Ready or Not

ODd Network

The podcast for and about mums who make work, work, brought to you by two sort of cousins Loz (mum of three) and Lu (mum of two). Each Monday, we banter on all things motherhood, feminism, career, ambition, and pop culture. Thursdays, we answer three listener questions on all things motherhood and career. As an extension of the motherhood/career conversation, each month, you'll also find an interview with a real mum that's definitely not doing it all, but rather, doing her best to navigate it all. Find us at https://www.instagram.com/readyornot.pod/?hl=en

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33 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 28 min
English

Episodes 33

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Wednesday · 15 min
“Will I regret working more before my child starts school?”
DEAR READY OR NOT: Is working an extra day worth it if you only make $150 after childcare? Will you regret working more in your child’s last year before school? And where’s the line between putting your family first and taking the piss with flexible work? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 20 · 29 min
Apparently, mums aren't allowed to say this out loud
Welcome back! Coming up on today's show: there are things you're still not allowed to admit about motherhood. A post by Natale Perkins struck a chord with Loz because you're damned if you glorify motherhood, and you're also damned if you don't love every minute. So let’s get into what mums still feel like they’re not allowed to admit about motherhood. — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 16 · 12 min
“How do I ask for a pay rise after maternity leave?”
DEAR READY OR NOT: Can you ask for a pay rise after maternity leave? What do you do when you return after baby number three and suddenly hate a job you used to love? And how do you deal with a colleague who questions your commitment because they think you’re too young? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 15 · 1 hr
How to talk about the mental load with Paige Connell (aka @sheisapaigeturner)
Paige Connell, who you might know as @sheisapaigeturner on social media, has become loved by her many hundreds of thousands of followers for her straight shooting, helpful, and intelligent reflections on the mental load of motherhood. She’s a mum of four in America, with two adopted children of colour and two biological white children, and this somewhat unique experience of parenting has taught her a lot about racism… about how early it’s experienced, how naive she was to it before, and why she believes white parents need to talk to their kids about racism. She’s a podcast host and a sought after speaker on gender equality, the mental load and the urgent need for affordable childcare and paid leave, and so, as you can imagine, here, we have a fascinating conversation that encompasses it all. At some points in the conversation, you'll hear that we had a slight challenge in the audio but we're sure the quality of her words, advice, and reflections will be what stays with you. — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 13 · 30 min
Is this the biggest parenting lie we tell ourselves?
21% of our community answered a recent Ready or Not poll in the same way, but Lu’s not sure she believes it. Here, we talk through the myth of 50/50 parenting in a world that is not equitable and equal for men and women. — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 9 · 14 min
Is your parental leave cover taking over your job?
DEAR READY OR NOT: Is going back to work when your baby is four months old too soon? Should workplaces plan for teams where everyone has young kids? And how do you protect your role when your parental leave cover starts being treated like your replacement? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 6 · 32 min
The state of originality in 2026
Is copying really stealing? A creator has called out copycat culture online, but Loz isn't convinced. When everything from fashion to content is built on trends and dupes, who really gets to claim an idea as theirs? And what does all of this mean for women at work, where getting credit for your ideas can really matter? Plus, Lu goes deep on why dupe culture is so closely tied to capitalism, growth, and overconsumption. Here is the fashion/product quality analysis account that Lu mentions: @helloeveh Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 2 · 18 min
“How do I handle a toxic boss?”
DEAR READY OR NOT: How do you deal with a sexist manager? Does work travel count as time away? And what do you do when becoming a parent leaves you questioning your identity at work? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 30 · 23 min
The work and motherhood cliches we don't live by
Welcome back to the show! Coming up: light and fluffy things ahead, as Lu takes Loz through a list of motherhood and career cliches, and the pair rate them together. Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 26 · 11 min
“What’s the best day to take off when working part-time?”
DEAR READY OR NOT: Which day should you take off if you’re returning to work four days a week? Should you accept a 12-month contract extension when you’re pregnant and know you’ll be taking maternity leave a few months in? And is one too young to leave your baby for a week-long international work trip? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 23 · 36 min
Lindsey Clancy, Hayden Panettiere, and a labor senator's postpartum health push
CONTENT WARNING: Episode discusses death, addiction, and postpartum mental health. Welcome back to the show! Coming up: a look at some of the biggest stories in the news currently, and why postpartum health is at the forefront of our minds as we read about them. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO ENTER THE MINGLE SEASONING TINY FOOD CRITIC COMP: https://www.mingleseasoning.com/pages/tiny-food-critics Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 19 · 11 min
“When should I start trying for baby number two?”
DEAR READY OR NOT: How do you juggle daycare sickness with a full-time job? Is there ever a right time to have baby number two? And should you list parental leave on your resume? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 16 · 30 min
The hardest (and most requested) conversation we’ve ever had
WARNING: Today we’re discussing child sexual abuse within the childcare system, and two recent stories of male childcare educators that have flooded our DMs. It was a hard episode to record, so take care and consider if it’s right for you right now. Get tickets to our rodeo with UKOO here: https://events.humanitix.com/one-night-off-boots-and-bubbles Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 12 · 11 min
“I was made redundant on maternity leave. Help!”
DEAR READY OR NOT: What do you do when you're made redundant on maternity leave? Should you feel guilty taking a second round of parental leave when you're still relatively new in the job? And is it time to walk away from a high-paying job that's boring? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 11 · 1 hr 5 min
The mythical history of women and work with Ashley Brooks-Garrett
When I noticed a new follower notification pop up just a few months ago, with some 300 followers and the Instagram handle @youwanted.this, I was intrigued by the name. Immediately, I had a pretty good idea of what the content might look like, and I was right: its creator - Ashley Brooks-Garrett – was clearly passionate about exploring feminism, life, and work through the lens of motherhood and womanhood. In the short time since I first started noticing her content, she’s built a much bigger following: an audience made up of people who are either enraged or in full support of the topics she explores so thoughtfully and thoroughly, through social media, Substack, and her mental load app, Tether, too. So today, we find out more about the mother and the brains behind it all: what her career life has looked like, what her motherhood journey has entailed so far, what drove her to the work she’s doing now, and why a woman that calls it how it is, is immediately branded as negative, complaining, and as you’ll hear from Ashley herself, far worse, too. This conversation set a fire within my brain, as we talk about so many of the issues that mothers and women face today, so I hope you like listening as much as I did. I’m Lucinda, this is Ready or Not, and here’s the clever and candid Ashley Brooks-Garrett. — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 9 · 37 min
How society uses sex, money & beauty to control mums
Welcome back to the show! Coming up today: Does society have a weird sense of ownership over mothers? And if so, where does it stem from? What’s it connected to? And what does beauty, sex, and money have to do with it? Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review, it supports the show more than you think. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 5 · 14 min
Help! My kid only eats beige food or vegemite on toast
DEAR READY OR NOT: What do you do when your child will only eat beige food? How to manage being a working mum without a village and should I have a third baby at 40? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 2 · 32 min
What you're really saying when you call your mum friend boring
Welcome back to the show! Coming up today: What you're really saying when you call your mum friend boring: We came across this brilliant Substack by Jennie is Writing and we had to talk about it. Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 29 · 13 min
"Am I a bad mum if I don't sleep train?"
DEAR READY OR NOT: What do you do when your boss rejects your request to extend parental leave? What do you wish you'd done more of on mat leave? And should you feel pressured to sleep train before heading back to work? — Got a question? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 26 · 36 min
Why do we think the school years will be easier?
Welcome back to the show! Coming up today: Why do we all think that the school years will be easy? Mums need to be honest about the toll of school years, as Loz draws on her first year of navigating it all. If we could start from scratch, what would a genuinely feminist care ecosystem look like? — Episode links mentioned in the episode: For Parents segment. Ambition segment. Dads & flexibility segment. — Got a question for Dear Ready or Not? Submit it here! — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_ — This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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