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!
126
Is This Battle Worth Fighting?
There's always something to fight about in our households. But which battles are worth fighting for long-term benefits, and which can be let go for the sake of parental peace and child development?
39 min
127
DEEP DIVE: Yep, That Was So Me
What's your "wow, that was so me” story? What is something you did as a kid (or your little one did ) that exemplifies exactly who you/they are now? We discuss some of our listeners’ favorite memories, plus a few of our own.
38 min
128
Fresh Take: Dan Wuori on "The Daycare Myth"
Why do we believe daycare is fundamentally different than education? Dr. Dan Wuori, author of the new book THE DAYCARE MYTH, explains why this line of thinking is harmful to children, their caregivers, and the country as a whole.
33 min
129
8 Ways to Make Better Decisions
In this episode, we’ll explore some age-old principles that can help us make better decisions. These principles, often referred to as “razors,” can cut through the clutter of complexity and help us see the forest for the trees.
44 min
130
DEEP DIVE: I've Figured Something Out...
Have you ever figured out a thing and thought: EVERYONE must know about this? Here are some things some of us have really figured out: how to always know what’s for dinner, how to pack for a trip just once, and how to clean a messy room in 10 minutes.
42 min
131
Fresh Take: Eli Harwood on Raising Securely Att...
Why is it important for our kids to establish a secure attachment with us? Eli Harwood, author of the new book RAISING SECURELY ATTACHED KIDS, offers practical tips and strategies for fostering stronger relationships with our kids.
37 min
132
Helping Kids Deal with Disappointment
Disappointment is simply a fact of life, but we naturally want to soothe our children when they're in pain. So how can we teach them to move through these uncomfortable feelings in a healthy way? Here are some helpful parenting strategies.
41 min
133
DEEP DIVE: I Really Thought This Would Be a Big...
What did you grow up believing would be a consistent presence in your adult life? Quicksand? Dinner parties? The Bermuda Triangle? Movies, TV, and certain bubble bath ads definitely led us astray when it came to the realities of adult life.
43 min
134
Fresh Take: Carla Naumburg Tells Kids How to St...
When kids get dysregulated, it can be really upsetting to us too. So how can we help them work through it? Carla Naumburg, author of the new book HOW TO STOP FREAKING OUT, discusses why kids are wired for freaking out and how we can help them.
32 min
135
Are Our Kids Overscheduled?
Nowadays, it's completely possible to load our kids up on activities to the point of exhaustion—theirs and ours. Why do we do it, how is it really affecting our kids, and what questions should we be asking when adding a new activity to the lineup?
39 min
136
DEEP DIVE: Which Parenting Rules Can We Break?
Pacifiers in the crib. Juice in the sippy cup. Popsicles in the bathtub. We all have exceptions that we make to the so-called parenting “rules” in the interest of our own sanity. Our listeners share which parenting rules they break and why.
41 min
137
Fresh Take: Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein on Raising R...
How should we prepare our daughters for the sexism and bias they will encounter out there in the world? Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein, author of SEXISM AND SENSIBILITY, tells us how to give our girls a sense of agency.
27 min
138
What Happened to My Sweet Child?
What happened to your formerly sweet and agreeable child, who woke up on the wrong side of the bed one day and never stopped whining? How does one try to restore equilibrium?
40 min
139
BEST OF: Back to School Back-to-Ones
It's back to school, back to morning insanity, back to seventeen different after-school activities per kid! We asked our listeners for their best back-to-school tips - or their biggest complaints.
42 min
140
You Might Also Like: In It: Raising Kids who Le...
Today we’re sharing an episode from another parenting podcast called “In It: Raising Kids who Learn Differently.” This podcast offers perspective, stories, and useful takeaways for parents of kids with learning differences like ADHD and dyslexia.
30 min
141
BEST OF: Esau McCaulley, "How Far To The Promis...
What does it mean to “escape poverty” in the U.S.? In his new book HOW FAR TO THE PROMISED LAND, Esau McCaulley questions the narrative of exceptionalism that he, and other Black survivors, are conditioned to give when they “make it” in America.
31 min
142
When Kids Ask Tough Questions
Kids have a knack for asking questions that are tricky, painful, or impossible to answer. How can we answer our kids' tough questions effectively, especially when the answers are hard—or don't exist?
40 min
143
DEEP DIVE: Might Seem Crazy. Works for Me.
From packing the laundry to eating the same lunch every day for five years to toothbrushes in the kitchen, these are our listeners' ideas that don't sound so crazy, come to think of it.
45 min
144
Fresh Take: Jill Castle, "Kids Thrive at Every ...
How do we set our kids up to have a healthy relationship with food and with their bodies, no matter what they look like? Jill Castle, author of KIDS THRIVE AT EVERY SIZE, tells us how to raise kids that eat healthy and love who they are.
39 min
145
Randomest Claims to Fame
What celebrity-in-waiting did you once hang out with at summer camp? What state fair championships did you achieve as a 10-year-old? We asked our audience about their various claims to minor fame—here's what they said.
42 min
146
DEEP DIVE: Rule Breaker Or Rule Follower: Which...
Are you a rule breaker or a rule follower? Are you married to your opposite? In this episode we discuss how these two kinds of people bump up against each other– especially in our own families– and how we try to find a little balance.
41 min
147
BEST OF: Judith Warner on What Grownups Get Wro...
Judith Warner’s book AND THEN THEY STOPPED TALKING TO ME: MAKING SENSE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL investigates what can be a truly painful period. Our parenting of tweens can also be affected by our memories of that time, and Warner explains why that matters.
32 min
148
Helping Kids Face Their Fears
Fear is an uncomfortable, but healthy—and necessary—human emotion. How can we help our kids face their fears in healthy and age-appropriate ways?
41 min
149
DEEP DIVE: Advice We Totally Hate
As soon as you become a mother, unsolicited advice-givers are everywhere, telling you to “sleep when the baby sleeps.” Or “it gets easier.” Or “enjoy every moment.” Out of all the advice that we and our listeners have received, here is the very worst.
44 min
150
Fresh Take: Amy Betters-Midtvedt on What No One...
How do we stay close to our teens as they grow more independent? Amy Betters-Midtvedt, author of the new book YOU'LL MAKE IT (AND THEY WILL TOO), offers some practical parenting tips for navigating our relationships with our adolescents.
29 min