Ed Balls on family policy, plus the madness of 8.25am

Join Miranda Sawyer and studio guest Jay Rayner , Observer food critic, gourmand and father of two, for the first edition of The Family Podcast from the Guardian. Follow Miranda as she noses around the house of Ed Balls , secretary of state for children, schools and families, as he talks about his work/life balance, why he disagrees with the Tories' proposed tax break for married couples, his blocked dishwasher - and why he blames the Today programme for making his kids late for school. Comedian and actor Alan Davies will be telling us about bereavement, Max Bygraves and how he fantasised about killing his relatives - as we hear the tracks that make up his family playlist (from SingalongaMax to a rare, live version of Down in the Tube Station at Midnight). Mealtimes as a battle zone: Jay asks why we get so worked up about fussy eaters - and tells us how to teach a 10-year-old to knock back oysters. Why is the most stressful time of the day 8.25am? We'll eavesdrop on parents on the frontline. Violin practise over breakfast, anyone? If you have a family story to tell and you'd like to share it with the Family Podcast, then why not post it below and we may get in touch. The Family Podcast is sponsored by Jump, provider of child trust funds and savings plans