Mum's The Word! The Parenting Podcast - 'Blended Families Are Not What You Think…' Kelsey Parker & Lauren Adamson on 5 Kids, Chaos & The Truth No One Talks About!

Episode Date: April 12, 2026

This week on Mum’s The Word, Kelsey Parker is joined by Lauren Adamson: host of the chart-topping podcast Nip Tuck, and nothing is off limits.Lauren gets brutally honest about life in a blended family of five children, revealing why the reality is very different from what you see on Instagram.From navigating multiple parents, clashing schedules and constant chaos, to stepping into a home where you’re expected to “just be a family”… she shares what it’s really like behind closed doors.The pair dive into the challenges of blending families, the emotional adjustment that no one prepares you for, and why even the strongest relationships are tested when kids, exes and everyday life collide.Plus, they get into the real conversations every parent is having right now:Blended family struggles - and why it’s harder than it looksParenting in the real world - raising resilient kids (without wrapping them in cotton wool)School drama & friendship fallouts - what to actually say to your childBoy mums & modern parenting - are we raising independent kids… or future man-children? The chaos of 5 kids - from family holidays to everyday lifeThere are laughs, there are brutally honest moments, and plenty of “this is so true” reality checks.If you’ve ever felt like parenting is messy, overwhelming or nothing like you expected… this episode is for you.🎧 Listen now to Mum’s The Word: the parenting podcast that says what everyone else is thinking.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Mums the Word. I'm your host Kelsey Parker and today I'm joined by the amazing Lauren Adamson. She's the host of the chart topping podcast, NipTuck. Lauren speaks openly about her blended family and the challenges that can come with it. She married her husband James and a year ago they welcomed baby Tommy, taking their blended family to five children. So grab a cup her, get comfy and let's. to jump into a brand new episode, Mams the Word. So Lauren. Hello, my love. Hello, thanks for joining me.

Thank you for having me. Actually, you've been so far. My year, shit. Can I say that? Can you say that? Yeah. I don't know what kind of... I'm not sure, like, what kind of mum vibes we are here.

Do you know what I have had a rough year? Not horrific. You norm. You know, nothing mega, but it's been a rough one. I don't know if it's been the weather. I've got a baby that's been ill. one thing after another, no sleep, it's been dark. Listen, nothing mega, but enough to put me in a foul mood.

Yeah. Do you know, like it's getting dark? We are Sprague Eccanox now. We're getting bright and I can feel it. I've got, I'm sure I've got, is it sad? Yeah, the same. I'm sure I've got that because I could have the exact same day on a rainy day or on a sunny day. It could be the same day.

The way I deal with it on both days and how I feel will be completely different. Yeah, it is all about that. Put me in the sunshine. I'm fine. So you've got to move then. So basically she's coming on the pod and she's telling you she's leaving. So I'm hoping to do is

the reason I'm here is I'm starting to go fund me. I'm hoping to draw in money to get me to another country. I can't. There's too many kids. I can't do it. But I would if I could. Yeah, let's talk about the kids. Poo.

How many have you got? So let me phrase this in the correct way because I never say it right. Between us, we've got five. What do you normally say? And I'll say, I've got two, he's got three. And then people look at his,

I'm not sure you meant to say it like that. Okay, then. In your blended family. We're blended family. In your blended family. Yeah. So in our blended family, we've got five. So we've got youngest is Tommy.

He's mine. Can I say that? He's 10 months. He's both of yours. He's both of ours. He's the golden child. What do we call him? The thoroughbred king.

So I keep calling him. He's both of us. So he's 10 months. Yeah. Then we've got girl five, girl mine, eight, boy nine, boy 12. There's a lot. There's a lot. There's a lot.

And are you all together? 50% of the timeish. So my two, stop saying this, are with us all the time pretty much. Yeah, I think that's the easiest way to do it though, isn't it? It's the easiest way to say it.

Listen, I'm not PC anyway. And then the other three, about 50% there. It depends what's going on in the week. But yeah, pretty much. So half the time's a shit show and half of it's a smaller shit show. Yes, a smaller, yeah.

A smaller problem. So plans for any more? Any more thoroughbrates? That wasn't on script, by the way. That was just me. Is the shop shot? It's shut for, I can't know how much, it's shut for anything other than baby making at the minute,

but shut for shagging. No, I have to, no. That means that, no. Shop shot. Shop shot, I think my husband would kill me if we went again. If he didn't already have three, if I just had the two, shop would be open. Yeah.

But I think to add another, real, the thought of it, It's like going on holiday and stuff. Seven people. Yeah. Can you put the amount of the flights on that? We're going to Wales. But honestly, I think realistically I would love another. I love the idea of it.

I love the romanticising of it. But really... Yeah, and I think we're at a stage now where you actually have to be like realistic, don't you, about everything. How's this going to impact everyone? Everyone. And that's the other thing.

I think it's making sure that everyone can give... I feel like we're spread pretty thin. So talk to me about blending. family. Do we want to be real? The real story? I'm from a blended family. The real story?

Do you know what? I would love to say, and listen, it's fantastic. We have got great kids. I'm very lucky that the kids I inherited are fantastic. I think it would have been really difficult if they weren't.

But it hasn't been that easy. You know, I feel like sometimes you look online, you look on Instagram and it's all, oh, look at us and our blended family. Don't be doing that. It's just not. It's just not.

Instagram's not real. It's not real. And when I talk about it, and I speak about it on the podcast, not in loads of detail, but I do talk about it on the pod. I try and be realistic and honest by it as much as I can because I think the thing with a blended family is there are other parents involved. So I'm really open. I will say, I'm not asked. I'll say anything. I'll say how I truly feel right or wrong. But you've got to be mindful that there are other people involved in a blended family. They might not want me saying how I really feel. So you've just got to be careful. But what I will say is it hasn't been easy. It hasn't. You know, when you have, you have, you.

your own children, you almost love them the second they come out or have some love, you have a love for them, and you watch them grow and you develop a bond with them. When you inherit children, and this is on my husband's side as well, he inherited my little girl, all of a sudden, and for them as well, you're given these children and it's like, right, now be a family. And you don't even know each other that well yet, but you're expected to sort of fill in, I'm not going to be their mums, I'm never going to be their mums, they've got great moms. So if you don't mind me asking, His children.

Is there two moms? Oh, this is where it gets messy. They're three moms. There's two. There's two. I'm the third. So lucky. I mean, she's clearly not.

I don't, doesn't watch tell you a lot. So he's got two. It's quite bored. So he's got two moms. We've got two boys to one, a little girl to another. So we navigate this whole thing with two different moms and then my little girl's dad. So there's a lot of people involved. There's a lot of people involved.

A lot of opinions. A lot of opinions. A lot of schedules. a lot of diaries. There's a lot. And they've got good mums. They don't need me to be their mom, but I do step in naturally as a mother figure of some form in the house. And you don't know them that well. They don't know you that well. And all of a sudden, you're living in the same house. So it isn't that easy at first. And for me, I grew up, I've got two half brothers, but I grew up as an only child. They're a lot older. It was just me and my mum. My dad died when I was 19.

So it was me and my mom. He used to work away. It's always just me and my mom. And then, had my little girl. Now you got... Her dad fucked off. Can you say that? Her dad did one. It didn't worry. My dad fucked off too.

So then it was just me and her and my mum. And it's always just been little quiet us three. And then... Yeah, that's a lot for you though. That's a lot because... And I don't... I love my children, but do I love kids in general?

They're all right. And all of a sudden, I've got four at the time of them. And I'm used to a really quiet car. house. It's not now. It's not now. So it took a while.

It really did for me to just not, there's nothing to do with the kids. It was just the situation for me to adjust to all this. Which is a lot. It is. It's quite hard though, isn't it, when you're meeting someone? Well, at my age, they're probably going to have kids. That's why you go for the younger model.

That's what I did. The problem with that is there. Depends how young we're talking about. I did that for a bit, you know. But I thought, do you know what? James is genuinely amazing. So he came with the kids. And one of the things that did attract me to him

was how he was as a dad. This is the other thing. You get a bloke with no kids. Russian roulette. Are they going to be a good dad or not? Yeah. See, I'm so lucky with Will. I mean, he doesn't listen to this.

This is absolutely fine. But I basically picked Will up from his mum's house and carried him and put him in my house. Do we not all do that? Do we not all do that? with men really. Right. And can you come and step up and be a dad now? And he's like, what? I've never done this before. And he did it. And I was like, right, can you come and be a dad now to two children that have no dad, Eva? They've gone through something. But Will lost his

dad when he was 21. Oh, right. Okay. So he gets it to a degree. He understands how the kids feel. I mean, and Will is amazing and I feel so, so lucky and so fortunate. I thought you can say I feel so sorry for him. I actually feel sorry for him. I actually feel sorry for him. I actually He do feel sorry for him. I'm like, he had such a good life. I mean, you came. He played PlayStation. His mum cooked his dinners.

Oh, lovely. He had a lovely time. He had no kids in the world. And then it's like, right, this morning's had to do school run. Do you know what, though? Do you not think most men, we pick them up off the mom? Yeah. And we just take them and continue that.

Like, they just continue that. Isn't that what we do anyway? I've got young brothers and I'm like to mum, you can't be that mom. You can't be that mom. I. So I've always said I will not be that mum. Having lived it very much so, and seen what damage it does, right?

So if any boy mums are listening, have changed slightly since I did have a boy and I get it now. You're not helping these boys by doing everything for them, by wiping their ass for the whole life. You're not helping them. What you were doing is you're setting up, someone's got to marry that guy. Some poor cow has got to marry him.

And if you're not setting him up to be able to put a wash on, be able to stand on his own, two feet, then all you're doing is creating a load of shit husbands for the rest of them. And I really believe that and I've seen it. However, now I've got a boy.

Will I wipe his ass forever? Probably. Yeah. There's a thing. But I do think we need to be careful of it because you do too much for them. You're not making a great guy. Boys are manipulators to their moms. Yeah. I can see what happens. Like Bodie was like going full on me this morning. He's like,

the manipulation was just like going down. What can I do to actually... He didn't want to get to get dressed. I just want to lie in bed with you, Mom. And then they're just so cute. I want to cuddle you. And that's why. See, it starts.

My little boy won't be put down. Won't be put down. I have to carry him. And boys, when you leave the room. Everywhere. Or he is. My hips, honestly, have taken a tilt because he's on one all the time. And he's huge as well.

And he really is. And all of a sudden, things are just starting to make sense to me. Like, men. What these boy moms? The world, all the men I've met and I've dated in my years and it's all making sense and it starts when they come out of the womb

and I can see it already. I can see how we create these men because it starts then. You won't go down. Bode even fell off his scooter yesterday and obviously you know you want them to be brave, don't you? You're like, you can't be brave,

you've got to be brave. Come on. He went to me, all you need to say to me is, are you okay? You have not asked me, are you okay? And I was like, oh, I'm sorry.

Are you okay? There's a little lesson about yourself there. We were talking earlier off camera. Come on, come on, be brave. Be resilient. We were talking before we started recording about this kind of gentle parenting and this sort of being realistic with them or wrapping them up in Cottonwall. And it sounds like we're pretty similar with that. We are very similar.

And I am very, rightly or wrongly, I have always spoken to Thea as if she was my mate in a way and as if she was perhaps open. Maybe it's the wrong thing. Older than she is. I explain things to her. I don't lie to her. If she asks me something, obviously I word it differently for her, but I tell her the truth.

Because I think this world is quite scary and it's, he takes a lot of balls and especially to be a woman. So I try and prepare her for that rather than sugar-coating everything, wrapping her and cotton woman, then she gets out there and she's like, oh, what is this?

But you do have to be resilient. And, you know, you do. People aren't now. we're not making these kids resilient and you are so right. And even with, you know, if Arolia comes back and goes, oh, blah, blah, blah, was horrible to me at school. I'm like, guess what?

People are mean. You have to get on with it because people are mean. Wherever you go, whatever you do, people are mean. If you decide to have an Instagram following, they're going to be mean to you. If you want to go and work in an office, you probably will get picked on somewhere along the line. People are mean, you're not going to get along with everyone. So just live your life and be happy.

That we've had a really... She's six years old. Well, we've had a really similar situation with Fia recently. she's eight. And there was a bit of going on at school. Girls saying this, girl doesn't like me. Girls are next level with this. I mean, boys are next level with their mum love.

Girls are next level with... Girls doesn't like my trainers. Said my hair's not right. And I honestly was very... Until, I mean, at one point I thought right, we need to deal with this, but very similar to you. I was like, darling, this is life. Girls will...

Girls are the worst. And it would probably get worse. I said, and you're a gorgeous little girl. You're gorgeous as well, which I'm sorry, but will make it harder for you. you've got lovely hair, they're not going to like that. I was like, this is going to happen to you. And I said, normally it's a little bit of jealousy

and you'll probably do it to another girl down the road. I said, but you've got to just learn. My advice to her was make friends with everyone in the class. Make sure you've got plenty of friends. Don't just stick with one. So that if one is mean to you, you just go, sweet then. Here's my other friend. And I was very much like you.

I said, this is life, darling. You know, this is how it goes and you've got to get used to it and you've got to be used to people not liking your trainers. Fine, I do, bye-bye. Yeah, and you have to be, I think that's what you need teach them to be happy with who they are. And that's what I say to her. Be happy with who you are and be happy with your choices.

She's really bad at making decisions as well. So obviously if people are doing stuff in the class, that will... Yeah. Oh, should I do... Which one? Just do what you want to do. And you wear what you...

Within reason, because you... I'm terrible for this. I'm like, you can't wear those shoes with that. That doesn't go. That doesn't go. Yeah. Well, I don't have that problem. A radio is so fashionable.

Yeah. The theory is, to be fair. Like, yes. Yeah. And she's so girly. I was not girly. I was so like tomboy vibes. Thea is a, she's coming into it now, but she never has me. She's never been dolly, dressy, Cinderella dresses. But I think that's because I'm quite tomboyy. So I think she just kind of takes a lead from me. But no, I do agree. I think we've got to set these girls up for the real world because then they'll be well-rounded.

They'll be able to handle it much better because it's going to come. And you're not going to have your mum there all the time ringing up and fighting your battles. No. And I just couldn't be that mum. But then sometimes you think, oh, actually, I should be more that mum. Because then mum sort of like... But do you not think that the whole time that you're a mum, you spend the whole time thinking, no, this is the mum I am

and then thinking, maybe I should be a bit more like that mum. And I think it all comes back to what we've just said to the girls. Be who you are as a mum. But I feel like that people don't tell their kids now. So you know when you're that mum that tells them? So say like when she comes out of school, sometimes she'll come out on this like a whole big drive. And with a radio, it's like the biggest drama.

It's not just a quiet one. You know, you just think, just wait until we get in the car. They just don't do it in front of everyone. But like, I'm like, all right, like, that's enough now and I will tell her. Yeah. But you know, all the other moms, they're looking at you and judging you, be like, but I am going to tell her.

And then almost you want to be like, oh, I shouldn't. I should just sit back and do that other moms and just pretend that's not happening. No, I would say exactly that. I'd be like, hang on, wait till we get to the car. And then when we get, we have a thing where I say to what's the goss. Yeah. And she'll tell me the goss.

And I want us to be like that. I love to find out like, who's them what. I want to be like that with her because when she's older, I still want to know the goss. I want to know the goss even more so I can monitor the goss. I wanted to be able to come to me and tell me the goss. Well, I never had that problem because my friends all went to my mum.

I was your mum the one. The mum. Everyone went to her and I was like, can you all just stop going to my mum please? Yeah, but then at least you know what's going on. Yeah. Yeah. But it kind of desensitizes her.

Yeah. So then you look great. Yeah. I think that's a thing. But yeah, my mum is definitely that mum. She still is now. Everyone goes to my mum for the advice. But I think if you are real and you're more honest and you are open,

then people do tend to gravitate to them people. They are, my phone, James always says to me, you need to charge for this because my phone is like a hotline of advice for all my friends. What should I do? This has happened, that's happened. And I can, and I'm their voice noting well and up to my ears. I'm like, right, what I would suggest on this one is? and like trying to balance everything

but I think that's what it is when you are genuine they know they're not going to get any bullshit from you and that's why like when we do nip-tuck pod we do advice and stuff like that it's genuine it's not always right and we might not agree with it but we'll tell you the truth

and if you're making a mistake you're like an idiot we'll say do you have an insatiable fascination with the paranormal are you ready to dive headfirst into the eerie realms of the unexplained brace yourself

for the supernatural world is about to reveal all of its secrets on the paranormal activity podcast. And who better to guide you through this air-raising journey than myself, Yvette Fielding, renowned paranormal investigator. Every episode of paranormal activity takes you on an unforgettable adventure into the unknown. I share my own encounters, chilling experiences and exclusive insights into the world of the paranormal. But that's not all. The true heart of this podcast lies in the stories. evidence and questions shared by our devoted listeners. Like you, whether you're a seasoned paranormal enthusiast

or just starting to dip your toes into the waters of the supernatural. Paranormal activity with me, Yvette Fielding, is your ultimate destination. Will you dare to join me? Listen to paranormal activity with me, Yvette Fielding, wherever you get your podcast from. What sort of advice do you give on the pod? Terrible advice. It's terrible. We don't, it's not always dilemmas,

but we do get dilemmas in, and it can be, because the podcast is about literally everything. It can be right down from parenting advice very rarely. We don't really do parenting stuff, hence I'm on my own here. We don't really do the mum stuff loads. We're kind of a bit of a get away from that in a way.

A lot of its relationships, sex advice, not actual sex advice, because I'd be terrible with that. But, you know, that can... Would be your sex advice? Don't do. Don't bother. Don't bother. And don't say you're going to do it when you're not because they don't forget.

Put it in the diary. Put it in the diary. Yeah. Yeah. No, don't pretend you're going to because they will not forget. Will they forget to put the dishwasher on? Yes. Will they remember you promise them that evening? No. I'll never forget that. But yeah, that kind of thing. We do a lot of fashion and skincare and like all that makeup and stuff as well. So we get loads of advice. But a lot of it's friendship, relationships. And we're always just really very very very. We had one in that said, my boyfriend's done this, this and this. And we were like, he's cheating. He's having an. He's having an. He's having an. absolutely guarantee it, you need to leave him his cheating. Like, we'll say what we think. But people like that, I think. Unless you're wrong and they've left the boyfriend. And you're like, oh, well, we're not always right. Well, you're not always right though, are you? But that's what you feel.

That's what you're saying from where you feel. And it comes back to just being who you are. Because no one can slack you off if you're who you are. Because what can they say? Yeah, authentically you. And I feel like I'm authentically me. Do you think you've always been like that? Or do you think it's come on as you've got older?

I've always been the same. That's all I was hated at school. Not by people, like, the kids like me. My peers, my peers liked me. Just the teachers hated me. Yeah, they didn't like me either. Well, I was like my, might you? They either loved me or they hate me, but also I, I like, I'm like a truth seeker.

So if I feel like the teachers were lying, I'd be like, oh, that's a lie, isn't it? Do you not call them out? I was that annoying kid. Sometimes the people that, when you're that kind of person, the people that don't like, you tend to be the people that aren't 100% sure on themselves and what their stance is, whereas you meet someone, they may have a totally opposite opinion to you,

but if they are who they are, genuinely authentic, then they can appreciate you. And I don't agree with that, I think it's like, crap. And you go, yeah, I think you are. Done, yeah. That's fine. But it's the people that aren't 100% sure who they are are sure in their thoughts and beliefs

that can't bear you. But do you feel now, is how I feel that because we're giving so much on Instagram, TikTok, all this, we're fed so much that that's why people don't know who they are and what they believe in

and because we're like, this person, you do that, Kelsey does this, blow over out, that person does that, do you know what I mean? There's so many voices and stuff to listen to. It's all different. And even like down to food at the minute, now that is stressing me out

because my husband's quite into what we give the kids and I'm not really, but what we give the kids making sure, you know, we make small changes, sourdough, it started with the sourdough, then it turned to the organic, now we don't have, we don't have cordial, and, you know, we don't have anything with seed oils in. I do make him right. But that's, it is right, but that's another thing, though.

One person will be telling you, you should eat this, and then I see another reel from an expert saying that you shouldn't eat that, and it's the same kind of thing, and you're like, well, who do I believe, who do I be? I think is everything within reason because ultimately I think we are so worried about dying. I think that's like a key thing that everyone's so worried about death. And I think that stems from COVID because they kept telling us how many people died every day and that everyone's going to die. And I think this whole narrative of you can't be sick, you can't do this, is pushed on us. But when Tom got sick, obviously I went down a massive rabbit hole and like literally the deepest hole.

And then I sort of like climbed out of it. And with the kids, I'm just mindful. Yes. You know, do they have sweets? Yes. Do they have loads? No. Do I give them blue?

No. Like, there's just no way. Like, we went to Ninja Warrior. This is what gets me, right? So it's all fitness. It's all health. There, you can go and work out and do whatever. You've actually got people training there.

You've got kids doing it. It's absolutely fantastic. Then this side, you've got the calf. Yeah. They've got five slushy machines. No. And it's all just processed food Yeah

And it doesn't add up But I guess that's You know You were saying before About how much We get given from Instagram And how hard it is to know who you are Same principle applies

Use your mind Use your brain And take it all in moderation So when you've got one influencer saying this One saying that Take bits From each person That you like

And that you can follow And that you can follow And that you can follow There is no point in In starting a cold water I'm not going to do a cold water plunge every morning. Is it great if you probably? I can't do that.

But what I can do is perhaps take a bit of collagen here and that. I can perhaps. So I think people that are on Instagram just need to be mindful that there are different opinions and that's fine. You just take the bits you like. Even with the biohackers, I love watching the biohackers because I think, oh my God, you are so committed to what you're doing. But I believe in the soul journey and your soul journey is your soul journey.

So you can do all that and you are going to be so healthy from within. Yeah. But your soul journey is... It's still when it is. So do you believe that your soul journey, is that kind of that when your time's up, it's up? Is that a kind of... Yeah.

So regardless of what you eat, how you... Well, I think now they're exposed... Like, we're exposed to so much. Yeah. Like EMF, you know, the waves, the frequencies that we'll all get. So I think the toll in our body is a lot. But I think...

I think some things can obviously be, like, you know, like cancers and stuff like that. I think if you did some inner work, they could, I mean, this is going to be, there could be shifts. Yeah. But I do have, like. But you still believe that your path is your path type thing. Yeah. Yeah.

I do really. Yeah. There's some people, like, if they said to me, oh, I've got diagnosed with cancer, I'd be like, they're going to be okay. Yeah. They've been sent that because they've got alert. There's something else. There's a reason.

And there's always a reason. I was thinking about that. So when I drove here, I was thinking about, like, my path and how life throws curveballs at you, but I do believe in, I don't know if it's the universe, I don't know if it's got, I don't know what it is, but I believe that there's something higher and bigger than us and that when things come along,

they're almost there just to teach you and direct you. But that's the way you look at things. Even when you look at me, like people go, is there any more that girl can go through? How is she coping? How is she standing kind of thing? But I've been sent this stuff to help other people.

And I do believe that that is my journey and that is my purpose and I'm here to help. Like, why have I got a platform? Yeah. Why, like, it's been the most extreme experiences that have happened to. Absolutely, yeah. It's not just like anything.

No, it's not little things. These are huge. These are things that don't even happen ever in people's lives. And then too, bam. And I've learned so much and everything's been a journey and a path and I've, like, gone on the path and been like, right. Now this makes sense.

Now it makes sense. Hindsight is a beautiful thing. It's a wonderful thing. thing and it's a shame that we don't, we don't have it till it's been and gone. But should I tell you what no one listens to now? Their gut. The gut, the gut instinct, the feeling. The feeling. People don't, you've got to tune into it.

Your gut is so, it's connected to your brain. Yeah, and it will talk to you. Yeah. And you know. And you know. And you know. And you know. And you know.

But people don't. We're so scared. Because we're scared of everything. Aren't we? We're scared. But why are we scared? I mean, this is really turned deep. This is not what I expect.

Right. Anyway. The small thing. Why do you think that, though? Why do you think there's fear? Do you think we know more? Do you think we're given more bad stuff in our brains and eyes all the time? You look on Instagram, some of it's great, some of it's bad.

We can see things that we never used to be able to see. We don't know what's going on in the country. I just think we're fed so much more stuff. Like, now I look back. I went to school at 11 to London. I just traveled to London every single day. on my own at 11 years old. Would parents do that now?

No, because they're like, there's a paedophile hanging around. There's this, that, the other. Yeah, we know more. We were shown more. But that was still happening when I was 11. My mum just didn't see it. You weren't exposed to it. And then when you're exposed to constant fear everywhere,

it's easy to get sucked into that. I don't watch the news. Right, Lord, wrongly, probably wrongly. No, it's not. It's right. My husband does. He watches bits and he tells me things. I'm like, you keep that.

Because it frightens me. Because all I, what I've got right now, you leave me with my little thing. I don't, it's too scary. Also, you're enjoying life, you're doing your podcast. And I'm living for now and what my life is now. Not what it could be if this, that and the other happen to me. It hasn't yet.

Hasn't. So I'm just looking at what I've got right now. And also, when you talk about the universe, when you look at things over and over and over again. It comes to you. I agree. And that's positive. It's like manifesting bad.

Yeah, I agree. And I also just think in general, having good energy and being positive, listen, we're not all positive all the time. That is just impossible. But when that negative thought creeps in, if you can switch it, it'll change a day. And it sounds, I used to think, when people talk like that, I think, shut. I used to think, oh, shut. I used to think like that.

I used to think, shut up. But I don't know if it's because I'm older, I've experienced more, I've been through really shit times and then been okay after. So then I've realized, I mean, not like you, but like certain things that have happened to me, they've been really, really shit. And in that moment, it was really horrible. I was always all right.

I was always all right again. And I think when that's happened to you a few times, like I said, I lost my dad when I was 19, I've had other deaths and a divorce. And when you're all right at the end of it, you actually think, ah, so everything is always. going to be alright and that gives you a different perspective.

100%. If you haven't been through anything, then there's the fear. The fear of things going wrong. Yeah. And it's just we're all fear driven. But you can't, you have to be positive.

Even with Tom, people used to say like, because we were the positive parkers. But we've got no other option because why are we going to be like, oh right, yeah, he has got the worst brain tube you could possibly have like, car reckon he's only got a week, he might die.

Yeah. Like, why would you go? Why would you do that? That's just the worst thing in the world. And he had 18 months. And because we were so positive, I 100% believe that our positivity and my positivity towards him

was that kept him going. But also that if you think, my dad died of a brain tumor actually. It was really, really quick. And if, you know, he had that time, those 18 months, they could have been full of negativity or positivity.

And the ending was the same, but those last bits of his life were they positive or negative? They were positive, so... Of course you're going to do that. Do people think, because you're positive, you're delusional. Well, that's fine. I'm all right with that. I'll be deliolu, let them think that.

Maybe we are. Fine. Yeah. That's fine. You do you or do me? I think we are delusional. We're not. We're not. We're right. So, back to... Where were we? Jesus. I mean, we've gone really deep.

We digressed. This is literally... I meant to be the fun one. Like I'm meant to be nipped up, not giving out. I just make everyone deep on here. Do I make everyone deep dumb? Only if they've got it in them. If they've got it in the locker.

I've got it in abundance. Just pull it out of them. Here we go. You start speaking. She's got it. She's got it. Let's get a deeper. Let's get a deeper insists.

So we have spoken about the podcast, but do you love doing it? Yeah. Do you know what? We started the podcast about four years ago. And when we started, it was meant to be a one-off. episode. Okay. Why? Why was just going to do one? Because if you thought it was shit. No, because basically,

really, I hate talking about it, but there's a website called Tattle Life. You might know what it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I, me and my friend Ashley were on there quite a lot, not as much as celebrities, but the fact is, what people talking about you on there? Oh yeah. What did they say? Shit, mom, terrible face, terrible this, that, the other boyfriend, this boyfriend, this boyfriend, that boyfriend. But the funny thing is, we weren't famous, we aren't famous, we weren't on Love Island, and we weren't on telly nothing. So it's just literally people following your socials. I only had about 10,000 followers.

So you're actually bothering 10,000 people? I'm really pissing them off. So they went on there, and somebody, some idiot, message me and said, do you know you're on tat? Oh, thank you. So obviously I went on it. Why?

I was oblivious. Went on, it read these streams. Have you seen a new boyfriend, heard a husband left her. Have you seen her with the baby? She's not strapped the baby in properly. That poor baby saw a drink in a glass of wine next to the baby.

And it was, And I was like, shit. And then the discovered... It blows my mind though, because how do they actually... So that's all from your Instagram, though, got that. Or do you think it's someone you actually know? A mixture. Absolutely mixture.

Because people were saying, oh, bits about my dad, about my family. So there was a... I'd love to know. I would, but I don't care anymore. But at the same time, they realised I was friends with Ashley, who is a mad character. She's absolutely fantastic. She is married into the Stobart family.

You know, the trucks, Eddie Stobart. Oh, right, yeah. different world to me. Well, she's married into that family. So they kind of grabbed her and they were, she was interesting to them because she's wealthy and this and the other. And we're both on it.

And there was a double thread. And I, just towards the end of lockdown, I said, I think we should do an Instagram live where we go on and we say because they thought I was a prostitute because I was going to Dubai. I mean, I'm not, but if I was out, fine. Like, I'd have more money if I was,

but they thought I was. it's just how they get this So we were like right We're going to do a lie I was like I'm going to do an Instagram live She went no I think we can do better than that Darling I think we can do better than that

And I was like what? We're going to do a podcast I was like what's that Don't listen to podcasts Still don't now really Don't have time I sit in silence Because I'm always overstimulated

Who are you kids I literally sit in silence I swear no music nothing I just drive like a psycho And we did one We went to a studio We paid We did one episode

We released it, put it on our Instagram because of these nosy buggers it went to something like number was it number one or two in our society and culture in our chart we were like... What was that? The prostitute job.

I'm number one in that. It was a joke, that was a job, guys. So yeah, it went to number one. So we were like, shit, we better do another. So we did another, then another, then another. And it just snowboarded. And now it's my full-on job. Like that...

We've just signed with Bowie. It's my full-on job. And we go every week and we chat shit and people love it. And I don't know how, but you do. And it's just got bigger and bigger. And we just talk about so many different things. It's a comical one.

But it's a bit like turning that negativity from Tattle into something really positive and a bit of a fuck you. Well, thank you because I don't have a 9 to 5 now. So thank you to the prostitute comments. So what was you doing before? I worked in cosmetic surgery sales, so I used to sell tips for about 10 years, actually.

And then that's where I met Ashley, so we've known each other since those days. And that's why the podcast is called Nip Tuck, because our love of the whole cosmetic surgery world, that's how it kind of started. But that's not what the podcast's about anymore. It's about all sorts, but that is where it started. And then, yeah, and then I started doing the pod, and it just... It's not the domino effect.

It just grew. And that's the thing, you're saying about the positive, if I'd have known, because I deleted my Instagram for three months and went into an absolute hold, like I'd go to Astor and think, because I think, is it you? Is it you? Are you saying this about me? Are you, somebody said like, Saw her in Tesco before.

Like, so I was on edge. It's quite scary. My friend had it that they knew her house and everything. It's scary. She's not famous. She just is an influencer. Not just an influencer. No, but that's, she's an influencer.

They get it at the worst sometimes. The kids, they put, where the kids go to school. They did her house. Yeah. And it's probably people that we actually know. It's probably people from the school. And this is what really frightened me. Yeah, and it blows my mind.

Because I thought I could be saying, hi, yeah, you're right. How's the kids. and then you're going home. It would be really nice and kind to someone. You're going home with a packet of crisps and on the key part. It's scary, so I deleted Instagram for a while.

But then that's just the perfect example of, yes, at the time it was shit, but if someone had said to me, Lauren, you feel really bad now. But in four to five years, your whole job is going to be a podcast talking. You're going to be on a podcast with a podcast. You're going to be on a podcast. I would have been like, surely not I can't stand her.

I would have been like, no. So again, it's, how. how you look at things and you look at a shit situation, but it might be the turning point. But what upsets me the most of that is someone has driven you to come off something that you love for three months because of their negativity.

I just think, when will the world stop with this? It was absolutely awful. I mean, I'm not on TikTok, really. I've got an account and I'll go on it a bit, but when we do the nip-took on, when we do the videos on TikTok, oh, it's spicy on there. What are the comments? They are horrible.

Insta's not too bad for me, but TikTok is unpleasant. Shall I tell you where's bad? The Daily Mail. Oh, I don't read that. Well, believe it or not, I don't really go in the daily. No one really wants me to be in the daily mail. No, no, but when I get on there, right? And the comments bad.

But why, why are you so bothered? Why am I triggering you? I'm just getting about my day. It's the triggering. Why have I triggered you that badly? Yeah, but people are so easily triggered. And again, it comes right back to. And that's why I hate that word, triggered.

Triggered. Oh. a trigger warning. Well, listen, someone said it about the pod the other day. I can't remember. We made a joke. And I thought, listen, this podcast, if we're doing trigger warnings, we're going to be your old day with the potential. Everything. Trigger warning. And you can, a trigger can be anything. I could say I don't like this yellow mic. It's triggering me. Freeze. It's triggered the yellow mic. It can be anything. Oh, absolutely. Go on Tattle and say what you want to say. It's still going, I believe.

But I've not looked at it for years. I can't. That does, you don't want to hear that shit. about yourself. But I mean, on there, what the vile place is like, mums that have lost babies to cancer and stuff and leukemia and they're on there and there. And if that's happening, if that kind, if that's trolling's going on, then we've got no hope. We have got no hope, haven't we? But then, well, there was a program where they went and called a troll out. They filmed it. Oh, and they cried then and they say. Oh, they committed suicide. So this is the other, this is a problem. You then, because of the society we're in, you don't dare say anything. So you find out who it is, you can't help them.

You can't go and knock on the door because if they then decide to do something afterwards, you're the villain, you're the bully, not them anymore. So things are just can't do it. I would knock on their door and march up their stairs. That goes back to school because I would call people out. So say if someone was actually bullying, I would go and be like, right, why are you doing that and stand up to the bully?

Yeah, and then they'd cry. And you're the bully. I'd get called into the headmaster. I'd be like, right, Kelsey, you've been bullying. I'm like, no. What happened is? I have stood up for myself and my friends. Yeah, I think even from a young age, standing up for yourself is seen often as a negative thing,

especially as women. Well, you're the loud mouth. Yeah. Especially as women. You know, you're the loud mouth, you're the gobby one. But actually, shouldn't we be teaching our kids to stand up for themselves to a degree and there's a time and a place?

But sometimes you do have to stand up for yourself, otherwise what's the point? Or I'll stand up for you. When this little thing happened at school, with the, who took all my strength, not to march, up to the playground moms

and point fingers. We can't do that. Because then you're as bad as then you're as bad as them. You can't do that. It's frowned upon. Yeah. And you do just have to let it go a bit because they will fight their own battles.

Yeah. I feel like we've really talked around but thank you so much. You're welcome. I've loved it. I've loved it. Is anything you want to promote or whatever? No.

I feel like that was quite deep. I'm chill. I'm good. It's been lovely to come on. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Bye-bye. That's a wrap on another episode of Mums the Word.

Thank you so much for joining us today as we were joined by the amazing Lauren Adamson. Don't forget to leave us a review. Follow us on our socials at Mums the Word underscore pod and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch our episodes in full. Just search Mums the Word. Until next time, I'm Kelsey Parker.

And this is Mum's the Word. And we'll be back with another episode, same time, same place next week.