The Mental Load: “How Can Tech Help Parents?’” (w/ Avni Patel Thompson & Verity Tuck)
In this episode, Leah and Haley chat with Avni Patel Thompson, founder of Milo & Verity Tuck and co-founder of Goldee AI, about how technology can help lighten the mental load of parents. Avni and Verity share how AI and language modeling are streamlining day-to-day tasks, easing the mental burden, and letting parents breathe a little easier. Tune in for real-life stories and practical insights on using tech to help share the load and make parenting a little bit easier!"Download the Milo and Goldee apps to help lighten the load. Find Goldee on Instagram @goldee.ai or visit www.goldee.ai. Connect with Milo on Instagram @join_milo or head to www.joinmilo.com. Use the code "Missperceived25" to start using Milo today!" Follow Leah Ruppanner at https://www.instagram.com/prof.leah/Follow the MissPerceived Podcast on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missperceivedpodcast
--------
49:52
Do Blondes Make More Money?
Does having blonde hair make women more successful—or just more stereotyped? In this episode, Leah dives into the “beauty premium” and how looks influence salaries, opportunities, and social treatment. Join us as we unpack the societal impact of beauty standards and whether looking a certain way can lead to better outcomes or reinforce unfair biases.Follow Leah Ruppanner at https://www.instagram.com/prof.leah/Follow the MissPerceived Podcast on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missperceivedpodcast
--------
17:54
The Mental Load: How Do we Create Space to Let Women Shine? (w/ Eve Rodsky)
Leah and Haley are joined by Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play, to reframe how we understand the mental load. They explore how men and women conceptualise invisible labour, the systems that uphold these imbalances, and how boundaries and communication can essential to creating more equitable and fair partnerships. Eve shares real-life stories of couples negotiating their mental loads using the Fair Play system—not just as a way to split tasks, but as a tool for reimagining fairness at home.Follow Leah Ruppanner at https://www.instagram.com/prof.leah/Follow the MissPerceived Podcast on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missperceivedpodcast
--------
52:32
Does Being a Parent Make You a Bad Employee?
In this episode, we challenge the misconception that being a parent makes you a bad employee. We dive into how taking time out for caregiving can be career enhancing, how parenting skills are highly transferable to the workplace, and why these skills are crucial for the future of work. Plus, we introduce the Parenting Work Skills Certificate—our team’s initiative to highlight the value of parenting in professional settings. Tune in to discover how the experience of being a parent can enhance your professional journey!Follow Leah Ruppanner at https://www.instagram.com/prof.leah/Follow the MissPerceived Podcast on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missperceivedpodcast
--------
22:19
The Mental Load: "Where Are We Now?" (w/ Haley Swenson)
The mental load isn’t just about managing household tasks and mental to-do lists —it’s about carrying the weight of everything happening around us. From the rise of AI to the cost-of-living crisis and threats to democracy, our cognitive and emotional burdens are shifting in ways we’re only beginning to understand.In this episode, Leah and Haley Swenson from the New America Better Life Lab dive into the meaning of "mental load," who carries it, and whose responsibility it is—individuals, families, organizations, or governments. We also explore how partners share (or don’t share) the load and what solutions exist for a more balanced future.Follow Leah Ruppanner at https://www.instagram.com/prof.leah/Follow the MissPerceived Podcast on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missperceivedpodcast
Leah Ruppanner is a no-nonsense Sociologist from the University of Melbourne on a mission to dispel society’s biggest and most divisive gender myths. In MissPerceived, Leah will tackle pervasive questions and draw upon decades of academic research and evidence to debunk the gender myths that benefit no one - showing that women aren’t better than men at seeing mess or multitasking, and that men aren’t bumbling caregivers who can’t change a diaper or find the keys. MissPerceived will show how as a society we use these myths to explain gender inequality and maintain the status quo. Leah doesn’t shy away from tough topics and touches on all those messy conversations about life including sex, relationships, work, parenting, and self-help. MissPerceived showcases how we got here, where we need to go next, and how to get there.
New Zealand