The Mother Load

The Straits Times
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Parenting
  • Updated weekly

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. This series isn’t just for mums – it’s for anyone trying to make sense of where careers and motherhood intersect. Through candid conversations and lived experiences, we unpack the issues shaping everyday decisions - from childcare and career progression to guilt, ambition and the invisible mental load. Host: Vanessa Chelvan Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Episodes

  1. The juggle is real: Can working mums really have it all?

    10 hr ago

    The juggle is real: Can working mums really have it all?

    Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. For many mothers, every day is a balancing act: work emails, school messages, and trying to be fully present with their children while an endless mental checklist runs in the background. In this episode, we unpack the feeling of never being enough at work or at home, the invisible mental load of being the “default parent”, and why some things in life are rubber balls that bounce back when they are dropped. We also talk about burnout, sharing the load with your partner, and how becoming a mother reshapes what ambition and success looks like. Host Vanessa Chelvan is joined by Jacinth Liew, parenting coach and founder of Our Little Play Nest. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:40 “It seems like I have it all, but I don’t”  7:25 Guilt is the only constant 10:45 What gets sacrificed when the juggle gets too much? 12:50 Juggling rubber balls and glass balls  14:55 Should working mums feel they have to do everything? 16:30 Being the “default parent”  18:25 The art of delegation and equal partnerships  25:42 Dads can take career detours too   31:25 Reframing personal ambitions as a working mum 33:35 Their ‘worth it’ moments: Jacinth and Vanessa share Host: Vanessa Chelvan (vpchelvan@sph.com.sg) Read Vanessa's articles: https://str.sg/gr5Z Follow Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jHdJ  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law — Follow The Mother Load limited series every Friday (July 3-31): Channel: https://str.sg/oMofY  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/8Kbv  Spotify: https://str.sg/DELD  Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  — Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  #themotherload See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    39 min
  2. 'You don't have to do this perfectly to do it well': Working motherhood and mental health

    1 Jul

    'You don't have to do this perfectly to do it well': Working motherhood and mental health

    How women navigate careers, caregiving and the expectations that come with both. Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. We begin with a question many quietly ask themselves: Why does motherhood feel so overwhelming even when everyone says it's supposed to be joyful? What happens when mum is depleted, running on empty, and yet still tries to keep going?  From the hormonal and neurological changes of matrescence to the relentless mental load of caregiving, we examine why motherhood can feel so all consuming – and why so many struggle in silence. Host Vanessa Chelvan is joined by clinical psychologist Elysia Tan from Annabelle Psychology, who is navigating life with her nine-month-old daughter, and parent coach Joline Lim, co-director of Chapter Zero, who is raising two neurodivergent children.  Highlights (click/tap above): 5:50 Breastfeeding: Not so ‘natural’? 9:26 Mental health professionals struggle too 10:35 Vanessa on her struggles as a new mum to twins  16:35 No shame in seeking therapy 18:50 Returning to work as a new mum never gets easier  24:42 Dysregulation and the hand model of a brain 28:25 Parenting excavates your entire childhood  31:45 Reparenting and becoming the parents we wish we had  40:38 ‘Baby steps’ – tips on letting go 42:27 Millennial parents spend more time caregiving than boomer parents  45:35 When does hard become “too hard”? Recognising when mums need help  51:34 One actionable tip for mums  --- Read more: First Stop For Mental Health: https://mindline.sg/fsmh It All Starts Hear: https://www.iash.sg/  Annabelle Psychology: https://www.annabellepsychology.com/  Chapter Zero: https://www.chapterzero.org/ Host: Vanessa Chelvan (vpchelvan@sph.com.sg) Read Vanessa's articles: https://str.sg/gr5Z Follow Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jHdJ  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law — Follow The Mother Load limited series every Friday (July 3-31): Channel: https://str.sg/oMofY Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/8Kbv Spotify: https://str.sg/DELD Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg — Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX — Helplines: MENTAL WELL-BEING National Mindline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1  Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm) Tinkle Friend (for primary school-age children): 1800-2744-788 — #themotherload See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    56 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. This series isn’t just for mums – it’s for anyone trying to make sense of where careers and motherhood intersect. Through candid conversations and lived experiences, we unpack the issues shaping everyday decisions - from childcare and career progression to guilt, ambition and the invisible mental load. Host: Vanessa Chelvan Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Information

  • Creator
    The Straits Times
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Mother Load