Connie Simmonds on losing friends, gaining weight and finding herself

Shouldn’t laugh but this week your stories on how your kid’s pets came to an end is something else. From fish jumping into toasters to sinister Siamese cats unravelling your parental mind, this is one of the darkest, funniest chats to date.

The CEO of The World Happiness Index certainly knows a thing or two about finding joy. In this open-hearted chat Anna and Polly ask Karen how she started smiling again against the grieving odds. Funny, sad, uplifting and ultimately a happy ending.

Pets and grief is quite the juggernaut to navigate with kids. Anna has to handle the death for the family pet hamster Ziggy. Is lying ever ok to protect your kids? How do you navigate a rodent funeral? And was buying two guinea pigs really a good idea in the wake of all this? Expect tea-through-nose laughter and solemnity. A tale of two sides.

You asked for it and we’re giving it. You wanted more of us - Polly and Anna - so here we delve into Pol’s ADHD diagnosis in an emotional, informative rollercoaster of a podcast episode that leaves no ADHD stone unturned. While Polly isn’t an expert, she’s read The Whole Internet since being diagnosed and this could be an initial stepping stone if you wonder if you - or your child - might have ADHD.

Following a stat that it’s cringe to be in a club over 40, Polly and Anna recount their clubbing days and question if they really are too old to get down with the kids…

From being bulldozed in meetings by men to being underestimated at every turn, this episode questions why women have to work twice as hard to get anywhere in the boardroom. Three words: The Invisible Load. With some powerful tips on how to make it your own way. Without stepping into a man’s shoes but paving your own path.

From the viral video of a toddler using the F bomb to more and more parents losing their sh*t in front of the kids, this episode tackles swearing and the impact on kids. Is it funny or is it concerning? You decide.

This open-hearted chat about 40-something decisions doesn’t beat around the divorce bush. From when to get out to how to do it amicably, this is an episode that digs deep on how making decisions that serve you at 40 don’t need to be steeped in shame and repackaged as a ‘crisis’. Chat about a vibrator called The Boss, too. Essential intel for anyone moving into a new era.

This is an intriguing one. How do you show you care? Anna and Polly deep dive into love language and how important it is to see where someone is coming from. But also to recognise what you need in a relationship.

In this episode child psychologist Dr Martha opens up about rupture and repair with our kids. From moments of parental explosion to the calm after the hollering storm, this podcast is about helping you navigate being a grown up when you haven’t really, well, grown up. Probably one of the most useful episodes to date for those on the childcare edge.