Primary School Unfiltered: The Friendship Years

Periods, Puberty and Hormones

Periods, puberty and the cyclical nature of being a woman - these are conversations many of us didn't grow up having. No shame-free chats, no honoring of what our bodies were doing, just a textbook at school and maybe a book from mum if you were lucky. In this episode, Emmy sits down with Anna Maria - naturopath, herbalist doula, and mum to four girls - for a deeply honest conversation about raising daughters who understand their bodies, their cycles and their power. From menarche (the first period) to the monthly rhythm of hormones, energy and cravings - they unpack what nobody tells you about the foundations of women's health. They talk about the shame so many of us carry from our own first period, how that ripples into how we parent and why changing the narrative starts with us. They dive into the cyclical nature of the menstrual cycle - the rise and fall of energy, the need for rest, the cravings that aren't weakness but wisdom and why honouring that rhythm changes everything. They also explore how to talk to your daughter (and sons) about periods without awkwardness, why leaving the bathroom door open matters and how small shifts in language can build pride instead of shame. This is a grounding, empowering conversation for anyone raising girls, navigating their own cycle, or ready to heal the parts of themselves that were never honoured.

Primary School Unfiltered: The Friendship Years

School is more than just classrooms and homework - it's friendships, inclusion, self-worth, extracurriculars, parent politics, and the relentless juggle of getting three kids to five different places while remembering which one needs their library book. In this episode, Emmy sits down with Kiindred’s own resident mum, Julia, for a deeply honest conversation about navigating primary school life across kindy to year six. From the early days when everyone's invited to birthday parties, to the gut-punch moment when your child is the one left out - they unpack the stuff nobody prepares you for. They talk about friendships and how they can make or break whether your kid wants to go to school, the impact COVID had on social development for that whole cohort and why some kids fly under the radar while others collect certificates every assembly. They also dive into the pressure of after-school activities, the guilt around not doing enough (or doing too much) and how to build a healthy relationship with your child's teacher without becoming that parent. With real talk on masking, neurodivergence, the comparison trap between siblings, why the school report card doesn't always reflect effort, and the importance of raising kids who can see things from someone else's perspective - this is a grounding, relatable conversation for anyone in the thick of primary school life.

From Beauty to Life After Kids

From the beauty counters of the early 2000s to the spotlight of Gogglebox, Sarah-Marie Fahd has navigated a lot - career shifts, motherhood, media attention, and the messy reality of raising two boys while learning to trust her gut along the way. In this episode, Emmy sits down with her longtime friend Sarah-Marie for a deeply honest conversation about the stuff nobody prepares you for. From the overwhelming fog of postnatal depression and anxiety with her first baby during COVID, to the stark difference she felt with her second - finally understanding what people meant when they said "this is how it's meant to feel." They unpack the pressure to have it all together, the myth of the perfect parenting timeline, why deleting the milestone app was one of the best decisions she made, and how her two boys - Zen Master Malik and "Hulk Baby" Leon - taught her that every child is completely different. They talk about the beauty industry's obsession with perfection, losing yourself in early motherhood, the mental load of being the default parent, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is lie on the kitchen floor and look at the ceiling with your toddler. Real talk. Real friendship. Real motherhood.

Not So TMI: Perimenopause real talk

Perimenopause. The word alone can make you feel like you're losing your mind - wondering if it's stress, relationship issues, or just you being 'crazy.' But what if the brain fog, the rage, the dryness, the exhaustion, and the overwhelming mental load aren't about you at all - but about a hormonal shift nobody prepared you for? In this episode, Emmy sits down with her OG crew - the friends she's known since high school - for the most honest, unfiltered conversation about perimenopause you'll ever hear. From dry vaginas to joint pain, hair loss, anxiety spikes, and the internal rage that comes out of nowhere, nothing is off limits. Together, they unpack what it's really like navigating this phase while raising kids, managing relationships, working full-time, and trying to remember what you walked into the room for. They talk about the stuff nobody tells you - that your cycle might go wild, your libido might tank, your skin might change overnight, and you might cry at a bird ad on TV. They also dig into the lack of education, the dismissive doctors, the self-doubt, and why so many women are told they're "too young" when they know something's not right. With raw stories about single parenting through perimenopause, long-distance friendships, the pressure to do it all, sexual wellness, pelvic floor physio, HRT patches, and why pleasure matters just as much as everything else - this is a grounding, laugh-out-loud, cry-in-your-wine kind of conversation. Real talk. Real women. Real bloody perimenopause.

Body Autonomy and Boundaries

Consent starts with nappy changes, hugs from relatives, and the language we use when our kids are still tiny. But somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that children's bodies aren't really their own - that they should hug on command, stay quiet during bath time, and never question what adults do to them. In this episode, Emmy sits down with Vanessa Hamilton - Sex and Health Educator, author, and one of the original expert voices behind the work we do. Together, they unpack what body autonomy actually looks like from birth, how to talk about private parts without shame, and why teaching consent early is one of the most protective things we can do as parents. They cover the practical stuff but also go deeper - into grooming, online safety, sexual extortion, gender diversity, and how to be the ‘askable parent’ your child needs as they grow. With real examples, scripts you can actually use, and a reminder that it's never too early (or too late) to start these conversations - this is an empowering listen for anyone raising kids in a world that doesn't always respect their boundaries. Be curious. Start early.