The Sisterhood of MummyImperfect Podcast

S2, Ep 114: Changing Your Surname, Make-Up, and Male Egos

It's that time of the month again!...time for The Power Panel!

In this episode Rummy, Kirat and I wade through the topical news and entertainment stories of the past week.

Brooklyn Beckham got married earlier this month and has confirmed that he has kept his wife’s surname as a middle name.  Should this be the way forward? Is this gesture an example of true equality? and if so why are so many men reluctant to do this?  and why do women see it as "the done thing" to take their husband's surname?

Women are now wearing less make up than before the pandemic started. Is this the beginning of the end for fake lashes and contouring? And is our relationship with make up more than skin deep?

Some women are changing their behaviour on dates to allow their male partners to take the lead. Have you ever altered your behaviour to make a man feel more powerful?

Have a listen to our thoughts on all this and get in touch at mummyimperfect@gmail.com to let us know yours.

S2, Ep 113: The Indian Matchmaker

Do we all ultimately just want to love and be loved? Is there someone out there for everyone? And why is the path to finding that someone so complicated?

In this episode I'm joined by Sukh Kaur, the UK's answer to Sima Aunty from Indian Matchmaking!

Sukh tells me why she created her agency, Matched, she shares strategies you can use to find a life partner, and talks me through her own journey from divorce to dating apps.

 

S2, Ep 112: The App All Women Need

If you're a woman, how many times have you been out in the evening, or even just doing a late shift at work, and the prospect of getting home at night fills you with dread?

Sadly safety dilemmas are nothing new for women but since the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa last year, these feelings have been heightened. 

My guest this episode has chosen to take action and do something about it this. Emma Kay is the founder of an app called Walk Safe. We discuss the reasons she created this app (which include obscene cat calls in front of her child!), how it works, and how young girls and women can strike a balance between being streetwise and safe.

S2, Ep 111: Flying The Nest

"Wait until you're married" is a term South Asian girls are all too familiar with! And one of the biggies on that list of things to do after you're wed is moving out of your family home. 

Is this just a hangover from a time when the most a woman could hope to achieve was "marry well"? Is life tougher without the support of our parents? Is there an age where we actually shouldn't be living at home? And are we just "wasting money" if we are renting?

My guests this episode are writer Kim Bansi and Body Positivity Advocate Virali Patel. They've both recently flown the nest and share their journeys with me....from learning how to cook rice (something the three of us knew nothing about when we moved out!) to coping with family pressure and overcoming loneliness. 

 

S2, Ep 110: Bridgerton, Perfect Girls, Men Defending Women

It's that time of the month again!...time for The Power Panel!

In this episode Huji, Kirat and I wade through the topical news and entertainment stories of the past week.

We talk brown girl representation in Bridgerton (who wrote that desi chaa scene?), why girls feel so much pressure to be perfect (is it all about the bio data?!), and men defending their woman's honour (is it ever appropriate to slap someone in the face?).

Have a listen and leave us a review or comment with your thoughts.

S2, Ep 109: Imperfectly Perfect

My guest this episode is blogger, content creator and influencer, Anjli, AKA Anjli’s Look Book.

We explore the notion of being imperfectly perfect. How can we as women embrace our flaws, physical, emotional and mental? How can we own them, turn our weaknesses into strengths, and feel more confident in our own skin?

Anjli talks about what inspires her work as an influencer and shares her journey of divorce, depression, loss, and new beginnings. 

S2, Ep 108: In Convo With Eastenders Star Balvinder Sopal

My guest this episode is Balvinder Sopal, AKA Suki Panesar, Walford's Punjabi pataka!

Bal tells me about her journey from community theatre to Eastenders and what it's like playing the soap baddie that everyone loves to hate. We discuss following your dreams, representation, adding Punjabi in the Panesar family dialogues, and the story behind Suki's beehive!

S2, Ep 107: Marriage, Motherhood and Mum-In-Laws

My guest this episode is Queen of uplifting and inspirational content, Raji Oshan. 

We talk marriage, motherhood and mum-in-laws! 

If you're a South Asian woman you're probably familiar with the phrase "you can do X after marriage" (X being partying with friends, wearing short skirts, staying out late, doing a skydive or similarly risky activities!). If you are married you'll probably have taken on a whole new family and the skydive gets put on hold again!

Are things slowly changing? Or are women still expected to do all the "adjusting" after marriage?

Raji and I discuss all of this and how motherhood made us woman up and take a stand so our daughters have it easier. 

S2, Ep 106: Selfguarding And Women In Sport

Be honest, as a parent/guardian how much do you know about the sports activities that your child is involved in?

And as a woman, has clothing or sexualised sports culture ever held you back from taking up a sport?

In this episode I speak to Athlete, Athletics Coach and founder of SelfguardingUK, Yourlance Richards.

We talk about what Selfguarding means to us and how to teach children and young people to make better and safer choices for themselves, particularly when it comes to sport and extra-curricular activities. Also how dress codes and the quality of coaching can have a huge impact on women in sport.

S2, Ep 105: Botox, Fillers, and Vampire Facials

You may have noticed that there is a currently a global obsession with beauty "tweakments" - things like botox and dermal fillers. Whether it's celebs like Kylie Jenner, or the girl next door, demand for these non-surgical treatments is at an all time high.

But what exactly is botox? what is being "filled" into our skin? what on earth is a "vampire facial"?  and what happened to growing old gracefully?!

Jas Chahal, pharmacist, aesthetic practitioner and the owner of Jasthetic Clinic in Wolverhampton, joins me in this episode to answer all these questions and more.