The Resilient Kid

"Make it sound easy." — James, age 8 WHAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT This week Ashley is joined by special guests Malou, founder of Period Reality, and her eight-year-old daughter James, co-author of The Woo Cycle . Together they explore how simple, honest conversations can help children understand periods without fear or shame. James shares the beautiful metaphor that inspired the book: "The womb make...

"She'll know. She'll just know." WHAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT This episode is for every parent raising a girl, especially those who were never given the full picture themselves. We follow Diane, a mum who grew up in a home where periods were called “being poorly”, and Rob, a dad who wants to be someone his daughter can talk to but worries he does not know enough. He does. And so do you. We cover fem...

"He is going to remember that you showed up." WHAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT This episode is a practical guide for parents who want to talk to boys about puberty, bodies and growing up, but are not sure where to begin. We follow two families: Mark, a dad who got through his own puberty in silence and wants something different for his son Theo; and Priya, a single mum raising her son Jude, wo...

"The silence is never neutral. It always teaches something. The question is only what." WHAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT Welcome to Season 11 of The Resilient Kid Podcast — The Talk . This season is dedicated to the conversations many parents dread, but many children desperately need: puberty, periods, consent, bodies, relationships and sex. In this first episode, we look at why so many grown-ups avoid...

I Don't Even Know What I'm Feeling Half the Time. How Am I Supposed to Help Him Know What He's Feeling? When you were a child — when you were scared, sad, overwhelmed or angry — what happened? Not what should have happened. What actually happened. For some people, someone came. Someone sat with them, helped them make sense of what they were feeling and showed them that emotions could b...

I Think This Is Me. I Think I Gave This To Them. When your child is anxious — when the stomach aches appear on Monday mornings, when worries multiply overnight, when the school gate becomes a battleground — where do you look for the reason? Most of us look outward. School. Friends. Social media. The state of the world. But sometimes, and I say this with every ounce of compassion, anxiety can be cl...

Ashley is joined by Neil Lewis (The Empathy Coach) and Becky Percival (Rebecca Percival Coaching), the co-founders of the Warrington Wellbeing Festival, for a conversation about community wellbeing, future-proofing our children, and creating spaces where families feel supported. Now in its fourth year, the festival has grown into a thriving community event, and this year The Resilient Kid team wil...

"Trust is not given. It is earned. Slowly, quietly, in the accumulation of ordinary moments." In all the years I’ve been doing this work — sitting with young people and their families, walking into schools, being in the rooms where the real conversations happen — one thing comes up more than any technique, model or framework. People heal when they feel safe enough to be honest. And they...

"The small things are not the consolation prize when the big things aren't available. The small things are the thing." It's Mental Health Week, and this episode is not going to tell you to do more. It is not going to give you a seventeen-step programme or add to the already very long list of things you feel like you should be doing and aren't quite managing. Because the scien...

"No one's ever actually said that to me before." People heal when they feel safe enough to be honest. And they feel safe enough to be honest when someone has shown them — consistently, over time — that they are not going anywhere. At The Resilient Kid, everything we do comes back to two things: meeting young people where they are, and wrapping around them 360 degrees. Because a young person doesn’...

"You made this place look like somewhere worth being." Can I ask you something personal? When did you first feel like you truly belonged somewhere? Not tolerated. Not managed. Not just allowed to exist in the room. But wanted. Expected. Like the space would feel different if you weren’t there. For some of you, that feeling came early — a family dinner table, a school team, a bedroom that...

What This Episode Is About Have you ever had a teacher who truly saw you — not your grades, not your reputation, not your behaviour record, but you? In this episode, we tell the story of Jamie — a child labelled, managed, and quietly written off — and the teacher who refused to go along with the script. Ms. Okafor didn't have a magic wand. She had something more powerful: curiosity, consistenc...

This season, we’re exploring one powerful question: Who made a difference in your life? In this heartfelt episode, Ashley sits down with Sarah Hughes , co-organiser of Womanifest , mum of four, and business owner, to explore the impact of one person who changed everything for her. From self-doubt and feeling stuck… to building a business, stepping into leadership, and helping run a transformationa...

This month on The Resilient Kid Podcast , we’re exploring a powerful theme: one person who made a difference in your life . In this episode, Ashley is joined by friend of the show, Sarah Vogel , for a thoughtful and heartfelt conversation about the person who changed the direction of Sarah’s life — a colleague and dear friend, Dr Elaine Swan . What started as one simple comment in a London departm...

Mother’s Day can look like breakfast in bed, family roasts, and a full, noisy house… But for many, it’s also a day that brings mixed emotions — grief, distance, complicated relationships, or quiet reflection. In this episode, I share a personal story about my mum — not for the everyday things we often associate with motherhood, but for something deeper. Her courage....

With Ruby O’Brien In this episode of The Resilient Kid Podcast , Ashley speaks with an inspiring young leader, Ruby O'Brien and winner of the Womanifest Future Voice Award. Ruby perfectly represents the heart of this podcast series, Only Takes One Person — because behind her journey is a youth worker who asked two powerful words that changed everything: “Why not?” As a youn...

We often hear the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child.” And while community matters, research consistently shows something powerful: the single greatest protective factor in a child’s life is one stable, supportive adult . One person who believes in them. One person who advocates for them. One person who stays steady when life feels uncertain. This episode launches a brand-new series on Th...

The Power of Dads, Community & Connection With Rob from Davenham & Macclesfield Dads Club What does it really mean to be a dad in 2026? In this powerful and heartfelt episode, I’m joined by Rob, founder of Davenham Dads Club and Macclesfield Dads Club, to talk about modern fatherhood, male mental health, and why community matters more than ever. This isn’t about criticising sch...

As my youngest turns 16 and prepares for his final year of school, I found myself reflecting on a bigger question: Are we building systems that nurture who young people are becoming — or are we asking them to constantly adapt to pressure? In this episode, I explore the growing gap between academic performance structures and emotional wellbeing support in education. This isn’t about criticising sch...

The Hidden Emotional Labour of School Staff (And Why It’s Breaking You) 🎙️ The Hidden Emotional Labour of School Staff (And Why It’s Breaking You) Teachers and school staff are walking out of buildings every day completely exhausted — not because the day was dramatic, but because it was relentless. In this episode, Ashley explores the hidden emotional labour inside schools — the constant co-regula...

More children are starting school without the skills they need to feel confident, settled, and ready to learn — and it’s not because parents don’t care. In this episode, Ashley explores why so many nursery-aged children are being described as “not school ready,” what professionals across early years and education are seeing, and how small, everyday changes at home can make a big difference. With w...

Low mood in children often shows up in ways that are easy to misinterpret — especially in January. In this Blue Monday week episode, Ashley explores what low mood can look like in children, what’s happening in the brain, and how parents and teachers can respond in ways that support recovery rather than add pressure. This episode is for anyone supporting children at home or in school. In this episo...

Mornings and bedtimes often take the biggest hit after the holidays — and this episode explains why. Ashley breaks down what’s happening in children’s brains during transitions, why routines fall apart before they improve, and how parents and carers can support calmer starts and smoother evenings without constant battles. This is a practical, reassuring episode for families who are feeling stretch...

January is often sold as a “fresh start”, but for many families it feels anything but. In this episode, Ashley explores why January can be emotionally and behaviourally challenging for children, teens, and parents — and why this doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong. Using child development and brain science, this episode reframes January as a  nervous-system recovery period , not a time for pressu...

How do we cultivate motivation at any age? In this episode of the Resilient Kid Podcast , Ashley Costello explores how to foster motivation in children, teens, and adults. She dives into what drives motivation, including intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and offers strategies to create environments that inspire curiosity, play, identity, and belonging. Special attention is given to supporting neuro...