

14 Jul 2026 · 31m · 9 chapters

Parenting “safe space” chat by Zoe Hardman and Georgia Dayton about (1) explaining sex and reproduction to kids after a question about a gay godfather having children, (2) school crushes, first relationships, and consent, and (3) whether modern parenting schedules and working affect kids’ behavior and emotions.
The episode is hosted only by Zoe Hardman and Georgia Dayton; no guest speakers are interviewed.
Both are mothers with five kids between them; they discuss their own family situations, including children’s school, sports/dance, and relationship milestones.
Kids’ big questions can force awkward, improvised sex-ed; crushes/dumping are normal developmental steps; today’s “too much” (work + activities + constant stimulation) may contribute to exhaustion and anger, and social media/video pressure could change childhood romance.
An 8-year-old asks about sperm/“love seed” after IVF talk; a boy uses AI (ChatGPT/Suno) to write a rap love song to himself; a child’s first girlfriend dumps him; a mother-in-law compares daycare to a “modern orphanage.”
Written by AI. May contain mistakes.
Zoe and Georgia share their chaotic morning experiences as parents.
“But for now, George, should we get into it?”
Georgia discusses a candid conversation with her son about masturbation.
“Do you want to hear about my IVF masturbation story?”
Zoe and Georgia discuss the relentless questions from their kids and how they handle it.
“And I was like, oh, for God's sake, you know.”
The hosts share insights on their children's crushes and early relationship dynamics.
“You know, I can't do the maths homework.”
Exploring the innocence of childhood crushes and the emotional highs and lows that come with them.
“crushes but they're not you know they're not doing anything no of course it's like the first flutter of a feeling towards the opposite sex or the same sex.”
Discussing the challenges of modern parenting and societal pressures.
“We're, I don't know, really, just as normal, which is really boring.”
Discussing the unrealistic expectations of parenting and the associated guilt.
“just feeling so cross but also I think a tiny part of it like I think our generation in particular still has that like, I don't know, underlying guilt maybe.”
Debating the balance between engaging children in activities and their well-being.
“And it goes against so much of what we believe in.”
Considering how to simplify life and parenting responsibilities.
“And I think we're just, all we're going to do post-school is just chill, swim, play games and just keep it the three of us.”

Get the gist, explore an idea or ask about something said.
On Made by Mammas: The Podcast, what are the key points of this episode?
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.
0:00Back Market is the best place to get the tech you need for back to school, for less. Like professionally refurbished smartphones to take those first day pics. Mom, your finger's blocking the camera. Or so they can ask you to buy a poster board for the science fair tomorrow. No matter what you need it for, the premium refurbished tech on Back Market is guaranteed by the Back Market Promise. Professionally refurbished with a one-year warranty and free 30-day returns. Save now at BackMarket.com.
0:30Georgia Dayton: Is your kid's birthday coming up? Don't stress the prep. The Party Shop at Michael's is your one-stop shop for everything from bluey to rodeo. Transform your space into a birthday wonderland with dream-worthy tablescapes and decor starting at 99 cents. Plus, get free helium inflation on select balloon styles. Whether you're crafting a one-of-a-kind bash or grabbing the essentials, Michael's has everything to make their big day legendary. Shop now and order ahead for delivery or in-store pickup. Michael's, everything to celebrate anything. Hello and welcome to Made by Mamas, the podcast. I'm Zoe Hardman.
1:13And I'm Georgia Dayton. And this is your parenting safe space where no conversation is off limits. With five kids between G and I, we have seen a lot.
1:22Georgia Dayton: We really have. Each week we'll be joined by some famous faces and experts and we'll chat about the brands and products that have saved us along the way. In short, we're the parenting podcast for you. Before we get started, hit subscribe or follow so you're the first to know when each episode lands. And they're on Tuesdays and Fridays. And it really helps if you leave a rating and a review. You can also find us on Instagram. We're on at Made by Mummers. But for now, George, should we get into it? Well, we've both had a bit of a, I don't know, morning. I don't think it's a morning. The last few days.
1:54Georgia Dayton: How are you? I don't want to start the podcast by swearing, but fuck Mondays, man. Yeah, oh my God, don't. Genuinely, I reckon I've had one of the most frantic three hours of my life, and it's only 10 o 'clock in the morning. But I feel like sometimes it doesn't matter what you do, you cannot keep all the plates spinning. No, no, no, no, to absolutely a million percent. I mean, I'm just here in body today. Well, George, you've had a bit of a night. Talk us through it. Well, I feel like it was the night. It was going to be bad anyway. so we've had three nights of basically like not really not a lot of sleep because various different things you know like watching the world cup james was out woke me up at 5am like gg was at a dance show last night that didn't finish till 11 p.m oh george and so we're watching it axel's watching it like we're all there but 11 p.m like she's only just turned seven and she was still on stage like Yeah, that's ridiculous.
2:47Georgia Dayton: That's really full on. Then we got home and I was already like, oh my God, like it's midnight and I really just want to go to sleep. This is a lot. Literally got to sleep and then I heard someone chucking up and I was like, oh, I'm sorry. Who is that? I was like, James, someone's being sick. Go and see who it is. And he was like, it's Axel. I was like, oh no, he was sick everywhere. And also James is so extra as well. He had the freaking carpet stain cleaner going at two o 'clock in the morning. It's like, and I was like, oh my, like seriously. Tell me he had his little blue shoe covers on at the same time.
3:25Georgia Dayton: Might as well, probably a mask as well. So then we had that, then, you know, you get back into bed and you're like, oh yes, like, let's get back to sleep. I've probably got like three hours sleep at this point and my card shop is coming at 6am. I was like, oh my God. And then I was like, oh no, no, not again. So off James goes, gets the carpet cleaner out again. I'm like, is this a joke? You're being pranked. Yeah, this has got to be a joke. Then woke up this morning, cardo shop comes. Lovely. I'm just having, you know, minding my own business. I'm absolutely exhausted. And then I thought, right, I'm going to get out of the house before everybody wakes up.
4:02Georgia Dayton: Yeah, good plan. And then James comes down. He's like, oh, could you not do the lunches? I was like, Axel can't go to school. He's like, well, he's got triathlon trials. So he's going to school. And I'm like, he is not going to school. He's not at school, by the way. Yeah, I mean, it's just quite a lot. There's just nothing worse, I think, than kind of getting to the end of the day and thinking, now is the time when I'm going to really stock up on all the energy that has been depleted across the weekend. And then something like that happens. I know that there'll be so many parents listening to this going, oh my God, I'm with you.
4:31Yeah. It's utterly exhausting.
4:34Georgia Dayton: Yeah, it really is. And now it's just a bad start to the week, which is really negative. But, you know, we're going to bring some light, aren't we? We are going to bring some light. Have we got an eat? Do you want to hear about my IVF masturbation story? I mean, no. No, I don't. Because I'm also wondering if I too have norovirus. So this might tip me over the edge. Oh, God. But no, go on. I'll close my eyes. So I wanted to ask your opinion on this. We were in the car the other day and we were talking about Luna's godfather. And he's gay. And does he want to have kids? And I said, oh, actually, I haven't asked that question.
5:09And then Kit went, how does that work? do they put the baby inside one of their willies? So immediately I was like, this is going to be genius. And I was like, no, no, they have to use a donor egg and one of their sperm. Anyway, so you could see his mind going. And I said, and they might use a surrogate or, you know, I was sort of going through the options. Anyway, he was like, right, okay. So how do they get the egg out of the woman? And I was like, okay, well, they do the injections. talking him through it and he was sort of understanding it and then he said how do they get the love seed out of the testicles I think he said balls um and I was like oh here we go is this the point that I'm gonna have to speak about masturbating to my eight-year-old son but I was like this is done in a biological way trying to impart some knowledge onto him so I thought okay I'm gonna have to do this anyway so I was like well the man goes into a little room and Luna's face, she just went, and then what happens?
6:11And I was like, and then there's a bit of rubbing and then the love seed comes out. And he was like, I have to rub my willy on the wall. And I was like, why have you brought a wall into this equation? And he said, does it hurt?
6:26Georgia Dayton: Isn't that what a lot of young boys do? They like hump walls and walk out like sofas and, I don't know. Or like stuffed toys or whatever. We had one of those at school, George Tapsfield. anyway so I said no no there's no walls involved and he was like oh god what do you do and I was like well you have to pull your full skin back and forth and he was like you have to do what that sounds absolutely horrific and I was like no no it doesn't hurt Kit it can be quite nice and he was like oh it's nice and I was like oh my god now you're encouraging masturbation right I'm encouraging masturbation it was I was trying to do it in a biological way they They completely lost their shit.
7:05They were laughing so much. Kit was crying in the back. And he was like, well, what's under there? And I was like, can we just change the subject? Don't worry about it. You're not there yet.
7:16Georgia Dayton: You definitely don't need to be going to a sperm donor clinic age nine. And he goes, where does it go? And I was in a little pot. And he was going, that's disgusting. And I said, whatever you do, please don't go into school and talk to your friends about what I've talked to you about. And when they left the car, I literally just sat there and went, oh, my God. What do you do in that situation? because it is obviously an important subject and if they're asking questions, I don't want to be like, oh, let's not talk about that because... No, I don't know, but I really do think there should be some guidelines somewhere because I messed it all up as well with the whole like getting the sperm out of the willy and then Gigi said, I don't want to have to eat a man's balls.
7:52Georgia Dayton: And I was like, oh, for God's sake, you know. And you just think, oh, can someone just like do some bullet points and be like, in this instance, just say this. You know, you go to a clinic and that's all that happens. Also, I find it fascinating that at this age, and it's brilliant, isn't it? Because they've got such brilliant minds, but that's where their minds are going. Yeah, of course. So many questions all the time. Yeah, I know. What are the questions like in your house? Because I feel like they are getting more and more ridiculous in my head. Tell me about, what's the opposite of a black hole?
8:22And I was like, a white hole?
8:24Georgia Dayton: Oh my God, no, don't. I can't cope with the questions. My answer is always, ask Alexa. mine is um that's a daddy question yeah ask Alexa not sure ask Alexa but we have got AI now to answer all the questions for us okay good point good point but it always seems to come at the end of the day or on the school run when you've literally lost your shit trying to get out the house and then you have to start talking about the oldest dinosaur on the planet or like what food they ate yeah yeah yeah well yeah well what what's that what where how old were they when And they first, like, I don't know, ate this.
8:58Georgia Dayton: And no, I'm with you. I can't. I actually, that's one of my worst parts about this stage of parenting is the questions. Yeah, it's irritating, isn't it? Yeah. And also, you don't know what you're answering. And sometimes you can get it really wrong and spread a lot of rumours. I stopped learning anything at 10.
9:17You know, I can't do the maths homework. I've got no idea who fucking Hardy is who wrote the bloody Mayor of Casterbridge. Like I just stopped all of that kind of, obviously I'm still learning stuff now, but the sort of hardcore information that you have to retain at school, that left my mind a long time ago. I'm not an encyclopedia. No, totally. I find it utterly exhausting having to keep asking questions.
9:39Georgia Dayton: Yeah, so do I. That's why I'm so grateful for like ChatGPT and Claude because they can answer it all. I was actually going to talk to you about this. So I use ChatGPT all the time. Yeah. Okay. So I opened my ChatGPT the other day. Right. And it was already open. and I was like, oh, what's this? Anyway, have I mentioned that Axel's like girl mad now? No. Right. Seven weeks ago, if you mentioned like a girl, like, oh, there was a girl in his class who wrote him a little letter when he left his old school. He'd be like so embarrassed, tell us to shut up. You know, like, oh no, like, why are you talking about that?
10:15Now, girl mad.
10:17Georgia Dayton: Oh. Like rating girls in his class from one to 10. Oh, Jesus, Axel. That girl mad, like as in, oh, well, she's like number two. Anyway, he's mad about one girl at school. Like almost to the point where I'm like, oh, God, is that what you're going to be like as a boyfriend? You're like obsessive, obsessive. Sure, sure. Like he said they got moved around, like, you know, the seats got moved around the other day. He's like, oh, I'm gutted. I've got such and such in front of me and it's not her. And I was like, oh, why? I think he thinks they are. Right, but he hasn't asked. But I don't know if they are.
10:52Georgia Dayton: We've had the chat about consent, right? Yeah. Well, that's what I did say that to him. And there was a fight that happened. Another boy likes her. And Axel said, well, it's up to her. And I said, oh, that was very mature of you, Axel, to say, well, it's up to her. And he was like, yeah, but I know she likes me. I was like, right. Okay. But anyway, I opened ChatGPT. Oh, God. And have you heard of this app called Suno? No. Oh, so it's so good. It's a songwriting app. Okay. So you can go onto it and you can be like, oh, write a song about Zoe and her morning and you give it like a prompt and it plays an actual song for you.
11:30Georgia Dayton: So we like mess around in the house and Axl will do like loads of songs about himself and, you know, about Gigi or whatever. Anyway, so I look in into Chachi Pity and it says, write me a prompt for Suno about a boy named Axl that loves a girl named and she loves him. right but most love songs would be like she's so beautiful and kind or whatever nope he is very smart and he is very good at football I want a rap song but no swearing so it writes him this song and all it goes in fact I can probably play the beginning of it um and I was just thinking to I've given myself another one I don't want him to know that I've seen it, but love song to himself.
12:35Georgia Dayton: He's written a love song. He's written a love song to himself. To himself, yeah. So I think we're a bit confused. You have created like this tiny, beautiful narcissist. Haven't you? Totally. I really need to have a conversation with him about like, you know, wanting to go and tell this girl that you love her so much is not a sales pitch about yourself. It's not like, by the way, you're going to love me because I am all of these things. I'm amazing on the football pitch. I'm so clever. I'm, oh my God. Wow. Yeah, I know. And have you told him that you know about this rap love song? No, no, no, no, I haven't.
13:14Georgia Dayton: But he's very open about this girl because, yeah, he's taking up all of his mind at the moment. It's interesting how it suddenly switches as well. They go through these funny phases, don't they? And I think maybe when they're sort of four or five, they might have a little crush in their class. Or they might have this really good girl best mate. I don't know if you remember, but she came for a sleepover. I do remember. That, obviously, they were in different classes the following year. so that sort of ended and then he got himself a girlfriend so kit has had his first girlfriend but i've just found out that she dumped him oh and i was like are you okay and he was like yeah no i'm fine i'm fine then luna runs in and goes he's got a new one now and i was like oh my god you've got a new one he goes no i haven't shut up shut up luna and i think it's we're stepping into that stage now where there's going to be these little kind of little romances little crushes but they're not you know they're not doing anything no of course it's like the first flutter of a feeling towards the opposite sex or the same sex.
14:08Georgia Dayton: Yeah, that's exactly what it is. I think before they used to almost like play boyfriend and girlfriend. It would literally be like, I mean, Gigi said on Friday, she was like, oh my God, guess what? Tyler and Ivy got married. Right. And I was like, right, okay. How do you know? Well, because I saw. You know, like she almost looks at me like, oh, you idiot. I saw them getting married. That's how I know. And I was like, oh, serious then. And I think they have that, don't they, for a while. and then I think now it's almost you know in their last year at primary school nearly it's I think when like actual like crushes proper crushes happen right um I mean I felt my childhood sweetheart I fell in love with him when I was nine yeah that's what I mean yeah but I loved him for 11 years wow yeah we weren't together the whole time there was obviously other people but he was the one.
14:59Georgia Dayton: You loved it? Yeah. First of all, we started off playing Kiss Chase, obviously, the old trusty staple, Kiss Chase. Do people still do that? I don't know, but we should definitely bring it back. People don't do it. People on the Elizabeth line playing Kiss Chase in the morning. That'd be interesting. Then I didn't see him for a while, for a couple of years. We were really good childhood friends, so our parents were really good mates. And then we started dating properly when I was about 14. And that was, oh my God, I fell in love like proper in love with him then we broke up for a bit and then we got back together when I was 18 for a couple of years um I think maybe that's too long probably summer um and then he went off traveling and I remember being heartbroken but I asked Doz about this he did not have a childhood sweetheart really I think it's really weird why would you not have somebody that you had a crush on and then yeah oh god I was gonna say I really remember last year of primary school like everybody being like head over heels with certain like people and then holding that I had loads to be fair I didn't just have one I was like oh I felt I mean I always like no I look back now I'm like god my taste was questionable you know there were people that I would net like now um so yeah no I definitely had a few but I remember like that whole like intense feeling where you'd be devastated if they didn't like you back like heart heartbroken yeah I remember getting dumped by one of them we were on a like a camping trip in France and I was dating one brother and my sister was dating the other brother um keep it in the family and we were all there on a big family holiday and I remember being dumped in a French market by the elder brother as in he dumped he dumped me on behalf of his younger brother cheers thanks very much and I remember having to do the rest of the holiday just basically staring at him thinking this is the worst holiday of my life I was only 13 yeah yeah but you feel it yeah that's what I find so funny now like with Axel I'm like I actually know what you're feeling and it's really weird to think that you're feeling like that yeah because it's just I don't know it's just weird it's lovely it's it's lovely it's really lovely and I think it's really important and they have to go through this don't they have to go through this first throws into that adult but they're still so little so I think it's only us in our mind that might change it into something that it's not well yeah of course because I was really interested especially when they'd been away for the week there's like various boyfriends and girlfriends and I was like so what does that mean like what what what does it mean so like for instance if you saw this girl and she was upset right she was upset what would you do like if you're her boyfriend, what would you do?
17:37Georgia Dayton: And he was like, I'd just be like, you're right. And I was like, all right, so you wouldn't put your arm around him? He went, Jesus, mum, I've known her four weeks. No, I wouldn't. I was like, right, okay, fine. Just because he's got a really slutty mother who moves from first to fifth base. Well, apparently, we're not even putting our arms around someone when they're upset. So I think that did make me think, oh, this is not a thing yet. I used to phone my, because you know, back in the day, we only had landlines. Yeah. I used to phone my childhood sweetheart and we used to make a plan that, yeah, that I would basically have a chat with my mum and he would speak to his mum and we would beg them for like a sleepover.
18:17I mean, by this point we were like 15, so things had progressed. We were heading down the bases quite quickly at this point.
18:23Georgia Dayton: You're not just like putting your arms around each other. Yeah. And then I'd go back to my mum and be like, oh, this person's mum has asked me to go around there and stay the night. And then we'd have this whole thing. And then we'd obviously sleep in separate bedrooms. they'd put us in separate bedrooms and then we'd creep down the corridor meet halfway down the corridor have a snog and then run back to our bedrooms yeah yeah yeah oh god it was fun i used to have to share a bedroom with my boyfriend when i was about 13 14's brother oh but we used to tell him to go into his room and then he just used to come in and we'd share a room and then in the morning we'd lift him back up and put him back in the brother and basically like how old is his Oh no, he was like two years younger.
19:04Georgia Dayton: But if you think so, he was probably still like in primary school. So he'd be like 11 or something. And we'd just like lift him up, move him into the other room. What was happening in those three photos? Well, I mean, you know, what teenagers get up to. But now I look back. No, I don't. Tell us. No. Not a spin the bottle. Aggressive spin the bottle. Just for the two of you. Aggressive spin the bottle where you don't know who it's going to land on. But now I look back, I'm like, oh my God, that's so weird. And also more like, I think about the parents. I'm like, honestly, did you think that that's going to stop teenagers from creeping into each other's rooms?
19:42Georgia Dayton: Like, because there's a younger brother in there. Of course not. No, of course not. Do you know what? I'm so glad that we had that growing up because this is what I worry about for our kids growing up in the world that they're growing up in now. Those beautiful, amazing moments that were super fun and really contained and really safe. you know when you're snogging this guy and this guy and this guy and they're all mates and then they're snogging your mate sally and your mate becca and you're like oh it's all happening here and it's this is how we learn it doesn't really ever go past that stage at like 12 13 but it's it's it's safe and it's beautiful and it's innocent and it's it's the way it should be whereas i really do worry and i talked to does about this that the pressures of today's world are going to impact that for them do you think well i just worry for like social media like what if you had your first snog and someone filmed it and put it up on social media or i know that they now banned it haven't they for under 16 so there's probably a little bit more protection around but there's still messages and that's the thing isn't it messages and videos being said and it's like you could do what the fuck you wanted no one would be able to take a video someone might get it on one of those crappy disposable cameras yeah you had to wait three weeks and go down boots to get it yeah exactly and then half the time it's like a finger over the lens anyway so you couldn't tell Oh, it was.
20:52I loved it.
20:52Georgia Dayton: That is really true. I wonder if video cameras and just cameras in general being in everyone's pockets will ruin that. Probably will. Well, we'll find out, but hopefully not for a few years. I hope it ruins it anyway. Yeah, exactly. Please let it ruin it. We'll be right back after this short break.
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23:23Welcome back to this episode of Made by Mamas. Now, where were we? How are you, James?
23:28Georgia Dayton: We're good. Yeah, we're good. We're, I don't know, really, just as normal, which is really boring. It's quite nice, though, that there's no kind of Googling divorce lawyers in the house. Googling divorce lawyers, no, not for a long time, to be fair. I think also it doesn't really land anymore, you know? Empty threats. It's like, I'll stop your pocket money. We've all learned that, haven't we? Yeah, it just doesn't work. Like I do with Axel every single time and the PlayStation's too loud, I'll take your PlayStation away. And he just looks at me like, but you're not going to, are you? Same with James.
23:58Georgia Dayton: When I was, I'd be like, divorce lawyer, he'd just be like, oh, yeah, whatever. Here we go again. Oh, God, I know. I had my mother-in-law staying last night and Kit has been quite difficult recently. I think I spoke about it this last time on the podcast. he's just going through a phase with the anger and exploring his emotions and he's not very good at self-regulating I can't get him to get up and go to school it took me an hour this morning the whole thing is just a bit of a nightmare and um she was saying to me last night oh I thought I think it's I think it's maybe because you're doing too much and maybe you just need to sort of streamline your life and I was like thank you for your feedback but I'm really trying to keep my shit together Dozza has left and gone to the World Cup for a week and he only found out that that was happening two days before he was flying so I'm solo parenting I'm trying to work and juggle everything and I wasn't quite sure what she meant by that and when I got into bed last night I sort of lay there staring at the ceiling thinking am I not giving them the attention that they need at the moment I actually wanted to cry last night I didn't want to take it to heart and I know it wasn't meant maliciously in any way shape or form she was trying to be supportive but at the same time what can I do you know like so what what was she saying you're just trying to do too much as in like with them or yourself she said that our lives are too big she basically said you're running at a thousand miles an hour you're taking them up to Birmingham for gladiators you know you're going to this work thing you're podcasting you're doing your radio the kids are being picked up by someone else and I'm like but that's the modern world like what am I supposed to do do you know because I can't not work I have to pay for the mortgage yeah I love my job and so if they get picked up by school four days a week by somebody else I always do the drop-off I just I just it made me think is Kit's behavior my fault I was putting it out there no it's definitely not but is he feeling something from me like Luna's so obsessed with constantly asking me like are you okay mommy are you okay mommy like am I not okay or am I not giving off the fact that I'm okay because I feel happy like I'm just busy and but I'm also there for them all the time I don't feel like I'm dropping the ball so I think I'm just trying to process it I wasn't quite sure what she was getting at yeah what does she yeah yeah yeah but does she expect me to not have a job and keep up with this life that we're living I don't know do you know what I was listening actually it was Catherine Ryan's podcast anyone listen to this please do go and have a listen because I really like Catherine Ryan, okay?
26:26Georgia Dayton: I love her podcast and she definitely has like a completely different parenting style to both of us, I would say. Like she's very like, you know, they co-sleep till they're whatever age, you know, like all that, which we never, like we didn't do that. And she interviewed this woman called Erica Comissa, I think her name is. And she basically compared daycare, so like nursery, to a modern orphanage, right? and I listened to this podcast and I was thinking you know when you're trying to like find something in it that I could agree with and it was really hard to listen to like as modern parents because she obviously I mean she I guess she knows her stuff like she must do she's written a book I think her actually it says her latest book here is called the child-friendly divorce and some of that stuff that she was talking about was interesting but also some of it was really it felt really toxic right as in like you're saying there what are we supposed to do then like what not not work like in today's society it's just we're not geared up to that and so what if a parent can't pick the kids up from school that's then going to affect them I really hope not because I mean probably I'd say 90 % of us are you know in a two-parent household where both people are working yeah like it's very unusual to be in a two-parent household where only one parent is working now isn't it um so yeah but her views were really strong and there was there are other things that she was saying like you know if you get divorced just hold on until the child is three and I was listening to I was listening to it and I was just getting like anxiety I was just feeling so cross but also I think a tiny part of it like I think our generation in particular still has that like, I don't know, underlying guilt maybe.
28:24Georgia Dayton: I felt, I feel it. We should be there more. I feel it. But as I'm listening to her talk, I'm thinking, this is so not realistic. What are you talking about? Yeah, and also to have that feeling, that weight on your shoulders. I mean, I don't. I went into yesterday feeling like I couldn't do any more for the kids. I'm loving being with them. I'm creating loads of memories. I'm with, I'm basically there all the time. I don't go out and socialize with my friends. I don't go out for dinners. I'm not away for weekends. I'm with them. Yeah. So I didn't, I didn't quite understand what she was saying or what that feeling is, where it's, it's completely unrealistic to think that we can have this life the way, the cost of everything.
29:07Yeah, exactly. And, you know, start with childcare, but then move on to the supermarket. It's petrol. You know, it's double to fill up my car now what it was six months ago. Yeah. Double. Yeah. You know, how are we supposed to afford this life if we are not working? But then you look at it and go, wow, really? Is the fact that I'm working having an impact on my son's anger and behavior? And is that why he doesn't want to go to school? No. Is it?
29:33Georgia Dayton: No, I don't think so. No, no, no, I don't. But it's just, I find it really fascinating when, you know, someone like your mother-in-law or this lady comes with such differing views on how things are and what happens and how it impacts kids and stuff. And, yeah, anyway, it's just something that I've… A modern orphanage. That's exactly what she said. She likened daycare to a modern orphanage. Honestly, please, I'd love anyone listening to this to go and listen to it as well. I haven't even finished it because I found it. I've got 23 minutes left. I found it… It felt really triggering. So difficult.
30:11Georgia Dayton: And it goes against so much of what we believe in. Yeah. But then I think I was being riled up so much because a little part of me is like, should we be doing that? You know, should we be with the kids all the time? I don't know. There's a big chunk of me at the moment that wants to sell up and get out of town. Get off the, yeah. Not that I don't live in town, but, you know, what's the phrase? jump off the hamster wheel jump off what jump off the hamster get off the treadmill get off the treadmill yeah get out of dodge yeah whatever get the get the fuck out of it yeah you know there is a big part of me go and live a simple life away from it there is a bit of a burning voice that has been building recently where i just think is all of this too much for us i agree too much for us too much for the kids i don't know about you my kids are knackered what has happened to our society that says we keep having to put in days out you know after school activity clubs they are wrecked I've got to do something yeah no I do feel guilty about that like taking them up to Birmingham on Saturday for the gladiators experience which was amazing but they'd already had the most monstrous week and then we're traveling four hours to get up there we didn't get back till half 10 at night then they've got a cricket match it's like am I am I breaking my kids by putting too much in the diary.
31:32I'm just going to leave that one with you. Yeah. To ponder over at home as well. Let's think about that as well
31:36Georgia Dayton: because I'm definitely in that place as well. As I look down at another spond is fucking coming up on my phone. But you getting back at 11, past 11 o 'clock last night because of Gigi's dance competition. Gigi was still on the stage at quarter to 11 last night. But that's no good. That's meant, but, right, it's one of those, isn't it? It's like, that's her interest, right? She loves it. She loves dancing and she's got into this squad where they go and do competitions. There's another one next weekend. Watching the girls, I mean, she's little, so it's fine, but there are a lot of girls who are in that thing who are like 16 and I loved watching them and they're so fit and they're really good.
32:18Georgia Dayton: They're doing something they really enjoy. They're not sat on social media. They're, you know, everything you want, okay? If your girl's not sporty, this is the other, you know, it's the same, right? I love it. I love that she's spending time with all different girls, all of that. And I really want to encourage all of that. That's just when it is. Do you know what I mean? So if you say, oh, no, we're not doing it. Well, then you can't do it. But at what cost, though? I don't know. I think that's my point here. It's the balance, isn't it? And finding what is important. Because you want them to have hobbies and you want them to have something they're good at.
32:52Georgia Dayton: But when you get into being good at something and committed to something, it's full on. it is full on where is the balance? I just lay in bed last night and thought am I missing it? am I missing the point? I know same I think this all the time you know they're getting so much bigger now you know am I can it just be a bit more simple? I'm going to try and have a think about that this week I don't want to feel sad about it and I know that it didn't come from a bad place I know she was trying to say that I do too much and that I'm always trying to create moments and da da da but actually maybe there's a deeper kind of level to that where I can take some good bits from that and just simplify things.
33:33This week Doz is away. He's away till Friday. And I think we're just, all we're going to do post-school is just chill, swim, play games and just keep it the three of us.
33:43Georgia Dayton: Yeah, nice. Saying that, I've got two mates coming to stay tonight. There we go. Georgia, it's time for us to say goodbye. What a gorgeous catch-up. That was a good catch-up and lots of food for thought. Exactly. and also if you have got any sort of thoughts on this subject yeah let us know on instagram because i think george and i are both battling bits and pieces of it so if you do have any ideas or any tips or suggestions do send us a message and as always we'd love you to rate review subscribe and please give our podcast to follow yeah and if you've got any feedback on this episode or thoughts like zoe mentioned about what we've been discussing anyone you'd like us to get on drop us a dm on instagram on at made by mamas and we'll be back on friday
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This week, Zoe and G are flying solo for a classic, unfiltered catch-up. They’re tackling one of the trickiest parenting milestones yet - how on earth do you navigate the "masturbation conversation" with your kids? Plus, the girls take a hilarious trip down memory lane to reminisce about what dating was actually like back in their school days.
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