Episodes
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Welcome to mini book club! Today, myself and previous guest, Julie Cobbe, are discussing the novel 'Wild Egg' by Jennifer Flint. We talk about the themes raised in the book and our experiences of reading a book which focuses on the parenthood decision.
I spoke to Julie in season 2 about her own experience of deciding to have children or not. I do recommend you listen to that if you haven't already. I want to thank Jennifer Flint for sending me on copies of her book and to thank Julie for volunteering to read it and take part in this episode.
I refer to another podcast in this episode which discusses the book, Jennifer's own story and process of reading the book. Please see Anna Olson's excellent episodes of the 'We're Not Kidding' Podcast here -
Part one -https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cDRpIhrkO74KOm52euK5k?si=01f5e61b98e74780
Part two - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FGdhAO7C8UQolPMoGZqcF?si=bb5ed345d1b9450c
Please Julies website here - https://juliecobbe.com/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
I am joined today by four members of the Sisterhood - Childfree by Choice Meetup group based in Ireland. Founded in 2020, it now has over 1,000 members with a range of online and in person events. I talk to Niamh, Kalyn, Katie and Ailish about how they came to be involved in the group, what the group does and the challenges around finding the right terminology to represent the wide range of experiences around this topic.
If you are interested in making friends, being accepted and growing your world please check the group out here - https://www.meetup.com/sisterhood-childfree-females-by-choice/ Online events are open to people outside of Ireland and the group are currently working to offer more regional activities around Ireland.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
Missing episodes?
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My guest today is Robin Hadley, a childless man, an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and a founder member of campaign group Ageing Without Children. Rob has conducted a wide range of research on childless men so he brings both personal and professional experience to the topic. We discuss some myths around men and reproduction. We also discuss the implication of 'validity through virility' for everyone, and what happens when you don't follow the expected life arc, either by choice or not. Rob makes what can be heavy topics so accessible and relatable; this conversation will interest you regardless of your gender or childfree/less status.
This is a link to Rob's website where you can read his research and order his book 'How is a Man supposed to be a Man? Male Childlessness - A Life Course Disrupted'.
https://www.robinhadley.co.uk/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
Welcome to season 3 of the Are Kids For Me podcast. I took a break after season 2 but am delighted to be back with some special episodes. My first guest was actually the inspiration to make new episodes and it was a joy to speak to her.
Jenny is in her 70s and is living a very content childfree life with her husband. She talks us through making the decision in the 1970s and revisiting the decision at various stages of their lives. She encourages us to think about what we are choosing instead when we decide not to have children. This shifts the focus to the wide range of opportunities available. Jenny also wants to share about how they have dealt with health challenges and how they are planning for aging and older life without children. This is an honest conversation which I really appreciate Jenny having with me and I hope you find it as inspirational as I did.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
My guest today, and the last for season 2, is Louise Vance. With a background in law, she is a writer, content creator and presenter. Her experience includes working as a fashion writer, stylist, editor and in event management. She is also a regular contributor to BBC radio and TV. For many years, she has been passionate about sharing her experiences of deciding to be childfree. We discuss her experience of other people's reactions to her personal decision to not have children as well as the importance of de-stigmatising this conversation for everyone.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
I am speaking to Tanya Williams about her wide range of work as a childfree activist and advocate. This includes her book (A Childfree Happily Ever After), the Childfree Magazine, projects to support childfree people in the workplace and her ideas on how we can expand and progress the Childfree movement.
She shares some great advice on how we can all start to make changes in our daily life to help this. I found this conversation very inspiring about the prospect of further positive change and I hope you do too.
For more information on Tanya's projects, resources and to order your copy of Childfree Magazine, click here - https://childfreehappilyeverafter.com.au/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
Today, I am speaking to Ali Wyllie, who runs the 'Childfree By Choice' account on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChildFreeBC. The aim of this account is to take away the stigma of being childfree. It has also evolved to address the division which can occur between parents and non parents by developing mutual empathy.
We discuss Ali's experience of making the childfree choice and how this has been both challenged and challenging. We also explore how this keeps developing as she continues to live it, learn about it and meet other childfree people.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
This is part 5 (and the last!) of the mini-series of 'Who will look after me when I get old' and we are discussing death. My guest is Liam McCarthy, a death doula (also known as an end of life doula). Liam is based in Youghal, Co. Cork and is a civil celebrant for weddings, baby naming ceremonies and funerals.
We discuss what a death doula does, how our relationship with death has changed and why we need to be able to talk about death and grief more openly, for both practical and emotional reasons. We also discus funeral options, budgeting and the benefits of planning ahead for our own deaths and funerals.
This was a really informative and also very enjoyable conversation, with quite a few laughs along the way, despite the topic.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
Part 4 of the 'Who will look after me when I get old' series. My guest is Jennifer Moran Stritch. We have a fascinating and wide ranging discussion on the topic of ageing without children. We explore common stereotypes, the power of assumptions and how to catch ourselves from being drawn into them. We explore some concepts such as the adult orphan and the loss of the assumptive world which can help us to understand what we might be experiencing in our own lives. And we round things off by talking about Death Cafes and the rule that there must always be cake!
Jennifer has a background in social care and social work; she lectures in Social Care in the Limerick Institute of Technology and with the MSc in Loss and Bereavement with the Irish Hospice/RCSI. She is a frequent keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on aspects of loss, resilience and growth across the human lifespan. She is also a host of Limerick Death Café since 2015.
This is a link to the Irish Hospice 'Think Ahead' form which we discuss - https://hospicefoundation.ie/i-need-help/i-want-to-plan-ahead/think-ahead/ and to Death Café Limerick - https://www.facebook.com/deathcafelimerick/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
Part 3 of the 'Who will look after me when I get old' series. My guest is Sinead Ryan, a journalist focusing on consumer and personal finance matters. We look at the range of care options for older people in Ireland. This includes nursing home care, the 'Fair Deal' Scheme and home care options.
This is a link to the HSE information booklet on the Fair Deal Scheme (officially known as the Nursing Home Support Scheme) - https://www2.hse.ie/file-library/fair-deal/nursing-homes-support-scheme-information-booklet.pdf
Sinead is a columnist with the Irish Independent and has a weekly radio programme called 'The Home Show' on Newstalk every Saturday morning. Please see her website for more information - http://sineadryan.com/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
Here, we explore the financial side of aging without children. I speak to financial advisor, Paul Merriman about the basic elements of understanding your money, making it work for you and planning for your financial future. Paul also highlights some opportunities that may be available to people who don't have children. Paul wants to take the fear out of money and gives practical advice on how to feel more in control of your finances right now.
For more information see https://www.askpaul.ie/ and 'Ask Paul' on social media.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
This is a brief chat with Simon Forsyth, who I will be co-facilitating the upcoming 'Taking the Road Less Travelled - Embracing Your Childfree Life' Workshop with.
We discuss what therapeutic/reflective writing is generally and how we will use it to help people reflect upon and deepen their understanding of being childfree. The emphasis is on the content and process in whatever form that works for the participant. It is not about neat handwriting or correct sentence structure. No one will be correcting your work with a red pen and no one has to share anything they have written unless they want to. However, being able to share and hear content with like minded people can be very powerful and enjoyable in itself.
Our workshop takes place on June 26th, 10am to 4pm via Zoom. Tickets are 90e and are on sale now through this link - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/taking-the-road-less-travelled-embracing-your-childfree-life-tickets-154438492689
We are very excited to hold this unique event specifically designed for childfree people.
The workshop is open to participants both inside and outside of Ireland, but please note that due to insurance limitations we are unfortunately unable to include applicants based in the USA. -
This is the first in a mini series of episodes where I will explore the question of 'who will look after you when you get old' from a childfree perspective. I am starting with the legal side and am talking to solicitor Karen O'Neill about the things childfree people (and actually everyone) needs to know about and have in place for later life. We focus on wills and enduring power of attorney.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
I speak to two guests from 'The End of the Line' Podcast, Mark Heywood & Romy Park. Mark is the creator of the podcast which is a series of powerful stories about how women who don't have children for a wide variety of reasons, are treated in society. Romy plays the character 'Mona' in one of the episodes. Both are passionate about amplifying the voices of childfree people.
We discuss how the series came about, the issues that are explored, their own real life experiences as childfree people and the very positive response to the series from people all over the world.
Check out 'The End of the Line' Podcast here - https://www.inkjockey.co.uk/the-end-of-the-line/ and on the usual podcast platforms.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
In this episode, I have a really insightful and honest conversation with Julie Cobbe about her process of choosing not to have children of her own, as her husband had children from a previous relationship and also had a vasectomy before they met. There are many layers to this including becoming a step parent, the cultural impact of moving back to Ireland and the challenges of following a road less travelled compared to family and friends.
You can check out Julies website here - https://www.juliecobbe.ie/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
My guest today is Selina Bonnie. Selina is an Indian/Irish disabled woman. She is an activist, lecturer and trainer in the international disabled people's movement for over 25 years. Her research focuses on sexuality, sexual expression and reproductive rights for disabled people. She is also a busy wife and mother.
As previously discussed, there is a strong societal attitude that everyone will, should and wants to have children. It can be so pervasive it is almost difficult to see. However, we see that this applies very differently to disabled people, which shows how much of a social construct it is. We talk about the barriers which face disabled people who want to be parents and how important autonomy and choice are for everyone in this very personal decision.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
My guest today is Michelle Mayefske, a birth and postpartum doula who works with families in the mid west of Ireland. She helps expecting parents navigate pregnancy and prepare for their best possible birth. Her passion is helping parents move from a place of fear to one of confidence.
This episode may not be of interest to everyone, but I was curious to speak to someone with so much experience of working with pregnant people. We speak about the range of fears people can have around pregnancy and birth, where these might come from and the options available if you do want to go on and be a parent. I definitely learned a lot from our conversation!
You can go to Michelle's website https://www.limerickdoulaservices.ie/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/limerickdoulaservices/ for lots of useful information and to find out more about her services.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
I am launching season 2 of the podcast by speaking to international best selling author Sheila O'Flanagan. Sheila is happily childfree by choice at 63 years of age. We discuss the importance of having positive role models who showed her that this was an option and what being childfree has allowed her to do. We also discuss the impact of social pressure and the importance of prioritising what is best for you over the expectations of others.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
In this episode, I speak to Dr. Amy Morgan. She is a GP based in Drogheda and has a special interest in women's health and sexual health.
We talk about the range of both temporary and permanent contraceptive options available, the factors to consider when choosing a form for yourself and how to approach these discussions with your doctor, so as to get the best outcome for your own situation.
These are recommended websites for more information -
https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/
https://www.mycontraception.ie/
https://www.ifpa.ie/
https://wellwomancentre.ie/
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast -
In this episode, I speak to Patrick Freyne; journalist, author and musician. He recently published his highly acclaimed debut book of personal essays called 'Ok Lets Do Your Stupid Idea'. This includes an essay discussing not having children which wasn't by choice for Patrick and his wife. We discuss the impact of this and how he feels about it now. We speak about the power of social norms and narratives, and how difficult, but also how important it is, to separate ourselves from them as much as we can.
Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast - Show more
