What Gen Z really think when coworkers talk about their kids
It's not always as simple as you might think.
Hiii Outlouders, Em Vernem here 🙋🏾♀️
Thursday’s episode stayed with me long after we’d finished recording. There’s a reason for that and it’s prompted me to make a confession. One that has been building for the last thirteen years.
You can thank my coworkers for this because being around working mums has made me realise what I really, truly, deeply think about having kids. And it’s not what you might expect or why.
Now, I’m not going to name names (mainly because I’d be naming all of them, and ain’t nobody got time for that) but I have decided to voice my thoughts on motherhood and what that means for me. They’re thoughts that have been bubbling around in my head for so long and frankly, I needed to get them out.
But before I *clears throat* launch into my TED Talk, I reckon we could all do with some weekly reccos with which to sail into the weekend. Let’s get stuck in.
If you haven’t already, listen to the episode that inspired me to enter the confessional box.
Weekly Reccos 📺 📖 🎧
Here’s what our MMOL hosts suggest you should read, eat, and watch this weekend.
Mia wants you to watch
Hamish Blake’s birthday cake Instagram series. Every year on his kids’ birthdays, he challenges himself with making the exact cake Sonny and Rudy want from scratch (sometimes completing it at 4am in the morning). There’s often disaster. There’s frequently always whisky. There’s undeniable genius. It’s unbelievably entertaining and you can go back through his other Instagram highlights to watch all his other cake-baking escapades across the years.
Holly wants you to read
Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor. This brand-new book only came out this week. Scrivener’s first Dirt Town quickly became an Australian Number 1 bestseller and this one could very well do the same.
Girl Falling is set in the Blue Mountains. Two best friends who grew up there and are rock climbers, go climbing with a girlfriend. She falls to her death. Spoiler alert: This is not the spoiler, that’s how the book opens. The rest of the story unpacks what happened in the past and how this leads to the three women being in that place, on that day, at that time. It’s a goodie.
Jessie wants you to eat
Aldi spanakopita. This savoury Greek pastry is filled with feta and spinach. Get this one in your trolley for about $9.
Chuck it in the oven and you’re done. And because they’re massive, they’re the perfect size to take to other people’s houses when you’re asked to bring a plate and a bowl of chips (rudely) just won’t do.
Em (er, that’s me) wants you to listen to
Clare and Jessie’s Cancelled episode on Drew Barrymore. It brightened my week and made me giggle aloud while I was sitting alone at my local café.
The loling didn’t stop after they reenacted Drew’s interviewing… techniques.
👍 or 👎 to this week’s reccos? Let us know what you think by clicking the button below.
'It's been three years since we all left town.'
By Holly
Any regrets?
What about now?
Three years ago, my family left the city. That's me, my partner Brent, our two (then) primary-school-aged kids and our (then) dog, Elvi.
Those two bracketed 'thens' illustrate how life just keeps racing on up ahead. My daughter is now in Year Nine. My son starts high school in January. Our beautiful Elvi died. We adopted Tuna, her "sister" (in family lore only, you understand).
And it's the most commonly asked question by people who know me, and by people who read or listen to the things I make… Continue reading.
Get your eyes across these 👀
Was there a topic this week that you want more of? Well, the good news is that we’ve got you covered over at Mamamia HQ. Take a look at these top reads:
'I'm a bridesmaid for hire. There are 2 different types of women who book me.'
The Opening Ceremony for the Paris Olympics was basically a celebrity red carpet.
Jennifer Aniston rarely talks about politics. One comment changed that.
A journalist attended 'Ballerina Farm'. What she discovered was less than idyllic.
What you said 📣
Okay, okay, okay, we heard you. There have been some healthy fights discussions in the Outlouders Facebook group over how the word ‘gymnast’ is pronounced. Here’s what some of you had to say:
“I'm with Jessie on this one. It's gymnastics with a hard A but the person doing it is a gymnist with a definite 'ist' like nudist or pianist or contortionist.” - Ally
“Watching Simone Biles, and the commentator keeps saying gymnast the same way Mia Freedman does. Maybe the rest of us are wrong and Mia is right.” - Nikki
“This is all I could think about while watching gymnastics today. Is Mia actually right and I’m wrong???” - Alison
We had zero idea how controversial this topic would be (mainly because it wasn’t even a topic) so just had to acknowledge it on Friday’s show. Have a listen! (The segment starts at the 1:27 mark).
And yeah, here’s the confession/TED Talk I mentioned earlier ⬇️
'What I really think about my coworkers who have kids.'
By me (Em Vernem)
Confession: my coworkers are convincing me to not have kids.
“Jane was up screaming the entire night, I had to go into her room 10 times.”
“I spent three hours cooking Jack's food, and he threw it all on the floor and then vomited on me.”
“I have to go to the physio for the next six months because I injured my spine from pushing.”
One colleague even came into work and said, “I feel like all I do is complain about my kids, which makes it sound like being a parent is horrible.”
I replied, “Yep, pretty much!”
I honestly don't blame her — being a parent does sound horrible... Continue reading.
Your favourite lazy gewls (Clare and Jessie) have curated a collection of workouts over on Mamamia’s exercise app MOVE. They’re all low-impact, under 20 minutes, and there’s lots of lying down because… of course there is.
If you want to give it a go, click the link below and use code LAZYCOLLECTIONMMOL for $20 off a yearly subscription. T&Cs apply.
Overheard from the Mamamia Out Loud team
Guess who spilled this little nugget of goodness:
“Are we going somewhere to do the “wolf turn”?
Watch the video below to find out the answer…
If you’re wondering who/what the hell is a wolf turn, it’s a technique performed by a gymNAST. Simone Biles absolutely nailed it but of course, our hosts just had to give it a try too.
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And if you’re wondering why they tried doing it… Well, Jessie attempted it first which naturally made Mia and Holly think it would be pretty easy if they all gave it a go together. The power of group mentality maybe? I have no idea.
Here’s Jessie’s solo attempt:
I’m pretty proud of this comparison TBH:
Em Vernon you crack me up and I love when you join MMOL. You totally give the ‘cool girl’ vibe to your fellow hosts when they are loosing their minds over something and you just basically say they are wrong and to cool their tits. Makes me laugh way too much. 🤣 love your work.