Parenting comes with a lot of expectations, but have you ever stopped to ask where they come from? On this episode of This Is Woman’s Work , we unpack the myth of “the good mother” with Nancy Reddy , author of The Good Mother Myth . Nancy shares her personal experience of confronting the unrealistic ideal of motherhood: endlessly patient, always available, and completely selfless. She hilariously and heartbreakingly debunks these outdated ideals, rooted in flawed mid-20th-century research by figures like Harry Harlow and Dr. Spock. Nancy explains how bad science from the past continues to haunt modern parenting, creating pressure, guilt, and shame for today’s mothers. But this conversation is about more than debunking myths—it’s about empowerment. Because when you prioritize what matters and let go of perfectionism, you’re not just doing woman’s work—you’re modeling it. Connect with Nancy: Newsletter: https://nancyreddy.substack.com/ Book: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-good-mother-myth-9781250336644/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/nancy.o.reddy/ Essay: I Was Promised That The “Golden Hour” Would Make Me A Mom: https://slate.com/human-interest/2022/04/golden-hour-c-section-bonding-attachment-baby-friendly-hospitals.html Related Podcast Episodes: 126 / The Parenting Map with Dr. Shefali 090 / Unmasking Modern Motherhood with Katherine Wintsch 155 / Executive Motherhood with Ashley Quinto Powell Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…
Joe Marler used to hate people, but then he met Tom Fordyce, and a load of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and a podcast was born that changed his mind forever. It might just change your life too. Because everyone is interesting if you ask the right questions. And this is a show about all the weird and wonderful things people do. Together, Joe and Tom meet astronauts, teachers, marine biologists, cheesemakers, prison guards and everyone in between. Along the way, they’ve learned ...
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About The Traitors: The ultimate guide to lying and deception
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Our guest today is... a Traitor. It's all anyone is talking about, the biggest show on TV, where lies and treachery are the name of the game. Paul from series 2 of the Traitors was a master of deception, and he's here to tell us what it's actually like behind the scenes of that famous Scottish castle. We ask all the important questions - what's Cla…
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Classic: About Tree Surgeons
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This was one of our very first episodes, back when we had no listeners! Today, Joe and Tom meet Gareth, who was destined to be a tree surgeon, because he grew up with chainsaws knocking around his house. Enjoy! To get in touch with us, email joe@crowdnetwork.co.uk If you would like to be a guest on the show, click here: https://docs.google.com/form…
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About Sobriety: What happens when you can't remember your night out?
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Our guest today has a very powerful story, which started when she woke up in a cemetery on the morning after our London Palladium Show in 2023. Laura is a listener, who doesn't drink any more. She is a former pub manager, who now works as a peer mentor, helping others on their sobriety journey. This episode has some laugh out loud moments, and some…
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Things People Review: Our first ever 'culture' club
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Welcome to the Culture Club, or 'Things People Review', as we're now calling it, thanks to a fantastic listener suggestion. In 2025, (a newly retired) Joe and Tom are going to expand their horizons, experience new cultural phenomenons and start reading/watching/listening to things our listeners suggest. In this episode, we talk about The Beatles, m…
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About Crime Scene Investigators: Tampering with evidence, hidden murder weapons and a set of giant crayons
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What is the first thing you look for at the scene of a murder? JJ, our guest today, is here to tell us, along with everything else you've ever wanted to know about investigating a crime scene. We haven't actually worked out if JJ is a secret serial killer, as he seems like the perfect person to commit a crime, because he knows exactly what to look …
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Classic: About Cheerleaders
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Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate? It's Will. A listener, who spent five years as a cheerleader, and is contemplating a comeback. Is cheerleading exactly what we think it is? Probably not. To get in touch with us, email joe@crowdnetwork.co.uk If you would like to be a guest on the show, click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rfSo3PV…
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About New Year: Resolutions and BIG plans for 2025
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Happy New Year all! Joe and Tom are here to bring you into the new year by discussing their plans and resolutions for 2025, and a load of other nonsense. Now Joe is retired, this is sort of his full time job? That, or he's decided he wants to start a barber shop quartet... we'll see how that goes. Things People Do have BIG things planned this year,…
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Classic: About Pirates
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Today, Joe and Tom talk to Colin Freeman who was once taken hostage by Somali pirates. He’s a former chief foreign correspondent at The Telegraph, who was held captive for five weeks by pirates who wanted three million dollars for his release. To get in touch with us, email joe@crowdnetwork.co.uk If you would like to be a guest on the show, click h…
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Merry Christmas one and all! We hope you are having a wonderful day. Here is a festive greeting from our King. Yes, now he's retired, Joe has asked us to call him King. This has been a spectacular year for Things People Do, and we have huge plans for 2025. Thank you to each and everyone of you who has listened and helped us #GrowTheShow. See you in…
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The Marlie Awards (part two): The people's champion of 2024 is crowned
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Welcome to part two of The Marlie Awards 2024, as we round off our biggest ever year of the podcast. Joe and Tom would like to thank each and every one of you for listening this year. Now Joe doesn't have a job, you can expect big things from Things People Do in 2025... for now though, more awards and our people's champion is crowned! To go and buy…
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The Marlie Awards (part one): Celebrating the best of 2024 ft. special guests
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Hello esteemed listeners, and welcome to The 2024 Marlie awards. This is an annual event celebrating the weird and wonderful, the heart warming and hilarious, and the downright ridiculous moments from Things People Do. Featuring some of our fabulous previous guests, and some extra special familiar faces, you can sit back and enjoy an awards show li…
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Classic: About Funeral Directors
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Come and see Things People Did live next year! Tickets for Bristol and Brighton on sale at 10am on 11th December: https://www.livenation.co.uk/artist-joe-marler-presents-things-people-did--1556623 Joe and Tom meet Fred the Funeral Director for a conversation about death, doves and Tina Turner. And Tom is taking notes because somehow he’s now in cha…
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About Pantomime Dames: Ridiculous costumes, throwing sweets at kids and Joe the panto cow
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Come and see Things People Did live next year! Tickets for Bristol and Brighton on sale at 10am on 11th December: https://www.livenation.co.uk/artist-joe-marler-presents-things-people-did--1556623 It's nearly Christmas, which means it's pantomime season! ("oh no it isn't..." etc etc). Our guest today is Andy, aka Widow Twanky / Mrs Smee / Wicked St…
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About Hair Loss: Can you save a thinning mohawk?
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This episode is brought to you by MANUAL, the UK’s leading men’s health service. Today is a podcast first... Joe is recording this episode without his hat on! Why? Because the time has come to have an open conversation around hair loss, and the stigma that comes with it. 50% of men will suffer with hair loss in their lifetime, and we shouldn’t be a…
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About Art: Why did a banana taped to a wall cost $6.2 million?
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If you could hang a podcast in The Louvre, then this might just be that podcast. Why did a banana taped to a wall cost $6.2 million? What is the point of the Mona Lisa? What actually is 'art'? These are some of the many questions that we put to Dr. James Hicks, who is art historian and one of the most knowledgable people we've ever met. This episod…
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Come and see our final live show at The Clapham Grand next Tuesday 3rd December: https://dice.fm/event/533vok-joe-marler-presents-things-people-did-3rd-dec-the-clapham-grand-london-tickets This is a classic episode from back when we had no listeners. Joe and Tom meet a midwife and ask her everything they’ve ever wanted to know about birth! To get i…
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About Goldsmiths: A golden yacht, divorce rings, and why white gold is a massive con
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Come and see our final live show at The Clapham Grand on 3rd December, with special comedian guests Jake Lambert and Suzi Ruffell! Tickets here: https://dice.fm/event/533vok-joe-marler-presents-things-people-did-3rd-dec-the-clapham-grand-london-tickets Our guest this week is Isabella, who is an incredible craftsperson and who knows pretty much ever…
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Things People Did, with Sindhu Vee: What do consultants ACTUALLY do?
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Come and see our final live show at The Clapham Grand on 3rd December, with special comedian guests Jake Lambert and Suzi Ruffell! Tickets here: https://dice.fm/event/533vok-joe-marler-presents-things-people-did-3rd-dec-the-clapham-grand-london-tickets This is another episode of Things People Did, with the phenomenal comedian and former investment …
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About Cocktails: Who is the worst person at a bar?
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Today, we speak to George, who is a mixologist. But he doesn't want to be called a mixologist. Because that's a bit pretentious. He tells us all about cocktails. Which are the most popular. Why ice is so important. And why they're even called cocktails in the first place, which has something to do with ginger in a horse. And, Joe and Tom get a bit …
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Classic: About Reality TV, with Sam Thompson
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I'm a Celebrity is back. It's the Big Brother final. And Tom still isn't sure how reality TV works. So in this classic episode, we chat to King of the Jungle, Sam Thompson. He gives us a peek around the curtain at how the world of reality TV actually works. To follow Sam Thompson on Instagram and Tik Tok, search @samthompsonuk Come and see us live …
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About Footballers: The carnage combination of Jimmy Bullard and Joe Marler
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If there was a footballer version of Joe Marler, it would definitely be Jimmy Bullard. What happens when you put them in a room together? Mayhem. This episode is mostly a discussion about why Joe never calls Jimmy back, how much footballers earn compared to rugby players, and a ludicrous story about Paulo Di Canio. Brace yourselves for this one. Go…
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Things People Did, with Marcus Brigstocke: The podium dancing oil rig worker
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We're back at The Clapham Grand, and our guest today has the most ludicrous list of jobs we've ever had on Things People Did. Marcus Brigstocke used to work on an oil rig, where he practised for his other job as a podium dancer. He was also a rollerblading instructor, the 'chief beverages officer' at a Little Chef (remember those? whilst moonlighti…
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About Shoes: Can you cook a pair of Converse in the oven?
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Today we are joined by Charlotte, who is a footwear technologist (no, we didn't know that was a job either)! She is responsible for making sure our shoes are safe, comfortable and that they don't fall apart while we're wearing them. This episode is full of random facts and philosophical questions about footwear, such as 'why do Converse get cooked …
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Classic: About Words, with Tom Read Wilson
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There aren't words big enough to describe how much we love this episode. But if there were, Tom Read-Wilson would probably know them! He is here to tell us everything we've ever wanted to know about words, as we cover portmanteaus, swear words, palindromes, emojis, accents and a Scrabble record in Northern Ireland. Come and see us live at The Claph…
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About Train Drivers: Delays, drunk passengers and a giant Bop It!
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Our guest today is Max, who is a train driver, a listener of the show, and a very lucky man because he can get on any train he wants for free. In this episode, he tells us what it's like handling the 'vomit commit' last train out of London on a Friday, about the time he caused delays because nature called, and why driving a train is like playing a …
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