Today on the couch we have actor, content producer and mum, Rebecca Randell, though to most of New Zealand she would be better known as Dawn Robinson from the country's longest running drama, Shortland Street.  Rebekah is refreshingly open as she shares with Dayna and Jenny the emotional journey that her and her hubby Bevan went on to become parents, hunkering down in those exhausting first months with a colicky newborn and the delight that she’s now finding in slowing down and embracing...

Having uncomfortable conversations, recognising blind spots and saying sorry well –  this meaty episode is equal parts earnest and fun. A small disclaimer  - this episode contains mention of sensitive topics around mental health and includes a sprinkle of mild swearing so just be aware if the kids’ are around.  Richie Hardcore is a dad to two boys, a social activist with a Masters in Sociology, a Muay Thai trainer, speaker, advocate and educator working in the space of family and sexual...

One of New Zealand’s most-loved TV presenters (former host of The Project), Kanoa Lloyd joins Jenny and Dayna for a thoughtful kōrero on motherhood, her career and the joys of raising a child with all their glorious quirks and qualities.   With Jenny’s expert guidance, we address those big old ‘red-brain’ feelings (namely anger!) that can surface when you become a parent, and the challenge of having a flexible mindset to roll through the waves and changes that inevitably come with this...

Jenny and Dayna are excited to share the couch with New Zealand musician and songwriter Nathan King who has reunited with his former band Zed (after two decades – where did that time go?!) to create a fresh new album, Future Memory.  A doting dad to three young people, Nathan chats candidly about family life and his music career, but also about the complexities of raising a neurodiverse child, from the emotional toll it has taken on the King family unit to the love and resilience that has...

Buckle in for an uplifting conversation filled with laughter and wisdom! Petra Bagust is the host of popular Rova podcasts Grey Areas and Sunday Sanctuary, a radio personality and TV presenter, a media chaplain, mum to three young people and all-round wonderful wāhine.  In this episode, Petra shares candidly how she has approached the highs and lows of motherhood with grace for herself, and the many things she’s learned along the way. With energy, wit and wisdom, she delves into the richness...

We're back with a 2nd season of Parents We've Met. The first episode of Season 2 will be dropping on Tuesday 15th October - and while you wait, here's a little preview of what's to come. This season, co-hosts Jenny Hale (author and parent coach) and Dayna Galloway (former TV presenter and mum-to-two) will be sharing some laughs, tears and tales with well-known New Zealand parents, including: Petra Bagust – Media personality, podcaster and media chaplain Nathan King – Musician and...

Did you hear the one about the kids who were allowed to write on the toilet wall? And no, we don’t mean toddler scribbles!  In our Season 1 finale episode, Jenny and Dayna unpack the stand-out stories, curly questions and honest reflections from our nine guest episodes to bring you a snackable selection of parenting ideas, expert advice and inspiration.  A huge thank you for tuning into the first season of Parents We’ve Met. We’ve loved receiving your feedback, reviews and ratings and look...

The final guest for Season 1 is one of our very own: the much-loved media personality, Parenting Place pou tangata and father-to-three Pio Terei.   Pull out the tissues as this kōrero is full of tears – the happy ones and the sad ones! Pio shares openly about his journey with grief after the loss of his youngest son Teina and offers some self-care advice for others living with grief. He also chats with Jenny and Dayna about his simple but beautiful upbringing, his love of creating...

Now if you wear clothes this episode is totally for you! This week, Jenny and Dayna are joined by the wonderful personal stylist, image consultant and mum-to-two, Heather Hale.  Heather shares honestly about the magic of being a mum, but also the unexpected hard stuff she’s navigated including post-natal depression, letting go of ideals and grieving expectations.  If you think your parenting wardrobe could do with a refresh, Heather also shares some great, practical styling advice for mums...

This week, Jenny and Dayna are hanging out with a top bloke and legend of a dad, Sean Brown. Sean’s the chippie that has put Dayna’s home back together after various floods and burst pipes, but you may also recognize him as the fix-it, make-it-better builder extraordinaire from the TV show, Sort Your Life Out NZ.  Sean inspires Dayna and Jenny with the sense of fun and playfulness he brings to his dadding role, and in this gorgeous episode, we hear more about how he strives to be a ‘present’...

Co-star of the popular reality TV show, The Casketeers and māmā to SIX, Kaiora Tipene joins Jenny and Dayna for a beautiful kōrero on motherhood, whānau and a topic that’s a little bit taboo in some families: death.  Through her humble stories and reflections, Kaiora shares about her own upbringing, how she honours her Māori heritage in her work and whānau, and the value she places on ‘I love yous’ and a fearless expression of feelings.  Jenny and Dayna take the opportunity to seek Kaiora’s...

Jenny and Dayna are joined by another awesome dad guest this week! Some of you might remember Ido Drent as Daniel Potts from New Zealand's favourite soap opera, Shortland Street, or more recently from his roles on The Gulf and Offspring. In recent years, Ido has shelved his acting work to spend more time focusing on the tough but wonderful job of parenting alongside his wife Mandy – the chief memory maker of the family.  As you'll hear in this episode, Ido approaches the season that his young...

Jenny and Dayna sit down with sex and relationship therapist, Jo Robertson, for a glorious chat on all things ‘motherhood’, including surviving deep-sea sailing adventures and navigating the sexual culture and pornography landscape that our kids are growing up in.  We learn about who Jo is as a mum of three boys, how she encourages curiosity and risk-taking in her household, and how growing up in a home where no topics were off the table has helped to shape the woman she is today.  Jenny and...

Award-winning radio host and super proud dad Ben Boyce sits down with Jenny and Dayna to share some glorious tales from his parenting journey.   Ben’s been making people laugh for years; he's one of the creative forces behind the hit comedy series, Jono and Ben, and he's the co-host on The Hits Breakfast show. We reckon he might have been the King of Dad jokes and pranks before he became a dad himself!  In this episode, we hear what it’s like for Ben raising daughters in today’s landscape,...

Former Silver Fern Sulu Fitzpatrick joins Jenny and Dayna for an inspiring kōrero about the juggle of life as an athlete and a mum to a blended family of six. Sulu shares openly about the highs and lows of her career, what it was like becoming a mum to multiples as a teenager, and the winning mindset she’s embraced as she’s navigated the ups and downs of a professional sports career. We delve into Sulu’s beautiful upbringing, and reflect on the importance of her village and the value she...

Actor and comedian Josh Thomson sits down with Jenny and Dayna to share some humble and hilarious tales from his dadding journey. The ‘Tongan of Timarū’ as he’s known to some, Josh is a well-known face of New Zealand television, having had roles on The Project, Seven Days, Have You Been Paying Attention?, The New Legends of Monkey, Young Rock, Gary of the Pacific – and even Studio 2, the kids’ TV show that Dayna co-hosted back in the early noughties!  Through beautiful personal reflections...

Kia ora and welcome to Parents We’ve Met, where we share in the glorious, horrendous and hilarious world that is parenthood. In this first season of our new podcast, co-hosts Jenny Hale (author and parent coach) and Dayna Galloway (former TV presenter and mum-to-two) chat with some well-known New Zealanders who they admire, and who just like them are navigating the wild and wonderful terrain of parenthood. Our Season 1 guests include: Josh Thomson – comedian and actor Sulu Fitzpatrick...