It’s Motivational Monday, babes and today we’re talking about one of the best-kept parenting hacks that actually works: teaching your kids how to breathe properly.

Yep, turns out breathwork isn’t just for yoga mums in matching activewear. Whether it’s a full-blown meltdown over the wrong colour plate or pre-game nerves before footy, a little box breathing or belly breathing can work wonders.

In this episode, Ali spills:

• The super simple way to explain breathwork so your kids don’t roll their eyes
• Step-by-step box breathing & belly breathing (no crystals required)
• Why breathing together can stop both of you from completely losing the plot
• How these hacks help with everything from bedtime battles to homework hell

Because calmer kids = calmer mums. And if we can get through the witching hour without wanting to scream into a pillow, I’m calling that a win.

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t’s Friday Wine Down and Ali’s pouring a big one.

This week’s win? Her mum (aka the ultimate MVP) swooping in to take care of the kids for a whole week while Ali’s away working. Seven days of school runs, packed lunches, and referee duty talk about saving the day.

But the whinge? People who cut off their mums, dads, or family over old wounds. Ali’s not talking about toxic situations or self-protection but the way some of us hold onto grudges for decades over simple mistakes. Families are messy, parents screw up, but when does forgiveness matter more than pride?

We chat:

🍷 Why Ali’s mum deserves a damn medal

🍷 The danger of carrying generational grudges

🍷 How to find the balance between boundaries and letting go

🍷 Why family (even the slightly unhinged ones) might just be worth keeping close

It’s a raw, real, wine-in-hand chat that’ll make you laugh, nod, and maybe even call your mum.

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If you’ve ever sat in the car crying because you sent your kid to school with a lunchbox full of beige food, this one’s for you.

In this episode of Big Mum Energy, Ali dives into Glenn Bousen’s brilliantly honest book There Are Worse Mothers Than You a not-so-gentle reminder that even on your worst days, you’re still a bloody good mum.

We talk:

📚 Why mum guilt is baked into motherhood (and how to flip it the bird)

🤣 The hilarious, real-life stories that prove perfection is a myth

💌 A love letter to all the mums who feel like they’re failing but are actually smashing it

🥂 Permission to lower the bar, laugh at the chaos, and embrace being “good enough”

Because at the end of the day your kids don’t need a perfect mum, they just need you.

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Let’s be honest the witching hour is brutal. The kids are feral, the house looks like a bomb site, and somehow you’re meant to pull off a nutritious family dinner without losing your mind. Enter: the slow cooker.

In this week’s Motivational Monday, Ali serves up the gospel of setting it, forgetting it, and actually enjoying your evening without the dinner-time meltdown. We’re talking:

🥘 Why the slow cooker is every busy mum’s best mate

👩‍🍳 Simple hacks to make meals that feel fancy without the stress

🕒 How it frees up your time (and your brain) for the stuff that actually matters

💡 The mindset shift that cooking smarter is not lazy it’s bloody brilliant

So here’s your motivation: dust off that slow cooker, throw the ingredients in, and let it save your sanity. Because feeding your family shouldn’t feel like an Olympic event.

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If you’ve ever packed a suitcase for work or booked a trip and immediately felt the mum guilt hit like a freight train this one’s for you.

In this episode of Big Mum Energy, Ali gets real about the emotional tug-of-war of being a working mum. We’re talking:

💼 The guilt of chasing career goals while raising kids

✈️ How travel, long hours, and being “away” can leave you questioning if you’re failing at motherhood

🧠 Why mum guilt is more about society’s expectations than your actual parenting

💖 How to reframe time away as a lesson in resilience, independence, and showing your kids what hard work looks like

Because the truth is: being a good mum isn’t about being there every second of every day it’s about showing up with love, presence, and purpose when you are there.

So if you’re drowning in guilt for working, traveling, or just needing space from the chaos, pour a wine (or a coffee) and remind yourself you’re not failing, you’re just human.

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Kids have zero filter and sometimes what comes out of their little mouths is equal parts hilarious, terrifying, and downright bizarre.

In this week’s episode of Big Mum Energy, Ali dives into the weird sh*t kids say, with stories sent in straight from our listeners. We’re talking:

😂 Absolute comedy gold that could rival any stand-up show

🤯 The kind of one-liners that make you question what’s going on in their little brains

It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s guaranteed to make you laugh (and maybe sleep with one eye open).

Because if motherhood has taught us anything it’s that kids say the darndest, weirdest, most unhinged things… and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

So pour a wine, pop your headphones in, and get ready to laugh (and cringe) your way through this one.

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This Motivational Monday, we’re talking yoga for the rest of us the tired, busy, slightly feral mums who don’t have time (or Lycra) for a 90-minute hot girl yoga session.

Ali gets real about why she started doing simple stretching not to become a bendy Insta-goddess, but so she could:

Pick up the baby without throwing her back out

Survive folding washing without groaning like a 90-year-old

And maybe, just maybe, feel a little less like a human pretzel after school pick-up

Think of it as yoga, but realistic. No judgment, no chanting, no green juice required — just a reminder that moving your body (even for 5 minutes) is a gift to your future self.

So roll out that dusty Kmart yoga mat, and come stretch it out with me.

Because self-care doesn’t have to be glamorous sometimes it’s just stretching before you snap.

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This week’s Friday Wine Down is a tale of two moods:

The win — Ali actually smashed out her meal prep like a domestic goddess in activewear (yes, we’re shocked too).

The whinge — her poor husband cops it because the kids’ footy team didn’t make the finals… after he sacrificed his evenings, weekends and sanity to coach!

So tonight’s toast is going out to the real MVPs: the volunteers.

The mums running the canteen.

The dads coaching on weeknights after work.

The legends who sacrifice their own time so kids can play the sport they love.

If you’ve ever been filthy at an ungrateful parent, felt the burnout of “doing your bit”, or just want to raise a glass to the people who keep kids’ sport alive this one’s for you.

Because behind every sausage sizzle and sideline cheer squad is a volunteer who deserves a bloody medal (or at least a wine).

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