Beanstalk: Real Talk for Single Mums

Not divorced yet but want to change your name? You can! And it's EASY.

I chat to Gen Dennis from Easy Name Change about: Why it is so important for you to feel comfortable with your name; why making the decision to revert to your maiden name could be a great move for you; the pitfalls of changing your name; Gen's super-simple guide to change your name (she can save you 6-hours of faffing around); and the difference between reverting to your maiden name and choosing something entirely different.

All guys are duds! No they're not! You just need to get this dating thing right and see the truth to fast-track you to find the perfect long-term partner.

And there is nobody better equiped to shed the light (and the love) than Elly Johnson from Truth Lies & Love.

We chat about: How to weed out the duds early on; the most common mistakes us women make when dating, and how to avoid them; why values hold such high significance in the dating game; how to know if he's into you; how to attract a better quality of men (or someone better suited to you); Elly's absolute top tips to fast track finding a great partner, whilst enjoying the journey!

Why the hell does 50/50 co-parenting cause so much confusion?

In this information-packed podcast I chat to Melinda Nutting and Tania Fitzpatrick from Step By Step Support to unpack what 50/50 co-parenting actually means.

Our chat includes: Understanding the difference between co-parenting and parallel parenting;Bird nesting - what it is and how it can work for children of separation; the grey areas of finance when 50/50 co-parenting; why Child Support and co-parenting are not always good mix; mistakes you can make when co-parenting and how to avoid/overcome them; how to role model a healthy co-parenting relationship to your children; ant the benefits of a 50/50 co-parenting arrange for everyone in the family.

There is nothing more inspiring than a single mum who has taken on the world and lived to tell her story! 

That is exactly what Lisa Burling has done. Lisa believes that living courage, faith and gumption (love that word!) today can lead you to live the life you want tomorrow. And that's what we discuss in this totally uplifting podcast that will have you rocking your goals by the end of the show.

DO NOT put your will to the bottom of the too-hard pile. Having a Will saves your family stress and money when the time does come, and honestly, we just don't know when that will be.

I chat to Emily Brown from BT Lawyers about: Why it's important to have a Will; what happens if you don't make a Will; what to consider when preparing a Will as a single mum; mistakes you might make and how to avoid them; how often to check your Will and why; how to make changes to your Will; and how to start the process and GET IT DONE.

Don't look for a new job! Instead you could negotiate flexible work arrangements with your current employer.

Lucy Dickens and Jo Alil-ovich from the The Juggle podcast are here to tell us how.

Listen to us discuss: What flexible work arrangements actually are; how flexible work arrangements can benefit you as a working mum; how these arrangements can benefit your employer too; how to approach the subject of work hours with your employer; the problems you may have when trying to negotiate flexible work arrangements and how you can overcome them; and finally, your legal rights and how to get further support.

There is no bible for co-parenting. It can be a challenge. Co-parenting or solo parenting even more so. We all do our best, and we all want to raise happy, confident resilient kids. But the question is, how the hell do we do it?

In this podcast, I chat to Dr Jane Coleman, clinical psychologist at the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, which is one of the best parenting programs IN THE WORLD and completely free in many parts of Australia.

We cover: the 5 principles of positive parenting; how Triple P helps young children right through to teenagers; how to feel more confident about your parenting; why and how to reach for help if you are struggling; the huge impact positive parenting can have on your children; and how to find out more about Triple P and join a course for parenting support.

Do you love going to work? Or do you need clarity for a new career path?

I chat to Helen Slater from 6S Coaching to help you get the direction you need to rock your career moves and ultimately land your dream job.

We chat about what to consider if you want a career change but you're not sure what; a checklist of what to do before investing time and money in your chosen career path; the absolute importance of recognising and working with your personal values; tips to overcome overwhelm and get the ball rolling; what you can do whilst studying to make yourself more employable; and steps you can take RIGHT NOW to start you journey towards your dream job.

Lifeline’s Executive Director, Rachel Bowes chats with me about how it’s normal to feel down at some point on your single mother journey.

Whether it’s whilst navigating the initial break-up or once you have adjusted, no one would blame you for feeling low, lonely, overwhelmed or possibly even depressed.

This chat includes, but is not limited to what you can do to prevent and deal with loneliness: how to ease the pressure of overwhelm as a single parent; catastrophising: why you do it and how to stop it; the red flags of depression and how to take proactive action against it; the positive and negative impact of social media on mental health; how to know when to ask for help, where to ask for help and other wonderful resources.

Did you know that not having money worries can improve our lives significantly in so many ways? And even if you don’t have money you can still save every week.

Yes, single mums you truly can! Get educated. Get empowered and understand the importance of getting you finances in order and saving for the things you always wanted. A house deposit, a new car, that dream holiday that so far was just that .. a dream.

You can learn it all in this chat, as well as dealing with debt whilst saving and where to find the absolute best free resources to manage your money.

Thanks to the wonderful Anthea Falkiner from Bright Spenders for her brilliant advice.