Public toddler tantrums? 3am poonamis? Parenting in 2025 can be tough. But a new SA podcast is helping break down expert advice in bite-sized episodes for time-poor parents.
Let’s be real: No one handed you a manual when they sent you home with that tiny human.
Between the 3am poonamis, the public tantrums, and trying to remember if you’ve eaten today (coffee counts, right?), who has time to read dense research papers on brain development?
That’s exactly why two South Australian mums – 7NEWS presenter and reporter Amelia Mulcahy and former federal minister Kate Ellis – are hosting the new Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast.
It’s the no-BS guide to parenting they wish they’d had themselves.
The brain-building years nobody warned you about
Here’s the wild part that paediatricians probably mentioned but you were too sleep-deprived to remember: up to 85 per cent of your child’s brain development happens before they turn three.
Yep, those first 1000 days – when you’re in peak zombie mode – are literally shaping your kid’s entire future. No pressure, right?
The Words Grow Minds campaign created this podcast to help you navigate these crucial years without losing your mind.
Each episode breaks down complicated neuroscience into simple tips you can actually use when your toddler is screaming because you cut their sandwich “wrong.”
Hosted by real parents (who are also losing it sometimes)
Amelia Mulcahy, who juggles her 7NEWS career with raising five-year-old Grace and one-year-old Ted, didn’t exactly plan to add “podcast host” to her plate.
“I went into this year saying I was streamlining things and working less,” she says. “But the team behind this is just incredible. And I realised – I’m the exact person this podcast is for: the new parent scrolling Instagram at 9pm hoping for an answer.”
“But I do hope we bring the voice of parents who are in the thick of the jungle and trying their best.”
Despite her media experience, Amelia still feels the parenting uncertainty we all do: “I’m by no means an expert. I’m literally the hot mess that brings the weird examples to this podcast,” she says.
Parenting hacks that actually work
The podcast tackles questions you’ve definitely Googled at 2am. Like how much Bluey is too much? (asking for a friend!) And what to do when your kid melts down in the middle of Kmart?
One of Amelia’s favourite tips from the experts for when your toddler’s losing it and you’re about to follow suit, is to “give your stress a job.”
“That was such a penny-drop moment,” she says. “Instead of just trying to hold it all in, do something – wipe the kitchen bench, make a cup of tea – give it a direction.”
Instagram-perfect parenting is a scam
If you’ve felt guilty for not creating sensory bins from scratch or for using Peppa Pig as an emergency babysitter, this podcast has your back.
“We live in a world where everything has to be Instagram-perfect,” Amelia explains. “You think you need the best educational toys and singing voice and organic playdough made from scratch. But what your kid actually needs is you.”
Even the mundane moments matter – chatting about your grocery list, singing off-key during nappy changes, or narrating a 3am post-poonami clean-up. It’s all helping build vital connections in your baby’s fast-growing brain.
“Just hearing experts say ‘it’s okay to reset’ is actually so comforting,” Amelia says. “It’s not about perfection. It’s about connection.”
Short eps, big impact
The podcast covers everything from meltdown management to screen time guilt, baby brain development, and spotting communication differences early.
Other episodes tackle risky play (is it okay to let them climb that?), childcare choices, sleep strategies, and a special episode with Dr Emma Watkins (aka Emma Memma) on how music shapes development.
And yes, they know you have the attention span of a goldfish these days.
“I love podcasts, but if I see something that’s over an hour, I’m out,” Amelia says. “These are all podcasts which are around 30 minutes. They’re bite-sized, they’re easy to take in, and they’re just practical tips from evidence-based research.”
Sanity-saving tips from the experts
- Give your stress a job: Feel like screaming? Make a coffee, fold some laundry, or step away for 30 seconds. Channel that energy somewhere productive.
- Forget perfect: Your tone-deaf rendition of The Wheels on the Bus is actually perfect for your baby’s brain. Just talk, read, sing, and play – however imperfectly.
- Look after yourself too: You can’t pour from an empty cup. Find your support people and use them shamelessly.
- Don’t fear screen time, manage it: The ideal might be zero screens under two, but the reality is sometimes you need to shower. Choose quality content and focus on balance, not guilt.
- Trust your gut: Your parental instincts are usually right, whether it’s about development concerns or letting them take risks.
Why this matters (beyond surviving today’s tantrum)
The stakes are real: nearly one in four South Australian kids starts school already behind in development – higher than the national average.
Meanwhile, research shows babies form over a million new brain connections every second during those first three years. Those connections get built through exactly the kind of everyday moments the podcast helps you maximise.
The State Government’s Words Grow Minds campaign – South Australia’s largest initiative supporting early childhood development – offers free online resources, tips, webinars and activities to help you navigate those crucial early years without needing a PhD in child development.
Listen to the Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. For more tips and support that actually helps, visit wordsgrowminds.org.au
