Matrescence, Micro-Joy & the White Flamingo with Dr. Katie Cooper

About this episode

Dr. Katie Cooper discusses matrescence, the importance of play, and finding micro moments of joy in parenting.

In this episode, Emily and Renee are joined by Dr. Katie Cooper - a recovering academic with a PhD in Earth Sciences turned play facilitator, and the creator of The White Flamingo, a community supporting women through the transition into motherhood. Katie unpacks matrescence (think: adolescence, but with sleep deprivation and a tiny human to keep alive), why so many mums feel adrift without the language to explain it, and how radical honesty + play can help parents reconnect with themselves. Along the way, we talk about micro moments of joy (glimmers), perfectionism, building community in a nuclear-family world, and why we need to stop minimising our own experience with a single word: “but.” In this episode, we cover: What matrescence is and why it explains so much The origin story of The White Flamingo (and the surprisingly perfect flamingo metaphor) Why modern parenting spaces often focus on the baby… and leave the parent behind Two powerful rules: No poo chat & No “buts” (only ands) How play changes as we age - and how to expand your “play diet” again Micro moments of joy you can orchestrate when life feels monotonous Dance parties, daydreaming, and the “dose of joy”…

People in this episode

Hosts: Emily, Renee

Guest: Dr Katie Cooper

Topics covered

• matrescence
• micro-joy
• parenting
• community
• play
• self-improvement

Keywords

• Earth Sciences
• The White Flamingo
• radical honesty
• perfectionism
• comparison

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The White Flamingo

Books & works: PhD, The White Flamingo

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