Beanstalk Single Mums

HELP! We're separated and can't agree on anything! Is this you? If so, then listen to Lucy chat with Tara Houseman from Relationships Australia about everything "mediation". We discuss: The range of services offered by Relationships Australia to help couples going through separation; the family dispute resolution process i.e. what happens and when; eligibility for mediation through Relationships Australia and why it may not be suitable; the many advantages to resolving matters through mediation; and how to prepare for mediation to ensure the process is as effective as possible.

Get free home help in exchange for renting out your spare room! It's super easy. I chat with Ludwina Dautovic, Founder of The Room Xchange, which is an online platform that connects busy households with a spare bedroom with guests who provide an agreed amount of help in Xchange for food and accommodation. We discuss: The process to become a host; how to know if you'd make a good host; how to prepare your home for a guest; the kind of chores your host could do: how to ensure your exchange works and where to get support if needed; and costs involved (it's free for us - listen out for the code!).

Hank Jongen, General Manager at Services Australia, provides facts and deadlines to meet our EOFY obligations on-time and in-order. He talks as through: When and how to confirm your 2018-19 income; how to find out if you need to lodge a tax return; the deadline to make a lump sum FTB claim for the 2018-19 financial year and whether you are eligible; the $750 Economic Support Payment; what to include in adjusted taxable income; balance timings; the $550 Coronavirus supplement; and mutual obligations for people on Job Seekers.      

4 Ingredients founder, Kim McCosker, is my guest in this podcast to share her magic and knowledge around saving time and money in the kitchen. We discuss: The wonder of the 4 Ingredients method and why it's so popular; menu planning and other time saving tips; Kim's top money saving tips for the kitchen; the best herbs and spices to fill your cupboards; Kim's absolute favourite recipes from her repertoire of millions; and various other handy tips including how to make cake with champagne and knowing a tasty strawberry when you see one.

Covid-19 is upon us and the world has paused. What does this mean for you? Like many, you may have lost your job, either temporarily or permanently, and are wondering: 'What now?'.  In this podcast I get 30-years of expertise from Helen Slater, Founder of 6S Coaching, about: changing your mindset around the pandemic to see it as an opportunity rather than a set-back; enhancing your employment opportunities; the importance of staying connected and working on your confidence; starting the journey of discovery into what to do career-wise if you are feeling lost; and Helen's top tips for using this time to start your own successful business.

Our worst nightmare: Homeschooling is hitting the homes of families across the world. BUT don't panic. I chat with education and curriculum expert, Karen Green from MAPPEN, about how to make homeschooling work and come out the other side still talking to your kids. We discuss: How to prepare for home learning and what to expect; routines - to have or not to have; how to ditch the guilt around homeschooling; Karen's top tips to make homeschooling work; the biggest misconceptions and no-no's of home learning; and MAPPEN's free content to help parents with home learning during COVID-19.

Dating just got harder! Yep, social distancing and isolation really hampers your mission to find Mr Right. Or does it? I chat to author, columnist and mother of three, Kerri Sackville about how to have fun with virtual dating.  We chat and laugh about: The advantages of virtual dating; what a virtual date looks like and how to prepare for one; the big no-no's of virtual dating; the reality of making it work if you're really into your virtual date; and how to prepare for eventually meeting when we are all allowed out again!

Do you love books, and want your children love them too? I chat to Sara Leman, the co-author of Reading Eggs, about how to make it happen. Listen to us discuss: What the prerequisites for starting school actually are (you may be surprised); brilliant pre-school literacy activities that are heaps of fun; habits/routines we can create to foster good reading habits at home; the benefits from reading aloud with our kids; why Reading Eggs is so engaging for kids and successful in helping them learn; and the 'set and forget' nature of Reading Eggs which makes it brilliant for busy mums.

Terrified of the prospect of attending family court? You are not alone. Carolyn Devries from New Ways Lawyers saves the day and explains everything you need to know to put your mind at rest. We discuss: the order of key events for parenting matters in the family court; the difference between Family Dispute Resolution and Mediation; court documents and what to expect depending on your situation; tips to prepare your affidavit and to be 100% ready for your first court date; what will actually happen when you go to court (this may surprise you); the Family Court Interview - what it is, what to expect and how to prepare; and Carolyn's tips to look after yourself emotionally during this time.

Do you feel broken, crazy and emotionally drained following a breakup with a narcissist?  Help is here. I chat to Breakup Recovery and Dating Coach, Cheryl Chong, from Steps To Happyness to help you overcome and MOVE ON. Listen to us discuss: The true traits of a narcissist and how these traits affect a relationship; the first steps to recovery being understanding and acceptance and how to reach them; how to deal with difficult emotions, including loathing and shame; how to support our children who may also be experiencing control issues with our ex partner; and tips to break the cycle and ensure we don’t attract another similar relationship.      

Having a co-parenting nightmare with your passive aggressive ex? Don't panic! We can help. I chat to Sallyanne Hartnell from Reflect Coaching on ways to deal with this infuriating behaviour. Listen to us discuss: The traits of the passive aggressive person; what problems you might encounter when co-parenting and how to overcome them; brilliant tips for communicating a passive aggressive ex; why parallel parenting might be a better alternative to co-parenting; and how to protect yourself from the negative effects of your passive aggressive ex.  

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.