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Artwork for What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms
Kids & FamilyParentingComedy

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms

Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson

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

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  • 24 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 41 min
  • English

Episodes 24

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  • Today · 33 min

    Fresh Take: Dr. Özgür Bolat on the Real Science of Motivating Kids

    We reward our kids in order to incentivize them. But does that result in our kids becoming less intrinsically motivated? Dr. Özgür Bolat, author of THE REWARD TRAP, explains how rewards change how kids view activities, and and offers better ways to build autonomy and engagement.

  • #481
    Wednesday · 43 min

    Helping Our Kids Feel Seen

    How do we ensure that each of our children receives individual attention, especially when modern life leaves little room for slowing down? Amy and Margaret explore “glass children,” the easy kid, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and how small moments of one-on-one connection can help kids feel valued.

  • August 7 · 42 min

    Fresh Take: Michael McLeod on ADHD and Executive Function

    For decades, parents have been taught to view ADHD as a problem with attention and hyperactivity— but the disorder is better understood as a deficit of executive function. Michael McLeod, author of THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION PLAYBOOK, explains why that distinction is crucial.

  • #480
    August 5 · 43 min

    People Must Be Pretending to Enjoy This

    What's that thing you dislike so strongly you're convinced everyone else must be pretending? From chemical-tasting seltzers to pumpkin patches, here's what we—and our listeners—think are life's most overrated activities.

  • August 3 · 43 min

    DEEP DIVE: 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.

  • July 27 · 46 min

    DEEP DIVE: Emily Cherkin on Tech-Intentional Parenting

    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.

  • #478
    July 22 · 37 min

    How Can Siblings Be Such Total Opposites?

    How can siblings with the same parents and upbringing be so dramatically different? Researchers offer several theories. This week we discuss all the reasons why siblings, especially those close in age, tend to become so unalike.

  • #477
    July 15 · 42 min

    How Should We Support Our Kids' Passions?

    These days, kids' afterschool sports and weekend activities seem increasingly pressurized and professionalized, whether it's second-grade soccer or travel gymnastics. Can we dial back the pressure and still support our kids' passions as they develop?

  • July 13 · 33 min

    DEEP DIVE: Catherine Pearlman on Kids and Phones

    When should we get our kids phones? And is “delay as long as possible” an option? Catherine Pearlman, author of the book First Phone, tells us how kids can become wiser about the responsibilities of social media, digital consent, and internet safety.

  • July 10 · 42 min

    Fresh Take: Laura Clery on Codependency, Co-Parenting, and Starting Over

    What happens when a life lived online comes apart at the seams? Laura Clery, internet sensation and author of WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU HOTTER, talks about sobriety, co-parenting, realizing her own life story had become a thriller, and how motherhood made her brave.

  • July 8 · 40 min

    What Fresh Hell Is... Being the Only Grownup in the Room?

    Why does adulthood so often feel like waiting for a “real adult” to show up? We share listener stories (and a few of our own) about parenting, emergencies, caregiving, and the invisible load of being the grownup in the room.

  • July 6 · 30 min

    DEEP DIVE: Susan Linn on How “Big Tech” Targets Our Kids

    These days, wherever kids are, they’re not far from a screen or a smart speaker– or the brands who are using “educational” toys and games to sell them stuff. Susan Linn, author of WHO’S RAISING THE KIDS?, explains how big tech is targeting our kids.

  • July 3 · 48 min

    BEST OF: What Kind of Monster?

    What kind of monster listens to videos on speaker? Or keeps the keyboard clicks on their phone? What kind of monster takes up two parking spots? Puts empty cereal boxes back in the cabinet? (Disclaimer: we may have been just a few of these monsters.)

  • #475
    July 1 · 44 min

    When It's Too Much Change All at Once

    Feeling overwhelmed by too many life changes at once? Why does life tend to dole out major changes in groups? We discuss "change fatigue," the three parts of any big transition, and how to find a little more resilience in times of big uncertainty.

Showing 1–20 of 24 episodes