Motherhood, Careers and the Mental Load: Anna and Zena’s ‘Third Way’

A school run, a missing orange cap and a hunt for seagull sounds turn into something much bigger in this episode of Hearts and Handlebars, a parenting podcast about modern motherhood and (double shift) working mums. As BBC journalist Anna Holligan and her daughter Zena pedal through The Hague, they talk about three generations of mums in their family – a great‑grandmother who worked only in her husband’s business, a Nana who stayed at home to raise four children, and a modern mum trying to balance being present with a career she loves. Together they ask what a “proper job” really is, why being a stay‑at‑home mum can be both beautiful and stifling, and whether there’s a “third way” of motherhood that keeps the playfulness and dedication of previous generations without losing women’s ambitions and careers. Along the way there are class reps, ducks on honeymoon, wishes on dandelion clocks and a vision for animals for Britain’s new coins – all woven into a candid conversation about motherhood, money, the mental load and what kind of parent today’s kids might want to be tomorrow.   #heartsandhandlebars #parentingpodcast #motherhood  #mumlife #modernmotherhood #parentingtips #sahm