everymum

1. Conceiving after an adenomyosis diagnosis, with Rachel Ivie

   6 de octubre de 202656 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 10A continuación

   Hi everyone, it's the finale of season 20, and our guest today is Rachel Ivie. She's been on the podcast before, but this time she's had some big life changes. When Rachel was on before, we talked about life …

   Notas del episodio

   Hi everyone, it's the finale of season 20, and our guest today is Rachel Ivie. She's been on the podcast before, but this time she's had some big life changes. When Rachel was on before, we talked about life with her two children and her experience as a primary school teacher and an influencer. This time, we’re talking about a different chapter. A huge part of our conversation is about Rachel’s journey to conceive this baby, because just as she was preparing to start IVF, she discovered she was pregnant. But alongside that journey, Rachel was also discovering that she had both endometriosis and adenomyosis. We talked about what actually led to those diagnoses, what the testing involved, what it was like to finally have an explanation for what was going on, and what it felt like to be listened to by her doctors. Because, as so many women know, being taken seriously when it comes to things like period pain, fertility and reproductive health is not always a given. Rachel also talks about finding out she was pregnant, and the anxiety that came with those early weeks, particularly after everything she had been through. She is now 22 weeks pregnant, and we talked about how she’s feeling in this pregnancy and whether she’s been able to relax into it a little more. And, of course, I asked Rachel about her two older children and how they reacted to the news that they’re getting a new sibling. Before we hear from Rachel, I'd just like to say a huge thank you to you all for listening and supporting the podcast this past season, and every season – I'm so grateful for every message and DM and comment. Hopefully you'll join me again for Season 21 starting in a few weeks time. And now, here's my conversation with Rachel.

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2. Why children need to experience hardships to build resilience, with Dr David Coleman

   29 de septiembre de 202655 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 9A continuación

   Hi everyone, welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought, I just want to make life a little easier for you, then this episode is for you – but it …

   Notas del episodio

   Hi everyone, welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought, I just want to make life a little easier for you, then this episode is for you – but it might not be the episode you think. My guest today is Dr David Coleman, one of Ireland’s best-known clinical psychologists. David has been working with children, teenagers and families for more than three decades, and many of you will know him from his television work, his weekly Irish Independent column, his regular appearances on radio, or from his books. His area of expertise is something I think every parent will be interested in: how we help our children deal with the inevitable difficulties of life. Because however much we might want to protect them from disappointment, worry, friendship problems, failure and all the other things that come with growing up, we obviously can’t do that forever. David is actually about to take this conversation on the road with his nationwide 'Ready for Anything: Building Emotional Resilience in Children and Teenagers' tour, which gets underway this October. The focus is very much on practical ways we can help children develop the skills to cope with life’s ups and downs, rather than trying to remove every difficult experience from their path. So today we’re talking about what resilience actually means, whether some children are naturally more resilient than others, and that very tricky parenting question: when should we step in and help, and when should we let our children struggle a little? We’ll also talk about disappointment, anxiety, the phrase “don’t worry”, our own mistakes as parents, the importance of boredom, and how we teach children to cope when things don’t go their way. And, crucially, we’ll finish with one very simple question: what is the one thing every parent could start doing tomorrow to help their child become more emotionally resilient? This episode contains so many nuggets of wisdom, clever language changes and suggestions to reassess how your parenting might be impacting your child, and I know so many of you will find it very valuable indeed. Enjoy this episode with Dr Coleman, and I'll be back next week with more.

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3. Protecting children in a digital world, not FROM the digital world, with Dr Garth Graham

   22 de septiembre de 202647 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 8A continuación

   Hi, welcome back everyone to Everymum the podcast, I’m Aisling Keenan. Today’s guest is Dr Garth Graham, a doctor and public health expert who is the Global Head of Health at YouTube, where he leads the …

   Notas del episodio

   Hi, welcome back everyone to Everymum the podcast, I’m Aisling Keenan. Today’s guest is Dr Garth Graham, a doctor and public health expert who is the Global Head of Health at YouTube, where he leads the platform’s work around health information, wellbeing and making sure people can find credible, useful information online. He’s also a dad of four, which is particularly relevant to today’s conversation because we’re talking about one of the biggest challenges facing parents right now: how do we raise healthy, happy children in a world where screens and the internet are simply part of everyday life?

   
   

   We talked about the rise of health influencers and the problem of misinformation online, including what happens when a health myth or conspiracy suddenly takes off, and how YouTube responds. We got into the responsibility that comes with running a platform used by billions of people, particularly when it comes to children and teenagers, and where that responsibility ends and the responsibility of parents begins. But we also brought it right back to family life. Garth talked about the rules he has around technology in his own home, whether his children challenge them, and whether being a dad has actually changed the way he thinks about children, technology and wellbeing professionally. We talked about parental hypocrisy… because how can we tell our children to get off their screens when we're permanently attached to ours?, and the enormous amount of guilt parents can feel around screen time, particularly when a screen is sometimes the only thing standing between you and getting dinner made or having five minutes of peace.

   
   

   And we got into what healthy screen use actually looks like, whether all screen time is equal, and perhaps most importantly, whether instead of simply trying to ban things, we should be teaching our children how to navigate the digital world for themselves. It’s a really practical conversation about screens, safety, parenting, technology and finding a version of “good enough” that actually works in real family life. Here’s my chat with Dr Graham, I’ll be back next week with more.

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4. Life with Tiny Humans, screen time limits and online comparison, with Emma O'Leary

   15 de septiembre de 202649 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 7A continuación

   Welcome back to Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. Today I’m joined by Emma O’Leary, a paediatric speech and language therapist, mum of three boys and the woman behind the hugely popular parenting …

   Notas del episodio

   Welcome back to Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. Today I’m joined by Emma O’Leary, a paediatric speech and language therapist, mum of three boys and the woman behind the hugely popular parenting platform Life With Tiny Humans. Emma has been sharing the realities of family life online for years, combining her professional experience with the much less polished reality of raising children. And, as she puts it, trying to keep the chaos at bay. Emma’s boys are now 11, 9 and 7, so she’s right in the thick of that particularly interesting stage of parenting where your children are becoming increasingly independent, but still very much need you. In this conversation, we talk a lot about life online and what it means to raise children in a world where screens are simply part of everyday life. We talk about screen time, the repercussions of too much of it, how you actually go about limiting it without losing your mind, and the alternatives that can help children switch off and engage with other things. We also get into the other side of being online as a mother - the comparison, the pressure, the feeling that everyone else is somehow doing it better, and the negativity that can come with putting your family and your parenting out there. But Emma also talks about the other side of that coin: the incredible support, connection and sense of community that can come from finding other parents who understand exactly what you're going through. We talk about what motherhood has taught both of us, how your children can be completely different people who require completely different parenting, and how much of parenting is actually about figuring out what works for this particular child, rather than following some universal rule. So whether you have tiny humans, slightly bigger humans, or are simply trying to work out how on earth everyone else seems to be managing it, you'll definitely take something from my chat with Emma. I'll be back next week with another great episode.

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5. Double the miracle: Sarah Maria Griffin on her curative pregnancy

   8 de septiembre de 202646 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 6A continuación

   Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm your host Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Sarah Maria Griffin, a successful novelist whose work explores identity, family, fear and the complicated business of …

   Notas del episodio

   Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm your host Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Sarah Maria Griffin, a successful novelist whose work explores identity, family, fear and the complicated business of being human. She’s the author of Eat the Ones You Love, and her latest release, Strange is the Light. In this episode, I wanted to help you get to know the person behind the books, and particularly Sarah’s experience of becoming a mother for the first time. We talked about her childhood, what she was like growing up, and the route she took into becoming a writer. But most of our conversation centred on pregnancy, labour and those first moments of motherhood. Sarah talks very openly about what pregnancy was actually like for her, what she remembers about giving birth, and the things that surprised her about becoming a mother. We talk about the physical experience of delivering her little girl, the reality of those first few days, and how different the reality of having a baby can be from what you imagine beforehand. It’s a really honest conversation about becoming a mother for the first time. Not just the lovely bits, but the uncertainty, the physicality and the sheer strangeness of suddenly becoming responsible for another person. This is my conversation with Sarah Maria Griffin. I'll be back next week with more.

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6. Are we all parenting our anxious children wrong? With psychotherapist Bronagh Starrs

   1 de septiembre de 202650 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 5A continuación

   Hi everyone and welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Bronagh Starrs. Bronagh is a psychotherapist, expert in contemporary adolescent mental health. She’s also an …

   Notas del episodio

   Hi everyone and welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Bronagh Starrs. Bronagh is a psychotherapist, expert in contemporary adolescent mental health. She’s also an author and she has spent decades working with young people and their families. Her new book, I Can’t Go In, is about something that an increasing number of parents are finding themselves dealing with: school anxiety, and what happens when a child becomes so anxious that they simply cannot get through the school gates. So I wanted to talk to Bronagh about what school anxiety actually looks like, how you can tell the difference between a child who doesn’t want to go to school and a child who genuinely can’t face it, and why some of the things we instinctively do as parents: reassuring them, encouraging them, bargaining with them or putting pressure on them, which don’t necessarily help. We talked about what parents should do when the school run becomes a daily battle, the role schools can play, why some children are particularly vulnerable to school anxiety, and whether things like neurodiversity and parenting styles can play a part. And, importantly, we talked about what schools can do to help. Because understanding that your child is anxious is one thing, knowing how to help them through it is another. This is my conversation with Bronagh Starrs – enjoy and I'll be back next week with more.

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7. CMPA, colic and reflux and how Nicole Gaffney managed early motherhood

   25 de agosto de 202651 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 4A continuación

   Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. What happens to a woman when the physical body, social identity and daily life she knew are all suddenly altered? That’s what my guest this week and …

   Notas del episodio

   Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. What happens to a woman when the physical body, social identity and daily life she knew are all suddenly altered? That’s what my guest this week and I discuss – Nicole Gaffney Hahesy, or Cole Gaffney as you might know her online, is an influencer and mother to a 7-month-old girl named Éala. We talk about her placenta previa, her tricky birth, Éala’s stay in the NICU, and the fact that Éala still doesn’t care much for sleeping. We talk about CMPA (Cow’s milk protein allergy), reflex and colic and how Nicole faced all three in the early days of Éala’s little life.

   
   

   Nicole has built an online presence around motherhood, style and everyday life, so I wanted to talk to her about the stuff underneath the nice pictures: postpartum body image, getting dressed when your body has changed, figuring out who you are when your priorities have completely shifted and the reality of trying to feel like yourself again when you're also becoming somebody completely new. Because I think there’s a huge pressure on women to be grateful for motherhood every second of the day, while simultaneously looking like they’ve somehow emerged from it completely unscathed which we ALL know is not the case. Enjoy this episode with Nicole, and I’ll be back next week with more.

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8. The app that will change how you co-parent

   18 de agosto de 202649 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 3A continuación

   Hi everyone, welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm your host Aisling Keenan. As many co-parents will know, separation is rarely the end of a relationship. For parents, it's often the beginning of a totally …

   Notas del episodio

   Hi everyone, welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm your host Aisling Keenan. As many co-parents will know, separation is rarely the end of a relationship. For parents, it's often the beginning of a totally new one where you're navigating school runs, birthdays, holidays, doctor's appointments and all the everyday logistics of raising children with someone you're no longer sharing a life with. 

   
   

   And while we hear so much about the emotional impact of separation, we don't often talk about the practical reality of communicating well when emotions are running high. For many families, those day-to-day interactions can become one of the biggest challenges of co-parenting. A simple text can be misread, conversations can quickly escalate, and children can end up caught in the middle of misunderstandings that were never meant for them. Finding ways to reduce conflict and keep communication focused on what matters most can make an enormous difference, not just for parents, but for their children too. 

   
   

   Noel Crabbe, a father to four daughters, is my guest today and he set out to tackle exactly that problem by creating an app designed to help separated parents communicate more clearly, more calmly and, ultimately, more effectively. We'll talk about what inspired the idea, what he's learned from working with families navigating separation and how technology can play a role in helping parents work together. Whether you're co-parenting yourself, know someone who is, work with families, or are simply interested in how technology is being used to solve real life problems, I think you'll find plenty to take away from this conversation.

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9. The beautiful chaos of parenting, with Sinead de Butleir

   11 de agosto de 202641 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 2A continuación

   Today's guest is someone many of you will know from social media, where she's built a loyal following by sharing her passion for style, her relatable family stories and lots more. Sinéad De Butléir is one of …

   Notas del episodio

   Today's guest is someone many of you will know from social media, where she's built a loyal following by sharing her passion for style, her relatable family stories and lots more. Sinéad De Butléir is one of the real rarities on social media today – aspirational but still a down to earth girl trying to juggle it all. She's an oncology nurse and mother of two small children, Mallaidh and Nóe, and is busy raising her children, building a career, protecting family life and trying to hold onto a sense of herself in the middle of it all. 

   
   

   In this episode, we're talking about the journey into motherhood from the very beginning, what she expected, what actually happened, and everything that came after. From pregnancy and birth to the fourth trimester, work-life balance, the mental load, and the everyday moments that have shaped her as a parent - nothing is off the table. Whether you're expecting your first baby, knee-deep in toddlerhood or simply wondering if anyone else feels like they're making it up as they go along, I think you'll find something in this conversation.

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10. Holly Cairns on the future Irish families deserve

    4 de agosto de 202643 minTemporada 20 · Episodio 1A continuación

    Welcome back to Season 20, Episode 1 where we welcome Holly Cairns - leader of the Social Democrats, a TD for Cork South-West, and one of the most recognisable voices in Irish politics. First elected to Dáil …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Season 20, Episode 1 where we welcome Holly Cairns - leader of the Social Democrats, a TD for Cork South-West, and one of the most recognisable voices in Irish politics. First elected to Dáil Éireann in 2020, she's built a reputation for speaking candidly about issues ranging from housing, healthcare and women's rights, to gender equality and childcare. But beyond the headlines and parliamentary debates, Holly is also someone who has spoken openly about the personal side of public life: the pressures of leadership, the expectations placed on women, and what it means to build a life while serving the country.

    
    

    As more people delay starting families, navigate changing ideas of parenthood, or try to balance demanding careers with their personal lives, those conversations have become increasingly relevant.

    
    

    Today, we're stepping away from party politics and into the person behind the politician. We'll be talking about ambition, identity, family, and the values that shape not just how Holly leads, but how she sees the world. Enjoy this episode, and I'll be back to you next week.

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11. Mothers are in crisis, with Laura O'Connell

    9 de junio de 202643 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 10A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan, your host. Today's episode surprised me. It's not often that happens, but when I first invited today's guest, Laura O'Connell, to join me, I wanted to …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan, your host. Today's episode surprised me. It's not often that happens, but when I first invited today's guest, Laura O'Connell, to join me, I wanted to talk to her about her genuinely hilarious and sometimes triggering midwife comedy sketches. I wanted to unpick with her the reactions and why she made them. Instead, we got into one of the most soul-baring and deep discussions about the realities of motherhood and its place (and struggle to find its place) in this patriarchal society we live in. We talk about how the major side effect of those brilliant reels was that Laura got angry – angry at the lack of support and lack of awareness around postnatal mental health. We get into the weeds about everything from guilt and the relentlessness of parenting (as laura puts it, there is no rip cord you can pull) and why conversations like the ones that come up in the comment sections of her viral reels are so important. This was a cathartic episode for me in all honesty, and you will be hearing from Laura again because I feel we have so much more to get through. Here's this week's episode, I'll be back to you next week with more.

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12. Motherhood, identity & the truth about matrescence with Claire Moore

    2 de junio de 202657 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 9A continuación

    Welcome back to everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. Today we are talking about one of the biggest identity shifts a person can go through and one we still don’t talk about nearly enough. Motherhood …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. Today we are talking about one of the biggest identity shifts a person can go through and one we still don’t talk about nearly enough. Motherhood isn’t just a physical transition; it’s emotional, psychological, social. There’s a word for that transformation and that is matrescence. It's not something I was very familiar with until really recently, but my guest today studies it and is pretty much an expert now. Returning for more chats, Claire Moore is a mother of two, Irish but living in Hong Kong, and is a facilitator for an amazing organisation called Bump and Co. With Bump and Co, they know how unsupported, misunderstood, and invisible many women can feel during their post-partum period and beyond, and they bring a peer-to-peer support together to help new mothers through their experiences. In this conversation, we talk about the genuine gap in the care for new mothers, not just commercially, but emotionally. We also get into the bigger cultural conversation around motherhood: why society still struggles to acknowledge how destabilising and transformative it can be, the pressure to appear like you’re coping, and the tension between the beauty of becoming a mother and the grief of losing parts of your old self. We also discuss whether modern motherhood has become overly optimised and commercialised, and what support for mothers should actually look like in real life, beyond Instagram slogans and vague ideas about “self care.” And if you’re listening as someone currently in the thick of matrescence, feeling overwhelmed or unlike yourself, there’s a really important message in this episode for you too. Here’s my conversation with Claire, and I'll be back next week with more.

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13. Honesty as a mother: 'I feel like I'm failing all the time' with Dr Laura

    26 de mayo de 202646 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 8A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm your host Aisling Keenan. Today’s guest is the brilliant Dr Laura Lenihan — GP, working parent of three girls and someone who speaks with rare honesty about the …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm your host Aisling Keenan. Today’s guest is the brilliant Dr Laura Lenihan — GP, working parent of three girls and someone who speaks with rare honesty about the realities of modern motherhood. This conversation goes far beyond perfect parenting or tidy Instagram advice. We talked about Dr Laura’s own HRT journey and how hormonal changes can affect patience, relationships and the way we experience motherhood itself. We also got into the relentless balancing act of trying to build a career while raising children and the impossible standards many women feel they’re failing to meet every single day. We spoke honestly about maternal guilt, the mental load, and that feeling so many mothers carry that no matter how much they do, it somehow never feels enough. And we discussed the uncomfortable truth that the bar for fathers is often dramatically lower: how men are praised for participation while women are expected to carry the invisible management of family life almost by default. It’s a conversation about work, identity, exhaustion, resentment, love, ambition, and the emotional complexity of trying to be everything to everyone. But it’s also validating, and incredibly reassuring. Whether you’re a parent, thinking about parenthood, or simply trying to survive modern life without burning out, I think you’ll get a lot from this one. Here’s my conversation with Dr Laura Lenihan.

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14. Jennifer Wrynne on positivity, parenting and her cancer diagnosis at 10 weeks post partum

    19 de mayo de 202647 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 7A continuación

    Hi there and welcome back to Everymum the podcast. I'm Aisling Keenan, your host. Today’s guest is the fabulous Jennifer Wrynne. Jennifer, many of you will know, is a milliner, online influencer and mum of …

    Notas del episodio

    Hi there and welcome back to Everymum the podcast. I'm Aisling Keenan, your host. Today’s guest is the fabulous Jennifer Wrynne. Jennifer, many of you will know, is a milliner, online influencer and mum of four, who in the past year or so has been sharing a deeply personal and life-changing experience very publicly: her breast cancer diagnosis. In this episode, we talk about that moment: how she found out, what followed, and the reality of navigating treatment while life kept moving around her. Jennifer speaks with incredible honesty about the fear, the uncertainty, and also the resilience she found in herself during that time. We also talk about her decision to share so much of her journey online, why she chose to be open, what that gave her, and how it’s helped other women, particularly when it comes to awareness around checking your breasts and paying attention to your body. This isn’t a story wrapped up in neat positivity. It’s about the complicated middle: the days that are hard, the mindset shifts that don’t come easily, and the ways people find strength when they don’t really have another option. Jennifer’s perspective is generous, grounded and incredibly impactful and I'm so grateful to her for sharing it with me and you, the listeners. Here's the episode, and I'll be back next week with more.

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15. Siobhan O'Hagan's SMBC journey to conceive her second child

    12 de mayo de 202648 minA continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan your host, and today’s guest is someone whose story speaks to so many modern realities around motherhood, family, and the choices women are making when …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan your host, and today’s guest is someone whose story speaks to so many modern realities around motherhood, family, and the choices women are making when life doesn’t follow the 'typical' path. Siobhan O’Hagan who you might know from her life online which began years back when she became a fitness influencer, is now a mum of one, working with an online community of women who want to live healtheir, and she has recently made the deeply personal decision to become a single mother by choice. Not because she gave up on finding a partner, but because she knew she wanted to grow her family and didn’t want to put that dream on hold in the meantime. I LOVE following Siobhan online and particularly love how she's approached this whole journey with complete upfront honesty. In this episode, we talk about what led her to make her decision around expanding her family, the fears that came with it, and the practical realities of pursuing fertility treatment on her own. Siobhan opens up about the IVF process itself, and what it means to embrace the label SMBC, and if she feels she identifies with it. We also get into the assumptions people make about what a family is supposed to look like, the reactions she’s had from others, and how she talks to her daughter about the journey of bringing a sibling into the world this way. But what makes this conversation so powerful is that it isn’t just about fertility treatment or solo parenting. It’s about agency. It’s about making a brave decision for your life, even when it falls outside the traditional narrative. Whether this path is something you’ve considered yourself, or whether you’re simply interested in the many ways families are made today, Siobhan’s honesty, warmth, and clarity make this a fascinating and deeply moving conversation. Here’s my chat with Siobhan, I'll be back next week with more.

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16. Friendship and motherhood, with Louise Cody

    6 de mayo de 202632 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 5A continuación

    Becoming a parent is often described as life-changing, and of course it is. But one of the shifts we don’t talk about enough is what happens to our friendships along the way. Today’s guest, Louise Cody, is an …

    Notas del episodio

    Becoming a parent is often described as life-changing, and of course it is. But one of the shifts we don’t talk about enough is what happens to our friendships along the way. Today’s guest, Louise Cody, is an online influencer who’s been refreshingly honest about how having a baby reshaped not just her daily life, but the people in it. In this conversation, we get into the moments that don’t always make it into the highlight reel: the unanswered messages, the group chats that go quiet, the friendships that deepen, and the ones that quietly drift. Louise speaks candidly about the emotional and logistical realities of staying connected when your world suddenly revolves around a tiny person. We talk about identity, guilt, resentment, and the sometimes uncomfortable truth that not all friendships survive the transition and that maybe that’s not a failure. We also touch on something even more important: Louise’s experience with postnatal depression, and how that shaped not only how she showed up in her friendships, but what she needed from them. This episode is honest, nuanced and even a little bit confronting. But if you’ve ever felt like your relationships shifted in ways you didn’t expect after a big life change, or if you’re trying to understand someone who has, tthere’s a lot in here that will resonate. Here’s my conversation with Louise Cody, and I'll be back next week with more.

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17. Are you worried about what your kids are doing online? With Alex Cooney

    28 de abril de 202653 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 4A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. If you’re a parent right now, chances are your child is spending at least some part of their day online, whether that's gaming, chatting with …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. If you’re a parent right now, chances are your child is spending at least some part of their day online, whether that's gaming, chatting with friends, watching videos. It’s just become part of modern childhood. But how much do we actually know about what children are doing online, and how protected they really are? New research from CyberSafeKids, which surveyed more than 3,300 primary school children and 1,700 parents across Ireland, suggests there’s a pretty significant gap between how parents think children are using the internet, and what’s actually happening. More than half of children aged 8 to 12 say they have no parental restrictions when it comes to online contact meaning they can chat or game with people they don’t know. Only about 4 in 10 say their parents can monitor what they do online. And despite age limits on most social media platforms, nearly 70 percent of children in that age group already have at least one account. At the same time, many parents say they feel overwhelmed by the speed of change. I know I do. A quarter say they simply don’t understand the apps or games their children are using, and nearly half admit the rules they set around screen time or online activity aren’t always enforced. So how worried should parents actually be? What are the real risks children face online today particularly with the rise of AI tools and deepfakes, and just as importantly, what are the practical things families can do to keep children safe without turning the internet into a battleground at home? To talk about all of that and more, I’m joined by Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids, Ireland’s national voice for children’s online safety and digital rights. This is essential listening for any parent with a device in their home, be it an ipad, a phone, a smartwatch or even just a wifi connection. I'll be back next week with more.

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18. Autism, PDA and why getting a diagnosis gives relief, with Caroline Foran

    21 de abril de 202653 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 3A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. When you imagine what parenting will look like, you tend to picture something linear: milestones ticked off, routines falling into place, a general …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. When you imagine what parenting will look like, you tend to picture something linear: milestones ticked off, routines falling into place, a general sense that even when things are hard, they’re at least a bit predictable. But for many parents, that couldn’t be further from the reality. Today’s conversation is about what happens when the script you thought you were following no longer applies and how you find your footing when you’re navigating something far more complex, and far less understood. I’m joined by my lovely friend Caroline Foran, author and journalist, who’s here to talk about her experience parenting her son, and the journey to understanding his autism and PDA profile. PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance, a term that, for many, is still unfamiliar, and often misunderstood. In this episode, Caroline shares the long and sometimes frustrating process of seeking answers, and how a diagnosis can bring both clarity and a whole new set of questions. We talk about the emotional reality behind the labels: the guilt, the doubt, the advocacy, and the constant recalibration that comes with parenting a neurodivergent child. We also get into what PDA actually means in day-to-day life, why traditional parenting strategies often don’t work, and how shifting your approach can transform not just your child’s experience, but your relationship with them too. This is a conversation about letting go of expectations, learning to see your child for who they are, and finding a different kind of confidence as a parent, one that’s built not on control, but on understanding. Here’s Caroline, and I'll be back next week with more

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19. Everything you need to know about your children's teeth, with Dr Abigail Moore

    13 de abril de 20261 h 1 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 2A continuación

    Today’s guest is Dr Abigail Moore, a specialist children’s dentist and the founder of Happy Teeth, where she works exclusively with babies, children and teens to make dental care calmer, kinder, and far less …

    Notas del episodio

    Today’s guest is Dr Abigail Moore, a specialist children’s dentist and the founder of Happy Teeth, where she works exclusively with babies, children and teens to make dental care calmer, kinder, and far less scary for everyone involved (including nervous mams and dads!) She has years of experience helping anxious kids and overwhelmed parents with very big feelings about being in the dentist’s chair. In this episode, we’re answering the questions parents actually lie awake worrying about: when to bring your child to the dentist for the first time, how much toothpaste is too much toothpaste, whether baby teeth really matter, and why some kids seem to get cavities no matter what you do. We talk fluoride, sugar, night feeds, thumb-sucking, tooth grinding, and what to do when a child flat-out refuses to open their mouth.If you’ve ever felt confused, guilty, or slightly panicked about your child’s teeth, this episode is for you.

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20. Love, loss and moving forward with Suzanne Kane

    7 de abril de 202649 minTemporada 19 · Episodio 1A continuación

    Welcome back to Season 19 of Everymum, the podcast – I'm your host, Aisling Keenan and today’s episode is a deeply honest conversation about a subject that many families experience, but far fewer feel able to …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Season 19 of Everymum, the podcast – I'm your host, Aisling Keenan and today’s episode is a deeply honest conversation about a subject that many families experience, but far fewer feel able to talk about openly: pregnancy loss. My guest is radio presenter Suzanne Kane, whose voice many people will recognise from the airwaves: She is warm, funny, and full of life. But in this conversation, Suzanne shares a much more personal side of her story, and actually through talking to her about it, it helped me feel better about my recent losses too. Together we chat about the emotional reality of pregnancy loss: the shock, the grief, the strange loneliness that can follow, and the complicated ways it can shape how you experience motherhood afterwards. Suzanne speaks with remarkable openness about what those moments were like for her. We talk about how experiences like this can change you as a parent and as a person, but this isn’t only a conversation about grief. It’s also about the realities of parenting and identity, about how motherhood changes you, the pressure many parents feel to get everything right, and the moments that remind you you’re not alone in the mess of it all. Suzanne brings honesty, humour and real vulnerability to this conversation, and I’m so grateful she was willing to share her story. Here’s my conversation with Suzanne Kane, enjoy it and I'll be back next week (and all season long!) with more.

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21. From barely surviving to absolutely thriving, with Jennifer Carroll aka Jen's Journey

    5 de febrero de 202642 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 10A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is the wonderful and always lovely Jen Carroll, who many of you will know as her online persona, Jen's Journey. Jen has lived more …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is the wonderful and always lovely Jen Carroll, who many of you will know as her online persona, Jen's Journey. Jen has lived more life than most of us and she's only in her 30s. She's gone from deeply unhappy and having no self-esteem in a difficult relationship, to being a happy, confident homeowner and mother of one, who is inspiring people every day on her social channels. We go through Jen's full journey in this episode, from having her son in London, changing her life and documenting it all online, coming back to Ireland and having a ten year old now who lights up her life. Her story is so inspiring and she's just one of the most authentic people you could ever meet which I know is why so many people love following her online. This is an episode that would give anyone they hope they need to get through adversity and come out the other side to a much happier, safer and more fulfilled life. This is our last episode for season 18, what a great one to finish on! After a few weeks break we'll be back again with season 19 with even more brilliant guests, so join us then and a huge huge thank you for listening, as always.

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22. Schools and religion: Should the church still be involved? with Laura Cunningham

    29 de enero de 202645 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 9A continuación

    Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. This week's episode is slightly different from our norm in the sense that we're covering a topic, a very important one, rather …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. This week's episode is slightly different from our norm in the sense that we're covering a topic, a very important one, rather than discussing a guest's experience. The topic in question is that of religion as it relates to the education system, which can be at times divisive but should be discussed nevertheless. chatting to me about it is the lovely Laura Cunningham, who is always so up to date and informed about the topic, and always keeps up with the work of Education Equality Ireland, who do a lot in terms of informing and educating people on the issue. It's crunch time for me with this because Lydia is due to start school this coming September, and because we're not particularly religious (which is a roundabout way of saying we're not religious at all!) I'm facing a few years ahead of tricky questions and decisions about how best to see her through life in our local national school, where religion is still to the fore. Although Laura and I very much agree personally on the issue, it's important to say that having strong religious belief of any kind is incredibly important and valuable to so many people, and we very much agree that practicing whatever religion you choose should be encouraged and supported. We also chat about the primary schools survey which over 168,000 parents and educators responded to which asks various questions about the type of schooling children should receive. It went out to parents of school-age children and talks about co-ed or single sex school, religious patronage and which language parents would prefer their child to learn through. As I said, this topic can be decisive but it's important to have open discussion about it, so I hope you enjoy listening and I'll be back next week with more.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23. Different types of birth trauma, and how to start healing with Michelle Flynn

    20 de enero de 202653 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 8A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Michelle Flynn, a psychotherapist who specialises in perinatal mental health. We talk on today’s episode about birth trauma …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Michelle Flynn, a psychotherapist who specialises in perinatal mental health. We talk on today’s episode about birth trauma: something many parents will recognise, but not as many feel truly 'allowed' to claim. For some, birth just doesn't go to plan, it leaves a lasting imprint that shows up in the body, in confidence, in relationships and in the day-to-day experience of parenting. And that can be so confusing, especially when you’re told you should feel grateful because your baby is healthy. In this conversation, Michelle and I unpack what birth trauma actually is, and why it isn’t defined by how dramatic, dangerous or “successful” a birth appeared from the outside. We talk about how feeling unheard, rushed, powerless or unsafe can be traumatic in itself, and how those experiences can linger months or even years later. We also explore the impact on bonding with your baby, on partners and non-birthing parents and on future pregnancies, as well as the shame and silence that often surround these experiences. Most importantly, we talk about healing: what helps, what doesn’t, and how support can look different for different people. If you’ve ever questioned whether your experience counts, or wondered why it’s still affecting you, this episode is for you. Back soon with more.

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24. Staying who you are through the fourth trimester, with Pamela Laird

    13 de enero de 202644 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 7A continuación

    Welcome back everyone, I'm your host Aisling Keenan and you're listening to Everymum the podcast. We're deep into season 18 now which is wild. This episode was a treat for me to record because the guest is a …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back everyone, I'm your host Aisling Keenan and you're listening to Everymum the podcast. We're deep into season 18 now which is wild. This episode was a treat for me to record because the guest is a good friend of mine, the lovely Pamela Laird came on to chat to me about how she's finding motherhood so far with her three month old daughter. One of the things we chat about is how Pam has managed to stay feeling like 'herself' through pregnancy and motherhood, and while obviously things are really different from pre-baby, she says she still feels like who she always was. That really struck me as unique, because I know I didn't feel that way and so many mothers I know don't, so it was really refreshing to hear. I loved hearing a really positive parenting story too, because so often we find issues and I know I can focus on the negatives too sometimes. Enjoy this episode, enjoy hearing Pam's daughter's super gorgeous and very unique name, and I'll be back soon with more.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25. Raising boys to be good men, with Laura Dowling, the Fabulous Pharmacist

    9 de diciembre de 202544 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 6A continuación

    Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. I absolutely LOVE my guest this week, and I was somewhat self-conscious to be interviewing her because she's such a great podcast …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. I absolutely LOVE my guest this week, and I was somewhat self-conscious to be interviewing her because she's such a great podcast host herself. Laura Dowling, otherwise known as The Fabulous Pharmacist, has so many strings to her bow, she's an author, a podcaster like I mentioned and travels the country with her shows, teaching the women (and men!) of Ireland about vulvas, among other things, bringing fun and lightheartedness into topics that otherwise might feel taboo to openly chat about. What I was so interested to chat to her about, aside from her crusade to help women know and love their bodies, is her life as a mother of three teenage boys. She talks about trying to keep them fed, leaving them alone when they're killing each other, and hoping that they'll grow up to be good friends, partners and fathers. We talk about why 'dad guilt' doesn't seem to be a thing, even though women are wracked with guilt constantly, and how the most important thing to her is that her sons know they can always come to her with anything they need. It's hard not to be entertained by Laura, so I know this episode will entertain AND inform, and hopefully make you laugh too. Thanks so much for listening as always.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26. Three labours in under three hours with Deirdre O'Shaughnessy

    2 de diciembre de 202560 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 5A continuación

    Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. My guest this episode is Deirdre O'Shaughnessy, a journalist and mother of three whose story of parenthood so far left me …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. My guest this episode is Deirdre O'Shaughnessy, a journalist and mother of three whose story of parenthood so far left me breathless. I'd always known Deirdre professionally, as we orbited each other on Twitter for years, and always admired her work, but now that I have heard the story of the last nine years of her life I am TRULY in awe. From the births of her three sons, to renovating a house, taking in a family from Ukraine, navigating a full time and high demand job and then grieving after losing both of her parents, the amount of times in this episode that I said "oh my god" must be some kind of record for broadcasting. Deirdre is known for her work, but her personal story is absolutely captivating too and left me genuinely wondering at the end – has this woman slept at all in the past decade? I'll say no more on this one, apart from to say her first child was born – from first twinge to being delivered - in under three hours. You'll have to listen to believe it. Enjoy this episode, and I'll speak to you all again next week.

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27. Babies, beauty and business with Suzy Griffin Dunne

    25 de noviembre de 202548 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 4A continuación

    Hello everybody, welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan and my guest this week is beauty entrepreneur, owner of beauty brand Hildun and mother of three, Suzy Griffin Dunne …

    Notas del episodio

    Hello everybody, welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan and my guest this week is beauty entrepreneur, owner of beauty brand Hildun and mother of three, Suzy Griffin Dunne. This episode was basically me trying to find out what makes Suzy tick, how she manages having three small children and a beauty business, and how she manages to stay so present in both her work life and her parenting life – as it turns out, Suzy is unflappable. She's moving through it all with a laid back confidence that I am, quite frankly, very jealous of. She says while she's working, she's in work mode and while she's with her kids, who are 4, 5 and 7, she tries to be as present as possible. When she does try to open her laptop and work after hours, she says it's slammed shut for her. Which I can relate to! This chat will reassure any parents listening that we ALL compare ourselves to other parents, but that we're all winning and failing in our own unique ways, and just because your neighbour's child is doing grad 8 on the clarinet by their 4th birthday doesn't mean you're a terrible parent because your child won't even sit at the table to eat their dinner. I promise. Enjoy this lovely episode, and I'll be back next week.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28. "Like night and day" - Kelly Donegan on her two different experiences of birth and early motherhood

    18 de noviembre de 202545 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 3A continuación

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan, your host, and my guest this week is a returning guest, the lovely Kelly Donegan. Many of you will know her from her Tallafornia past, but that's very …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan, your host, and my guest this week is a returning guest, the lovely Kelly Donegan. Many of you will know her from her Tallafornia past, but that's very far in the rearview for Kelly now. And as we chat today, her 12 week old son Jesse makes his little voice known, so if you hear some baby gurgles, I promise it's not me OR Kelly. Kelly joined me a second time for very good reason – I was dying to chat to her about her VBAC, or vaginal birth after caesarean, which she spoke about online at the time of Jesse's birth. Her first delivery on her daughter Cherry was so traumatic for her that when we spoke the first time she was sad, tired, angry, emotional, the full gamut of feelings. This time, well. She didn't stop smiling for the entire recording, even when talking about the 10 out of 10 contraction pain she was feeling during delivery. Motherhood changes us all, but motherhood seems to have changed Kelly twice – and I just find it absolutely fascinating how different her two birth experiences were. I know you'll enjoy this episode, I loved recording it as I just LOVE a happy birth story. Back next week with more chats.

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29. Do you need a doula? With Heather Condren

    11 de noviembre de 202552 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 2A continuación

    This week on the podcast, my guest is Heather Condren, founder of Flowerpop, a brilliant, creative and unique flower business based in Dublin (and delivering everywhere). Heather and I cover a lot of ground …

    Notas del episodio

    This week on the podcast, my guest is Heather Condren, founder of Flowerpop, a brilliant, creative and unique flower business based in Dublin (and delivering everywhere). Heather and I cover a lot of ground: what it’s like to start a business with a tiny baby, the realities of parenting while running your own company, and the constant juggle of entrepreneurial life. But one of the most fascinating parts of our chat was Heather’s experience working with both a pregnancy doula and a postpartum doula. She speaks so passionately about the incredible support doulas provide, what they actually do, how their roles differ, and why that kind of care can be life-changing. Our conversation also opened up into the bigger picture: how much support for new mothers has disappeared, and how isolating it can feel without the “village” previous generations could rely on. Heather is inspiring as a mother, a founder, and a person who is willing to share her journey so honestly. I think you’ll find this episode as thought-provoking as it is encouraging. Thanks so much for listening and I'll be back next week with more.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30. A billion views on motherhood content: What's behind the scenes, with Rebecca and Fiona Ryan

    4 de noviembre de 202546 minTemporada 18 · Episodio 1A continuación

    Welcome back to Season 18 of Everymum, the podcast, the place for people who love their kids deeply but also occasionally fantasize about running away to a quiet hotel room with room service and no one saying …

    Notas del episodio

    Welcome back to Season 18 of Everymum, the podcast, the place for people who love their kids deeply but also occasionally fantasize about running away to a quiet hotel room with room service and no one saying “Maaaam” for three to five business days. Today’s guests are two women who understand that impulse all too well, and have somehow turned it into content: Rebecca and Fiona Ryan. They’re Irish sisters, actors, and online creators who grew up just outside Meath, trained together at the Gaiety School of Acting, and have spent most of their adult lives toggling between their passion for acting, and both are now mothers of two. Rebecca is best known for her hilarious and painfully relatable videos on motherhood and modern life — the kind that make you laugh and then wince at how real it is, and then send to your group chat. Fiona, meanwhile, spent years acting and producing in London before returning home, where together, they’ve created Motherhustle. It's a new mini-series about the grind of parenting. It’s funny, sharp, and occasionally too on the nose for comfort. What I love about these two is that they’re not just making jokes about motherhood — they’re exploring how to stay ambitious when someone around you always has sticky hands and needs another snack. How do you make art out of chaos without losing your mind or your sense of humour? We get into all of that in this episode: the creative process, the sister dynamic, the limits of sharing online, and what the future holds for them and their families. So, make yourself a coffee or something stronger, depending on the hour and join us as we talk about turning the mess of modern motherhood into something you can actually laugh about. I;ll be back next week with more.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aquí están los 40 episodios más recientes de 219. Los anteriores están en el feed del podcast.