a few things i've learnt

Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick

A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. Guests include: Annie Macmanus, Jack Thorne, Ria Lina, Waad al-Kateab, Oliver Burkeman, Yasmin Khan and Rebecca Adlington. Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Subscribe to our Substack: afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

  1. Catherine Newman on her daughter's mental health crisis after being bullied

    22 Jun

    Catherine Newman on her daughter's mental health crisis after being bullied

    New York Times bestselling author Catherine Newman (Wreck, Sandwich) reflects on three questions: 1. What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve gone through as a parent? 2. What did you learn about yourself? 3. What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? She recalls the painful period when her teenage daughter faced anxiety and bullying, while she was also grieving her best friend’s death from ovarian cancer. She shares what it means to stay present through suffering and to simply be a steady “body in the room.” LINKS: @catherinewman www.catherinenewmanwriter.com Substack: Crone Sandwich: https://cronesandwich.substack.com/about Catherine's book - Wrecked - https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/290017/catherine-newman ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    7 min
  2. Annie Macmanus on changing work to fit family life

    21 Jun

    Annie Macmanus on changing work to fit family life

    DJ, broadcaster and writer Annie Macmanus, explains why she decided to leave her successful radio show at BBC Radio 1 to focus on family time and how she came to understand that there is something feminist about being able to make choices for yourself. LINKS: @Anniemacmanus https://www.anniemacmanus.com/ https://anniemacmanus.substack.com/ Annie's book - The Mess We're In - https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/annie-macmanus/the-mess-were-in/9781472297167/ The Fox out April 2027 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    6 min
  3. Ria Lina on sticking up for her neurodivergent children

    20 Jun

    Ria Lina on sticking up for her neurodivergent children

    British comedian Ria Lina (Mock the Week, Pointless) reveals what she has learnt from being an autistic mum raising neurodivergent children. She shares the realisation that standing up for her kids was not always helpful for them. A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. Links: @rialina_ www.rialina.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    7 min
  4. Hollie McNish on explaining death to her daughter

    19 Jun

    Hollie McNish on explaining death to her daughter

    English poet and author Hollie McNish recalls the difficulty she felt when explaining death to her child as a non-religious parent. From visiting the sick person in hospital, to the death and beyond, there are many stages of questions that are hard to answer. A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. LINKS: @holliepoetry https://www.holliepoetry.com/ Her books: https://www.holliepoetry.com/books ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Editing support: Olivia Humphries Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    6 min
  5. Jack Thorne on when his son hated going to school

    18 Jun

    Jack Thorne on when his son hated going to school

    Playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne (Adolescence, Enola Holmes and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) recalls the pain of leaving his young son at school, when his son would cling to him, upset by the sudden rejection. To navigate those mornings, they invented a secret code, turning the walk to school into a shared adventure that allowing them to cope with the world. A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    5 min
  6. Olia Hercules on her son’s Fragile X syndrome diagnosis

    17 Jun

    Olia Hercules on her son’s Fragile X syndrome diagnosis

    Olia Hercules, food writer and author of Strong Roots, shares a personal reflection on parenting her son with Fragile X syndrome, describing the shock of diagnosis and the ongoing process of acceptance. She speaks about the grief, not for her child, but for the expectations she had to let go of. A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. LINKS: @OliaHercules https://oliahercules.com/ Olia’s book Strong Roots: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/strong-roots-9781526662927/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    7 min
  7. Marvyn Harrison on being a parent when you don’t have a good role model

    16 Jun

    Marvyn Harrison on being a parent when you don’t have a good role model

    Marvyn Harrison, founder of Dope Black Dads, reflects on becoming a present father without a blueprint of his own. He shares the learning curve of showing up, making mistakes, and growing alongside his children, while also navigating the realities of being a Black father in Britain. A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. LINKS: @marvynharrison https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-marvyn-harrison-podcast/id1456522027 Dope Black Dads: Life Lessons and Learnings on Black Fatherhood Marvyn’s children’s book: The Best Me! https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/marvyn-harrison/the-best-me/9781529083897 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    7 min
  8. Elaine Feeney on how her son’s third-degree burn changed her parenting

    15 Jun

    Elaine Feeney on how her son’s third-degree burn changed her parenting

    Trigger warning: third degree burn. Novelist and poet Elaine Feeney — Author of the Year at the 2025 Irish Book Awards — shares how her son’s third-degree burn changed her as a parent, making her more protective, but also helping her to listen more deeply and not assume to know how her children are feeling. A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. LINKS: @ecfeeney11 Elaine Feeney's ‘Let Me Go Mad In My Own Way’ - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451305/let-me-go-mad-in-my-own-way-by-feeney-elaine/9781529967463 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive Producers: Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick Music: Joseph Benoliel Artwork: Tania Estevez Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Substack: @a_few_things_ive_learnt and afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

    7 min
See All (32)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

A Few Things I've Learnt is a podcast for when parenting gets hard and you're in need of some soothing words. Every guest answers the same three questions: • What’s been the toughest challenge you’ve faced as a parent? • What did you learn about yourself? • What soothing words do you wish you’d heard at the time? Across 32 seven-minute episodes, the podcast offers an audio library of wisdom and comfort for parents — no advice, no answers, just lived experience. Guests include: Annie Macmanus, Jack Thorne, Ria Lina, Waad al-Kateab, Oliver Burkeman, Yasmin Khan and Rebecca Adlington. Get in touch: sophie.powling@gmail.com or abbyhollick@hotmail.com Subscribe to our Substack: afewthingsivelearnt.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Sophie Powling and Abby Hollick
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    a few things i've learnt

You Might Also Like