Friday Q&A: Mel Johnson on Solo Parenthood

·34 min·3 clips

At 37, Mel Johnson's fear of missing out on motherhood became greater than her fear of doing it alone.

It starts in the usual podcast bustle. After the promos and Friday housekeeping, Zoe and Georgia introduce Mel Johnson as a coach, speaker, advocate, and solo parent doing family her own way. Then the chat narrows. The host asks about young men online, fathers, and whether a solo-parent family needs a father figure. Mel answers by going back to people who have lived it. She has interviewed donor-conceived people raised by solo parents, because their answers told her more than theory could. The answer is not tidy. Some cared about male role models. Younger voices often cared less about gender and more about whether the adults around them were steady. That is where the conversation is strongest. Mel does not pretend one adult can do everything, and she does not buy the panic that one family shape comes with one fixed hole in it. Her daughter has a wider circle: her brother, her dad, friends, and friends' husbands, all giving her connection, perspective, and somewhere else to go. It is practical, not polished for effect. The point is to help a child build real relationships with trusted people, especially when talking to mum feels too loaded. Then the host asks the tougher part. Does Mel tell her daughter when she is exhausted, not coping, or having a moment, or does she keep the strong-parent front up? She says no, firmly. She talks about apologising, naming when she said the wrong thing, and explaining that she was cross instead of pretending it did not happen. There is relief in that answer. Solo parents do not have to be superhuman. Openness, repair, and a dependable wider circle can carry more than the perfect front ever could.

As heard by us

A steady look at solo parenting, centered on role models, honesty, and lived experience.

Mel Johnson brings a steady, practical account of solo parenting, with attention to the people and examples that matter most. The emphasis stays on trusted adults, family, and friends as a child's support network, and on the plain value of admitting when things are not going…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A frank, steady listen if solo parenting is on your mind today.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Made by Mammas: The Podcast