Welcome to mini book club! Today, myself and previous guest, Julie Cobbe, are discussing the novel 'Wild Egg' by Jennifer Flint. We talk about the themes raised in the book and our experiences of reading a book which focuses on the parenthood decision.

I spoke to Julie in season 2 about her own experience of deciding to have children or not. I do recommend you listen to that if you haven't already. I want to thank Jennifer Flint for sending me on copies of her book and to thank Julie for volunteering to read it and take part in this episode.
I refer to another podcast in this episode which discusses the book, Jennifer's own story and process of reading the book. Please see Anna Olson's excellent episodes of the 'We're Not Kidding' Podcast here -
Part one -https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cDRpIhrkO74KOm52euK5k?si=01f5e61b98e74780
Part two - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FGdhAO7C8UQolPMoGZqcF?si=bb5ed345d1b9450c

Please Julies website here - https://juliecobbe.com/

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

I am joined today by four members of the Sisterhood - Childfree by Choice Meetup group based in Ireland. Founded in 2020, it now has over 1,000 members with a range of online and in person events. I talk to Niamh, Kalyn, Katie and Ailish about how they came to be involved in the group, what the group does and the challenges around finding the right terminology to represent the wide range of experiences around this topic. 
If you are interested in making friends, being accepted and growing your world please check the group out here - https://www.meetup.com/sisterhood-childfree-females-by-choice/ Online events are open to people outside of Ireland and the group are currently working to offer more regional activities around Ireland.

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

My guest today is Robin Hadley, a childless man, an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and a founder member of campaign group Ageing Without Children. Rob has conducted a wide range of research on childless men so he brings both personal and professional experience to the topic. We discuss some myths around men and reproduction. We also discuss the implication of 'validity through virility' for everyone, and what happens when you don't follow the expected life arc, either by choice or not. Rob makes what can be heavy topics so accessible and relatable; this conversation will interest you regardless of your gender or childfree/less status.

This is a link to Rob's website where you can read his research and order his book 'How is a Man supposed to be a Man? Male Childlessness - A Life Course Disrupted'.
https://www.robinhadley.co.uk/

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

Welcome to season 3 of the Are Kids For Me podcast. I took a break after season 2 but am delighted to be back with some special episodes. My first guest was actually the inspiration to make new episodes and it was a joy to speak to her.
Jenny is in her 70s and is living a very content childfree life with her husband. She talks us through making the decision in the 1970s and revisiting the decision at various stages of their lives. She encourages us to think about what we are choosing instead when we decide not to have children. This shifts the focus to the wide range of opportunities available. Jenny also wants to share about how they have dealt with health challenges and how they are planning for aging and older life without children. This is an honest conversation which I really appreciate Jenny having with me and I hope you find it as inspirational as I did.

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates. Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

My guest today, and the last for season 2, is Louise Vance.  With a background in law, she is a writer, content creator and presenter. Her experience includes working as a fashion writer, stylist, editor and in event management. She is also a regular contributor to BBC radio and TV. For many years, she has been passionate about sharing her experiences of deciding to be childfree. We discuss her experience of other people's reactions to her personal decision to not have children as well as the importance of de-stigmatising this conversation for everyone.

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

I am speaking to Tanya Williams about her wide range of work as a childfree activist and advocate. This includes her book (A Childfree Happily Ever After), the Childfree Magazine, projects to support childfree people in the workplace and her ideas on how we can expand and progress the Childfree movement. 
She shares some great advice on how we can all start to make changes in our daily life to help this. I found this conversation very inspiring about the prospect of further positive change and I hope you do too. 

For more information on Tanya's projects, resources and to order your copy of Childfree Magazine, click here - https://childfreehappilyeverafter.com.au/

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

Today, I am speaking to Ali Wyllie, who runs the 'Childfree By Choice' account on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChildFreeBC. The aim of this account is to take away the stigma of being childfree. It has also evolved to address the division which can occur between parents and non parents by developing mutual empathy.
We discuss Ali's experience of making the childfree choice and how this has been both challenged and challenging. We also explore how this keeps  developing as she  continues to live it, learn about it and meet other childfree people.

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast 

This is part 5 (and the last!) of the mini-series of 'Who will look after me when I get old' and we are discussing death. My guest is Liam McCarthy, a death doula (also known as an end of life doula). Liam is based in Youghal, Co. Cork and is a civil celebrant for weddings, baby naming ceremonies and funerals.
We discuss what a death doula does, how our relationship with death has changed and why we need to be able to talk about death and grief more openly, for both practical and emotional reasons. We also discus funeral options, budgeting and the benefits of planning ahead for our own deaths and funerals.
This was a really informative and also very enjoyable conversation, with quite a few laughs along the way, despite the topic.

Please subscribe/follow the podcast and check out the 'Are Kids For Me' pages on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arekidsforme and Instagram,https://www.instagram.com/arekidsforme/ for more information and episode updates! Episode transcripts are available on  https://www.arekidsforme.ie/podcast