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!
101
The Psychological "Effects" That Shape Our Thin...
We love talking about WHY we think the way we think. In this episode we discuss the "effects" that shape our thinking, from the Dunning-Kruger Effect to the Zeigarnik Effect.
42 min
102
DEEP DIVE: Taking Care Of Our Parents (And Our ...
Half of adults in their 30s and 40s say they handle some of their parents’ caregiving, even if it’s mostly logistical or financial. When you’re also taking care of your kids, it’s a lot. We talk “sandwich generation” stress and how to get more help.
43 min
103
Fresh Take: Chip Leighton, "What Time Is Noon?"
Teenagers love to tell their parents they're doing things wrong. Then they ask their mothers how much quarters cost. Chip Leighton, author of the new book WHAT TIME IS NOON, is here to prove that teens of every stripe find their parents "cringe."
37 min
104
Why Women Have Less Free Time
October’s "Free-Time Gender Gap Report" found that women spend twice as much time on household labor as men do, even when controlling for marital/parental/socioeconomic status, race, and age. So why are women of all stripes working harder in the home?
41 min
105
We Think You'll Love: "What It's Like To Be" Po...
Hear a sample episode of the podcast “What It’s Like to Be…” from New York Times bestselling business book author Dan Heath. In every episode, Dan interviews someone from a different profession.
34 min
106
DEEP DIVE: Introverts vs. Extroverts (and Makin...
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Turns out, you can enjoy socializing but still be an introvert— or require some alone time but still be an extrovert. And there are times your kids will be the opposite of what you are.
40 min
107
Fresh Take: Dr. Dan Siegel
How can we parent with our child's developing brain in mind? Dr. Dan Siegel, author of THE WHOLE-BRAIN CHILD, explains how children's brains work and how we can help them integrate their everyday experiences in order to mature.
39 min
108
We Regret to Inform You...This Totally Works
We asked our listeners: what are the things you do that, regrettably, work perfectly well to keep you healthy, sane, and organized? And all you have to do is DO them?
44 min
109
DEEP DIVE: Pushing Kids the Just-Right Amount
How do we know when to let our kids quit the sport they hate or skip a homework assignment? Will it be our fault they miss out on the Olympics or being president? Amy and Margaret discuss when they pushed (or didn't push) their kids and reflect on the outcomes.
37 min
110
Fresh Take: Emily Rubin Persons of Skip Coaching
Getting our kids ready to thrive independently is about more than academics or extracurricular achievements. Emily Rubin Persons, founder of Skip Coaching, explains how to help kids develop the skills they'll need.
40 min
111
Helping Kids Manage Their Friendships
When our kids aren't good at making friends, we feel their pain and want to help them. Here's what we can do to give our kids the skills they'll need to be good friends.
44 min
112
DEEP DIVE: Competition: How Much Is Good For Ou...
Most of us think the dad yelling through the fence at T-Ball is taking things too seriously. Others say participation trophies teach our kids that achievement is optional. How do we balance the eye of the tiger with just letting our kids play?
41 min
113
Fresh Take: Gabrielle Blair
We often get anxious when our kids deviate from what we've all been told is the one path to success and happiness. Gabrielle Blair, author of the new book THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, explains how to help our kids become themselves.
33 min
114
Does Messy Matter?
Does it really matter if our homes are a mess? Do organized environments actually make us happier and our kids calmer? It may depend on your personal set point.
44 min
115
DEEP DIVE: When Your Kids Gets Rejected
How do we allow our kids to feel rejection, without going after the little punks who did it, or attempting to prune their disappointment into a bonsai tree of neat and tidy life lessons?
42 min
116
Fresh Take: Mark Bittman
How can we get our picky eaters to branch out or get kids to appreciate our getting dinner on the table every single night? Mark Bittman, author of the new book HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING: KIDS, explains how we can give kids more agency over their meals and strengthen our relationship with them in the process.
31 min
117
What Fresh Hell is Halloween?
Bespoke costumes, elaborate celebrations, and now THE SWITCH WITCH? How has Halloween gone from simple and spooky to insanely stressful and expensive? Here's how Halloween has evolved over the years and where we go from here.
48 min
118
DEEP DIVE: 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
119
Fresh Take: Brit Barron
Is the upcoming election, and the thought of Thanksgiving dinner with your relatives right after it, seriously stressing you out? Brit Barron, author of DO YOU STILL TALK TO GRANDMA?, explains why she believes in maintaining contact even when we disagree.
38 min
120
Is Parental Stress Getting Worse?
Last month the Surgeon General declared the mental health of parents an "urgent public health issue." Are parents more stressed out than ever? If so, what can we do about it?
43 min
121
DEEP DIVE: Best Advice We'd Give Our Younger Se...
Youth is wasted on the young. We wasted our youth taking the wrong classes in college and layering imaginary agendas onto other people's dopey behavior. Here's the best advice we (and our listeners) learned from doing things the wrong way.
41 min
122
Fresh Take: Dr. Tovah Klein on Raising Resilien...
"Resilience" is something we're told our kids should possess—but what does it really mean, and how can we help our kids to be more resilient? Dr. Tovah Klein, author of the new book RAISING RESILIENCE, explains why our own resilience might be where the work starts.
38 min
123
Are We Still Doing Manners?
Which manners are important for functioning in polite society, and which social customs are best left behind? Here's how to discern what manners still matter for kids.
40 min
124
DEEP DIVE: 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.
38 min
125
Fresh Take: The Lazy Genius on Compassionate Ti...
Kendra Adachi, better known as "The Lazy Genius," has a plan for time management—one that takes out the part where we feel bad about ourselves. Kendra tells us about her new book, THE PLAN.
42 min