Send us Fan Mail

In this final episode of our 4-part mini-series well about Working Parents we focus on the big topic of confidence. Confidence doesn’t usually disappear overnight, but parenthood can make it feel that way. One day you’re the organised, high-performing version of yourself who can handle anything, and the next you’re running on broken sleep, new responsibilities, and a brain that feels permanently full. We get into why that wobble is so common for working parents and why it’s not a sign you’ve ‘lost’ your skills.

We explore practical self-confidence tools you can use immediately: building a “look how far I’ve come” list, tracking small wins when nobody is there to praise you, redefining what success looks like right now, and dropping the “baby brain” label in favour of a kinder reframe. We close with three powerful reflection questions to rebuild self-belief in any life transition, not just parenting.

If you know a colleague or friend who’s having a confidence setback, share this with them, then subscribe, leave a rating or review, and tell us which reflection question you’re trying this week.

Send us Fan Mail

Returning to work after parental leave can feel like stepping onto a moving treadmill while everyone else acts like nothing changed. We hear that quiet panic all the time: Can I still do this? Will people see me differently now? What happens when childcare falls apart and my kid gets sick again? We go straight into the invisible worries returning parents carry, and how the identity shift from confident professional to brand-new beginner can hit harder than anyone expects.

We also challenge a trap many workplaces fall into: confusing visibility with value. If the ‘best’ people are the ones who stay late, attend everything, travel overnight, or sit at a desk from 9-5, then returning parents get sidelined even when they deliver more impact in less time. We share real examples of practical flexibility that works in learning, leadership development, and day-to-day management, plus the kind of proactive communication that reduces guilt and protects trust.

Alongside our conversation, you’ll hear voice notes from parents describing the fog ‘baby land’, the nerves of the first meeting back, the bittersweet pop of the bubble, and the surprising truth that work can sometimes feel like a break. We end with a question we want every manager and leader to sit with: would the parents on your team say they feel supported, or simply accommodated?

If you know a leader or a colleague with someone returning from parental leave, share this with them. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what helped most when you returned to work.

Send us Fan Mail

In this second in our Working Parent mini-series we explore how to navigate the move from colleague to parent. Because… you can love your job and love your kid and still feel like you’re failing both by lunchtime!

We get honest about the working parent reality behind the scenes: the mental load, the guilt that points in every direction, and that split-second “work home switch” when daycare calls right before a board meeting.

We lean on Debs’ years as a parent coach to map the patterns she hears again and again when people prepare to return to work after maternity leave or parental leave. We talk about visibility and the fear of judgment, the pressure to “prove” you’re still committed, and why supportive line managers and colleagues can make the transition feel possible rather than punishing. Along the way, we share listener voice notes about walking back into meetings, worrying about “mum brain,” and then realising your sharpness never left.

One of our favourite reframes is the skill stack: parenting does not erase your professional skills, it adds new ones. We also explore the emotional shifts that come with becoming a working parent, from deeper purpose and perspective to heightened anxiety, exhaustion, and that constant tension of wanting to be fully present at work and at home.

We close with a question we want you to sit with: what’s one expectation you could let go of that adds pressure rather than helps you?