What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face...

When you're a parent, every day brings a "fresh hell" to deal with. In other words, there's always something. Think of us as your funny mom friends who are here to remind you: you're not alone, and it won't always be this hard.

We're Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, both busy moms of three kids, but with completely different parenting styles. Margaret is a laid-back to the max; Amy never met a spreadsheet or an organizational system she didn't like.

In each episode of "What Fresh Hell" we offer lots of laughs, but also practical advice, parenting strategies, and tips to empower you in your role as a mom. We explore self-help techniques, as well as ways to prioritize your own needs, combat stress, and despite the invisible workload we all deal with, find joy amidst the chaos of motherhood.

If you've ever wondered "why is my kid..." then one of us has probably been there, and we're here to tell you what we've learned along the way.

We unpack the behaviors and developmental stages of toddlers, tweens, and teenagers, providing insights into their actions and equipping you with effective parenting strategies.

We offer our best parenting tips and skills we've learned. We debate the techniques and studies that are everywhere for parents these days, and get to the bottom of what works best to raise happy, healthy, fairly well-behaved kids, while fostering a positive parent-child relationship.

If you're the default parent in your household, whether you're a busy mom juggling multiple pickups and dropoffs, or a first-time parent seeking guidance, this podcast is your trusted resource. Join our community of supportive mom friends laughing in the face of motherhood!  

whatfreshhellpodcast.com

Parenting
Comedy
Kids & Family
251
BEST OF: Family Holiday Traditions: The Good, T...
There are some holiday traditions families really treasure. There are others moms dread but feel obligated to continue. Here’s how to create a holiday season that works for everyone- including the default parents who do most of Santa’s heavy lifting.
41 min
252
Fresh Take: Amy Palanjian of Yummy Toddler Food
When our picky eaters turn up their noses at dinner, we're not failures as parents. Amy Palanjian, author of DINNERTIME SOS, explains how to take judgment and anxiety out of the dinnertime equation when feeding toddlers and kids.
34 min
253
The Most Useful Parenting Tips We Learned in 2023
Here are some of our favorite parenting tips and takeaways we learned in 2023, from experts and listeners and mom friends everywhere.
42 min
254
HOLIDAY BEST OF: Handling the Holiday Craziness...
Each December 25th, most moms look at a living room full of scattered wrapping paper and vow to do less next year. But can you really downshift on how much Santa brings once a baseline has been established?
39 min
255
Fresh Take: Ed Center of Village Well Parenting
How does the wisdom of our cultural traditions inform the way we parent, for better and worse? Ed Center, founder of Village Well Parenting, explains how generational trauma informs parenting and how we can navigate it.
32 min
256
Decision Fatigue- And Why It's Especially Bad F...
The more decisions you have to make, the more difficult it can become to make them. Decision fatigue is cumulative, and when it happens, we get frustrated more easily. Here's how to make fewer, better decisions.
44 min
257
HOLIDAY BEST OF: Susan Katz Miller on Interfait...
The holidays are already intense, but if your family is interfaith, it can ratchet up the pressure for perfection times two. Guest Susan Katz Miller, author of THE INTERFAITH FAMILY JOURNAL, tells us how to draw a “sacred circle” around what matters.
38 min
258
Fresh Take: Amanda Montei on "Touched Out"
Is being "touched out" just par for the course when you're a mom, or is there something deeper at work here? Amanda Montei, author of the new book TOUCHED OUT, discusses this concept in a broader cultural context.
30 min
259
What Fresh Hell Is the Holiday Season?
The holiday season has unpleasant surprises around every corner. The Christmas gift we forgot to buy! The too-short wrapping paper! The three parties in one night! Here are our best worsts of this time of year.
39 min
260
HOLIDAY BEST OF: It's the Most Everything Time ...
According to a recent study, 41% of men strongly agreed that they can relax during the holidays. Only 27% of women felt the same. It’s the most everything time of the year, and we’re doing– and feeling– all the things.
41 min
261
Fresh Take: "The Girl Next Door Podcast" on Set...
What does it look like to successfully set and maintain boundaries, whether it's with our toddler or our in-laws? Erica Ladd and Kelsey Wharton, co-hosts of the The Girl Next Door Podcast, are the queens of boundary-setting.
37 min
262
Does Having Kids Ruin Your Marriage Forever?
Are our relationships with our partners ruined after kids enter the picture? Partnerships change when our kids are born, but those changes aren't forever, and fixing it doesn't have to begin and end with "date night."
42 min
263
HOLIDAY BEST OF: The Holiday Creep
Why does it seem like the holiday season starts earlier and earlier every year? And how do we navigate the many obligations and traditions thereof without crying into our creamed white onions?
38 min
264
Fresh Take: Nicole Walters on "Nothing Is Missing"
When we're struggling, we tend to focus on what we lack rather than our considerable strengths. Nicole Walters, author of the memoir NOTHING IS MISSING, invites us to view ourselves with a sense of abundance.
28 min
265
DEEP DIVE: Highly Sensitive (and Under-Sensitiv...
When we first hear about highly sensitive kids– or sensory seekers– it can provide a profound connecting of dots for things that might have baffled us in the past, and a path to effectively address the otherwise confusing behaviors that might ensue.
47 min
266
Things That Should Be Fun... But Aren't
Nerf guns. Beach vacations. Corn mazes. Parades. What do these things have in common? They really should be fun—but aren't.
37 min
267
Ask Margaret: How to Foster Relationships with ...
How can we encourage our kids to connect with their grandparents in meaningful ways, and how much control over that relationship do we really have?
8 min
268
Fresh Take: Mother Gopi Gita on Leadership Pare...
How can good leadership and good parenting intersect? Mother Gopi Gita, author of the new book LEADERSHIP PARENTING, explains how the spiritual traditions of India informed her leadership parenting model.
27 min
269
DEEP DIVE: When the World Moves Too Fast for Ou...
Are our kids growing up more slowly than we did? Is that necessarily a bad thing? Can we encourage our late bloomers to pick up the pace?
37 min
270
Growth Mindset: What Is It? Does It Matter?
What exactly is growth mindset—and is it the crucial ingredient to our kids' future success that we've been told it is? We discuss the latest research about growth mindset and why it matters.
38 min
271
Ask Amy: When Did 5th Grade Get So Rough?
How can kids in fifth grade be expected to navigate the changes in their bodies, their friendships, and their emotions all at the same time? Fifth grade can be rough. Here's how parents can help.
5 min
272
Fresh Take: Dr. Robyn Silverman on How to Talk ...
Research suggests that kids really do want to talk about difficult subjects with their parents. So where do we start? Dr. Robyn Silverman, author of the bestselling book How to Talk to Kids About Anything, has ideas.
30 min
273
DEEP DIVE: When Your Kid Doesn't Fit the Mold
Kids who don't fit the mold can have it hard. So can their parents. While they’re lying down on second base instead of paying attention, we’re up at night worrying about the year 2035. The good news: the world is wider than it used to be.
43 min
274
When Kids Fight You on Everything
All kids are defiant sometimes. Some kids are defiant all of the time—or at least it can feel that way. When kids push back constantly, it gets overwhelming. What are the best ways of understanding and responding to kids who argue about everything?
39 min
275
Ask Margaret: Is There a Nice Way to Say "I'm A...
A listener who is all touched out at the end of the day is worried she is hurting her husband's feelings by rejecting his attempts to snuggle.
7 min