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!
901
Should Dads Get Graded on a Curve?
While we grade our husbands’ household contributions against our own, the world grades them against Don Draper— which means any guy with a Baby Bjorn gets a ticker tape parade. But guest Kevin Madsen of HeyDad says that’s not as good as it sounds.
43 min
902
Vacationing With Kids- What Works
Successful travel as a family doesn’t mean your choice of destination needs to revolve around your kids. But you may need to keep your expectations flexible. This episode is full of ideas for creating family vacations with appeal for all ages.
43 min
903
Stuff Our Spouses Do Way Better Than We Do
The best partnerships are symbiotic, so in this episode we give a shout-out to all the things our spouses handle way better than we do, such as: broken dishwashers. Broken bones. Successful repurposing of leftovers. Pancake-making. Thanks guys!
49 min
904
Princesses (If You Must)
The princess phase feels pretty inescapable. But does every Royal Sparkle tutu a Honey Boo Boo make? Or is our princess paranoia a bit misguided? Here’s why we say you can ease up and let your kids be anything they want. Even if it’s princesses.
45 min
905
Kid Friend Breakups
Our kids have been left behind by once-best friends. They’ve also struggled with creating space between themselves and playmates they have simply outgrown. Whatever side they’re on, here’s how to make it a little less painful for all concerned.
48 min
906
Small Changes, Big Difference- Part Two
So many good ideas, we made a Part Two! Here’s dozens of small changes parents have made that turned out to make a big difference in their lives— thanks to our listeners plus some of the top content creators for parents from the 2018 Mom 2.0 Summit.
51 min
907
Summer Plans
It takes a lot of juggling to schedule 10 weeks of summer freedom- not to mention cash. America spends about $18 billion dollars on “summer enrichment” every year. Here’s how to keep your kids the right amount of occupied without breaking the bank.
45 min
908
Tweens
We always figured “tween” was marketing speak for stuff with glitter on it. But 9-12 year olds actually have different brains than younger kids. And then sometimes they like stuffed animals still. Here’s how parents can deal with the whiplash.
46 min
909
Small Changes, Big Difference
We asked our listeners to tell us the small changes you've made in your lives (as parents and as people) that have turned out to make a big difference. This episode is full of game-changing ideas for your home, your school mornings, and your sanity.
41 min
910
Let’s Not Care About What We Weigh
We won’t lie to you- we probably spend more time than we should thinking about what we weigh. Which is, admittedly, variable. But while we think about what we weigh plenty when we’re unhappy with what the scale says,
54 min
911
Bickering
Why do our kids bicker so incessantly? Are they actually intending to drive us batty, or is there more at work? If parents are supposed to “ignore it” until just before the face-scratching starts, how can we sense the perfect moment to intervene?
42 min
912
Did We Really Do That?
We’ve all done things as parents that, looking back, we can’t believe. Breastfeeding twins. Writing thank you notes in the baby’s voice. Here’s some of our (and our listeners’) supermom accomplishments— and more than a few super-foolish notions.
58 min
913
Managing Our Schedules
It's the battle of the calendars! Margaret loves her paper planner but tends to forget stuff. Amy swears by digital, until her phone switches all the events to Greenwich Mean Time. We talk best strategies for managing our families’ busy lives.
50 min
914
Getting Your Kids To Talk To You
Getting our kids to talk to us is never easy (unless we’re 15 minutes late for an appointment, car keys in hand). Since “How was school today?” is apparently the worst thing Mom can ask, here’s what actually works to get kids talking- at every age.
50 min
915
The Best Mom Advice We Ever Got
From touching perspective-givers to why-didn’t-I-think-of-that timesavers, our listeners told us the best mom advice they ever received for parenting babies, toddlers, kids and teens. Example: wash *all* the clothes in the baby detergent. Genius!
52 min
916
Musical Instruments- If You Must
Must our children either be tied to a piano bench or forgo their dreams of the Ivy League? Must we battle with our children daily to make them practice and then have to listen to 15 minutes of what sounds like a dying moose? Probably. Here’s why.
47 min
917
Reluctant Readers
Are audio books cheating? Must every kids’ book feature Poopy Man and The Toilet King? Are reluctant readers doomed to fall behind their peers? We’ve got ideas to get everyone in your family reading, plus books your kids will drop everything to read.
46 min
918
Morning Madness
We’d all love a school morning where everyone gets out the door without Mom yelling or feeling stressed. And by “all” we mean all mothers. Our children seem blithely indifferent to all the hollering and pleading and bargaining we do each morning in or...
49 min
919
What To Do When They’re Just Like You
Are your child’s most annoying personality traits super-familiar, because they are also yours? And is there anything to be done? We discuss whether those qualities are baked in the cake- or whether our kids learn how to be impossible by watching us.
45 min
920
Mean Girls (with guest author Katie Hurley)
Why are today’s girls exhibiting “relational aggression” in pre-K? How can you help a daughter who’s being bullied? And what do you do when your daughter’s the one doing the bullying? Guest: Katie Hurley, author of the new book No More Mean Girls.
57 min
921
Go-To Dinners
What’s a “go-to dinner”? One pot is good. 30 minutes or less is better. But we’ll use every cookie sheet and pot in the house if it’s 1) not pizza and 2) all of our kids will actually eat it. Here are the recipes that work for us- and our listeners.
51 min
922
Sick Day Hacks
One sick day? Fine, here’s the remote. But by day 4 of a low-grade fever most of us are desperate for ideas. Here’s what to have ready for such moments, what keeps sick kids happily busy, and how to tell when they’re actually well enough for school.
47 min
923
What is Up With Toddlers?
Have you a short fat dictator in your home? Do you cower before a 24-pound child demanding pizza– no, not THAT kind of pizza! the other kind, the kind she likes NOW, which apparently has neither sauce nor cheese? What is *UP* with toddlers?
48 min
924
We’re Feeling Goal-y (Our Resolutions for the N...
In this episode we are here to *win 2018*, whether through Amy's Word For the Year ("Clarify") or Margaret's Phrase For These Times ("Say Yes to Less"). We vow not to confuse being busy with being worthy. We also vow to drink more water. Join us!
53 min
925
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