'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag

'Crying Cafes' & A Mother-In-Law Red Flag

From Parenting Out Loud by Mamamia Podcasts

May 22, 2026 · 32 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the pressures of new motherhood, viral family dilemmas, and unique support systems like Japan's crying cafes.

Sienna Miller and Laura Henshaw are presenting two very different versions of new motherhood in our feeds — so why is the internet upset with both of them? Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester and Stacey Hicks dive into the unrealistic expectations on new mums and how there might be no right answer. Also, Mandy Moore has officially entered the chat over Ashley Tisdale’s viral ‘toxic’ mum group essay back in January, and suddnely it feels like we're back in high school. Plus, Japan's late-night ‘crying cafes’ offer the ultimate sanctuary for exhausted mothers, and it’s made us think about the other midnight hotlines we absolutely need right now. And, a grandmother's dilemma goes viral after she joins her grandchildren's PTA without asking. We unpack the unwritten rules of family boundaries and why tension is the price we pay for a village. New Mamamia subscribers get $40 off — $20 off an annual membership and $20 off your TWOOBS order. Click here to subscribe . Already a subscriber? Click here for your $20 TWOOBS discount code . T&C's apply. Reccos Amelia recommends Evil Witches, an irreverent email newsletter that perfectly…

People in this episode

Hosts: Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester, Stacey Hicks

Topics covered

  • new motherhood
  • family boundaries
  • unrealistic expectations
  • viral dilemmas
  • crying cafes
  • parenting challenges

Keywords

  • new motherhood
  • family boundaries
  • crying cafes
  • viral dilemmas
  • parenting expectations
  • Mandy Moore
  • Ashley Tisdale

Sponsors

Mamamia

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mamamia

Products: TWOOBS

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