321: Life hacks for the teenage years with Nicole Howes

The Scummy Mummies Podcast

Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn

Kids & Family, Self-improvement, Parenting, Education

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How do you get teens to talk to you? Why do they need to sleep so much? And where the hell are they putting all that food? Helping us to answer all these questions is author Nicole Howe!

She tells us all about her new book, Not a Survival Guide. We talk about the highs and lows of having teenage kids, and share our top tips for getting through. Nicole reveals why it's important to manage our expectations, and suggests some ways we can make things easier on ourselves, and our teens.

As always, we share some Scummy Mummy Confessions - this time involving shaving, a leaking swim nappy, and a smoking food processor. Plus: how does Ellie keep spoiling Love is Blind for Helen using just her eyebrows?

You can follow Nicole on Instagram @bynicolehowes.

Huge thanks to everyone who's already been to see our Hot Mess show . We're touring right through this year and next - Canterbury and Wimborne this week, then in November we're coming to Bath, Stamford, Leatherhead, Catford and Twickenham.

Our Christmas tour kicks off on 26 November in Maidenhead, followed by Chelmsford, Chipping Norton, Guildford and Norwich. Many nights are already SOLD OUT so get your tickets now!

And of course we're touring throughout 2026... Tickets make excellent Christmas gifts! Send us an Instagram DM and we'll happily do a quick video telling the recipient about their present!

All dates and tickets via scummymummies.com.

*WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY!

We're on X, Instagram, and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe.

Thank you for listening!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Mia?
0:01.3	Yeah?
0:01.9	Don't forget flu vaccine today.
0:03.8	Really?
0:04.7	Yeah, online consent form signed ages ago.
0:07.7	It helps stop you getting really poorly with flu or passing it on to your baby brother.
0:12.0	If you have a child in reception to year 11, help protect them with a flu nasal spray vaccine.
0:17.0	Your child's consent form could arrive by email, text through your school app or in their bag.
0:21.7	Look out for it and complete it.
0:23.9	Stay strong, get vaccinated.
0:26.2	Find out more at NHS.uk slash child-hyphen flu.
0:30.1	This October half term, celebrate Halloween with the whole family at Twist Museum, London's Home of Illusions.
0:37.0	Head down to Oxford Street and step into a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:41.4	With daily live magic shows, a free haunted hunt activity trail and fun Halloween decorations
0:46.7	throughout the museum.
0:48.2	Whether you're a tiny trick or treater or a grown-up ghoul, there are tricks, treats and
0:52.6	eerie discoveries waiting just for you.
0:55.1	Book in advance and save 10% with Code Podcast 10 at twistmuseum.com.
1:05.6	Hello, scumbags, this is the Scummy Mummy's podcast.
1:10.6	With your hosts, Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorne.
1:19.1	Hello and welcome to the Scummy Mummy's podcast. It's me, Helen Thorne. And it's me, Ellie Gibson.
1:23.7	Ellie Gibson, we've got a guest today. It's the wonderful author, Nicole Howells. How's you? Hi, Nicole. Welcome to the podcast. Who are you, Nicole Howes? I am an author, mother of two, and I've recently written a book called Not a Survival Guide. Not a Survival Guide to Life, Zombie Apocalypse. Well, it may as well be. It's about teenagers.
	...

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