Flying Solo

Flying Solo

An intimate, fly on the wall series talking to Kiwi whanau to find out what it takes to raise a child on your own.

Episodes

June 13, 2017 21 mins

In the first episode, we meet Jo Whiu, a grandmother to seven young mokopuna. Daughter Lisa is a recovering P addict and has recently moved back home.

By Lynda Chanwai-Earle

Winter's coming on, so the mattresses sprawl across the living room floor. When you've got seven mokopuna in a three bedroom house, that's the only way to make sure all the children can sleep inside.

At the Whiu "marae", summer means the t...

Mark as Played

Lynda Chanwai-Earle meets one of the minorities, Pakeha solo dad Warren. He tackles - with humour - co-parenting through two separations, a child with depression, alcohol and more.

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide.

By Lynda Chanwai-Earle

"It doesn't have to be negative. It doesn't have to compromise your ability to be a good parent."

Warren's busy tying the shoelaces of 9-year-old s...

Mark as Played
June 28, 2017 24 mins

Lynda Chanwai-Earle meets single-working parent Tamsyn Matchett who knows a thing or two about being discriminated against, especially overcoming the stigma around being a "brown, solo-mum".

By Lynda Chanwai-Earle

Single-working parent Tamsyn Matchett knows a thing or two about being dissed.

"I've been wildly disrespected as a single parent. Just being a young mum in general. There's really a total lack of respect ... b...

Mark as Played
July 5, 2017 24 mins

Lynda Chanwai-Earle meets a Wellington police constable who has been a solo dad full-time since his son was five.

In episode four of Flying Solo, Lynda Chanwai-Earle meets a Wellington police constable who has been a solo dad full-time since his son was five.

Henare Jones* will never forget the birth of his son Tama* sixteen years ago; it was an emergency c-section, very stressful. So what was it like holding your son for the first t...

Mark as Played
July 12, 2017 26 mins

Sleep deprivation will make you desperate. In episode five of Flying Solo, Lynda Chanwai-Earle meets a solo-parent who's in the majority - 33 year old Pakeha mother Imogen and her 4-year-old son Manea.

"There have been moments - especially when my son was quite young - he'd be lying there crying, and I'd just be so exhausted. Just not having that second person ... lying there crying in front of your baby. You desper...

Mark as Played
July 19, 2017 25 mins

Pregnant at 13. In the final episode of Flying Solo we meet junior squash champ Rhiarne, her toddler Braydon and the extended whanau embracing their teenage solo-mum.

"My mum and dad knew I was really scared. I was terrified. I didn't know what to do."

The first thing Rhiarne Taiapa did was lock herself away for weeks. She and her parents took down all social media. She 'disappeared' for the last term of year...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics

    Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.