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!
501
Grudges Held, Grudges Kept
We asked our listeners to tell us about their pettiest and most long-held grudges. From spelling-bee unfairness to pumpkin-farm price gouging, we spill the tea on our own petty grudges and share some of your most hilarious answers.
42 min
502
Ask Margaret - Should I Take My Kids to Disney ...
Some families are "all Disney all the time". Some prefer “one and done.” And for some folks the very idea is a "nope, never". Margaret talks about her own family’s recent trip to Disney World and her ideas on making your own family's trip a success.
7 min
503
Fresh Take: Amee Severson on Intuitive Eating F...
Intuitive eating starts with believing our kids deserve to feel lovable, worthy, and accepted, no matter what their bodies look like. Nutritionist Amee Severson, co-author of HOW TO RAISE AN INTUITIVE EATER, tells us how to start living that message.
32 min
504
Being "Safe Spaces" For Our Kids
We’ve all had it happen: Grandma says the kids were perfect angels for her all weekend, and then they’re crying and fighting as soon as we get them home. Do we really have to be “safe spaces” for our kids’ worst behavior and most negative feelings?
41 min
505
Ask Amy: The Kids Make Me Nuts While I'm Driving!
Working parents could really use their commuting time to decompress. Kids prefer to use that time explaining every single thing that happened that day. How do you balance the need to share with the equally valid need for a little peace and quiet?
4 min
506
Fresh Take: Taylor Harris on Motherhood, Geneti...
A mother whose child is struggling “shoulders the burdens of discerning the why,” as Taylor Harris explains in her book THIS BOY WE MADE. And when teams of experts try their best but can provide no answers, parents have to learn to live in between.
34 min
507
Better Then? Or Better Now?
Anyone old enough to have enjoyed the Super Bowl halftime show also has strong opinions about what other things were definitely better Back in the Day. In this episode we decide whether some things are better then or better now- for kids AND parents.
41 min
508
Ask Margaret - When Should My Kids Start Sharin...
Having your kids share a room creates more space, but it can also create a whole host of problems, from late-night shenanigans to siblings waking each other up way too early. Margaret explains how the pros and cons have played out at her house.
4 min
509
Fresh Take: The Dumb Dads
The Dumb Dads make some of the funniest content in the parenting space. Margaret talks with Evan and Kevin about where they find their inspiration and about their Clark Kent lives as stay-at-home dads.
36 min
510
That's No Longer Interesting To Me
Life can get better when you stop caring. Whether it’s celebrity culture, making our kids dress appropriately for the weather, rinsing rice, or checking the scale in the morning, here are things that are no longer interesting to us and our listeners.
41 min
511
Ask Amy: How Much Complaining About the "Invisi...
Talking about the invisible workload isn't one and done. If the default parent doesn’t make it visible, who is going to see what they do? But in order to keep these conversations peaceful and productive, start by considering what you hope to gain.
5 min
512
Fresh Take: Masha Rumer on Parenting As An Immi...
There’s a Russian saying: You can’t sit on two chairs with one butt. Guest Masha Rumer, author of PARENTING WITH AN ACCENT, explains the experiences of immigrant parents raising kids in America while trying to maintain a relationship to their pasts.
30 min
513
Things Change, And That's Okay
Our kids get older, and so do we. That’s Just Facts. And that our relationships with our kids will therefore change as they grow? Truth. But does that mean you have to therefore cherish every moment, because it’s all less wonderful each day? Nope.
42 min
514
Ask Margaret - What Kind of After-School Routin...
We picture after school as a time to reunite with our kids and discuss the day, maybe over some homemade cookies. In reality it’s more like wrangling a bunch of escaped zoo creatures. How can we create a routine that serves everyone in our homes?
6 min
515
Fresh Take: Kat Vellos On Friendship and Connec...
Making friends as adults? Hard work. Seeing the friends we already have? Weirdly difficult. Post-pandemic social stamina? Not exactly helping. Kat Vellos, author of WE SHOULD GET TOGETHER, explains how to get intentional about the connection we need.
28 min
516
Back to Ones (And Why They're Better Than Goals)
Tired of setting New Year’s goals every January? How about some “back to ones” in February? No expectation of perfection, no frustration you didn’t get it all right, no exasperation that what you’re trying to fix is always the same. Of course it is.
41 min
517
Ask Amy : I Accidentally Created a Toddler Scre...
The more screen time toddlers have, the crankier they get when you try to take the screens away. The good news is that a reset around screens really is possible with little ones, thanks to their still-limited short and long term memories. Here’s how.
5 min
518
Fresh Take: Cara Harvey on Real Productivity
Getting more done isn’t about hustling harder, wanting it more, or stuffing more errands on our calendars. Cara Harvey, author of THE 15-MINUTE FORMULA, says it’s about becoming specific about goals, then aligning our productivity with what matters.
38 min
519
Dealing With Uncertainty as a Parent
As parents we can feel like uncertainty is something we have to solve, especially where our kids are concerned. We’re supposed to have the answers. But how do we reassure them when we’re not certain either? How do we manage “uncertainty distress”?
39 min
520
Ask Margaret - My Child is So Rude to Me!
It's not unusual for our "little besties" to grow into eye-rolling rude tweens and teens who can't seem to tolerate our existence - but that doesn't mean we have to put up with it.
6 min
521
Fresh Take: Dr. Lynyetta Willis on Breaking Out...
Ever felt like things are going pretty well, but that happiness is somehow missing from your parenting and your relationships? Dr. Lynyetta Willis calls that feeling “stable misery,” and explains how we can create more joyful harmony in our lives.
36 min
522
This One Thing Is Saving Me Right Now
45 min
523
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
524
Fresh Take: Meghan Leahy on How To Really Conne...
Meghan Leahy is the "On Parenting" columnist for The Washington Post and a certified parenting coach. In her work, she has found that parenting problems usually come less from a lack of awareness than from a lack of connection.
32 min
525
Pandemic Decision Fatigue
In a recent study 47% of parents reported being so stressed about the pandemic that they struggle to make basic decisions like what’s for dinner. Sound familiar? We discuss our own pandemic decision fatigue, and where we’re finding peace right now.
40 min