Parenting and Personalities

What Food Labels Won’t Tell You (But You Need to Know)

Is your child's “healthy” snack actually hurting their health? Kate Mason welcomes back Mandy Sacher to expose the shocking truth behind food labels, Australia's Health Star Rating system, and the hidden dangers of ultra-processed foods. With over two decades of experience in children’s nutrition and a background in investigative journalism, Mandy breaks down how misleading marketing tactics are manipulating parents—and how it’s impacting kids' health. From advocating government change to launching her own Real Food Rating system and app, Mandy shares practical, empowering steps to help families make smarter choices at the supermarket. If you’ve ever been confused or misled by a “no added sugar” claim or a suspicious five-star rating on a packaged snack, this episode is a must-listen. Listen For00 Why can’t we trust health star ratings on food labels?3:46 What made Mandy Sacher realize food labels were misleading?6:34 How are ultra-processed foods getting rewarded as “healthy”?20:11 What needs to change in Australia’s nutrition policies?30:33 How will the new Real Food Rating app help parents shop smarter? Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click   Connect with guest: Mandy Sacher | Pediatric Nutritionist and Chief Nutrition Officer Website | Instagram | Real Food Rating Instagram | Facebook | YouTube Contact Kate: Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X 

Why Motherhood Feels So Lonely…and What You Can Do About It

What if becoming a mother wasn’t just a role, but a complete identity shift? Kate Mason sits down with journalist-turned-coach Amy Taylor-Kabbaz to dive deep into the transformation that women experience when they enter motherhood, a transformation called matrescence.Amy shares her personal story of burnout, identity loss, and the emotional upheaval that came with trying to be the woman she was before children. From postpartum struggles to the silent pressure of “having it all,” Amy unpacks why mothers feel broken…and how understanding matrescence can help us heal, connect, and move forward with more compassion, especially toward ourselves and our partners. This conversation is raw, validating, and will leave every parent feeling seen.Listen For:55 What are the unspoken changes that happen in your relationship after a baby?3:11 Why did Amy’s identity as a journalist unravel after becoming a mother?12:18 What is matrescence and why is it so important for new moms to understand?20:04 How can we bring awareness of matrescence into hospitals and midwife training?30:37 What are the early warning signs of burnout in motherhood?Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one clickConnect with guest: Amy Taylor-KabbazWebsite | Facebook | InstagramContact Kate:Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X

How Our Childhood Christmases Shape the Way We Celebrate Today

Christmas can bring up deep emotions, powerful memories, and the challenge of balancing tradition with change.Kate Mason opens up a thoughtful and moving conversation about what the festive season really means to different people. Through a series of deeply personal stories from guests around the world, this episode explores how families celebrate, mourn, adapt, and create meaningful holiday moments. From honoring loved ones who are no longer here, to letting go of pressure and finding peace in presence, each guest reflects on their own traditions, some old, some new and what truly matters most during this time of year. Whether it’s finding comfort in shared meals, or welcoming a new baby into the family, this episode is a gentle reminder that love, connection, and intention are at the heart of every celebration. Listen For2:08 How do childhood traditions shape the way we celebrate Christmas today?4:50 What quirky Christmas traditions do families carry through generations?7:07 How can we hold space for grief and joy at the same time during the holidays?13:58 What happens when the Christmas turkey catches fire—and becomes a favorite memory?16:14 How can the smallest traditions, like eating grapefruit, become powerful ways to remember loved ones? Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click Contact Kate:Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X 

The 4 Christmas Personalities You Already Know

What if your Christmas chaos was actually a personality clash in disguise? Kate Mason unwraps the four classic temperaments, choleric, sanguine, melancholic, and phlegmatic, and how they dramatically show up around the Christmas table. With warmth, humour, and heartfelt wisdom, she explores how each personality type contributes to both the magic and mayhem of the holidays. From the bossy boots with a stopwatch to the sparkle-loving storyteller, and the detail-obsessed decorator to the quietly supportive peacekeeper, this episode is a guide to understanding not only your family, but yourself. Listen For:10 What Makes Christmas Morning So Emotionally Charged? 3:15 Can You Really Change Christmas by Changing Yourself?6:57 What Does a Choleric Personality Look Like on Christmas Day?12:07 How Do You Handle a Sparkly, Scattered Sanguine at Christmas?20:27 What Happens When Temperament Meets Vulnerability? Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click Contact Kate:Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X 

What Every Parent Should Know About Porn’s Influence on Children

Is your child's "sex education" secretly coming from free, violent online pornography? Kate Mason and podcast producer Liz Keen, creator of The Reality Of podcast, joins us to uncover the shocking truth that children as young as eight, nine, and ten are accidentally, or intentionally, stumbling upon highly explicit content, citing the average age of first exposure in Australia as 13. Liz reveals the most dangerous piece of content young people are consuming: the widespread depiction of acts like strangulation that is bleeding directly into real-life teenage sex, often without consent or knowledge of the severe, silent health risks, and argues that parents must overcome their discomfort to provide proactive, non-shaming education before the internet does. Listen For5:24 How common is it for young children to be viewing pornography6:34 What shocking pornographic content are young people actually seeing11:15 What is the average age that Australian kids are seeing explicit content28:13 How can parents overcome the awkwardness of talking to their kids about sex and porn35:48 Is my child seeing porn if I haven't mentioned it to them yet Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click  Connect with guest:Liz Keen, Podcast Strategy | Podcast Production | Media Consultant | SXSW SpeakerLinkedIn | Website | YouTube | Instagram | FacebookContact Kate: Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X