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
776
Helping Kids Feel Secure In a Scary World (With...
We’re in an anxiety-provoking moment. But parents don’t need to present our kids with solutions to the things that scare them. We just need to meet them where they are. Guest: Dr. Abigail Gewirtz, author of WHEN THE WORLD FEELS LIKE A SCARY PLACE.
46 min
777
Ask Margaret - My Husband is a Terrible Gift Gi...
Margaret answers a question from a listener who is frustrated by her husband's extremely poor gift-giving skills.
7 min
778
How Do We Handle This When Everyone Is Doing It...
Shutting it all down was hard, but the assignment was extremely clear. Reopening is more like: do what you want when we think you can, or at least aren't fully convinced that you can’t. How are we going to do this when everyone’s doing it differently?
42 min
779
Ask Amy - My Toddler Doesn't Listen When I Say ...
Amy answers a question from a listener whose “incredibly active” two-year-old doesn’t always hear the word “stop!”
5 min
780
Talking With Our Kids About Race (with guest De...
The idea that kids are colorblind, that we should put off talking about race because kids are too young to understand its complicating factors, is wrong. It always was. Here’s how to talk about race and racism, early and often. Guest: Deborah Porter.
42 min
781
Ask Margaret - Dealing With My Kids' Coping Mec...
Margaret answers a question from a listener whose twins are exhibiting some worrying coping mechanisms during the pandemic.
7 min
782
Uh-Oh, Here Comes Summer (with guests Ashley an...
It’s the summer of nothing. Everything is canceled, even Camp Grandma is questionable, and we’ve already *had* three months of lying around doing nothing. How do we make July different from March? Guests: Ashley and Keri from the podcast Momtourage.
48 min
783
Ask Amy - My Toddler is Mean to Her Older Sibling
Amy answers a question from a mom whose 17-month-old is tough on her six-year-old.
5 min
784
This One Thing Is Actually Going Well
What’s one thing that’s actually working right now? Not a barely acceptable Band-Aid for these crazy times, but something you have discovered that you will totally keep doing? From mowing the lawn to a beer-pong app, here’s what’s working for us.
45 min
785
Ask Margaret - The Bedtime Routine is Out of Hand!
Margaret answers a question from a mom whose four year old is stretching bedtime to the max.
8 min
786
The Great Regression: Why We're All Acting Like...
Many kids are exhibiting regressive behavior right now. Lots of adults too: Zoom with your summer camp friends much? It’s normal to seek the security of the past in times of stress.Here’s how to let regression be, and how to address it productively.
41 min
787
Getting Literally Anything Done (with guests La...
After 2 months of this new normal our to-do lists are running away from us. How do we get to what matters in the extremely limited bursts of kid-free time we might have? Guests: Laura Vanderkam and Sarah Hart-Unger, co-hosts of Best of Both Worlds.
53 min
788
Ask Margaret - Should I Sleep-Train During the ...
Margaret answers a question from a mom who is trying to decide whether or not to sleep train her 7-month-old while quarantined.
5 min
789
We'll Call It a Win! Microscopic Mom Victories
We asked all of you to tell us your “mom wins” since quarantine life began. Whether it’s synchronized napping, picky eaters trying meatballs, or a 5-year-old who finally slept past 7 a.m., we salute all these miniscule victories. Happy Mother’s Day!
44 min
790
Ask Amy - How Can I Help My Child Who is Having...
Amy answers a question from a listener whose daughter is struggling with nightmares.
5 min
791
Maintaining Momentum (Or Not)
A body in motion stays in motion; once at rest, it’s hard to regain momentum. But is continuous momentum possible during this very strange limbo? How can we keep running this marathon when we don’t even know what mile we’re in? What works right now?
46 min
792
Ask Margaret - I'm Burnt Out on Trying to Get M...
Margaret answers a questions who is struggling to get her toddler to perform when relatives call.
7 min
793
What Kind of Monster? Quarantine Edition!
What kind of monster decides to go keto during a pandemic? Trades away toilet paper for sourdough starter? Finishes Mom’s chocolate stash? Slices an avocado horizontally? Our listeners weigh in with the straws that will break their quarantine backs.
44 min
794
Ask Amy - My Teenagers Are So Done With Quarant...
Amy answers a question from a listener whose teenagers are really, really over being stuck at home.
7 min
795
Stay-At-Home Revelations: Things We've Learned
As we round the curve into what’s been a full month of Uno, math worksheets, and never going anywhere, we’ve all learned a few things. Here are our stay-at-home revelations about our homes, our cooking, our relationships, our kids, and the Big Reset.
44 min
796
Ask Margaret - My Kid Won't Play Alone
Margaret answers a question from a listener whose kid always wants mom to play with him.
5 min
797
What's Working Right Now
Here’s what’s actually working right now- for our anxiety, our family chore buy-in, our kitchen ennui, and our senses of hope. (Our number one tip: try never to interrupt a happy quarantined family while they’re doing whatever is making them happy.)
45 min
798
Ask Amy - How Do I Talk to My Kids About Missin...
This week Amy answers a question from a listener whose child is missing a big milestone event.
5 min
799
It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint!
Homeschooling feels doable when it’s a snow-day novelty. It feels different when you’re relearning middle-school math while also conference-calling from home and running a kitchen serving three meals a day. Here's how we're coping & keeping it going.
43 min
800
Ask Margaret - How Seriously Should I Take This...
Margaret answers a question from a listener who is trying to decide how much to homeschool her kids.
5 min