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
426
Best Of: Tiffany Jenkins on Mom Anxiety and Kee...
Tiffany Jenkins is as hilarious as she is honest. She’s a comedian, blogger, author, podcaster, and mom who uses her platforms to help and inspire others struggling with motherhood, mental health, and addiction, and those who just need a good laugh.
42 min
427
Best Of: What's Your Mom Superpower?
Everyone needs an ‘Attaboy!’ every once in a while. When you’re a mom, you usually have to give it to yourself. Whether it’s super-scheduling prowess or the ability to soothe a bleeding toddler in 10 seconds, here are our listeners’ mom superpowers.
44 min
428
Ask Amy: What's It Like To Have a Kid Away At C...
What’s it really like to have a kid away at college? Sure, drop-off day is hard, but there are also real benefits to this shift in the parent/child relationship. If you’re dreading an upcoming transition, Amy’s perspective will improve your outlook.
6 min
429
Fresh Take: Ron Lieber on "The Price You Pay fo...
The college financial aid process can make parents feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Ron Lieber, author of THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR COLLEGE, says it’s not our fault: the system is designed to confound. Here’s how to approach this huge financial decision.
31 min
430
What Kind of Monster? Family Vacation Edition
Forgotten luggage. Strollers that won’t fold. The best-laid family vacation plans quickly sour when there's a monster who forgot to pack the bathing suits. Here are some vacation monsters we’ve met. Full disclosure: sometimes the monster is us.
44 min
431
Ask Margaret: How Do I Get My Kids to Help Keep...
Margaret answers a question from a listener who wants to know how to encourage her kids to keep their rooms and the playroom clean.
5 min
432
Fresh Take: Catherine Pearlman on Kids and Phones
When should we get our kids phones? And is “delay as long as possible” an option? Catherine Pearlman, author of the book First Phone, tells us how kids can become wiser about the responsibilities of social media, digital consent, and internet safety.
31 min
433
Changing the Stories We Tell Ourselves
Our brains are wired for story. That doesn’t mean that the stories we tell ourselves are always accurate–or that the alternative stories others may have are necessarily wrong. Here’s how to identify–and change–the stories we tell ourselves.
40 min
434
Ask Amy: When Do You Start Letting Kids Have Sl...
This week Amy tackles the question, "When should I start letting my kids have sleepovers?"
3 min
435
JoAnn Crohn of "No Guilt Mom"
JoAnn Crohn is the creator of “No Guilt Mom” and a former middle-school teacher. She believes that some of the behavioral control strategies she learned in teacher training can be counterproductive, and especially at home. Here’s what to try instead.
31 min
436
Why *ISN'T* This a Thing?
Babysitters in all of the stores! Penumbras on our cars! One charger to rule them all! We asked our listeners what they wished WAS a thing, and they came up with some million-dollar ideas that Amy and Margaret definitely intend to steal.
40 min
437
Ask Margaret: My Daughter Says She Thinks She L...
It is important for parents to model body acceptance and intuitive eating for our kids, which can mean changing our own scripts as well.
6 min
438
Fresh Take: Anya Kamenetz on Covid and What Kid...
Anya Kamenetz, author of The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children's Lives, and Where We Go Now, says the US got pandemic schooling “more wrong” than other wealthy countries. Anya explains how and why decisions were made that put children last.
28 min
439
Best Of: We Ask Each Other Burning Questions
After several years of doing this podcast, we know a lot about each other. In this episode, we ask each other the burning questions that remain.
44 min
440
Ask Amy: How Do I Get Grandma to Limit Screen T...
Amy answers a question from a listener who wants her own mom to stop relying on screens when she's babysitting.
5 min
441
Fresh Take: Ericka Souter on How to Have a Kid ...
Do you have a social life outside of your kids? Are you nurturing your partnership? Are you overwhelmed just asking these questions? Journalist Ericka Souter discusses her new book, full of concrete solutions for creating a life outside of kids.
33 min
442
Pattern Breaking: When You Want to Do Things Di...
How do we find the strength to break harmful patterns from our own childhood with our kids? Why is it so hard? Do we truly have the ability to change? Amy and Margaret examine why we sometimes can’t help looking for pizza at a Chinese restaurant.
43 min
443
Ask Margaret: How Can I Keep My Kid Safe While ...
A listener who has very little familiarity with gaming wonders how to keep kids safe while playing online.
7 min
444
Fresh Take: Jill Smokler on Starting Over
Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy, is back with "She's Got Issues," a multimedia platform and now podcast for Gen X women. She talks with Amy and Margaret about her new space for women to come together and share their stories.
30 min
445
Would You Rather...? (Mom Edition)
Poop or vomit? Kids' shows or kids' books forever? Long flight or long road trip with toddlers? The Hellions hit up our Facebook group with some pretty agonizing dilemmas - which will Amy and Margaret choose?
40 min
446
Ask Amy: Should Grade Schoolers Be Allowed to D...
How do we handle emerging romantic relationships between young kids. It's possible to either overreact or under react. In this episode Amy responds to a listener whose 8-year-old has received a beautiful Target-brand locket from an admirer.
4 min
447
Fresh Take: Kate Mangino on Increasing Gender E...
The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women estimates that we will not achieve gender equality for 164 years. What gives? Kate Mangino, gender expert, discusses ways to make domestic partnerships truly equal.
30 min
448
When Your Kid Is Rejected
How do we allow our kids to feel rejection without going full-on lioness or attempting to prune their disappointment into a bonsai tree of neat and tidy life lessons? Sometimes helping our kids deal with rejection involves getting out of the way.
42 min
449
Ask Margaret: How Can I Get My Kid to Be Intere...
Margaret answers a question from a listener who is worried that her son does not have a wide range of interests.
7 min
450
Fresh Take: Gloria Riviera on the Childcare Crisis
Evidence of the childcare crisis in America is all around us, including inside our own homes. But why is the system so broken, and what can be done? Gloria Riviera, news correspondent and host of podcast "No One is Coming To Save Us" explains.
30 min