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
151
Comparing Without Despairing
Competitive parenting is a trap—and one it can be hard to avoid. But if "mompetition" isn't the answer, and comparing is despairing, are there ways we can compare our parenting and our kids' progress that are actually useful?
42 min
152
DEEP DIVE: Admitting Things Aren't Perfect
It's hard to admit things aren't perfect. It's especially hard for moms. "Socially mediated" perfectionism happens when a culture has unrealistic demands for a person or group, then punishes them when they fall short. Sound familiar? Here’s what to do.
39 min
153
Fresh Take: Debra Hendrickson on What We Can Do...
Climate change is affecting our children's health and our future. But what can we as individuals do about it? Debra Hendrickson, author of THE AIR THEY BREATHE, explains why it matters and what steps we can take.
24 min
154
Sibling Spacing: Close Together or Far Apart?
It's not always—or even often—in our control, but what is the ideal spacing for siblings? Our listeners who had kids close together—and far apart—explain why it's worked for their families.
42 min
155
DEEP DIVE: How To Stop Having The Same Fight
Having the same fight doesn’t mean your relationship is broken. But it is totally annoying. Here are the modes of negativity that are at work when we repeat the same conflicts- and what we can do to break the cycle, whether it’s our partners or kids.
44 min
156
Fresh Take: Erin and Stephen Mitchell, "Too Tir...
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
157
Are We Helping or Are We Helicoptering?
No one wants to be a helicopter parent. Every parent needs to be helpful. But how much, how often, and how can we find the best overall balance?
38 min
158
DEEP DIVE: Let's Stop Caring What People Think
Why do we care so much what other people think? Does anyone truly possess the magical ability to ignore the judgments of others? How do we tell the difference between whose opinions matter and whose definitely do not?
38 min
159
Fresh Take: Emily Cherkin on Tech-Intentional P...
We all know our kids should have less screen time. Achieving that is easier said than done. Emily Cherkin, author of THE SCREENTIME SOLUTION, offers tips for becoming "tech-intentional" as a family.
43 min
160
When Mom Leaves Town
Does the thought of leaving your kids for a few days terrify you? Here are some parenting tips to prepare for all of the eventualities that may occur if you leave town, from interpreting the toddler's babble to handling your feelings of mom guilt.
41 min
161
DEEP DIVE: Dropping the Rope
What fight are you no longer willing to have? Is it making the bed? Eating what you cook? Matching pants with shirts every day? Sometimes the smartest thing you can do in your endless tug-of-war over small things is to drop the rope.
36 min
162
Fresh Take: Jo Piazza
We chat with Jo Piazza, author of the juicy new book THE SICILIAN INHERITANCE and host of the podcast UNDER THE INFLUENCE WITH JO PIAZZA.
30 min
163
BEST OF: Super-Awesome Mom Hacks
Time for some easy wins! Here of some of our (and our listeners') favorite hacks for naptime, diapers, laundry, cooking, snow days, sibling squabbles, and General Sanity Preservation. This stuff really works!
39 min
164
Keeping Our Families' Traditions
Is there one person in your family who keeps everyone in touch, who maintains the traditions, who keeps things going? And is that person you? That is the work of kinkeeping.
39 min
165
BEST OF: Bethany Johnson and Margaret Quinlan
Margaret Quinlan and Bethany Johnson are co-authors of You’re Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media and Medical Expertise, which investigates the history of mothering advice from the 1800s to now. Turns out, perfectionism in motherhood is an old dictate.
27 min
166
Why Was This a Thing? Rules We Once Lived By
Whistling inside? No baseball caps at dinner? No showers during a lightning storm? What odd rules of life did Amy and Margaret once cling to?
40 min
167
Ask Amy: I've Already Got the End-of-Summer Sca...
How do we relieve ourselves of the pressure to make every summer day Pinterest-worthy for our children, especially when all we do is break up fights and tell them no? Amy helps a listener combat her end-of-summer scaries.
5 min
168
Fresh Take: Mr. Chazz on Breaking Generational ...
How can we move away from the harmful parenting techniques we experienced when parenting our own children? Chazz Lewis, host of the podcast "Learning Curve with Mr. Chazz," gives us practical tips for tough parenting moments.
37 min
169
Sibling Rivalry
Is your house full of bickering siblings? Is it really all about competition for parental attention? If sibling rivalry is taking over in your house, here's how to foster more cooperation and navigate the conflict.
44 min
170
BEST OF: Would You Rather...? (Mom Edition)
Miss Rachel on an eternal loop, or Baby Shark? Long flight with toddlers, or long road trip? It's the Mom Edition of the time-honored game WOULD YOU RATHER?
40 min
171
Fresh Take: Lucas Mann on Fatherhood
What does it mean to be a dad in today's world, and how has the role of fathers changed over time? Lucas Mann, author of ATTACHMENTS: ESSAYS ON FATHERHOOD AND OTHER PERFORMANCES, tells us about his experiences and his writing process.
27 min
172
Dumb Things We Thought When We Were Kids
What's the absolutely dumbest thing that you fully believed as a child? We asked our listeners, and share some of their—and our—most deeply held misbeliefs.
39 min
173
BEST OF: Toxic Positivity
Why is it that when we are struggling, other people feel the need to put a silver lining on all of our rain clouds? In this episode we unearth the psychology behind toxic positivity, and how focusing on staying positive at all costs can actually hurt us in the long run.
41 min
174
Fresh Take: Ruth Whippman on What We Get Wrong ...
What are the important differences, both obvious and hidden, in the way we raise boys and the way we raise girls? Ruth Whippman, author of the new book BOYMOM, explains where modern parenting advice for raising boys often misses the mark.
26 min
175
When Your Kid is Being Bullied
Is your kid being bullied? Should you as the parent get involved? Will that only make things worse? It's easy to feel helpless at these times. Getting clear about what's happening can help.
43 min