Shows
Atelier TalksFrom Italy With Love: Insights And Reflections From Our Reggio Emilia Study Tour“You go there to learn about children — but you come back remembering who you are, and why you do what you do.” Harriet, Early Years Educator at AtelierIn this very special episode of Atelier Talks, we’re reflecting on our recent team study trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy: the city that inspires so much of our practice and pedagogy here at Atelier. Clare & Laura are joined by Harriet and Rosie, two of our incredible team members who have walked the cobbled streets of Reggio and returned home enriched by the experience.Together we explor...
2025-11-2754 minAtelier TalksFrom Fees to 'Free' Places: What the Early Years Funding Changes Really Mean for Your Setting“Our biggest priority is the children. But we can’t keep showing up for them at the level we want to if the system is this broken.”Clare Crowther - Director, Atelier “When there’s no consistency from one local authority to another, how are settings supposed to stay compliant?” This is one of the many questions we’re tackling in this episode of Atelier Talks. This episode is essential listening for any Early Years provider navigating the increasingly complex world of fees, funding and “free” entitlement.Joined by sector trailblazers Jo Morris (Play Steps, CNLF, E...
2025-11-131h 04Atelier TalksAchieve, Belong, Thrive: Vanessa Dooley Unpacks The New OFSTED Inspection Toolkit“Shine. Don’t shy away. This is your setting. You own it.” – Vanessa Dooley, Jigsaw Early Years ConsultancyIn this special guest episode of Atelier Talks, we’re joined by one of the most trusted names in Early Years consultancy: Vanessa Dooley, founder of Jigsaw Early Years and the voice behind the Get Inspection Ready podcast. Together, we unpack the brand-new OFSTED Early Years Inspection Toolkit, which comes into effect from November 10th, and what it really means for Early Years settings.This is a must-listen for any setting leader, manager or educator feeling ov...
2025-10-3055 minAtelier TalksHow To Grow Your Nursery Team into Leaders: Collaboration Over Hierarchy“If somebody wants to step into leadership, they need to have opportunities to lead, and they need to know we’ll be there to catch them if they wobble.”Clare Crowther, DirectorThis episode explores why collaboration, not hierarchy, builds sustainable teams in Early Years settings. Continuing on from where we left off in episode 12, we’re going even deeper into Early Years leadership, moving beyond titles and job roles and exploring what it really means to grow leadership from the ground up. From coaching your Early Years team day-to-day to developing new leaders in post, we...
2025-10-161h 04
wo0 podNetworking For Women In Finance: Hilary Lewis On Building What Didn't Exist"The system of networking has generally been made by men for men."Hilary LewisWelcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million, a movement lifting the voices of women who are done with playing small.This week, Wendy sits down with Hillary Lewis, community builder, speaker, connector, former beauty entrepreneur turned finance rebel, to talk about what happens when you create the spaces you...
2025-10-1142 minAtelier TalksBe the Leader You’d Want To Be Led By: Award Winning Early Years Leadership“We want our team to have their voices heard, but we also need to have that strategic direction that we’re moving in.”– Clare Crowther, Atelier Nursery DirectorIn this episode we’re unpacking the kind of leadership that underpins everything we do at Atelier, both in our nurseries and through our consultancy. We’re not about traditional hierarchy, job titles or top-down management - our approach is about creating a culture where everyone leads with clarity, empathy, and purpose.We explore the realities of what it means to be an emotionally intelligent, collaborativ...
2025-10-0244 minAtelier TalksSeeing Babies as Confident Capable Learners: How To Champion The Youngest Children In Your Nursery“They amaze me every single day… They set themselves challenges, find solutions, and they are these mini scientists roving around our environment.” – Laura, Nursery ManagerIn this episode of Atelier Talks, we’re showing you what life at Atelier looks like through the eyes of our youngest children, our babies. As more children enter nursery at an earlier age and for longer hours, it's more important than ever that as nursery leaders and educators we create truly thoughtful, respectful and responsive environments for babies to thrive.From baby brain development and physical environments to rich in...
2025-09-1145 minAtelier TalksSimple September: Creating Stability for New and Returning Families at Nursery“Put your big girl pants on. Be brave. Love your team. Support them. Enjoy your new families and build your community.” – Laura, Nursery ManagerWhat dowe mean by ‘Simple September’ at Atelier? In this episode we’re discussing one of the busiest (and most important) times of the Early Years calendar: September. Whether you're welcoming new babies, supporting toddlers through transition, or helping your older children take the next step, this episode is a full walkthrough of how we at Atelier prepare our team, environment and systems for a smooth and emotionally intelligent start to the academic...
2025-09-0440 minAtelier TalksSettling In at Nursery: How to Build Trust and Create a Confident Start“It’s just holding the child at the centre at all times and the parent as well… and really, really love your families and your children.”– Laura, Nursery ManagerIn this episode of Atelier Talks, we’re looking into the reality of children starting nursery; what settling really looks and feels like, for children, for families, and for practitioners. We talk through our full settling roadmap at Atelier, the value of home visits and first sessions to the “honeymoon period” and how to recognise when a child (or parent) needs to slow down. We reflect on what it means...
2025-08-2149 min
Newborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenWhy doesn’t my toddler like their new sibling?Not liking their new sibling isn’t necessarily a personal thing against the baby but this is a huge change and impact on a little one’s life. This episode is all about why this is and what you can do to help. We spoke about: How a 2 or 3 year old is going to find the arrival of a new little baby coming a very difficult concept to grasp and it's also going to be a big adjustment for the parents! The range of emotions that come with having a new baby. The importance of not forcing...
2025-08-2034 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenPreparing children for nursery! With Clare Crowther, Atelier NurseriesClare’s background has always been in early years - she is founder of Atelier nurseries which started in Bath and is now also in Chippenham in Wiltshire Lots of parents worry about starting their children at nursery and we knew that Clare was the ideal person to talk to us about it all – we covered so much, from choosing the right nursery, to settling in, drop off and what families can do to help little ones to prepare. We spoke about: What parents typically worry about when taking children to nursery for the first t...
2025-08-0637 minAtelier TalksStep Inside Atelier: A Room-By-Room Tour Of Our Outstanding Nursery“Always be unwavering in your commitment to rich, beautiful environments that children deserve to work and play within.” Clare Crowther, Atelier DirectorIn this episode of Atelier Talks, we’re taking you on a full virtual tour of our OFSTED Outstanding rated nursery. From the baby nest to the studio, and from our piazza spaces to the garden room, we explore how each part of the Atelier environment is purposefully designed to reflect our philosophy, placing children at the centre of every space, every decision, and every invitation to play.This is a behind...
2025-07-2446 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenPotty Training Power Struggles!When most of the time, the children you are potty training are toddlers, no wonder there are power struggles – and we are always asked about what to do when this happens! We spoke about: The most common potty training power struggles. Starting by trying to work out where the struggle is coming from – could it be a feeling of being out of control? Positive reinforcement and connection when they do something on the potty or toilet (more than when they don’t do it!) Rewards (or not?) The importance of consistency of approach. Our other potty training blogs...
2025-07-2336 minAtelier TalksHow to Prepare for an OFSTED Inspection: Insights From Our Outstanding Nursery“These inspections are our opportunity to show and tell. To celebrate what we’re doing day in, day out.” – Clare Crowther, Atelier DirectorThink of this episode of Atelier Talks as your essential guide to acing your nursery’s Oftsed inspection. We take you behind the scenes of our recent OFSTED inspection, which resulted in our Chippenham setting proudly retaining its Outstanding status. This episode is one you don’t want to miss as we share everything you need to know BEFORE you get ‘that phone call’, from the paperwork to ensure you have to hand, to...
2025-07-1043 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenSupporting children and young people with eating disorders – with Hannah McKie from SWEDASWEDA is a charity which supports people in the South and West of England who are affected by an eating disorder – the individual, friends, family member – anyone who is affected by food, eating or body image. We spoke about: Hannah’s background, how SWEDA was set up and the work that it does. How SWEDA can support neurodivergent children and young people and the links between autism and eating disorders in particular. What eating disorders can do to people’s physical and mental / social state of being. Signs that might indicate your child has an eating disorder and...
2025-07-0947 min
The Journal with Lucy SpicerTransform Your Gut Health Now, with Deeply Foods Founder Clara LathamIn this week’s episode of The Journal I'm joined by Clara Latham - powerhouse MD and Co-Founder of Deeply Foods, the UK's newest prebiotic fibre brand on a mission to transform the nations gut health! At just 35, Clara has already built an impressive career profile in the FMCG world. Her expertise has lead iconic brands including BOUNCE, Seedlip and Della Vite through defining stages of growth and development. Now, she's leading her own mission-driven brand, while also navigating first time motherhood!We discuss Clara's personal journey into the health and wellness space, and find ou...
2025-06-291h 05Atelier TalksEnabling Environments: How To Create Early Years Spaces That Support Real Learning“It’s about pedagogy, not Pinterest.” – Clare, DirectorWhat does an enabling environment really look like? In this episode of Atelier Talks, we explore how thoughtfully designed environments (both physical and emotional) can transform your Early Years setting.This episode is a real behind-the-scenes exclusive insight into how we design and continually review and adapt our nursery spaces here at Atelier. From authentic tools and open-ended resources to carefully curated emotional environments, we discuss how we build spaces that reflect the children at the centre of them; places that inspire autonomy, creativity, and joy. Thi...
2025-06-2640 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenWeaning – the next stage, real food!A continuation of our chat about weaning...the food aspect! We spoke about: Having a book for weaning. Trying not to worry about it and to try and enjoy it. Baby’s facial expressions (and our reactions to these!). How to regulate the feeding and make it a social situation even from the very first taste. Keeping it positive - we are teaching babies skills for life. Not tricking children into eating food! ‘Eating up’! The kinds of foods your babies can eat. Pouches – an element of caution… Sugar and grazing! Using meal times for connection. Our blog – Weani...
2025-06-2551 minAtelier TalksBeyond ‘Professional Love’: How to Implement the Key Person Approach and Build Trust Across Your Nursery“It’s a privilege to look after other people’s children” - LaurenWhat does it take to build deep, lasting trust in a nursery setting? In this episode of Atelier Talks, we explore the role of the Key Person approach, often referred to at Atelier as the Key Family model.Rooted in attachment theory and steeped in real love (not just “professional love”), in this episode we unpack how relationships are built, maintained, and celebrated at Atelier, from home visits and settling-in sessions to key family time and sibling connections.You will learn how to...
2025-06-1236 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenHypnobirthing with Georgie YeatesGeorgie is a Norland nanny and Claire was her tutor at college! Georgie has 15 years of childcare experience and is now a mum to two little ones. Georgie has a boy and a girl. She now runs hypnobirthing classes for parents to be. We spoke about: What hypnobirthing is. How Georgie came to train in hypnobirthing. Having a baby in lockdown. How your mind is the biggest inhibitor when it comes to birth and how hypnobirthing helps to still this. The fear, tension, pain cycle. Birth stories, how they can impact and how hypnobirthing can help. The impor...
2025-06-1152 minwo0 podThe Stories No One Tells: Carrie Bower on Exposing Domestic Abuse in Later Life"Older victims of domestic abuse are completely invisible." – Carrie BowerThis episode is a powerful and emotional conversation with Carrie Bower, a campaigner, podcaster and domestic abuse specialist working to raise visibility for older women experiencing abuse. Carrie is the founder of Visible Later Lives and the voice behind the Let’s Get Visible podcast. Together, we unpack the silencing of older women, the reality of abuse in later life, and what it really means to hold space for someone who has never felt safe enough to speak.Carrie’s stories will stop you in your t...
2025-05-3045 minAtelier TalksWhy Mixed-Age Learning Will Transform Your Early Years Setting“Children are capable of so much - if we let them.”What if babies and preschoolers could learn alongside each other every day? At Atelier, they do, and we're here to share with you just how transformative this approach can be in your nursery setting.In today’s episode we take you through the benefits and practical realities of the mixed-age key family approach our nursery has become well known (and loved!) for. From peer scaffolding and social-emotional development to fluid, child-led environments and trust-based pedagogy, the Atelier leadership team share their experiences of creating a sett...
2025-05-2940 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenWhy won’t my child listen to me?Do they ever listen?! From toddlers to teens - this episode covers it all! We spoke about: What we mean by truly listening. How it makes us feel when we aren’t listened to. Why it is that children might not listen? The concept of time for toddlers (and for teens!) - it just isn’t something they are aware of and how it needs to be learnt / re-learnt. How all children CAN suddenly listen (usually when you don’t want them to!)! Evolving parenting and how your approach changes along with your communication style as your children g...
2025-05-2839 minwo0 podFrom Actuary to Artist: Artist Wendy Kriz Evans on Creative Reinvention and Taking Up Space"When that weight was lifted, I suddenly realised I just have all this energy and time now for myself… I just felt like I could do anything." - Wendy Kriz EvansWelcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million - a movement that empowers women to say no to playing small and yes to showing up as their fullest, most fearless selves.In this episode, Wendy is...
2025-05-2333 minwo0 podWhat the F*ck is Funfulness? Amy Polly on Mindfulness That Actually Works"We really need to break the mould of what we see as a mindfulness teacher." – Amy PollyWelcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement born from rebellion and rooted in realness, to empower women to show up boldly and live without apology.In this episode, Wendy is joined by Amy Polly; mindfulness teacher, TEDx speaker, former firefighter, and proud founder of the Funfulness move...
2025-05-1637 minAtelier TalksOutstanding Early Years Education: ‘The Magic of Atelier’What does truly child-led learning look like? The Atelier team explore autonomy, relationships, and purposeful planning, blending Reggio Emilia, Froebel, and research-led pedagogy into a setting where children, families and staff feel seen, heard, and inspired.Brought to you by the Atelier Nursery senior leadership team, proudly produced by Decibelle Creative.“It doesn’t fit a business plan, it doesn’t fit an educational curriculum… it’s about a feel—what feels right for those children, what feels right for those families.”Clare, DirectorWelcome back to Atelier Talks, the Early Years Collecti...
2025-05-1530 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenEmpowering young minds, with Grace OlsonTrigger warning – in today’s episode we discuss suicide, mental health struggles, cancer and depression with Grace. You might not feel up to listening to this episode right now – if not, please take care and come back when you feel ready. Grace is a therapist and best-selling author of children’s books, which are all based on Grace's therapy sheep who inspire her and those she helps. Grace’s aim is to spread messages of hope and positivity to children (aged 5-10) through her books; she wants to help them navigate complex emotions and help them to understand the...
2025-05-1432 minwo0 podOn Wednesdays, We Smash the Patriarchy! Unpacking Male Allyship With Jeremy Stockdale"We know we've got to be assertive and tough and confident, but you don't want to be too assertive because it'll be called bossy. And you don't want to be too tough because then you'll be called a bitch." – Jeremy StockdaleWelcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement designed to smash outdated norms, shift the narrative, and build a future where women own their space with...
2025-05-0944 minAtelier TalksThe Story of Atelier Nursery: Introducing Atelier TalksAn introduction to the people and principles behind Atelier NurseryMeet the team behind Atelier Nursery and discover the story, values, and philosophy that shape this award-winning Early Years setting. From free-flow learning to mixed-age groups, find out what makes Atelier unique, and upcoming episode topics to look forward to.Brought to you by the Atelier Nursery senior leadership team, proudly produced by Decibelle Creative.“You walk in the door and you just get the feeling of love, warmth, of determination. Not only with our children, but with us as well.”Beth...
2025-05-0833 minAtelier TalksIntroducing Atelier Talks - The Early Years CollectiveA podcast for educators, by educators.The podcast from Atelier NurseryWelcome to Atelier Talks, the podcast lifting the lid on what it really takes to build an outstanding Early Years setting. Hosted by the Atelier leadership team, this series shares honest conversations, research-led practice, and practical strategies for educators.Whether you’re a nursery manager, practitioner, student or parent, this is your place for grounded inspiration and fresh thinking in Early Years.Come and connect with us; together we will unlock the potential for incredible growth and learning.at...
2025-05-0304 minwo0 podEmbracing Neurodiversity and Writing Like You F*ing Mean It with Vicky Quinn Fraser"You’re like a lemon pip — you hang around until it’s almost too late, and then you shoot out under high pressure." – Vicky Quinn FraserWelcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement that empowers women to show up as their full, messy, brilliant selves.Today’s guest is the hilarious and unapologetically real Vicky Quinn Fraser: writer, author, book coach, and creative powerhouse b...
2025-05-0240 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenJet Lag and Motion Sickness...the joys!The holidays are approaching, and we are talking about jet lag and motion sickness! We spoke about: The challenges of travelling with children. Jet lag / time differences – what jet lag is and how to prepare for it. Flight times / length – what's best? Routines when travelling. What to take that will help. Travel sickness and why we get it. Vehicle motion cues on the iphone / ipad! Check out our reel to set this up for your journey. Signs of motions sickness in children. ...
2025-04-3051 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenExam stress! With Will Petty from Bonas MacFarlaneLouisa, our lovely listener, got in touch to ask us to record a podcast on how best to support children and young people who are preparing for exams and so here it is! We spoke with Will Petty from Bonas MacFarlane Education all about this. Will is so easy to listen to and had some fabulous stories and tips to help our young people manage exam stress.Will has been with Bonas MacFarlane since 2009, advising countless families from around the world on gaining places at leading UK independent schools. His expertise has been sought after by...
2025-04-1649 minwo0 podBeing Full Of Ourselves: Sophie Lee on The Power of Self-Expression"If I’m not full of myself, then I’m empty. And emptiness is a very sad place to be as a human." – Sophie LeeWelcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement created to empower women to take control, show up fully, and stop shrinking to make others comfortable.In this electrifying episode, Wendy is joined by the magnetic Sophie Lee—founder of Electric P...
2025-04-0439 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenOnly children!Our lovely listener Jacqueline messaged us with the topic of only children as a podcast idea and here we are! We talked about: One and done – why more families are choosing to have just one child or more than one child. Only child stats from Canada - https://www.bbc.co.uk/worklife/article/20230110-only-child-or-siblings-one-and-done Becks and Rich initially just wanting one child (and ending up with twins!). Other reasons families might make the decision to only have 1 child. Claire – the reason everyone should only have 1 child 😉 An article about only children on BBC science - https://www.sc...
2025-04-0233 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenAllergy anxieties with Davina SteelWe talked about: Davina’s background and how she came to write her book (details below) Davina’s own interest in allergies and her award-winning baking background! Whether we are seeing an increase in allergies in both adults and children and why this is. Parental anxieties around allergies and how to help with this. How it's important that children learn to advocate for themselves. How knowledge is key to help with parental anxiety around allergies and also to educate your child about their allergies. Allergy awareness when out and about and how trust in the restaurants etc is very import...
2025-03-1938 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenNightmares and Night Terrors!We talked about: Whether we remember having any nightmares or night terrors (Becks had quite the pre-sleep routine!) Claire’s dreams (poor James!!) The differences between nightmare and night terrors and what happens Why someone might have a night terror and why you shouldn’t wake them up Nightmares (what these look like and when they happen) and vivid dreams (Claire’s dad calling the cows in for example!!) When you would get night terrors checked by the GP Things you can do to help prevent nightmares / night terrors How nightmares can be caused by trauma When to talk with your...
2025-03-0532 minwo0 podHow Women Can Get Promoted and Paid What They Deserve – Career Coach Jo Phillips on Confidence, Pay Gaps, and Leadership"We’ve been told what to wear for hundreds of years. At some point, this has to stop." – Jo PhillipsWelcome to the first-ever episode of the wo0 pod! Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement dedicated to empowering women to own their space unapologetically, both in business and life.Kicking this epic new podcast off we’re joined by Jo Phillips, coach, speaker, and founder of The Woman Behind The Women. Jo is on a mission to help women break through barriers, demand their worth, and step...
2025-02-2842 minwo0 podDressing for Yourself and Using It to Your Advantage with Business Strategist Sara Marshall"I don’t conform to the patriarchy—I challenge it. And I do it in heels." – Sarah MarshallWelcome back to ‘Don’t f**king tell me what to wear or how to run my business’ on the wo0 pod. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement dedicated to empowering women to own their space unapologetically, both in business and life.In this episode, Wendy is joined by Sara Marshall, a powerhouse strategy advisor who helps businesses of all sizes build growth strategies that actually work. Sara shares he...
2025-02-2831 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenPost-natal Depression with Laura Canty, author of ‘Something to live for’**In this episode we discuss suicide and depression - if these are tricky subjects for you then please do look after yourself and maybe skip today's episode or listen when you feel ready.** This episode with Laura is very emotional and insightful one, with moments of humour - we hope you enjoy it. We spoke with Laura about:Her situation now as a single mum with 2 children, sharing their care with her ex-husband. What happened when Laura became pregnant with Arthur, the birth (by c-section) and coming home. The moment she decided she didn’t want to le...
2025-02-1959 min
Psychologically Speaking with Leila AingeWhy Self-Love Isn’t About ‘Bouncing Back’ or ‘Fixing’ Yourself"Transformation stories are everywhere—before-and-afters, glow-ups, success arcs. But what if real self-love isn’t about reinventing yourself—but about being present where you are, without pressure?This episode unpacks how social media, self-help culture, and gendered resilience narratives push us toward self-optimization at the cost of self-acceptance. We explore the psychology of storytelling (McAdams, 2001), the feminist critique of the "bounce-backable woman" (Gill & Orgad, 2018), and why emotional smoothing shapes how we retell our past.If you’re ready to stop waiting for the ‘perfect’ story and start sharing where you are, this one’s for you.Con...
2025-02-1412 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenGetting ready for weaning!This episode is for parents and carers who are thinking about starting weaning. We talked about: When you should start weaning and the guidelines for this. What weaning is. The signs to look for to know if your baby is ready to start weaning. The fact that sleep changes and that this is more likely to be a 4 month sleep regression than that they are hungry and need to be weaned. What to start children on (baby rice is not necessarily the right answer!) and the different methods that can be followed to start weaning. Choking and the associ...
2025-02-0545 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerHow Breathwork Transformed My Life with Jamie ClementsIn this deeply raw and honest episode, Lucy sits down with the incredible Jamie, a leading Breathwork expert and Founder of The Breath Space, to explore some of life’s biggest questions: Who are we? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?Together, we dive into the spiritual realm while demystifying the buzzword that is breathwork. Jamie shares how, when used intentionally, breathwork can be a truly transformative tool to help you find stillness, deepen self-connection, and even access altered states of consciousness.If you've ever been curious about breathwork or wondered ho...
2025-01-261h 15Newborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenTeaching children about money! With Louise Hill, Founder of GoHenryWe started by speaking to Louise all about her background including extensive experience in E-Commerce and the moment GoHenry came to be (she blames her kids who clicked rather alot on iPod downloads!)! We also talked about: GoHenry’s founding aim to increase confidence to use and understand money in what was an increasingly cashless environment. What GoHenry is and how it works. How GoHenry helps with financial education with their ‘money missions’ on the App Where the name GoHenry came from (such a lovely story!). How to help children learn about the concepts of money from a young...
2025-01-2241 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenHow to spend quality time with your kids!We chatted about: What spending quality time with your children means (Becks googled it!) The fact that it doesn’t need to be endless amounts of time and that quality not quantity is what counts. How quality time is different for everyone, but that in the main though it is 1:1 interaction and communication, no phones or devices, just being focussed on each other. How quality time doesn't have to be something specific like a board game, it can be just doing something with your children and chatting with them as you do it. You don’t even have to be cre...
2025-01-0833 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerCaring for My Husband's Mental Health with Chloe Lloyd, wife of Union J's Josh CuthbertIn this week’s episode of The Journal, Lucy is joined by model, content creator and host of The Muse Podcast, Chloe Lloyd. In light of the recent and heartbreaking passing of Liam Payne, this topic seems even more essential to be open and honest about... 'How Does The Partner Cope?'Chloe bravely opens up about her own experience of supporting her Husband, Josh Cuthbert from boyband Union J, through a period of debilitating mental health challenges, alongside navigating the physical and emotional restrictions of living in lockdown amidst a global pandemic. Ch...
2024-12-1551 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenGender, Clothing and individuality with Elizabeth BrunnerElizabeth joined us from San Francisco – she is founder of Stereotype Kids which was set up because her Boy / Girl twins didn’t want to be restricted to wearing their own clothes and wanted to wear each others. We chatted about: Why Elizabeth feels it’s important to challenge traditional views on boys and girls clothing and to allow the children to dress for joy rather than what they ‘should’ be wearing’. Friends and family reactions to the children wearing clothes that they didn’t think they should be. ‘Dressing is expressing’ - how this is where Elizabeth wants...
2024-11-2743 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenToo much to do? Here’s how to cope... with Safia Rana-JaswalSafia told us all about her company The Mum Hub which she founded in Lockdown, her family and what else she has done and is doing in her career. We also discussed: Time management for parents and the common things parents experience for example feeling they are having to be in too many places at once! Having a to do list / a priority list and putting things on paper. E.g. what are the top 3 things that I have to focus on? Planning and not feeling like you have to ‘do it all’. Lowering expectations of yourself. Walking pads! Som...
2024-11-1346 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenI’m scared!In the week leading of Halloween you might find that your little ones are feeling more scared than usual. But regardless of this, children can be scared of lots of things and this is the subject of this episode!We chatted about:Halloween and how we never really ‘did’ Halloween when we were little and how much it has ramped up in recent years. What we were scared of when we were little (well mainly Becks!). How every child is individual in terms of what they are / aren’t scared of – some children will LOVE being scared by...
2024-10-3041 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerHow Two University Friends turned Rixo into a Global Fashion Brand, with co-founder Henrietta RixIn this episode, Henrietta shares an inspiring, uplifting & hilarious insight into how this iconic British brand came to be. From the VERY humble beginnings of a uni flat living room in West London, to the bright lights of NYC. This is a real feel good story of how two best friends from fashion school made their ultimate dreams come true! Henrietta opens up about the brands unique approach to marketing, the importance of community, and how her & co-founder Orlagh's positive approach to challenges has underpinned Rixo's global success. Rixo isn't just a cool girl clothing...
2024-10-2742 minwo0 podDon't f**king tell me what to wear or how to run my business - a brand new podcast coming soon!Meet Wendy Gannon, aka 'wo0'— professional photographer and fierce advocate for women’s empowerment. This bold first series, "Don't F**king Tell Me What to Wear or How to Run My Business," was born out of Wendy's viral LinkedIn post calling out sexist comments about how women in business should dress. What started as a powerful response to patriarchy has evolved into a movement featuring a studio shoot celebrating women and what they wear to work, a coffee table book, a 2025 photography exhibition, and now this unapologetic podcast.In this intro episode, Wendy explains how the proj...
2024-10-1806 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenLove the skin you are in – with Molly ForbesMolly is founder of The Body Happy Organisation and author of ‘Every Body’ and ‘Body Happy Kids’ We spoke to Molly about: Her background as a journalist and why she decided to focus on researching and promoting Body Confidence for children (and adults). Diet culture around children and becoming aware of all the things they are watching and absorbing all the time. Teaching children to value, respect and give dignity to everyone regardless of what they look like. Body diversity, discrimination and poor body image. Weight stigma and weight bias and how this can affect people throughout their...
2024-10-161h 00The Journal with Lucy SpicerHow Pilates Unlocked My Dream Life with Bryony DeeryIn this episode Lucy is joined by renowned UK Pilates trainer, founder of the health and fitness app Pilates by Bryony and all-round wellness entrepreneur, Bryony Deery. Bryony shares the exact tools she used during one of her darkest times to completely turn her life around. Despite now enjoying the viral business and lifestyle of her dreams, these tools & daily rituals are still essential in helping her live her very best life.From Molly Mae attending her retreat in Ibiza this summer, to recently joining the Wellbeing Team at Dior - Bryony is the CEO o...
2024-09-2239 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenHugging and showing affectionAre you a hugger? Becks is, Claire isn’t (she just doesn’t feel the need all the time!)! We spoke about: Our own experiences with hugging and showing affection. How to approach situations with children and hugging – should it be an expectation that your child hugs people? If not, what should you do? Having conversations with people about the fact your child can say no they don’t want a hug and when to do it. Kissing little ones and reasons we don’t kiss newborn babies (or you could kiss their feet!). Teaching children l...
2024-09-1836 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerPilates by BryonyLucy chats with Bryony Deery of Pilates by Bryony Connect with Lucy on Instagram @lucyspicer_This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative
2024-09-1538 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenBaby wearing, fitness and more! With Vern Hill, CarifitThis episode was so much fun! Vern joined us from Carifit, the original baby wearing fitness programme. Cari stands for Cardio and resistance intervals and when he started the classes for new mums Vern used to wear the babies while the parents worked out - he had a light bulb moment that parents could wear their own babies to work out and it went from there! We talked about: How from small beginnings the Carifit classes grew and then the baby carrier was born. (Shout out to Hannah Lowry who was one of the first mums to...
2024-09-041h 05The Journal with Lucy SpicerHow to Confidently Speak Up: From Asking for a Payrise to Setting Boundaries with Amira MansourOn this week’s episode of The Journal, Lucy is joined by Amira - The Communication Expert. Both Lucy and Amira know first-hand from their 1:1 work with clients that communicating confidently in the workplace can be a real challenge.If you are in the corporate world and there are conversations that you're avoiding having out of fear - whether you’re wanting a promotion, a pay rise or to resolve difficulties at work - you need to listen to this episode.Topics:-What the common fears are stopping you from ‘speaking up’ at work
2024-09-011h 06Newborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenBirthdays!July going into August is a month of birthdays and celebrations for us – starting with our business birthday at the end of July, Becks’s dog Olive’s birthday on 1st August (!), then Becks and her twins (all on the same day!), Claire’s birthday exactly a week after and then Becks’s husband at the end of August! So, we thought that this was the ideal time to look at birthdays, presents, parties and everything that goes along with it! We spoke about: Why birthdays are Becks’s very favourite thing! Baby’s first birthdays (they don’t know...
2024-08-2142 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerHow I Built NEOM with Co-Founder, Nicola ElliottIn this episode, Lucy is joined by Nicola Elliott, the co-founder of NEOM Organics.Nicola shares her own journey with mental health, and how the anxiety she experienced living such a fast-paced life led to her quitting her job as a high-flying magazine editor to retrain in aromatherapy.Lucy unpacks the full story (not just the highlights) behind the creation of NEOM. From experimenting with products in her bathroom in Islington, to becoming the Co-Founder of one of the leading wellbeing brands in the UKThis episode feels like an exclusive business & mindset...
2024-08-1159 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenCo-Parenting - With Sarah Kamoto, Unshakeable Co-ParentingCo-parenting mentor Sarah joined us from Australia for the podcast! She specialises in supporting (mainly) women and their children when relationships break down. We talked about: The importance of putting children first, but how difficult it is when your co-parent isn't on the same page as you in terms of their approach. How Sarah started working in the field having had her own traumatic personal experience and being a co-parent herself. How Sarah coaches parents to regain their confidence and ‘step into their power’. Sarah’s recommendations for effective communication when co-parenting along with what parallel parenting l...
2024-08-0741 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerMotherhood, Burnout and The Power of a Positive Mindset with Tessa KellyWe are BACK for Season 2! In this episode Lucy is joined by entrepreneur, author and social media sensation Tessa Kelly formerly known as London Paleo Girl. With 100 thousand followers and a forever-growing online community, Tessa shares the reality (not just the highlights) of motherhood. Lucy deep dives into Tessa's journey through motherhood, her experience of burnout and the defining moment that gave her permission to start prioritising herself - which ultimately turned everything around. Tessa is a source of positive energy and inspiration, during our conversation she shares the tools and strategies that helped her to develop a...
2024-07-2849 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenNatural Born Parents? With Janine CoombesJanine is mum of 2 children, who are now 10 and 12. She runs her own business helping coaches and consultants with their marketing and sales. We spoke to Janine about: Whether there is such a thing as a natural born parent and Janine’s feelings on this. The stress of getting children out of the house - mum guilt and shouting at children! How taking an online parenting course when the children were around 2 and 4 changed things for Janine. ‘Feeling maternal’ - the expectation that everything should come naturally to parents and how we haven’t replaced the ‘village’ that he...
2024-07-2439 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenGlobal Development Delay with Kelly WestFounder of Onle Networking (an online business network) Kelly West, talked to us about her daughter Kennedy (16) who has global development delay (she has a cognitive age of 2-3) as well as about her business which she founded 5 years ago with her husband and her older daughter. We discussed: How they love people which is why the business was founded (Kelly met her husband at networking!) All about Kennedy the signs the family first saw in her and the challenges the family had and still face especially with the lack of support the family have received. The experie...
2024-07-1045 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenSetting up and running a small business (with Children!) with Rebecca NewenhamRebecca started her business when her children were quite young (the youngest was starting school) and she wanted to ‘find her thing’. We chatted about: Rebecca's background – she set up an outsourcing agency ‘Get Ahead’ in 2010 working with companies to provide Virtual Assistants (VAs). Having an open mind and a confidence to see where things go and how setting up a business feels like nurturing another child! Balancing having a family and young children when setting up a business and how Rebecca managed it. The challenges Rebecca faced along the way, how she tackled them and the impact this...
2024-06-2636 minThe Journal with Lucy SpicerThe Journal is going LIVE & you're invited!To celebrate the HUGE success of Season 1 and to get you warmed up for the incredible guest episodes we have planned for Season two, we are bringing the magic of The Journal with Lucy Spicer podcast to life!If you're feeling dissatisfied with your day to day, stuck in a rut and lacking the motivation to make your dream life a reality, this is the event you've been waiting for.Picture this: an empowering, high vibe evening combining inspiring conversation, wellness and self development in a way you haven't experienced before. The best part? You...
2024-06-1702 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenFamily Law and Divorce - with Cate MaguireCate is a Senior Associate at Kingsley Napley and spoke to us about what’s involved when parents divorce. We covered: The 3 strands to a divorce – the divorce itself, the finances, the children. No fault divorce and what it is / what it means. What happens when courts get involved in terms of making an order about how the children spend their time between parents and whether there is any flexibility. Particular patterns of how to share the care of children that Cate would recommend to parents. How long the divorce process can take particularly when children are involved...
2024-06-1253 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenWhat is Occupational Therapy? With Laura RuzzanoLaura was born and raised in Southern California and has been in London since 2021. She is the daughter of an Occupational Therapist (OT) and now runs a private practice – Kid Kind Collective and works with children as a Paediatric OT. We spoke about: What an OT actually does (Becks had no idea!) and why they do what they do in terms of outcomes for the children. How OTs help people be adaptive with how they get to the end goal. All about sensory processing – what this means and how an OT can help as a ‘sensory detective’...
2024-05-2937 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenEmpty NestingThis is a topic close to Becks’s heart as she starts to prepare for both of her children leaving home for university. One of Becks’s friends asked us to record this episode – so here you are! We spoke about: How it’s a different milestone to going to childcare / school for the first time. The social media phenomenon of making the most of ‘18 summers with your children’...what we think! The feelings and emotions that you have and the stages that you go through when your child/ren leave home. How Claire felt sad for her parents wh...
2024-05-1536 min
Psychologically Speaking with Leila AingeUltra Visibility: What it Means for Black Women in Online Spaces with Collette PhilipIn this episode I'm joined by Collette Philip who runs multi award-winning anti-racist brand and strategy consultancy, Brand By Me. Brand by Me help organisations harness the power of brand strategy to embed anti-racism, drive equity and tackle injustice. In the first half of the podcast we hear from Collette about social justice, social responsibility through the work of her consultancy, we discuss what this means for small and micro businesses and Collette leads by example sharing how she's audited her own consultancy which is now in it's eighth year, and how you can do the same. ...
2024-05-1155 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenBeing a Surrogate, with Meriel BernalPlease note that Meriel was a surrogate in the US and rules in each country are very different – to find out more about surrogacy rules in the UK you can find them here and more information on surrogacy in the UK here. Meriel is a three times surrogate from the United States. She was blessed to help two families achieve the dream of completing their families through surrogacy. She currently works for an agency as a surrogacy journey coordinator, where she is passionate about helping to create families and supporting other women who wish to embark on the...
2024-05-0145 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenDonor Conception with Becky and Hayley from Paths to Parent HubWe spoke to Hayley and Becky from Paths to Parent Hub. We first came across Paths to Parent Hub when we listened to their podcast following a recommendation from a friend. We started with Hayley and Becky sharing their own stories with us. Hayley is a donor conceived person herself and is also a parent of twins through sperm donation. Becky was diagnosed with early menopause at 28 – she and her husband did 5 rounds of IVF and then decided to use an egg donor to have her 3 children. Both Hayley and Becky shared their stories on the internet and...
2024-04-1750 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in BetweenStay at home dad with Lee LinternLee is Becks’s ‘Boxing trainer’ - (well kind of 😉!) and a personal trainer (to real boxers!). He is also a stay-at-home dad looking after his little girl Beaux which started when she was 3 months old. We talked to Lee about: As a couple how Lee and his wife came to the decision that Lee would be the main carer and how he felt about it. The reaction from friends and family to Lee staying at home with his little one. How he and his wife prepared for parenthood (reading blogs, books, listening to podcasts (ours) and talking t...
2024-04-0330 min
Psychologically Speaking with Leila AingeImposter through the lens of Intersectionality with Liana FrickerIntersectionality and the Imposter Experience: Unpacking Identity with Liana FrickerIn this weeks psychologically speaking episode with Liana Fricker we discuss one of the thoughts that sat behind being visible and holding back for my participants 'what if I'm wrong?' I loved having Liana on as a guest, a self-proclaimed imposter atheist, our conversation touches on intersectionality and we use the topic of sustainability to unravel what happens when we start talking about complex stuff. Liana also talks about ADHD, self sabotage, emotional intelligence (EQ), and we explore insecurity, empowerment and attribution...
2024-04-0145 minNewborn to Teen and Everything in Between‘Routines and us’ with Susie AmyYou probably already know Susie Amy – perhaps from Footballer’s Wives or maybe from Hollyoaks or as a stage actress (we recently saw her in Fatal Attraction). We do too, but we are also lucky to know Susie via a mutual friend who gave her a gift of some time with Claire when her first baby was born. Susie didn’t feel for a while that she was ready to use this gift straight away – she felt instead that her baby didn’t like / need sleep and was just a bit different! When Claire spent some time with Susie and her fam...
2024-03-2036 min