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
651
Mom Rock-Bottoms
What’s your mom rock-bottom? The moment when you thought I’m just going to head for the border and start a new life? We asked you all for the worst mom moments you were actually willing to share in open court. Here they are- plus a few of our own.
41 min
652
Ask Margaret - How Do I Get My Kids to Play Tog...
We think of "play" as something that kids should do naturally (and together). But play is something that needs to be modeled and encouraged. Here's how.
6 min
653
Fresh Take: Janice Johnson Dias on Raising Joyf...
Janice Johnson Dias is a professor of sociology whose work focuses on the mental and physical health of girls, Black girls in particular. We discuss change-making, joy, and her book PARENT LIKE IT MATTERS: HOW TO RAISE JOYFUL, CHANGE-MAKING GIRLS.
35 min
654
Letting Kids Make Mistakes
There are benefits to our kids making mistakes, even when it’s hard. Maybe especially when it’s hard. We discuss how the brain learns from a mistake, the benefits of a “growth mindset,” and how we can make our homes mistake-friendly environments.
43 min
655
Ask Amy- When Your Kids' Creative Projects Are ...
When it comes to child's play, the more self-directed and "fun" it is, the bigger of a mess it will probably make. But we don’t have to choose between our children’s unbridled creativity and our own sanity. Here’s how to encourage team mess cleanup.
5 min
656
Fresh Take: Michelle Icard on the 14 Talks Pare...
Michelle Icard, author of FOURTEEN TALKS BY AGE FOURTEEN, says while tweens have begun "the necessary and difficult work of pulling away," they're still at an age where what we say has enormous impact. Here’s how to have those tough conversations.
31 min
657
When It's Okay To Be Emotional In Front of Our ...
Kids shouldn’t have to hold our emotions for us, but is it OK for them to witness our sadness or loneliness? When is shower-crying the better bet, and when are our negative emotions safe for us to express? Can it be a good thing for our kids to see?
40 min
658
Ask Margaret - How Should I Talk to My Child's ...
A listener asks how to get on the same page as her nanny when it comes to disciplining her child.
6 min
659
Extremely Achievable Family Traditions
What are some little things we can lean on right now to create more joy and meaning for our families? We asked for ideas, and we’re talking LITTLE. Preferably free. Not exhausting. Super fun. Lifetime of memories. Here are some of our favorites.
43 min
660
Ask Amy- Should I Be Worried About My Teen's Is...
When is a teen happily isolated– or at least content– and when is it something a parent should be concerned about, particularly during the pandemic?
5 min
661
Moms Are Not Okay
As we come up on the one-year anniversary of a crisis we thought would take a couple of weeks, let's face it: all of us moms are falling apart. How’s it going at our houses? Not great. But here’s what is helping us survive and getting us through.
45 min
662
Ask Margaret - Do I Get a Say On Who My Kids' F...
How much input should we have on our kids' choices of friends? What happens when we don't like the friends our kid is choosing?
7 min
663
BEST OF: Anger Management for Kids
The best way to handle our children’s anger is to equip them with the tools to handle it themselves. Whether your kid is 4 or 14, here’s how to stand outside the storm and get your calm back a little sooner. Get the full transcript: bit.ly/WFHanger.
48 min
664
Setting Boundaries
Boundaries aren’t just for relationships that have already been damaged. Healthy boundaries with our partners, friends, and extended family are what make long-term relationships possible. Here’s how to set boundaries early and often.
42 min
665
Ask Amy- Surviving The "Only Mommy" Phase
A toddler's "only mommy" phase is just that. It's temporary. But it's a struggle for Mom nonetheless, even if her toddler's devotion is adorable. Here's how to get through it.
4 min
666
Fresh Take: Dr. Harold Koplewicz on the Best Wa...
Parents shouldn’t be the architects of their children’s lives. Or the builders. Dr. Harold Koplewicz, author of THE SCAFFOLD EFFECT: Raising Resilient, Self-Reliant and Secure Kids in an Age of Anxiety, tells us how best to support our kids’ growth.
30 min
667
The Things We're Never Going Back To
This pandemic situation has not been great. But there are things we have been freed from and are hereby declaring we’ll never do, or wear, or worry about again. Here’s what we (and our listeners) are, with great determination, never going back to.
44 min
668
Ask Margaret - Talking to Kids About Death
A listener asks how to help a child asking anxious questions after his classmate's parent died.
7 min
669
Fresh Take: Dr. Christine Koh On Building a Fam...
Dr. Christine Koh creates content to help people live better and happier. She also grew up with adverse childhood experiences. We discuss the CDC ACEs framework for understanding early adversity, and how to go on and build happy families of our own.
35 min
670
How To Stop Having The Same Fight
Having the same fight doesn’t mean your relationship is broken. But it is totally annoying. Here are the modes of negativity that are at work when we repeat the same conflicts- and what we can do to break the cycle, whether it’s our partners or kids.
44 min
671
Ask Amy: When Your Kid is Super-Clingy
A parent asks for advice on dealing with a clingy 9-year-old. Amy suggests rewarding small shows of independence with praise, and offering quality time during your child’s preferred activity in return for accepting some time apart without complaint.
5 min
672
Fresh Take: Dr. Edward Hallowell on the Newest ...
Dr. Edward Hallowell, co-author of ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction--From Childhood Through Adulthood, explains the growing understanding of ADHD- and offers new hacks for brains with “variable attention.”
35 min
673
Okay, We Annoy Ourselves Also
We often express righteous anger at all the completely infuriating and totally trivial things that other people, usually related to us, do to annoy us. Today we look inward– and admit the things we do that are so irksome that we even annoy OURSELVES.
44 min
674
Ask Margaret - How To Turn Off Screens Without ...
A listener asks how to help her child regulate the strong emotions that arise whenever it's time for screens to go off.
7 min
675
Fresh Take: Mirna Valerio Tells Us How To Find ...
Mirna Valerio is a runner, adventurer, speaker, and anti-racism educator. We discuss her experiences as a larger woman in a world of endurance athletes, and how to reacquaint ourselves with fitness, no matter how long we’ve been out of the game.
32 min