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
76
Fresh Take: Nancy Reddy on "The Good Mother Myth"
Why are we all led to believe that motherhood is both natural and instinctive—and something you have to work hard to get exactly right? Nancy Reddy, author of THE GOOD MOTHER MYTH, discusses the origins of misguided notions around motherhood.
36 min
77
400 Just-Us Episodes! Looking Back, Looking For...
This is our 400th just-us episode of "What Fresh Hell." Here's what we've learned about ourselves as women and as mothers in eight years on the mic.
42 min
78
DEEP DIVE: Handling the News with Our Kids
In response to the terrible fires in California, we are offering this list of resources and ways to help—and this episode, originally from 2021, about how to help our kids handle the news.
41 min
79
Fresh Take: Mallory Thomas on How to Get Off Ou...
If our phones are designed to be un-put-downable, how can we ever hope to decrease our screentime? Writer and influencer Mallory Thomas discusses the strategy that finally worked for her after a lot of failed attempts.
36 min
80
"Are You Mad at Me?" When Kids Live to Please
Kids need to learn sensitivity to the needs and emotions of those around them. Some kids become perhaps overly sensitive. How can we help kids who are little *too* eager to please?
40 min
81
DEEP DIVE: Minor, Life-Changing Tips
Here are our minor and yet life-changing tips for making your car, kitchen, bathroom, handbag, and day run just a little more smoothly.
36 min
82
Fresh Take: Tyler Moore, "Tidy Dad"
What do you do when you're so overwhelmed by a cluttered space that you don't know where to start? Tyler Moore @tidydad, author of TIDY UP YOUR LIFE, offers practical tips for clearing clutter—physical, emotional, and mental.
42 min
83
Amy Wilson, "Happy to Help"
Amy's new book, HAPPY TO HELP, is finally here! She talks with Margaret about the inspiration for the book, stories of people pleasing gone awry, and why women take on the role of people pleaser so often.
41 min
84
DEEP DIVE: The Most Important Things We've Lear...
What have we learned in the six years since we started the What Fresh Hell podcast? Here are the most important things we've learned from our experts, from each other, and from our listeners.
39 min
85
BEST OF: Fresh Take: Amanda Montell and the Age...
These days we're bombarded with messages that we can manifest the reality we wish to exist. Amanda Montell, author of the new book THE AGE OF MAGICAL OVERTHINKING, explains the cognitive biases that give us an illusion of outsized control in our lives.
36 min
86
BEST OF: What We're Taking Into The New Year (w...
How can we enter the new year with a confidence in what we already have and do well, rather than a list of things we have to fix? Life coach Ann Imig shares strategies for discovering and cultivating our existing personality strengths.
41 min
87
DEEP DIVE: The Most Useful Parenting Tips We Le...
Here are some of our favorite parenting tips and takeaways we learned in 2023, from experts and listeners and mom friends everywhere.
42 min
88
BEST OF: Fresh Take: Erin and Stephen Mitchell,...
Why are we so bad at asking for what we need? How do small disagreements somehow turn into big blowouts? Erin and Stephen Mitchell, authors of TOO TIRED TO FIGHT, offer practical tips for communicating with your partner without escalating conflict.
40 min
89
BEST OF: When Typical Parenting Advice Just Doe...
Parenting advice is often deemed to be universal. When it's not, we tend to question ourselves—but what we should be questioning is why parenting was ever thought to be one-size-fits-all.
40 min
90
HOLIDAY BEST OF: Holiday Fails
We asked our listeners to tell us their holiday worsts, and in this episode we discuss them all, plus a few of our own. Think your holiday season has been a little crazy? Hold our eggnog.
46 min
91
Fresh Take: Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop...
Can we get bored teens excited about school—or anything at all? Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, authors of the new book THE DISENGAGED TEEN, explain how we can encourage our kids' enthusiasm.
43 min
92
How To Yell Less
Yelling. We all do it. We all hate ourselves for doing it afterward. Here’s why we yell, why it doesn’t usually even work that well, and why we still say the goal should still be LESS yelling (not none).
42 min
93
HOLIDAY BEST OF: It's the Most Everything Time ...
According to a recent study, 41% of men strongly agreed that they can relax during the holidays. Only 27% of women felt the same. It’s the most everything time of the year, and we’re doing– and feeling– all the things.
41 min
94
Fresh Take: Emily and Jason Morrow, "Really Ver...
What does it mean to live a "crunchy" lifestyle, and does it have to entail beets in piñatas and homemade soap? Emily and Jason Morrow, creators of Really Very Crunchy, discuss how they embrace the crunchy lifestyle with humor and self-awareness.
38 min
95
Should Kids Do Chores?
We all want our kids to grow up to be people who naturally help around the house. But how do we foster that in them from a young age, and is the onus of teaching kids chores only adding to the default parent's mental load?
40 min
96
DEEP DIVE: Are You the 'Good Parent' or the 'Ba...
Are you the “bad parent” in your home? The enforcer of bedtimes, the stern shusher in the church pew? Or are you the “good parent,” more likely to agree that time is a construct and that ice cream not only can, but should, be what’s for dinner?
40 min
97
Fresh Take: Vanessa Cornell on Putting Ourselve...
How can we care for our families when we are so burned out ourselves? Vanessa Cornell, founder of NUSHU, tells us how to reject the mom guilt and stay true to our authentic selves.
40 min
98
Holiday Goals: Less Doing, More Magic
It's mostly on us default parents to make Christmas bright (or whatever holiday our family may celebrate, including all of them). How do we also maintain our sanity?
45 min
99
DEEP DIVE: Two Kinds of People: Family Debates
When you're making a bed, which side is up for the flat sheet? Is it ever acceptable to call someone after 8 pm? What is the correct pronunciation of "Reese's Pieces”? We battle to the death over the answers to your most consistent family debates.

42 min
100
Fresh Take: Charles Bock on Parenting Through Loss
How do we parent effectively when coping with the death of our partner? Charles Bock, author of the memoir I WILL DO BETTER, shares his extraordinary journey through love, loss, and an unwavering commitment to family.
34 min