Single Mother Survival Guide

In this episode, I answer some more questions sent in by listeners. These questions relate to: Overnights for young children with their dads when they haven't seen them for a while. What to do when your kids want to buy you Christmas/birthday presents but they are too young to organise this themselves.   Links mentioned in the episode: Book in for an intensive mentoring session HERE.  To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

When her daughter was six, Evie Farrell left her corporate job, packed up her house, and embarked upon a two and half year backpacking adventure travelling around the globe. Evie is a single mum, inspiring people all over the world to travel with their kids. She runs the travel blog and Instagram account Mumpack Travel and is the author of the book Backyard to Backpack. In this episode, Evie chats about: Her relationship with her ex and how it came to end. Hanging on to hope in a bad relationship. How her ex leaving her was the best thing that happened for both her ex and her. How sometimes when a relationship ends, the people you thought were friends are lost, but how it can also lead to the rekindling of other friendships. What inspired her to leave Sydney and start travelling the world with her daughter Emmie. Homeschooling and travel. Getting robbed in Spain. Dealing with trolls. Dealing with different safety standards in foreign countries. How travelling changed her. How travelling taught her daughter a

My (anonymous) guest from last week is back this week to talk about raising teenage girls solo, plus she fills us in on her new relationship.  This is Part 2 of a two-part episode. You can listen to Part 1 here.  Last week she told us about her single mum story - she was with her husband for 18 years when one ordinary day, seven years ago, she got home from work early and discovered that all his clothes were gone. He didn't respond to any attempts she made to communicate with him. He had vanished into thin air. Almost a week later she was walking through the shopping centre when she ran into him. He completely gaslighted her and called her crazy. My guest describes her experience like her husband being alive one day and dead the next (only he wasn't dead). In last week's episode we discussed all of that plus my guest also shared: how, in hindsight, his behaviour had changed over the 12 months prior in that he was going out regularly until the early hours of the morning and caring more about his appearance, h

My (anonymous) guest on the show this week was with her husband for 18 years. One ordinary day, seven years ago, she got home from work early and discovered that all his clothes were gone. He didn't respond to any attempts she made to communicate with him. He had vanished into thin air. Almost a week later she was walking through the shopping centre when she ran into him. He completely gaslighted her and called her crazy. My guest describes her experience like her husband being alive one day and dead the next (only he wasn't dead). In this episode, my guest shares her story. She also shares: how, in hindsight, his behaviour had changed over the 12 months prior in that he was going out regularly until the early hours of the morning and caring more about his appearance, how one day she got home and he had just moved back in, discovering his new relationship, realising how abusive he was after the relationship ended and how he had constantly gaslighted her, the continuing abuse and death threats that continued

In this episode, I answer some more questions sent in by listeners. These questions relate to: Setting yourself up for leaving a partner. When your new partner struggles to accept your children. Setting up a parenting schedule to help an ex foster a relationship with your child but they keep letting you down.   Links mentioned in the episode: Book in for an intensive mentoring session HERE.  To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Wilhelmina (Willo) Ford is a single mum and founder of ShareAbode, an Australian wide platform that connects single parents with one another for the purpose of co-living.  Willo had a two-year-old and a three-month-old when she decided to leave her toxic relationship. She decided to relocate interstate and discovered that finding a rental as a recently unemployed (having just sold her business) new single mum impossible. And that was how the idea for ShareAbode was born.  Willo is on the show this week to chat all about her single mum journey and about ShareAbode. In this episode, Willo shares: How she came to the acceptance that leaving the relationship was the right thing to do. How she adjusted to becoming a single mum. How she felt about becoming a single mum. How ShareAbode came about. The benefits of co-living for single parents. Managing business and single mum life. Plus so much more! Links mentioned in the episode: Check out ShareAbode right HERE. Connect with Willo on Instagram here, and on Faceb

My (anonymous) guest on the show today met her ex-partner at the gym. There were alarm bells from the start - for instance, my guest's ex did not want her to spend time with anyone else and he made her delete all her male contacts on social media. Not long afterwards he forced her to delete all her social media platforms altogether.  After three months they moved in with his mother and her partner (they were also in an unconventional relationship), and her ex soon started exhibiting very angry behaviour. They were forced to move out as her ex's mother didn’t want her son's angry behaviour in her home. Within four weeks my guest's ex was physically hurting her.  In this episode, my guest shares her story. She discusses the birth of her son, and how the relationship escalated and the domestic violence built up over time. She talks about how he used knives to taunt her, how he strangled her until she became unconscious, and how in the end he landed in jail (though not for long enough!).   My guest this week has

My (anonymous) guest on the show today met her ex-partner at the gym. There were alarm bells from the start - for instance, my guest's ex did not want her to spend time with anyone else and he made her delete all her male contacts on social media. Not long afterwards he forced her to delete all her social media platforms altogether.  After three months they moved in with his mother and her partner (they were also in an unconventional relationship), and her ex soon started exhibiting very angry behaviour. They were forced to move out as her ex's mother didn’t want her son's angry behaviour in her home. Within four weeks my guest's ex was physically hurting her.  In this episode, my guest shares her story. She discusses the birth of her son, and how the relationship escalated and the domestic violence built up over time. She talks about how he used knives to taunt her, how he strangled her until she became unconscious, and how in the end he landed in jail (though not for long enough!).   My guest this week has

In this episode, I answer some more questions sent in by listeners. These questions relate to: When your child suffers at their other parent's house because he/she doesn't get along with the child of that parent's new partner. When an ex tries to outdo you with kids birthday celebrations and you are not invited.  If it's okay to block an ex on your phone if he's giving you anxiety.   Links mentioned in the episode: Read more, and sign up to the online program for single mothers - Don't Just Survive, THRIVE! - here.   To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

My guest on the show is Erica Rundle, a single mum and also a women's health counsellor in private practice. In this episode, Erica and I chat about What exactly is a Disneyland dad? What characteristics does a Disneyland Dad exhibit? Why is a Disneyland dad a Disneyland dad? How to manage it as a mum? Erica helps women through all sorts of challenges including anxiety and depression, separation and divorce, domestic violence and a huge range of other life hurdles. Her mission is to make women feel heard, supported and empowered in all that they face. Links mentioned in the episode: Read more, and sign up to the online program for single mothers - Don't Just Survive, THRIVE! - HERE.  Visit Erica's website here.  Email Erica here. Connect with Erica on Instagram here, on Facebook here, and on Pinterest here. To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

In this episode, I answer a common question: Julia, how did you get to be so resilient? I share some strategies with you in the hope that they help build up your resilience too.   Links mentioned in the episode: Thank you to this week's sponsor, Invisalign.  Bright Smile Dental Coogee. Blog post - My Invisalign treatment begins. Read more, and sign up to the online program for single mothers - Don't Just Survive, THRIVE! - here.  To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

On Elizabeth’s first date with the father of her son, he whisked her away interstate on a plane for the weekend. Over time their relationship deepened and life was good. Very good. Elizabeth was progressing in her career as her journalist, they had bought their dream house, and they got engaged. She then unexpectedly fell pregnant, which although was a shock, was fine because (she thought) she had met the man of her dreams.  Elizabeth knew in her gut that something was wrong in the relationship, but pushed problems under the carpet and justified the problems with the good things in their relationship. That is until the night she discovered her fiancé's infidelity. Her son was 8 months old at the time. Elizabeth describes that moment in her life as a bookmark. She recalls collapsing and howling with grief, completely overcome with what was happening and unable to know how to get up off the floor. There was the Elizabeth before that moment, and the Elizabeth after that moment. Never the same again.  In this e

In this episode, I answer some more questions sent in by listeners. These questions relate to:   When your ex wants to introduce his new partner to your 5 and 3 yr girls who he rarely sees, and what questions to ask his new girlfriend if given the opportunity. For someone new to the dating scene, what questions to ask (and how and when) a guy who you have been dating for a month in terms of a future relationship, marriage, and future children. Links mentioned in the episode: Read more, and sign up to the online program for single mothers - Don't Just Survive, THRIVE! - here.   To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

In 2016 Anna (not her real name) met the man who would be her future husband. It was amazing from the very start. Within a few months, she knew he was the man that she wanted to get married to, have children with, and spend the rest of her life with. She thought she had met the man of her dreams. Soon after, Anna unexpectedly fell pregnant. They got married and everything was great until about six months into the pregnancy when things started to change. For example, her husband wouldn't allow her to watch TV and he suddenly started reading the bible (when he had never been that religious beforehand). At 35 weeks pregnant, Anna found out about her husband's mental illness after a passing question from her mother in law. She asked Anna if her son had been taking his medication. When Anna returned home, she questioned him about the medication and he told her if she didn’t stop asking he would stab her pregnant stomach. Anna then found the medication and did some research. She discovered her husband had schizophr

In this episode, I answer some more questions sent in by listeners. These questions relate to: The anxiety when the other parent wants to take the children overseas. How to manage the lack of response from an ex when it comes to appointments and planning. Moving on with the fear of the unexpected after DV. Links mentioned in the episode:   Thank you to this week's sponsor, Invisalign.  Bright Smile Dental Coogee. Blog post - My Invisalign treatment begins. To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

In this episode, I celebrate the third birthday of the Single Mother Survival Guide podcast. I also chat about some general life updates including my latest speed dating experience.  Links mentioned in the episode: To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Jennifer met the man who would become her husband when they were both kids in primary school. They had a long friendship growing up and when they finished school they ended up in a relationship together that lasted 20 years. They had two children. One day, just before his 40th birthday, Jen's husband suddenly disappeared. The kids were 2 and 5 at the time he went missing. He was gone for several months and then eventually resurfaced and came out to Jen as being gay. This is Jen's story. In this episode, along with Jen sharing her story, we chat about how her husband coming out as gay took away her permission to grieve, the shame she felt and the view to outsiders that her relationship with him had been a sham, and the advice she would give to anyone in this situation. Jen also shares what happened next, finding her second husband, how that marriage ended, and becoming a single mum for the second time around.    Links mentioned in the episode: To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit

In this episode, I chat about my recent speed dating experience, and what you need to know about speed dating... I cover: What the process was like. What the people were like. Speed dating mindset. Costs involved. How many people you "date". How long the mini-dates lasted. Going solo versus with a friend. And lots more!  Links mentioned in the episode:   To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Canna Campbell is a financial planner, YouTube personality on SugarMamma.TV and author of The $1000 Project and, soon to be released, Mindful Money. In this episode, Canna chats with me about: The $1000 project and how becoming a single mum inspired her to start it. Savings tips. Shares, dividends, and passive income as a form of wealth creation. How to know what to do with your money - debts, emergency funds, saving for a house etc.  Her tips for new single mums. Plus SO much more.  On her YouTube channel, Canna shares bite-sized tips on how to get out of debt, save money, achieve financial goals and build long-term passive income and makes money and finance more approachable, and even fun!   Canna is passionate about educating, inspiring and empowering every individual to create financial harmony, freedom and independence in their lives, and in this week's episode, we chat all about this for single mums.  Links mentioned in the episode: Visit Canna's website here.  Watch Canna's YouTube channel, Sugarmam

In this episode, I answer some more questions sent in by listeners. These questions relate to: How to deal with feelings of resentment and hostility when the father of your kids has another child with a new partner and then they also separate but your ex treats the new child better, or differently than your kids you have with him. Is it unreasonable to know when the father of your children gets engaged? How does one co-parent after betrayal and manage visiting schedules if the parents live in different states and the child is a baby? Links mentioned in the episode: Parenting arrangements for the 0 - 4 year age group Conference Paper by Federal Magistrate Robyn Sexton. Helpful blog posts THREE COMMON CO-PARENTING STYLES. 5 TIPS TO DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT EX-PARTNER. Sign up to the next FREE 30 Day Get Your Sparkle Back Challenge HERE. To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Tw