Danielle Colley and Gary Eck: Fallen idols, birth plans and vasectomy parties

Writer and positive psychology coach from Your Good Life, Danielle Colley, and comedian Gary Eck come together to pick apart some tricky topics with host Shevonne Hunt.

The topics included in this chat are:

• How to talk to your kids about their idols when they fall from grace
• Can men complain about less sex after childbirth?
• When birth plans go awry
• Vasectomy parties – yay or nay?

Listen to Danielle and Gary on The Parent Panel

How to talk to kids when idols fall from grace

Talking to children about complex issues can always be a bit daunting. When public idols fall from grace it can put those conversations front and centre.

Lately, the NRL has had a number of sports stars in the headlines for all the wrong reasons (Tyron May, Jarryd Hayne and Jack de Belin to name a few). Then there is the documentary about Michael Jackson Leaving Neverland outlining child abuse claims.

So how do you talk to your kids about these troubling topics when their most revered heroes are committing crimes? Do you stop them from watching the sport or listening to music? How do you talk about what has happened in an age-appropriate way?

Lonely men and sex after childbirth

A man took to Reddit recently to complain about his wife turning him down for sex four weeks after the birth of their second child. He was roundly condemned as being a bit of a man-child.  

Commentators pointed out the other things his partner was dealing with – like waking up to the baby, changing nappies and the general care of two children. Plus there’s the very serious consideration of postpartum care for mums, and helping them recover emotionally and physically from childbirth.

Is it okay for men to complain about not having sex after childbirth? Is he being a big man-baby or does he deserve to be heard? How would you respond to these comments if he was a friend of yours?

When birth plans go awry

This week British radio presenter Fiona Mills paid homage to Prodigy frontman Keith Flint after his death in a tweet.

So sad about Keith Flint. I gave birth to my eldest son accompanied by ‘firestarter’ playing away because my husband had in a mad panic, picked up the wrong tape. And instead of giving birth to Enya and ocean sounds it was The Prodigy. I don’t regret it either.

— Fiona Mills (@Fionamills1) March 4, 2019

Most of us go into labour with some kind of birth plan. It might be about how we give birth, or the kind of music we listen to.

Did your experience of childbirth go according to plan? Were there any moments that you could look back and laugh at? Or perhaps it was something serendipitous?

Vasectomy parties- yay or nay?

Forget about period parties or baby showers, vasectomy parties are apparently now a thing. Women are feeling the urge to thank and celebrate partners who choose to have the snip.

Should men be congratulated for getting the snip? Is this a fun way to mark the end of an era (of having children)? Or even perhaps a way to encourage more men to get a vasectomy instead of women using the pill or other contraception?

GUESTS

Danielle Colley– @yourgoodlife
Gary Eck – @garyeck

HOST

Shevonne Hunt – @shevonnehunt

PRODUCER

Elise Cooper- @elisejcooper

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