Episode 2 - siblings
Four 30+ white women sit close on a grey sofa
In the second episode Lauren and Rina speak to Gemma Sherlock and Jess Honeyball, both mothers of disabled and non disabled children about their experiences of those sibling relationships, parenting and making the decision to have more children.
Click here to access the full transcript of this episode
This is an emotional, incredibly heart warming and, as always, funny as f**k discussion. Both Gemma and Jess talk openly about their individual IVF journeys, the births, surgery, diagnosis and where they and their children are now.
Both Mums talk frankly about the process of moving through the acceptance of their first children’s early days to deciding to have more children.
They share wonderful stories about their children’s unique characters and how that plays out between siblings in daily life.
Content Warnings
IVF Stories
Miscarriage
Newborn brain hemorrhage and surgery
Drug resistant epilepsy
Birth stories
Guest Biography
Gemma Sherlock lives in North London with her husband Rohan and two boys, Jasper, aged 7 and Spike, 3. Gemma followed her love of sculptural installations into a Degree in Art History and onto a career in Architecture. Her passion is manipulating existing buildings to create exciting interior spaces. These days, when not running around after the boys you can find Gemma in the Ladies Pond on Hampstead Heath or with a glass in hand nattering somewhere with friends. As a family they spend as much time as they can by the sea at their home in Cornwall.
Gemma says ‘I feel so lucky to have found myself amongst an indomitable group of people parenting children with additional needs and disabilities. Together we laugh, cry and muddle-through. We hope our Podcast will let others know they are not alone’.
Jess Honeyball is mum to 5 year old twins Freddie & Dylan, and 2 year old Leo. Jess lives in Crouch End, London with her husband Dan and kittens Margot & Jerry. Jess says ‘at least I have one female on my team, even if feline…’
‘I adore storytelling, to my children and for a living. I work as a Producer and Director in non scripted television, and am kind of making it work juggling being a mum and working full time. My way of releasing tension (there’s a lot!) is through bootcamp and barre. My parents were musicians, so playing and seeing my boys respond to music is one of my greatest joys! I look forward to the days that they can play instruments themselves. I feel extremely lucky to be so plugged in to Reach, the charity for children and families with upper limb difference. For Freddie, seeing and playing with other children who look like him, and continue to push and smash the boundaries of what’s expected is magical and vital.’
Resources
Sinead Burke’s Book – Break the Mould
https://www.sinead-burke.com/break-the-mould
Our podcast is focussed on the experience of us as parents of disabled children and how we navigate our world, we don’t attempt to educate our listeners on our children’s conditions. However, we would like to encourage self motivated education and if you would like to find out more about the conditions mentioned in this episode please find links below:
Hydrocephalus
www.shinecharity.org.uk/hydrocephalus/hydrocephalus
Cerebral Palsy
www.nhs.uk/conditions/cerebral-palsy/
Epilepsy
ESES Syndrome
Reach
Poland syndrome
