Wiggling into parenthood: Simon and Lachy’s parenting podcast brings you fun, laughs and real talk!

Advertisement feature

If you’re a parent of a little one, chances are The Wiggles have been the soundtrack to your household at some point. But did you know that two of The Wiggles, Simon Pryce and Lachy Gillespie, are dads themselves, figuring out parenthood just like the rest of us. Well, we had the absolute joy of chatting with them about their brand new parenting podcast, Wiggle Talk.

Launched globally last year, Wiggle Talk is part behind-the-scenes peek into The Wiggles family and part expert-led parenting advice. It's also packed with warm, relatable, and often hilarious stories from Simon and Lachy as they navigate life with young children. Plus, they’re bringing along a whole host of brilliant guests, including Maggie Dent, Ms Rachel, Dr Amanda Gummer and Terri Irwin!

We got the lowdown from Simon (dad to Asher) and Lachy (dad to twins Lulu and Lottie, plus stepdad to Jasper) on what more to expect, from their biggest parenting lessons to the chaos of raising toddlers while being, well, actual Wiggles. Stay tuned for all the juicy details because Wiggle Talk has fresh episodes every week wherever you get your podcasts.

What inspired you to create Wiggle Talk, shifting your focus from entertaining children to supporting parents?

Simon: "Our personal experience of becoming parents was the inspiration to create Wiggle Talk. Lachy and I are both parents with toddlers, and we often talk about what we are going through with our children. Whether it be managing tantrums, nutrition, bedtime, or routines. Whatever it was, we realised we had more questions than answers. This made us think that if we’re feeling like this, then other parents must feel the same way, too."

Lachy: "Simon and I always found ourselves around the coffee machine in the morning, asking if this happened to you and sharing stories from our night or weekend, and finding comfort in that connection. The Wiggles have been a trusted entertainment and educational group for 34 years and have always had the child in mind first and foremost when creating new material. I think naturally, when you become a parent yourself, you start looking at things a little differently, and we thought we could still sing and talk to our child audience as well as open up our morning coffee chats to our wonderful adult/parent audience, who we love so much."

Could you share some personal experiences as fathers that have influenced the topics you discuss on the podcast?

Simon: "We spoke with Maggie Dent about toddler tantrums.

"Before we started Wiggle Talk, Asher had a full-blown meltdown in the shopping centre, something we’d never experienced at that level before. After it had happened and in the days that followed, I really questioned myself about how I dealt with that situation and wondered what I could have done differently.

"A really big one was the question of a toddler dealing with and understanding death. Asher’s grandma passed away when he was three and a half, and we were really unsure of how to let him know and how to explain it to him. This was very personal to me and a topic we felt our audience would benefit from."

Lachy: "Like Simon, I found that guests like Maggie and Gen Muir, with their wisdom, experience, and calm voices, were incredibly helpful. Around that time, I noticed myself becoming more short-tempered than I ever expected. I’ve always considered myself a fun and calm dad—the one in the family who can turn tricky moments into laughter or distract with fun. But with work keeping me busy and away from home more often, and as my children grew older, I was surprised to find myself losing patience more quickly.

"Talking with our wonderful guests and putting their advice into practice helped me get back to that calm space, which was really reassuring. Maggie's hand-on-heart pause was a game changer—just stopping for a moment, placing a hand on my chest, and taking a deep breath when I felt myself getting overwhelmed made a real difference. A lot of things can be helped by breathing."

How do you manage the demands of being full-time performers with The Wiggles while also dedicating time to your weekly podcast and family life? And what are your tips for the Mother&Baby parents trying to survive work and parenting?

Simon: "Our workload as Wiggles is pretty massive and varied. They are not ordinary working weeks for us. We can be filming and recording during the week, doing shows on weekends or out on tour for weeks at a time. It changes all the time, so managing time to do the podcast can be tricky, but we do love it. We are also dealing with different time zones with international guests, so it’s all a bit of a juggling act. Managing family life, though, is the most important thing."

Lachy: "One thing I have noticed over the years of touring and really being non-stop (and I’m still not getting it right all the time) is trying to be consistent. In health and fitness, simple things like eating well and drinking lots of water. My wife Dana was really struggling after the girls were born, and a fantastic maternal health nurse told her to treat herself and me like we were at the top of the pyramid. If we were falling apart, everything else would crumble. That really hit home at the time. And I know it’s not always that easy, but I find if I’m consistent and keep things simple, I’m less likely to get that. Oh, everything has caught up with my feelings."

From picky eaters to tantrums, and mental health conversations, you bring the legend that is Anthony Field into the podcast to share his expert parenting advice. You have also spoken with other Wiggles, including Caterina, about her journey with her twin daughters, John with his wife Jessie and baby Henry, and with Tsehay about her adoption story, with more to follow!

What’s it been like learning about Anthony’s journey through parenthood and the struggles he’s had to overcome?

Simon: "It’s been wonderful having Anthony on the podcast, answering questions and sharing his own personal journey with parenting and his life in general. Anthony is an open book, and he’s been very open publicly about his challenges, particularly with mental health, over the years, so it’s been wonderful to have him tell his stories.  One thing I didn’t know which he spoke about was that if he had his time again as a Dad with young children, he would have done things differently. I’m not sure if he used the word regret, but he would have tried to tour together as a family more. In saying that, though, he has three beautiful children, one of course being Lucia, the other Blue Wiggle, and they are really lovely, kind, respectful young adults, so I don’t think Anthony should be too hard on himself."

Lachy: "Anthony is everything Wiggly. It was surprising to hear him say that he has learnt a lot through talking with Simon and me on the podcast. We all look up to him so much. Anthony has always spoken so highly of his father, which I enjoy listening to, and something I personally love about working with Anthony and Simon on stage and in the pod room is that we have all performed with each other for so long and done so many shows together that we can read each other's thoughts a lot of time from just looking into each other's eyes. That’s a pretty cool feeling as a live performer, and you can only get that through experience and a lot of time together. Because of that, we also know when he isn’t feeling himself and is feeling a bit flat, and I know he feels love from us and fully supported, which is lovely all around."

They say, "It takes a village" and we always look out for each other here at Mother&Baby. How have you supported each other as parents through the good and the bad?

Simon: "Lachy, Anthony and I have spent a lot of time together over the years. Sometimes, we spend more time with each other than with our own families. We all know each other really well, and we are genuinely really close friends. It’s that friendship and that understanding of each other that helps us get through all different types of situations. We are all here for each other, and I know that at any time, I can ask for some advice or just chat to get something off my chest. You can always tell if one of us needs some space, a chat or a laugh. I am also really blessed to have Lauren in my life. She is such an incredible person and mother. I feel very grateful every day I wake up."

What motivated you to include UK-based experts in the new season, and how do you think their perspectives will enhance the podcast's content?

Simon: "We are very fortunate that our audience is all over the world, so we have always wanted to get as many international guests on the show as possible. We are very grateful that we have an audience in the UK and love having UK-based guests on the show."

Lachy: "Yes, it’s always good to hear about how other people are doing and how they are doing things in other parts of the world. We are so excited to be getting back to the UK for the first time in a long time this year for a Wiggles tour, so adding some wonderful UK guests, including Dr Amanda Gummer, to the podcast is incredibly exciting."

Reflecting on the first season, what were some surprising lessons or memorable moments that stood out to you?

Simon: "We have chatted with some amazing people. I always joke that we are talking to these highly intelligent people, and we sing Hot Potato for a living!

"Chatting with Terri Irwin was a real highlight. What an amazing woman with such an incredible perspective on life. Maggie Dent saying that tantrums are supposed to happen. It’s part of a child’s development. Gen Muir says that you only need to get it right 30% of the time. In another episode, it was mentioned that little things like giving your child a thumbs up or a high five for no reason just show them that you are thinking about them. After that episode, I gave Asher a thumbs-up from across the room, and he ran up to me and gave me a hug. That’s how much that small gesture resonated with him. Saying you love them is great, but at their age, words don’t always mean as much as a physical gesture."

Lachy: "Yes, seeing the love Terri has for Steve, and will always have, was incredibly beautiful. I really connected with Hugh Van Cuylanberg. We talk all the time now, and it has been such a lovely and unexpected gift for which I’m really grateful. One of the biggest lessons that stuck with me was co-regulation, and I saw it in action just the other day. One of my girls was having a really hard time, and I reminded myself, 'Okay, Lachy, stay calm'. I knelt down next to her, spoke softly and gently, and didn’t say much. Just let her know I was trying to understand how she was feeling. Within seconds, we were having a lovely cuddle, and she steadied herself and calmed down. That was pretty cool."

With the upcoming second season, what new topics or themes are you most excited to explore, and how do you plan to build upon the foundation set in the first season?

Simon: "We will continue to chat with experts about all things related to parenting toddlers and give real practical advice, such as nutrition, first aid, and toilet training. We will also explore chatting with guests who have really interesting stories to tell. The stories will still relate to parenting, but they might also give a different perspective on life and a way of doing or thinking about things."

What’s one of your biggest mottos or lessons as a parent that we can leave as a parting gift for our parents?

Simon: "There’s been a theme with so many of our wonderful guests. They all talk about the importance of connection. Connecting with your child, listening to their needs and taking the time to understand them. With connection comes being present in that particular moment. I think the message of connection is important in all parts of our lives, not just when it comes to parenting."

Lachy: "We are surrounded by music every day. Before our twins were born, my wife, who has never sung, said she wouldn’t be doing any of the singing and would leave it to me (because she thought she couldn’t sing). I just kept encouraging her, saying, 'Oh, you have a lovely voice'. I’m sure in the moment you’ll sing. Fast forward 4 years, my wife sings all the time. Whether you are musical or not, simple spoken rhymes and clapping and singing in your home add so much colour. You don’t need a beautiful singing voice, you might even surprise yourself, but the joy it can bring your children and the whole family can be so beautiful. Use a simple nursery rhyme tune and change the words to get your toddler dressed. Think twinkle twinkle, but sing…

'Let’s put on your bright blue shirt

'Before we go and play in dirt.'

"Ok, that wasn’t my best, but it rhymed, haha."

To submit a question for the Ask Anthony segment or learn more about Wiggle Talk, visit www.thewiggles.com/podcast or email podcast@thewiggles.com.au. You can also follow The Wiggles on social media here: The Wiggles  Official | TikTok, https://x.com/TheWiggles, https://www.facebook.com/thewiggles and https://www.instagram.com/thewiggles/.