Fun Dad Dean & Wife: Unfiltered

You told us the parenting beliefs you refuse to budge on, your total non-negotiables, and we’re debating them properly. After surviving Christmas Jumper Day chaos, we get into your strongest takes: no major life decisions in the first year after having a baby, whether kids should hit back if they’re hit, the whole united front thing (and why it falls apart in real life), sleep training, counting down discipline, TVs in bedrooms, and the never-ending argument about food rules and “picky eaters.” Plus: You Be The Judge: in-laws who say they want to see the kids but never invite you over. Do you stop hosting, or keep the peace?

Dean and Sara are weekly for now (for their sins), and this episode they’re dragging modern parenting trends straight to the bin. From gender reveal parties and pre-teen skincare “glow ups”, to phones in primary school and screens before the school run, they’re asking: are we all just sleepwalking into raising addicted, anxious mini adults? They also get into the pressure of kids “choosing” their secondary schools, OTT advent calendars that are basically 25 days of presents, and the ever-present “Mama needs a wine” culture now that Sara’s taken a long, hard look at her own relationship with booze. Plus, Dean has a go at shouty sideline sports parents, there’s a Movember moustache mishap, and in this week’s “You Be The Judge” Sara puts Dean on the stand over one very serious domestic crime: doing a poo with the bathroom door wide open. If you like your parenting chat honest, sweary, a bit judgy (but self-aware) and genuinely useful, this one’s for you.

In this episode, Dean and Sara tackle two big parenting headaches: whether kids should be watching I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (and all the adult chat that comes with it), and the growing pressure around Christmas.   They chat about what age they let their girls watch the show, how much of the jungle drama and sex talk is suitable for little ears, and whether Dean could actually survive the trials himself. Then it’s onto Christmas: the unseen mental load, how much to spend on presents, whether siblings need equal-value gifts, if Santa should get all the credit, and whether we’re accidentally raising kids to expect too much.   They finish with a listener dilemma: a 21-year-old son’s girlfriend who eats, stays over, but never says hello or thank you. Is Mum being unreasonable, or is it just bad manners?   Perfect for anyone juggling screen time, Christmas pressure and grown-up kids with partners – with plenty of laughs (and a few savage truths) along the way.

This week, Dean and Sara wade back into the wonderful, chaotic, emotionally charged swamp that is the mental load - and they swear it’s a discussion, not an argument… despite already having an argument about the argument earlier that morning. With no guest to interrupt them, it’s full unfiltered Dean vs. Sara energy as they unpack: 🔥 What’s Inside This Episode Why mums often end up the default parent (and why Dean sometimes forgets the tumble dryer even exists) Emotional vs. financial responsibility - the invisible tug-of-war How “helping” isn’t helping if it’s your house too Childcare, societal expectations, and why breakfast clubs are both a blessing and a sad indictment of modern family life The constant project management mode of parenting The big question: Should society adapt work to fit parenting instead of forcing parenting to fit work? Why Sara dreams of a world where she can actually cut toenails on time Why Dean would absolutely leave washing up for 24 hours without blinking   Here's where you can find us on our other socials... Instagram: 👉 Dean 👉 Sara 👉 Fun Dad Dean & Wife: Unfiltered Podcast YouTube: 👉 Fun Dad Dean & Wife: Unfiltered Podcast TikTok: 👉 Dean 👉 Fun Dad Dean & Wife: Unfiltered Podcast   Sign Up for Our Parenting Unfiltered Newsletter: 👉 Subscribe Here

Half-term’s over and the house is loud again. Dean stayed home for football duty while Sara hid in a rain-lashed caravan with the Halloween-hating six-year-old - guess who actually parented? We swap notes on one-on-one time vs the chaos of two kids, then play Fact or Fiction with research-ish claims about family dinners, letting kids win, boredom, late nights, and whether dads doing housework really changes daughters’ ambitions. Also on the docket: the roast dinner that turned into a row (Celine Dion at full blast may have featured), a mini-war over swearing rules, and You Be The Judge: should Dean take our anxious 11-year-old to her first West Ham match? It’s relatable, honest, sarcastic, and just enough stats to sound clever without being boring.