Life with Nat - EP244: Nagging with Auntie Linny #28 - What is the best route for our kids?!!

Episode Date: July 8, 2026

Nat and her sis in law have a good old chat about the football, Linny’s restaurant trip and a lot of listener messages about education. Enjoy! XGet in touch with Nat, buy tickets for upcoming live shows and link to Patreon, all the family's Instagrams, and more: ⁠⁠lifewithnatpod.komi.io⁠⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nat will be here in just a moment. Before we get started, if you're after even more life with Nat, you'll find plenty waiting for you over on Patreon. From bonus episodes and Nat's newsletters to the members group chat, where the whole family regularly pop in for a gossip. It's the perfect place to keep the conversation going between episodes. Just search for Life with Nat Pod on Patreon. It's coming home.

It's coming Football's coming home It's cut Where are you going Where are you guys Don't be fooled by her sitting here singing Like she's some kind of Football Pundit

Because shall I tell you about last night Do it So go to bed To be honest I have no intentions Of watching the match As much as I wanted to Some of us got to get up early in the morning Welcome to Life with Nat by the way

For all of you new listeners who might be listening to this one. I'm here with Auntie Linney tonight who's telling a story. And we're going straight in. Sorry Mark, because Mark was desperate to do this fun. But I just happened to be doing the pod tonight,

so it's landed on me. But I'm not going to steal his funder completely because I'm sure when you do your next pod with your darling Mark, he can have a little bit of fun along the way to. Perhaps I fall asleep on Saturday night at 10. Perhaps you might. So anyway, to not make this too long

because there's so much talk about tonight, go to bed. I wake up. half one. I thought, well, let me see how England are doing. Put the telly on. Match hasn't started. I thought, oh, what's happened here? So I messaged my daughter earlier, who I knew was intent on being up to watch it, and sure enough, she messages me. And then she must ask Mark, who's got a group chat started for the World Cup chat, who includes me into the chat. And, oh, I mean, Natalie, how many messages did you wake up to?

I woke up to 126 messages. I've got to be excited, a bit early. You've got a tendency of being a bit premature, haven't you? A bit excited. So Marks shares a video of Natalie dancing, front of her screens, singing along to the Oasis track, prior to the match commencing. And then we see another photograph or video of,

Natalie, laying on the sofa, cuddling her scatter cushion, passed asleep. So, Elliot is, I mean, we're calling her every name under the sun. Yeah, really out of order, actually. I mean, yeah, it was great, wasn't it? It was great. And Elliot's going, Mark, please wake her up, because she'll be gutted. And bless Mark, he's saying, I've woken her up 50 times. And every time I do, I say the football's on.

And I was going, yeah, I know, I'm going back to sleep. But the best line for me was Mark saying, I've stayed up to watch it. And I don't even like football. So bless his heart, he stayed up with the rest of us while Natalie's laying there snoring away. We've watched the entire match, which I'm sure you will all agree, was absolutely blinding. So not the same to watch it at 5.50 a.m. on your own. and that was the beauty of it. I have watched this match in bed on my own.

My husband's downstairs on his usual spot on the sofa with bifold doors open because it was bloody hot. And I felt like I had everyone in the room with me. Yeah, that's what's great. I'm so annoyed. It was so good. We had row row, row. We had L's bells.

We even had Dave at 4 o'clock. That was brilliant. Morning all. No, it was 3.45. Morning all. Fantastic. It was so... Well, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading

at 550. I hope you did. And then I put eye player on and I'd not seen the score only obviously saw all of your messages knowing they'd won but then I watched it and it was, yeah, it's not...

You can't watch, I hate watching any sport unless it's live. People said it to me yesterday I said, I'm missing the tennis you can watch it when you get home I said not interested. It's not the same. And you slept right through it

And I went back to bed after. I mean, I watched five o'clock. I went to sleep, turn the telly off, because I then watched the interviews after. Harry Kane's interview. He could have his voice. Oh, sod. I mean, he literally lost.

There was so much material in one match. It was wild, wasn't it? Incredible. It was quite, at one point, I thought, is this actually happening? But also to think, even down to the poor player that broke his arm. Yeah, I didn't see that bit. No, you didn't see any of it, babe.

You slept. No, it was too. I'm going to have to watch the full thing. I'm going to have to watch it again. It was so funny, Natalie. It was so funny. But we're through. I know.

I can't believe it. I think we're going to win the World Cup. We're going to be in Tuscany. I tell you, the size of a microwave. I know. No, we're going to have to get a projector. What we're going to do? We're going to have to get a projector screen.

What are we actually going to do? We're going to have to find a projector. How are we going to be in Italy? I don't really want to... It's wonderful because it's Roe Roe's birthday. So we've just got to embrace it. It'll all be good. It'll be lovely.

It's, yeah. But to not be in the UK if we get to the final. And I won't even go out. I'd watch it at home. No, no. I wouldn't because it'd be chaos. But just... We'd all be here.

But we're all going to be together. She's friends. No, it's even better. Because we won't be all together at home. Are we though, Jack? All going to be together. Oh, it's... And should they're sending photos?

They've got the neighbour around, Richard. No, it was priceless. It was brilliant. It was a great chat. It was brilliant. Maybe we could screenshot off you and put them on Patreon. Just a few little bits. If everyone's okay, because there's nothing untoward.

Well, apart from a few of us calling you some choice language. Maybe I should put my video up on Patreon. I think you should. Maybe I should. I think that should definitely be going on Patreon. I was so excited. And that song, I know, we saw Natalie. But that song for me, Three Lions, I'm talking about,

it's a bit like Christmas. Whereas, no, listen, so right? It's a bit like Christmas because if they would have lost last night, you can't play it again. No. But you can't, you can't play it again. I know, they kind of... So you've only got that few hours.

But Natalie, it was everything. It was the fact, the drama with the match being, time being changed. and all the drama that that was going to cause with people not being able to get there on time. It was the fact that the match actually got delayed because of the storm. I know. Just off.

The penalties. It being Mexico. And they've only lost twice. It was just everything about it. It was still. I think if they can win there, I think they can win anywhere. Not sure.

We're missing them. Spain and Portugal at the moment, which is a bit of a shocker. Sorry. Oh, of course. Yeah. Of course, they're playing now, which will be good. And Portugal look tasty, I have to say. No, it's just great.

I love World Cup. So that was last night. And what was really lovely in where I live anyway, because we can hear the pub, our local park. Well, I thought that was the other thing. Sorry, you. Can you hear the pub, Dave? No.

Is there any noise? No. Desperate to hear some noise from the pub. I was expecting, because sometimes. Sometimes when there's a match and the George plate, you just hear the wave of people. It was deadly, so they played it so well, our local pub. Yeah. They had only regulars.

They were in the pub, not in the marquee. Well, you're not allowed to be, I don't think the legislation allowed being outside for smoking or anything. You had to be in the pub. But equally, as you know, my road is a bit of a cut through for people that are walking back. Not a soul. It was very, but apparently my colleagues told me Hartford's slightly different story. I can imagine. Yeah.

A lot of broken. and glass, a lot of blood, yeah, there was a little bit of, which was always going to happen. But overall, we've not had any real negative feedback. No, so far so good. So brilliant, yeah. But no, that was a cracker. So that was last night. I should be thoroughly involved on Saturday evening.

Yeah. We shall see. What times that match? Ten. Oh, right, so you can manage that. Yeah, so good. Do love a kip, though. The Cassidy's like a, there's Tony like a kip, because your brother does.

Dave, that is. It's Tony a sleeper. Not as much as us, I don't think. Yeah, you and Dave. I mean, I've known Dave to fall asleep standing up at a party. So what we've been up to? What have I been doing? I went to Copenhagen.

Oh, yes. That was nice. Yeah. I couldn't believe how clean it was. Isn't it an eye opener when you go to other countries? So organised. Bike lanes, everyone cycles. Yeah, bike lanes.

You've got your car loan, not a lot of cars. Everything's linked up, isn't it, with bridges and rivers and beautiful lights and restaurants along the river. And it was really hot when I went. I looked out at the hotel window. There are families jumping into the river having a morning swim. Wow. Imagine us doing that, yeah.

Oh, yeah. We'd be so ill. I was just going to say, what diseases would we inherit? Yeah. Yeah, it was just a lovely, lovely, people. I really enjoy it. It was a very fast visit, 24 hours flash. I'd love to go back there. I said to Mark, that's one to do. Yeah. Be nice to do. But yeah, the food, just how fresh it all is. I enjoyed it. We went to London last Sunday, your brother and I. And after a bit of shopping, we stopped and had a bit of dinner at a restaurant.

Sat outside. It was lovely weather. And again, it's really, It's disappointing. Go on. We just don't. What is going on here? Tell me. So we were just, it was going to be a quick hour. Just a plate of pasta.

Not, you know, not all seeing or dancing. We had to get home for the dog. So Dave orders, so they get a waiter comes over. They seat us outside, which is what we requested. So that was good. Then they come over. They said, can we get you any water? Dave said, can I have a jug of water please, tap water.

Brings over two glasses of warm water, no ice. So I thought, okay, that's great. But I couldn't be bothered to say, can we have ice and stuff? They come over, Dave said, could we order some wine? He orders a bottle of rosé. Then Dave said, I'm ready to order food as well, please. We order a starter, two plates of pasta. The starter arrives at the pasta.

Oh. So that was another cross, along with the warm water we were drinking. Pasta was delicious, starter was delicious. Still no wine. Oh, no. So I say to Dave, I really don't, because you know I'm not a drink, a drink. Just leave it now. I just want a glass of, yeah, I want to drink my wine with my meal.

I don't want to guzzle it after. No. I said to Dave, I'm not paying for that wine. He said, don't start. Don't start. You know what he's like. He don't like to complain. I said, no, but Dave, we nearly finished our meal.

No, I agree with you. Do you, thank you. Absolutely. He said, just don't start. Anyway, calls him over. He said, excuse me, a wine hasn't come yet. So they're scarring around. They're all panicking to try and get this bottle of rosé.

eventually the bottle arrives Natalie we've practically finished our meal so to try and justify this bottle of wine we share a dessert which again was very nice. Table next to us are getting sort of the VIP treatment because they've been very loud, very demanding, very challenging and there's three ladies sitting to the right of us and I could see one of them kept looking over as if to say they don't look very happy but it was fine we were just tired and by this stage I'm a bit annoyed actually

so I knew it was going to be expensive because London It's expensive. Anyway, I said, Dave, come on, get the bill now. He gets the bill. Ask for the bill. Bill comes over, and I can see your brother putting these funny faces as he's looking at this bill. I said, what's the matter? He went and he calls the wait-rope.

He goes, excuse me, yeah. He said, the rosé on here. He said, yeah, he said, 95 pounds. He says, that's not what we ordered. He went, oh, I'm terribly sorry, sir. He said, I'll get that taken off. And Dave then plucks up the courage to say, in fact she should be taking it off the bill together

because the rosé arrived with our dessert anyway, it's gone away come back to the rosé off the bill they won't see I've got the wine to take that bill so how many faux pas in just that hour we were there anyway the moral of the story is what was lovely about it is the ladies sitting to our right I don't know how our attention

I don't know how we ended up speaking three Irish girls Oh brilliant We ended up having an hour with them I ended up having photos with them Brilliant Dave ends up telling them about the pod and who you were

and they all knew of you They were Oh let's hope they listen Send us a message 0778-8-1919 Michelle Elaine Oh and I said I promise I'll remember your names

Michelle, Elaine and Karen. Karen. And they were beautiful girls. Genuinely, they just made a line. Irish girls. Yeah. Great fun. Such fun.

Brilliant. They said, oh, we thought we'd upset you. No, we're just miserable. Us London is miserable. Just really lovely girls. So it just ended up being a lovely evening. Oh, that's good. But just isn't it a shame that still we just can't get basic stuff right?

It's a thinker in it It is when you're paying a lot of money for a service As we've said before And our wine weren't cheap So too right that should have been taken off But then they're trying to charge us double For a bottle of what I mean, how? Why?

Yeah, it's bizarre Yeah, it's a lot It's a lot But the food was lovely Food was lovely and you met some lovely people And we met some lovely people So you always have to turn these things on their head Absolutely

Look at the positives in it Absolutely But hopefully we're going to have our own in-house chef soon, aren't we? That'll be nice. Come on, Eliza, you can do this. Yeah, she did her work experience. That also sounds quite incredible because I feel like on that side of the coin, it was a very prestigious place that she was at.

And the customers can be quite demanding. So you've got the other side of the coin. Yeah, I saw it, yeah. But she loved it. really loved it, she enjoyed it, and she loved being in the kitchen. Interesting. Because that's hardcore, working in the kitchen. Very, very hard.

But again, this is what work experience is about, how lovely to go and just have a little glimpse into work in life and see if there's anything you like or dislike and just gives you that little feeling. I think there should be more work experience. I agree. I don't think four days is enough. And yeah, you should have the opportunities. Different bits. Completely different industries, completely different careers.

completely different careers. She's gone into a kitchen or hospitality. You know, she could now do another four days. Wherever. Whether it's in finance or just to see the polar opposite. Because how do you know? You don't. And does she have a lot to do with the clientele then, Eliza?

No. She didn't. Not particularly. No. But she was there. She was shadowing. She was helping. But yeah, she really loved it.

So it was good. And that's what brought me on. to the subject of kids, education, work. I popped a message on, as usual, thank you so much everybody. I've got thousands of messages. It's inundated, so thank you. I'll do a bit of Russian roulette tonight and go through a few of them. But, you know, it made me think about talking to Eliza at A levels.

Obviously, you have to stay in education down to you're 18. And then I was thinking, but if you really love the kitchen, is there a way, is there a culinary school? or why have you got to just do what you're told to do? Is there other things that could be better? But unlike, like in our day, you could leave school at 16. Well, that's what I'm saying. That's what you did.

Yeah, and it was the best thing ever for me. I turned 16 in the June. I started Berkeley's in the June. And I loved every second of working. I loved. Actually, it heightens me how much I, actually probably didn't enjoy school for some reason. And I was studious. I was hard working. I wasn't overly academic, but I was a grafter. I worked really hard in every subject.

I applied myself. But I just thrived when I started working. I frived. I became me, the true me. It gave me confidence. But you're meeting people with social life. It gave me people skills. you earn money. I remember Friday's coming and thinking I can't wait for Monday. Isn't that mad? It's lovely though. And everyone going, oh, the weekend, the weekend. And I just think, oh, because I just loved being at work.

Because I had quite a strict upbringing. So for me, work was social. There'd always be something going on. I just loved it. I loved my jobs. Well, I did. I noticed Eliza's, she lit up going to work. And I think some people,

I just don't... But do you think now, like Eliza's going to be 16 in September, I was obviously in a full-time career soon to be her age, do you think that that's too young to be working full-time, having Eliza at home and knowing Eliza how you know her? Not for Eliza, no. No. I think she could do it.

Do you, yeah? She's ready to get on a train, commute to London. Her birthday is in September, like you say, she's 16, but she's always had quite an old older head. She's been quite mature. She's a bit like me. She loved it, getting on the train,

getting on the tube. But they do now have to do two years of further studies, whether that's college, apprenticeship, whatever it is. But can you do an apprenticeship at 16? Yes. Because apprenticeship at 16 means you go to work and then you go to college a day a week.

So in England, you can leave school at the end of year 11, usually in June if you're 16, but you must stay in some sort of form of education or training until you're 18. An apprenticeship counts as this because you work while studying towards a qualification. Oh, so at 16 you can do an apprenticeship? Yes, you can.

Oh, wow. Yes, you can. So you can go to college once a week and be working for four days a week? I don't think it's even, yes, spending part-time of your training with a college or a training provider. You're gaining qualifications whilst building work experience.

You can work for an employer and earn a wage. It's very interesting. Oh, right. Very interesting. So, yeah, it got me on to because you went to, you know, Dave left score at 16. But Dave would have loved to have done uni. Yes. But your parents were very anti-Unie.

But Dave would have loved it. And to be fair, Dave is extremely academic. Yes. So he probably would have thrived at uni. Would his career had been any different to what it was? Who knows? We don't know. No.

Because ultimately, instead of starting Barclays at 22, 23, he started at 17, I think your brother was. By 23, he'd already had four years' experience in the bank. And that's the thing. It's about that experience and gain it. However, some people go to union, they absolutely thrive and they love it and they gain degrees. There's just so many different routes.

And also now, I think more people go to uni than they did back in our day. Yes. In our day, if you went to uni, you were like, wow, you would have had to obviously have stayed on on your A levels and then gone on to university. And it was, you know, few and far between that did the uni. So it was kind of, you were really sort of people would look at you in high regard. Yes. You know, in banking, you were fast-tracked if you were a university graduate in finance. They fast-tracked you through the system.

Whereas we would have to, we would do the same process. But be slower. But it was a slower process. But it didn't mean that the end goal was the same subject to who you were and what you achieved. But now everyone goes to uni. And that's the problem. So it's sort of become the norm. But they are now saying, you know, I listen to the radio and not whatever.

And there's a lot, a lot of people that are unemployed coming out of university with degrees, with a lot of debt. And it's hard. Yeah. And then people are saying, oh, we want people with experience. Employers want people with experience. Exactly. Yeah. Well, how can you? get that experience. And also the debt. No, I know.

It's a lot for people. Well, some of the messages that I've not listened to many of them, but some of the messages I've listened to where people are still paying debts, their debt off. Absolutely. From years ago. Should we listen to some? Yeah.

Because we've got so many. Yeah. Hi, Nat. Hi, Auntie Lily. I remember being absolutely devastated when my son didn't take up one of the five places he'd been offered at university to do forensic science. I was really, really gutted. But he told me that he didn't want to study anymore and he just wanted to go to work.

So I had to let him do that at 18. He had loads of qualifications and loads of A levels. He has worked quite happily at Tesco's since 2016. He's in middle management now, keyholder, working. very well, earning very well, living his best life, holiday, engulfing, etc. and is happy. So I think it has to be what the child wants, not what the parent wants, which is really hard. I was a failure at school, so I was just glad that he didn't follow in my footsteps. So there you go, but it's a massive subject.

Yeah, it really, really is. Oh, don't call yourself a failure. No, that's silly. No one's not about that, is it? No, not at all. And that's the other thing. As a parent, you can't push your child to do something that you want them to do. They've got to do what they want to do.

Because it doesn't work. They'll just be unhappy. Yeah. They'll do it for six months. They'll come out of it. You know, they need to do what they want to do and learn from their mistakes if there are mistakes made. Yeah. I mean, Elliot sort of did it.

She finished school. She wanted to stay on, but she didn't want to stay on at her school. she wanted to stay on another school which I thought was weird in itself to do her A-levels there so she went to this other that didn't work then she went to college she didn't like that either the only ground rules I had

was you're not just leaving education to sit at home Of course So you get a job Regardless of what the job is Is a stopgap Until you find your path And that's one thing Dave and I were quite

Headstrong about And all the children They all did the same None of them went to uni I think out of the three, maybe only Maria would have been the one that more than likely could have perhaps gone to university. But, Natalie, you've seen. They've all done exceptionally well for themselves.

And I think that is, again, a reason why for me, uni is not the be or an endel. Because I look at everybody in the family. Around you, yeah. And how well they've done without university. I'm not saying it's not a good thing. No, none of it of course, each to their own. Oh, and then we've got Eva who's an anomaly.

But that's an anomaly Because it's not just uni, it's Cambridge and it's Yeah You know Different kettle of fish there I just think it's tough for youngsters now as well Because

Even careers out there now AI are going to take So many careers away from people Well especially Those jobs which you go into Filing Typing things out It's all gone isn't it

All those little bits off Clark. Oh, I just do not exist. Look, the banks, the banks have closed their branches. Of course. So where would you be today? Yeah, the banks close their branches. And Dave.

Yeah, they've merged, you know, all the administrative side of things have merged people working, you know, now from home. But just being a cashier at a desk. It's all gone. It's gone. It's crazy, really, isn't it? Yeah. So so many jobs have been eliminated. Well, the girls at work were saying, because one of them's got a 15, 16-year-old son.

You know, at schools, they are encouraging them to do manual jobs. Yes. Like electrician, a builder, a plumber. Carpenter. Yes, chippy. Because AI can't take that from you. And they've been encouraged to sort of go down that room, which, again, isn't for everybody. But we often say to, we've got a father and son team that work for us that does all our maintenance.

And I always say to his son, what the skills you are learning from your dad are invaluable, you are going to be so sought after because people like you are few and far between. Yeah, absolutely. Well, it's no different to what I did with the care thing. It's invaluable. Yeah. Going to college, learning nursing, caring. AI is not going to be able to do that.

No, of course. And that's why I enjoyed Eliza doing hospitality because again, you can't. It's face to face. It's social. It's face to face. It's personal. It's talking to people, conversating. You're not going to, that's always going to be around.

So I do think we have to think like that. Unless you're into technology and into AI, so you can really get involved with that side of things. Just until I've done, I've labelled my medicine, Jone, and just put it in my pocket in case it hurts when I'm at school. I've put my costume in my bag and labelled it joining. I've done my own labelling. I've got put all my stuff next to my bed ready for school tomorrow.

I packed my pencil case and I put my water bottle with new water with ice in the fridge and buy my bed a new plastic cup on just for new water with ice. Absolutely fantastic job. Thanks, babe. Love you. Bye, darling. Well done. Thanks, darling.

She's an anomaly, isn't she? Back to school tomorrow. She didn't go today? No. She came with me, I had a Panto launch. Oh. And I just thought another little day. But she's quite, yeah, well.

She seems better today. Better. She's enjoyed the day, I think. And she's very good. She does a lot for herself. Yeah. Even with a broken arm. There you go.

Let's have another one. Hi, Nat. So I left school at 16. I ended up having my first child not long after. And then ended up being a stay-at-home mum. And then five years later, I had my son. And I ended up being a stay-at-home mum again. And then when he went into nursery, when he was three,

I went and got a job. Well, first of all, I went to college to do my A-18 accounting. and then I went to do some experience at the company where I've ended up getting a full-time job now. I've been there 16 years this year and five years ago they put me through a degree at university. I did a chartered management business degree and it was always a dream of mine to wear a cap and gown. Due to having my children's all young, obviously, I didn't manage to go down that route like a lot of my friends did. But thankfully my boss is paid for it for me and it's worked for me. and it's worked out for me because I'm now a senior manager.

My daughter's been to university. She does a law degree and she's now working in a law firm following the path where she hopes to one day become a barrister. She's 25 now. And my son wasn't the greatest in education but did work his ass off. But he wanted to go down the employment route. So he's now got a full-time job working. So yeah, it's both sides really for my family But yeah, it's been good

It's Tracy from Manchester Oh, thanks Tracy, and that lovely Amazing what she's done for herself Well, I love, that's why education at a later age Is again, nothing is impossible There's so much pressure at this age 16, choose your A levels How do they know, really?

You don't know, do you? She's going up, Eliza's saying, oh I might do politics and I might do economics. I like drama. I like history. You know, she needs three or whatever. And I just think you don't really know. And then she's gone down there.

Well, there's nothing cooking, is there at school? So is it right for her to, if it lit her up, does she not do the A levels? And then you think, oh, but you should have those in the back pocket. Really? You can just do them again, do them later. I just think we need to remember that it's not so black and white. We haven't all got to be the same.

and we all just get into this routine and pattern of what you're meant to do. Yeah, I agree. There isn't a right or wrong way. No. You've got to do what works for you. And what? But then where would Eliza, say, for instance, now, say she'd turn around and said to you, I want to do an apprenticeship?

I don't know, I'm going to look into it. There might be culinary. Yeah. Who knows? Because if that's the... Or chefs or where she could get into a kitchen, could she study or... Because the experience that she will gain in the space of a couple of years.

I know. Where she would just be at school doing subjects that she's... probably not got too much interesting. She does love politics. Right. She does love debating. Does she? Yeah.

Yes. She likes a fucking argument. Yeah. She's good at it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, she likes a debate, doesn't she? And I wonder there.

But you just got, you know what? I just want them to be happy. I mean that. I really just want them to be happy. And there's going to be so different. Because you have one child that goes to uni, doesn't mean another child's going to want to go to uni. Absolutely.

One child might be academic, doesn't mean the other one's going to be particularly academic. Absolutely. And it comes at a time in your life, like you say, where their hormones are all over the place. They discover boys, girls. It's just so much. Friendship, yeah. There's just so much going on. Then you've got these huge decisions.

I just think it's all wrong. That can pave your future. I just think the timing's wrong. I know. Which in a way probably is why they say, you know, need to be in education until you're 18 because you're older, you're more mature. Maybe. Perhaps that's why that changed because that only changed.

That wasn't that long ago. No, I know, but you still then need to make choices. Yeah. And the studying you're doing and your subjects that you're going to do it. Nassi, I remember spending hours and hours and hours practicing shorthand. I excelled at it in my exam, excelled. I never ever used it. I know.

I started working in the bank. I wasn't even on the typing pool of the banking. And then dictophones came in anyway, didn't it, short hand? It was crazy, isn't it? It was hours of my life. Yeah. That's why you kind of, I mean, yeah, maybe I'm the wrong person. I am a true believer of, I think work just makes you the person you are.

And if you are fortunate enough to step into the right role from day one and you're hardworking and you're committed, you can create a fantastic future for yourself. Or people setting up their own business is. But again, even if you don't and you do two years somewhere as happy and you want to go somewhere else and get another little job somewhere, or you want to go to work, wherever you want to go to work. Yeah.

I just think having that work ethic is good. Amazing. Incredible. Which is why I don't like the fact that they changed. getting a little Saturday job. Yeah. Because they can't even do that now. You could have been 14.

I'm not talking about grafting and sending kids to work for 12 hours. But to go into her hairdressers for three or four hours on a Saturday to sweep up the hair and make cups of tea and earn yourself 25 quid. It allows them to appreciate the value of money a little bit as well if they're earning it themselves. But they can't do that now. No, you have to have a national insurance number. So Eliza will be getting her soon. She's 16, so she'll be able to get a little job soon.

But, yeah, it used to be younger than that And it was good Yeah I mean, I'm sitting here talking I went to work I was 10 Yeah I didn't think about school

But I loved school I loved learning I loved it Yeah And I too now Even now I love my assignment I enjoy learning

I would love to do more learning I would love to do an art history degree Would you Just something I want to do Yeah I would love to do more I'd like to do an open university degree

at some point for myself. I would love to do that because I love learning for the sake of learning. Yeah, not for an end. But don't you think it's so much harder as you get older to learn? Um, or not?

I think, I think it depends. If you're learning something you are passionate about, to me that is a hobby, that is fun. When I go and stand in an art gallery, and I'm reading up on someone and I'm looking and then I might buy a book of theirs

and I find it really fun that's sort of my fun and that's why it's lovely to hear some of these voice notes where people have you know taken degrees and later on in life and being able to do something

they're passionate about really good and how rewarding that must be so rewarding let's have another one Hello, Nat. It's Emma from Network. Hope you're all right. I just saw your lovely post on Instagram about your pod you're doing with Auntie Linney. I must say, you look really nice in that video. You look really glowing. Your hair looks beautiful. Yeah, I thought that too. So me, I didn't go to uni. I wasn't very academic, but I have a skill. I have a good skill. I'm a hairdresser. I love my job. I love the fact that my report card in school said, I always spoke too much, and now look at me. I've been. got a job as a hairdresser and my job is talking, as we've discussed before. But my kids, yes,

so I've got one kid, Darcy. She went straight into also Hob hair salons, did a training, became a barber. She trained the quickest out of all the juniors in the company, I believe, and by the time she was 17, she was a qualified barber. She's now an excellent barber. She's going in for a Barbara of the Year award, and she's made the finals. So I'm really proud of her. My other one, Holly, now 24. She is a makeup artist. She really, to uni, she wasn't going to, she wasn't sure. We didn't push her because I don't believe you should push your kids into something that they don't want to do. So I let things become their own decision. When Darcy decided she wanted to be a barber, she came to me and said, I think,

and I want to do. I said, what you want to do? And Holly wasn't sure what she wanted to do. We always thought she was going to go down the amateur dramatics group, what you call it, like singing song, and she always danced when she was young. She was a dancer. She stood for resale disco. She got to champions. And she got to champs and she quit. It was a song. It was a song. no further for her. She was going to further it in uni, but she didn't. In the end, she went and she did makeup. She got a distinction. She was brilliant, so she decided

full of that, and now she's a makeup artist working for Charlotte Tilbury, and she loves it. So I didn't push my kids into doing anything they didn't want to do, because I don't believe that. I think that you should let them nourish and choose their own paths. So that's my little story. I hope it didn't go on

longer than two minutes. Just under. Anyway, lots of love to you and Auntie Lidney. Bye. Thanks, Emma. And there you go. Again, a variety of scenarios within one household. It's great. And look at her daughter.

She's a barber and she's excelled. There's so many different career paths out there, isn't there? There's just so many. And you do sometimes find yourself stuck in a bit of a lane. Yeah, yeah. There's so many jobs out there. I see even in my job. I bet.

People that rent through us, obviously we have to reference them. Cool. And just all the different. What's the weirdest job you've seen? Not weird, but unusual, that sort of stuck out for you. Can you remember any? Just unusual career.

That sort of stuck out and you thought, oh, wow. I mean, obviously we have lots of police, teachers, pharmaceuticals, the weirdest. Oh, Natalie, you've put me on the spot. That's all right. You can't even think about it. It's all right. I can't even tell you what they are.

But, I mean, yeah, the selection of careers. So many. It's vast. I always think that when I go into Marxists. You really want to go and do a little job in there? No, I absolutely work at the till, no, but I mean the offices and all those jobs, food developers. It just blows my, that would be my dream. Coming up with flavours and developing things.

But I even thought of Eliza there. Maybe she did a bit of cooking. Maybe that would be good. That was, you know, different routes for a supermarket or a, you know, It's absolutely fascinating. But again, that's my dream, not Eliza's dream. So you can't push people into things. Hi, Nat and Auntie Linney.

My name's Lisa. I'm living in New Zealand, but as you can tell, I'm from Wiltshire, I think from my accent. Just saw your Instagram post about work, so I just thought I'd voice note in. I'm now 57, so I've been working since I was 16, so 41 years. I personally never wanted to go to uni but each to their own so I did a hairdresser apprenticeship at 16 been doing it ever since

done a very few other things after I moved to New Zealand but for me uni was definitely not the right thing but these days I think God they're getting so much debt these days but yeah definitely and we need more people doing apprenticeships I don't know if they're still a thing

I don't actually have any children, so I've only got nieces, but a couple of my nieces haven't been to uni, or not proper uni. It's slightly different here in New Zealand, but I love, anyway, I'm one waffling on there. Love listening to the pod and speak to you soon. Bye. You do get that feel that people feel like they sort of justify themselves. Oh, you know, I didn't go to uni. Yes.

Yeah, yeah. Like it's a bad thing. Yeah. But that is, it's very, it's still pushed. Yeah. The uni thing is very, very pushed. I had a message here from Amy, from Wirral. Hi, I went to uni, studied primary education to become a teacher,

was a supply teacher for five years as I couldn't get a full-time job, left that and I now work as a conductor on trains, earning more than I would as a teacher. And that's the other crazy thing, isn't it? You can get a degree. You can get the job of your dreams. And then you're, and I know, listen, it's not all about money. Some people would rather do jobs they enjoy and be earning less money than be doing jobs. But equally, when you know you've worked so hard to get a particular role, you work hard,

you've done the whole degree thing, and then your salary doesn't kind of reflect. No amount of work you've done. And you could just go and stack shells in Sainsbury's and probably earn the same salary with less responsibility. Yeah. That's sometimes I feel like for people, well, Eliza said it downstairs, didn't she? When we were chatting earlier. You know, if I go into working in hospitality,

the starting salary is just so low. But again, I think you have to start somewhere. Of course, of course. And I think these kids think they're going to be, I don't know what they think. They've got no value yet. They don't know about money and what things cost. They've got to be earning what someone who's been working for 30 years.

Yeah, and you need to start. We've all had to do that. You know, We've all had to start. As long as you know, you're in, yeah, and if you've got that aspiration to succeed and earn a good salary because you want a certain lifestyle, you've just got to make sure you go into a career where there is scope for growth. Yeah, and there isn't a ceiling. Yeah. There's room to grow.

Yeah. Hi, Nat, how are you? Just saw your post about your pod tomorrow. So I never went to college or union. I left school as soon as I could with hardly any GCSEs. From the age of 16, everything I have done is through me, learning on the job and building experience. I've had an amazing career doing some fantastic jobs and my current job I've been in for just over five years working for a very high-end luxury

holiday villa company. I've always worked in travel and always had a job from my very first work experience when my mum used to work in a hotel. I always had dream jobs but travel is where I've always been. When I was young, girls were always told that without grade you don't make anything with your life and it really bothered me for years and years but it's not that at all. Regardless what grade you get, everyone still has to start at the bottom of any job. And that's so true. It's not always about grades. It doesn't mean to say you mustn't study at school and do your best, of course.

But I genuinely do not think it is the be all and end all. Listen, how many people do you see? How many entrepreneurs left school at 15? You're Alan Suggers. You're Richard Brants. Jamie Oliver. I know, so many successful people. There's so many, and that's only a few that we know.

Can barely spell their name. And they are super successful. Because it's not all about. It's having other skills. Social skills. Businesses. Yeah. Positiveity.

You can't sometimes learn that. No, it's in you. The entrepreneurial thing is in you. But obviously if you've got a brain to go with it, then you are super dangerous, aren't you? No, it's absolutely fascinating. Hi Nat and Auntie Linney So this is Karen and I'm calling about careers

I left school with three GCSEs, didn't know what I want to do Went into work and I had a great time till I was 20 And I thought I can't carry on like this Anyway, went back to night school And did an MVP level 3 just like you And I used that as a springboard to go to university to do my nurse training. I did a diploma and now at 20 odd years later I have a degree and I have a

master's and hopefully doing a PhD and I think I've got cleverer as I've got older. I wasn't ready for uni straight from college school. So do you know the choices we make when we're a teenager don't define who we are as a grown-up. Anyway, take care. Love the pod. Bye now. There you go. She's answered your question that you said earlier. For some people, that age is just not the right age to making those decisions. Or to learn. Or to learn even because your brain or you're too busy focusing on other things. Maybe you're not emotionally mature enough to be able to deal with all of this.

So interesting how many people have gone into further education at a much later stage in their lives. It's very, very good. Very, very good. One here. Hi Nat and Auntie Lini. My daughter is amazing. Studied hard at uni, did well and is now trying to get her first proper job in the field she's worked so hard to get into. But oh my God is the job market brutal. It's so, so hard to watch her not get replies, get rejected and get the nearly but not quite stage. She's so good at what she does and just needs that first bit of luck to get going. I'm here for the moral support, but as a mum, it's just heartbreaking at times to see how much it affects her confidence. I know she'll be fine in the end, but the waiting is hell. Still glad she went to uni though. She learnt as much from living away from home as she did through studying. And that's also very important.

Much love, Jen from Horsham. Oh, Jen, I feel your pain. And again, as a parent, to see their child work so hard, and then the constant rejection when you're trying to get your foot in the door, I get it to a fashion with CVs that are emailed directly to me. Yes, yeah. And, you know, I do, I am at least polite enough to respond. Yes, of course.

But ultimately, you know, small business. Yeah, you can only do so much. We don't have the turnaround of staff that, you know, some of the big organisations, but how demoralising must that be for someone who's just like. But another thing to touch on there that we haven't touched on, the university life, that's another, it's not just education in terms of study. It's moving away and being on your own. Learning that independence.

Independence. And, you know, some people really want to do that. They want to leave home. Just experience, not being at home. A bit of life. Having to, yeah, just having, yeah, just having, maybe there's no ground rules because there's no one there is there to tell you you can't be in at 11 o'clock or do your own washing and ironing

or cook your own plate of pasta or. So, yeah, I guess that's a skill you are going. And it's a school of life, isn't it, going away from home and not being at home? Also, they will appreciate home so much more once they've been away. Yeah. And you're meeting, you know, when you go to uni as well, subject to which uni you go to, in many cases, it's not going to. Well, it doesn't matter what ones, is it? It may not necessarily be within the place you live.

So you're meeting different people. Different walks of life. But also might be like-minded because they've chosen the same subject. So again, it's very, you're broadening your horizons, which I see also, you know. Absolutely. No, it's excellent. Yeah, so there's so many angles at which you can look at all of this. Ultimately, the end goal is for people to end up in a job that they enjoy,

that they're going to earn decent money, that they can have a career from it. Or they go to work, they lead a very simple life, but they're happy, Lynn. Some people don't want a career. No, they want to go and work, get their money, no pressure. No pressure. Go and do their job, come home, pay their bills, which is hard for a very life. one at the moment or no. But, you know, and we need, we have to have that difference

because society wouldn't work. Of course. You're going to have to have people that want the big careers and want to do whatever they're doing and you need people that are happy to work in a shop or whatever it is because it wouldn't work, would it? No, of course, of course. No, it's really, really interesting. If I really enjoyed that, thank you all so much for all your messages.

Again, I've got them all banked. I'm sure we can touch on it another time. But, yeah, it's been lovely. Always lovely. I've got to go home now and fight the bollards. Pardon? Sorry? Who are the bollards?

Family neighbours? No. Sort of two little contraptions we've acquired. So, you know, we did the drive. Yeah. Oh, they haven't put bollards up. No, we put them in because... You don't want anyone parking on the drive?

No, we just don't want people stealing our cars. Right. So we thought we've spent all this money doing the drive. If you're going to put these bollards in, now's the time to do it. Get a bit of security. Yeah, no, Dave, that's a really good idea, but I didn't want anything big, and some of them are like industrial. These are quite nice, delicate looking things. I'm not a fan of them, but, you know, they're needed.

And are they, sorry, are they electronic? Do they come in and out the ground? No, we didn't go that posh. You have to sort of pull them out the ground, and then you lock them with a key. Okay, dokey. Kind of haven't mastered the locking and unlocking of them. So this morning, said to your brother, because I'm rushing around going to her.

I said, can you just go and put the bollards down for me? So I can just leave when I get home. Go downstairs. I've looked at the window. He's been fighting them for about 10 minutes. I thought, what the hell is he doing? But I know they are tricky because I've struggled with them. Do you think it's where they're new?

No, I just think we don't know how to do it. Oh. I mean, it's just the key. Could we get someone around to show you? I don't know. So now I'm thinking I've got to go home And fight the ballards for ten minutes I've got to pull the bollards up

And I hope I can look Or just leave them down for a bit Because it'll be the one time you leave them down I know I know but it's been alright for all these years Remember you've not had them for all these years No I know And that's what I car got nicked

I forgot about that Oh dear Oh it is Fun and games Fun and games It really is It really is. So I'm going to pop that video and me singing on Patreon.

Oh, it's a must. So for those of you that aren't on it, it's worth it just for that video. And for some of the text messages. See if we can do a couple of screen grabs. You can do that bit. Thank you so much. I know that you've been up all night, literally up all night, because I've got proof on my phone.

But thank you. A pleasure. So sorry if it was a bit. a bit subdued tonight. I think it's been lovely, lovely pod and I hope everybody has a wonderful weekend.

Enjoy Saturday. The weather's beautiful. Let's enjoy Saturday's game. Oh, we will. No, I will. It's 10 o'clock. It's 10 o'clock.

Leave me alone. Thank you everybody. 077-282820, 1919. Please always keep sending in your responses, your comments, your stories, your ideas. Can't do it without you. And Lynn, I'll see you very

very, very soon. We'll do. Bye, darling. No night. Bye, everyone. See you guys. Bye. Bye.