When families change shape
48 min
Unnuclear is brought to you by co-parents Lou Keck and Shae Bolton-Brown. This week’s episode is all about what happens when an unnuclear family keeps changing shape. We’re talking about co-parenting in the spotlight, preparing kids for a new half-sibling, and answering some of your questions about what it’s actually like to navigate a close co-parenting relationship and blended family. We also have a solid debrief of Shae's "mum gap-month" - an incredible four weeks away in Europe & Sri Lanka, that came with many reflections on co-parenting, mum guilt, love, and family. We then discuss the recent conversation around Domenica Calarco, who spoke publicly about her co-parent missing their daughter Dove’s first birthday because he was a groomsman at a wedding. It sparked plenty of debate about competing commitments, expectations between co-parents, what “showing up” looks like, and the different standards we sometimes apply to mothers and fathers. We unpack the story and the bigger questions it raises about co-parenting. From there, we talk about our own family changing again as Lou prepares to welcome a new baby, and what that means for our kids as they become big brothers to a new half-sibling. We broaden the conversation to look at how we help kids navigate all kinds of family change - from separation and new partners to step-siblings, moving between two homes and new babies. We share what we’re doing to prepare the boys, alongside what research and professional guidance tells us about making space for mixed feelings, protecting existing relationships and routines, being honest about what will change, and allowing relationships to develop at their own pace. Finally, we answer your questions: are there ever hard parts of our relationship? What advice would we give to new step-parents? And what are our favourite things about being part of a blended family? If you’re co-parenting, part of a blended family, becoming a step-parent, preparing for a new baby, or navigatin...
