum guilt that seems to appear no matter what choice you make, and why taking time for yourself can actually help you become a more present parent.From school, siblings and childcare to identity, self-care, emotional regulation and the realities of raising boys, this episode is a reminder that there is no single right way to be a mum.You get to choose the kind of parent you want to be, and sometimes that means changing your mind along the way.

As parents, our instinct is often to keep our children as safe as possible. But does removing every risk actually help them?In this episode of This Mamma Chats, I talk about risky play and why children need opportunities to test their limits, challenge themselves and build confidence through play.Risky play does not mean putting children in dangerous situations. It can look like climbing higher, balancing, moving quickly, exploring unfamiliar spaces or deciding for themselves whether they feel comfortable attempting something.I talk about the difference between a risk and a hazard, why constantly saying “be careful” can sometimes get in the way, and how giving children appropriate freedom can support independence, resilience, problem-solving and confidence.For parents, watching risky play can definitely be uncomfortable. But sometimes the best thing we can do is stay close, trust our children and give them the opportunity to discover what their bodies are capable of.