Parenting Pobal

We're back after a year off from podcasting to talk about Olivia's first day in big school (who cried, who didn't, did we remember to pick her up on time...) and Thomas' first day in preschool (the child who repeatedly eats dirt is apparently smart enough to be in preschool nearly a year ahead of schedule). Enjoy it while you can...it's probably going to be another fifty five months before we record another one.

We did a semi-Parent Trap and split the kids up. One with the mother, one with the father - a weekend of peace and bliss and fun and memories. The ladies went off for a night in a hotel while the boys basically reverted to caveman norm and lounged about eating junk food. Plus the reason for Karen and Derek getting divorced is revealed...

This week we have a chat about prepping for school as best we can with the crazy lack of proper guidelines. Also Derek gets insanely excited about the fact that the kids are going back to creche for a few days each week - something about being able to read emails.

We're back after a Covid (Karen) Hiatus - not that we had it, just that when you aren't doing anything you don't have a lot to talk about. This week we talk about meeting our parents for the first time in months and the prep for school. There is also a shameless plug for another podcast and a short discussion on how Karen avoided doing the editing - despite it being her turn!

In the middle of Covid we said goodbye to Montessori. When we left the creche back on 12 March, over three months ago, we assumed we would all be back and life would be normal again within a few weeks. Fast forward, a more severe lockdown, restrictions we could never imagine having to endure and no sign of any school setting before breaking for summer, we faced into the reality that Olivia's time on Montessori was to be cut dramatically short. This week we talk about the Covid graduation she had and the amazing work by her Montessori to celebrate the occasion in the strangest of circumstances.

George Floyd, he had a name. We need to talk to our children about racism.

Covid-19 ruining your holiday plans, have no fear Parenting Pobal is here. We run through some suggestions for a holistay (patent pending) and also touch briefly on the topic of how all this working from home has warped the kids' tiny little minds.

Another week, another episode. This week we talk about a few topics because Derek couldn't come up with a single one that worked. We touch on Karen's anxiety about working from home with a messy house. There is the sad tale of how we handled telling Olivia she wouldn't be going back to her creche. Plus the war of the medicine press/cupboard is brought up in a massive Derek rant.

This week we talk about consent and how it is never too early to start teaching kids about having control over what is happening to their bodies. There is also a brief spell talking about how Karen got abused by the Christians on Instagram. Plus the microphones...THE MICROPHONES

This week we talk about how life has changed and how the different pressures mean different things for different families. And also sticklebacks. Obviously

We are still in lockdown, Derek is going cra-cra, we talk about what is happening with the kids and how their eating habits have changed. Pray for Karen, she is having to put up with Derek

Going into week four of lockdown and working from home with kids

We're back, with episode 1, season 2, of the least popular parenting podcast online. We were going to avoid it, but we decided to go with an episode on how we are doing the whole work from home thing with two kids that demand all your attention at the worst of times. Tips, tricks, tactics - everything is discussed here.

A year of podcasting - honestly this began as a joke over lunch between the pair of us and now we are a year into it. What the hell! For the first time ever this IS a visual podcast - we have a video of the whole thing that you can watch, just as soon as we figure out how to get it off Instagram (we'll be better with our next one...honest).

Blame the title on Derek, but here we are, podcasting in a strange time. We focus on the positives and tips for working from home with young children

This week we talk about how kids mimic what they see, both good and bad. The little quirks they pick up, how their personalities form based on what their parents do. There is also the awkward moment when Karen doesn't cop the obvious Denis Leary lyric...divorce is on the cards.

45 episodes in and sure who knew we'd still have things to waffle on about. In this week's episode we talk about some stuff you can do with the kids when the weather or illness means you can't leave the house. Little tricks on how to survive Cabin Fever with two little humans that have the attention span of a gnat and the patience of a ... gnat (look, they can't all be winners).There is also the story about how Derek thought he was dying after returning home from the pub one night - laughter ensues.

This week we talk kids and their selective hearing

We talk about Thomas' second birthday, Derek gives out about Karen putting too much pressure on herself for said birthday. There is even a random seqway into the classic novel 1984.

In this episode we talk about the big milestone of Karen being seven weeks off her post-natal depression meds. We also discuss how neither post-natal depressions presented with the same symptoms.There is also random stuff from Derek...

Let's talk about why it is important to have no secrets with our kids.

Let's talk about 'lasts'

This week we discuss how kids view Love, the negative responses we got about 'inflicting' our views on our children and various ramblings.

Derek is delighted with his pun about Karen's recent job change. It is a tetchy subject, the work life balance craic

We list of our 40 at 40 - sorry it's so long

We discuss work life balance, or lack thereof, for working parents and some Christmas elf related chats

This week we talk about poxy croup, the fantastic Toy Show and a bit of the regular insult throwing around.

The episode that was a bitch to edit because Karen coughed after every second word. We also talk about how kids change the relationship...for good and bad.

Parenting Pobal is back! We talk about Fizzlesticks the fairy who has moved into Thomas and Olivias room, tackling the issue of teaching young children kindness, the power of gratitude and we belt out a dodgy rendition of Safety Dance.

We talk about more Internet Trolls, some bits about the full moon destroying our sleep and like all good bad managers we give our quarterly reviews later than we should.

Halloween chats and Thomas gets his first haircut

We talk about birthdays and Halloween PC brigade nonsense.

Silk cut = high class

We're back, we're tired, we need sleep...

Derek chats about his experience with the black dog

We talk about birthday parties, play zones and Derek's assumption that the Internet stories about kid parties are all true.

We had a rough experience this week when Thomas accidentally ingested Dettol. We talk about our experience.

*WARNING: We mention the Legend of Santa a few times, listen when small ears not around.*We talk about day trips and also moan a little about the lack of sleep.

Taking the wee ones to ComicCon

We talk about books to read that help kids understand about the arrival of younger siblings, along with a brief chat about The War (When Karen locked Derek out of the house after a late night at work)

We are actually talking books books and more books for kids in this episode....we do get sidetracked into Highlander though

We talk about how different the sleeping experiences were between kid one and kid two, segway onto a totally random topic, then bring it back.

Derek is joined by his friend Javier, a new solider in the war on sleep deprived adults (aka parenting).

We are joined by Karen's dear old daddy Leo to talk about the differences in being a dad back in the day and now. Sadly it wound up being Derek and Leo tag team insulting Karen.

Derek is joined by his mum this week. One not to miss!

Karen talks with her friend Aoife about all things parenting. They also discuss the topic of stillbirths. If anything discussed in this episode effects you, know that there are a mixture of resources available, we've linked a few below.https://feileacain.ie/https://alittlelifetime.ie/https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/s/stillbirth/

We discuss Father's Day and touch on the mad topics about Jane Bond

We talk about why it is important to have hobbies, using hobbies to teach kids that they can't always have their way - plus Derek brings up a painful story from the early days (Karen still hasn't gotten over it yet).

Karen is joined by her mummy

In a mad attempt to get over our Post Holiday Blues we talk about...being on our holiday. It did not have the desired effect.