The Netmums Podcast

Parenting doesn’t get easier when your children grow up – it just changes.Kicking off Series 20 of The Netmums Podcast, JB Gill and Louise Burke are joined by comedian and mum-of-two Judi Love. It's a brilliantly funny and honest conversation about raising her daughter and son as a single mum and what happens when the children you’ve spent years looking after suddenly become young adults.Now her children are 21 and 17, Judi admits she thought she might finally ‘get her life back’. Instead, she’s discovered her children need her just as much, only in very different ways. She talks about the anxiety of loosening the reins, giving them independence and accepting that, however old they are, every stage of parenting is a first for her too.Judi also looks back at the tougher years of single motherhood and shares the sacrifices she made, the moments she struggled financially and why she hopes talking openly about them can help take away some of the shame other parents may be carrying.There’s a powerful conversation about mum guilt too – from missing important moments because of work to feeling as though we should somehow be able to do everything. Judi credits the village of friends and family who helped her raise her children and talks about how we should be redefining self-care as boundaries rather than appointments at the nail salon.  She believes our children need to see that there’s a person behind ‘Mum’ – one who rests, has fun, sees friends and has a life of her own.Funny, moving and refreshingly real, this is a conversation about letting go of parenting perfection and accepting that we’re all learning as we go.You can catch Judi Love on tour across the UK and find out more about her 'tongue-in-cheek' new film she has launched with Halfords for a new campaign, Wheel Life Worries, which shines a light on our car anxieties and highlights the importance of simple, stress-free vehicle checks.For more real-life parenting conversations and trusted advice, visit Netmums.com or follow @Netmums on social media.JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email [email protected] and you could be featured in a future episode.The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums: trusted by parents, backed by experts.Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative.

Family Food Made Easy: What’s Really on the School Menu?What our children eat at school isn’t just about keeping them full until home time. What they eat during the school day can affect how they feel, behave and learn that very afternoon. Teachers see it first-hand: 85% say diet affects children’s concentration, while 80% say unhealthy break and lunchtime food can contribute to disruptive behaviour.Registered nutritionist Sophie Gastman gives us the ‘why’, explaining what can happen in children’s bodies after they eat and why getting enough fibre matters – from supporting gut health and sustained energy to concentration and focus in the classroom.Then Megan Waring, Director of Nutrition at Caterlink, takes us behind the scenes of the school canteen. She explains what’s changing in school food in England, including moves to get more fibre and beans onto menus – and tackles the crucial question: what’s the point of putting healthier food on the menu if children won’t actually eat it?Megan explains why getting parents on board could be an important part of making positive changes to school food stick.And what about packed-lunch days? Qualified feeding specialist and nutritionist Catherine Lippe shares practical ideas for creating nutritious lunchboxes children will actually eat while keeping lunch realistic, affordable and achievable.What’s Really on the School Menu? is part of a special three-part series from The Netmums Podcast and Veg Power, supported by Sainsbury’s – helping families discover simple, affordable and achievable ways to get more fibre into everyday life. For more food advice and inspiration, follow Veg Power on social media, and for more real-life parenting advice, head to Netmums.com or follow Netmums on socials.This episode is proudly produced by Decibelle

If there’s one thing most parents can rely on, it’s being asked for a snack – usually about five minutes after you’ve cleared away the last meal. So rather than adding another thing to the parenting to-do list, could we make one of those snack moments work a little harder?This episode has one simple goal: to make just one of your child’s daily snacks a fresh source of fibre. And it might be easier than you think.Nutritionist Nichola Ludlam-Raine explains why fibre is so important for children’s health, and how something as simple as choosing a fresh, fibre-rich snack can contribute towards both their fibre intake and their five-a-day. Think an apple, pear or some carrot sticks: one snack, double win.But knowing what we’d like our children to eat and getting them to actually eat it are two very different things. Dr Clare Holley, an expert in child eating behaviour, shares practical ways to encourage children to try fresh foods, build familiarity and make them part of everyday snack routines – without pressure, persuasion or turning snack time into a battle.Because getting more fibre into family life doesn’t have to mean a big dietary overhaul. Sometimes, it can start with just one snack.This episode is part of a special three-part series from The Netmums Podcast and Veg Power, supported by Sainsbury’s – helping families discover simple, affordable and achievable ways to get more fibre into everyday life. For more food advice and inspiration, follow Veg Power on social media, and for more real-life parenting advice, head to Netmums.com or follow Netmums on socials.This episode was proudly produced by Decibelle.

Welcome to Family Food Made Easy, a special podcast collaboration from Netmums and Veg Power, supported by Sainsbury’s. Hosted by Louise Burke, this three-part miniseries tackles the daily challenges of feeding our families, exploring how to make healthy eating joyful, accessible, and affordable.In this first instalment, Louise is joined by two expert guests to chat about all things fibre: firstly, why getting enough fibre in our diets is so important, and secondly… how we can actually do it?  About our guests:Rhiannon Lambert - Leading registered nutritionist & Sunday Times best-selling authorLauren Leyva - Multi-award-winning home cook, content creator & presenter.Rhiannon shares vital insights on the importance of a fibre-rich diet for our families, including some pretty shocking statistics about fibre intake among children and adults in the UK. She explains how ultra-processed foods are affecting our health and why it's crucial to support our gut health through better nutrition and fibre consumption.Later in the episode, home cook and content creator Lauren Leyva enters the chat to tell us how we can incorporate more fibre into family meals. Lauren provides plenty of practical tips including clever swaps and additions to beloved dishes, without sacrificing taste (or blowing the food shop budget!)In this episode:- The critical role of fibre in children's health- Simplifying conflicting nutritional advice- Easy ways to boost fibre in everyday meals- Creative cooking tips to make healthy eating fun- The importance of involving kids in the cooking process Family Food Made Easy is brought to you by Netmums and Veg Power, a not-for-profit alliance dedicated to improving children’s diets by making healthy, sustainable eating more desirable. This special series is supported by Sainsbury's. Look out for the new full-on fibre labelling and store designed to make it easier to spot choices that can help you and your family get more fibre into your diet.For more trusted parenting advice, visit Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.Produced by Decibelle Creative

For the Series 19 finale of The Netmums Podcast, we’re switching things up with a special video episode. After a series spent asking the questions, dad host JB Gill finds himself on the other side of the conversation as his wife Chloe joins him on the sofa in the studio – and Louise gets the chance to find out what JB is really like as a husband and dad behind closed doors.Together for 17 years and married for 12, JB and Chloe open up about the reality of making family life work around busy and unpredictable careers. They talk honestly about communication, reconnecting after time apart and how they operate as a team – even if Chloe, as the family’s self-described 'CEO of the girls' carries much of the mental load at home.The couple also share how they’re raising Ace, 11, and Chiara, 7, to stay grounded despite growing up around entertainment, travel and life in the public eye. From chores and personal responsibility to resisting the urge to fix every problem for their children, JB and Chloe explain why preparing them for adulthood matters more than making life easy. And Chloe reveals whether the JB listeners know from the podcast is the same man she gets at home!In this episode: Chloe reveals what JB is really like at home The reality of sharing the parenting load How they keep Ace and Chiara grounded The secret to 17 years together His and her opinions on different parenting styles The difference between bring up boys and girls And because we couldn’t let JB escape that easily, the episode finishes with a very revealing Mr & Mrs-style challenge, as the couple put their 17 years together to the test, compare parenting habits and discover just how well they really know each other.A funny, warm and revealing Series 19 finale about marriage, mental load, raising grounded kids and the reality of family life behind the scenes.Fancy watching the full episode of The Netmums Podcast on Youtube? Visit the Netmums YouTube Channel now!Read more trusted parenting advice at Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.Thanks for a great Series 19. Looking forward to Series 20 in October 2026... JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email [email protected] and you could be featured in a future episode.The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums, trusted by parents, backed by experts. This episode was produced by Further Films.