What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms

Happy to Help is available wherever you buy books, and at bit.ly/whatfreshhellamazon. Did you know Amy narrates the audiobook? This episode marks number 400 of Amy-and-Margaret conversations on "What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood." (There are also hundreds of "Fresh Take" interviews with experts and guests!) We're here this episode to reflect on the lessons learned and challenges faced along the way. We discuss: Our biggest parenting takeaways from eight years of this podcast How parenting has changed since we started observing it closely The things we thought were true about parenting that just did not match up We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, brain development, mom brain, parenting myths Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re sharing this excellent list of resources to support those affected by the California fires. This list was created by writer Sari Botton @saribotton: World Central Kitchen, providing meals in the area. Donate a Meal Mutual Aid Network L.A. GoFundMe Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation’s Wildfire Fund Project Hope (“actively distributing hygiene kits to displaced families and children, procuring high-need items for shelters and health clinics, supporting health workers administering care to people affected, and mobilizing mental health support in response to the historic fires…“) Greater Good Charities (helping people and pets, with donations matched) National Council of Jewish Women (collecting clothes, toys, hygiene products and funds). California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund Pasadena Humane Society, boarding displaced pets and supplying pet food and medical care. Friends In Deed Pasadena Displaced Black Families Displaced Latine Families Mutual Aid Directory Displaced Filipino Families Mutual Directory Master List Displaced Families Mutual Aid Displaced Disabled Folks California Fire Foundation Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation Direct Relief We're also offering a replay of this episode from 2021, on how to discuss the news with our kids. These days, even the littlest children might see a stray notification on a parent's phone, or overhear something scary from someone else's screen. A lot of us struggle with what to tell our kids, how much, and when. But if we don't give the kids any context, some older kid in the cafeteria might become their primary source of (mis)information. We discuss what age is old enough for difficult topics, what to do when the story is close to home, and how we can always lead with reassurance– plus the best ways to consume the news with, and in front of, our kids. Here are links to some of the writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode: Paul Underwood for NYT: Is the News Too Scary for Kids? NPR Parenting: What To Say To Kids When the News Is Scary Liz Gumbinner: No, I Don't Know. Please Don't Tell Me Common Sense Media: Best News Sources for Kids We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, news, news with kids, current events, current affairs, LA wildfires, Los Angeles, Los Angeles wildfires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've been talking about it on the podcast a ton recently: we need to spend less time on our phones. But willpower doesn't work, at least not for long. Writer and influencer Mallory Thomas, author of the romantic novel SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, explains the science behind our phone addiction and the strategies she put in place that actually worked. In this episode Mallory, Amy, and Margaret discuss: The "aha" moment when Mallory realized she had to decrease her screen time Understanding the dopamine rush behind endless scrolling Strategies that didn't work, and then what actually did, to help Mallory curb her phone usage Here's where you can find Mallory: @mallorythomas_writes on IG, TikTok, and YouTube #whereisyoursomewhere www.mallorythomas.com Buy SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9798991499903 We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, life tips, useful tips, screentime, kids screentime, screens, phones, smartphones, decrease screentime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Amy Wilson's new book HAPPY TO HELP at bit.ly/happytohelpamazon or wherever you buy books! It's a good thing to be aware of the emotions and needs of the people around us. For some kids, it can tip into hypersensitivity to others' emotions, people-pleasing behaviors, and asking if people are mad at them approximately twenty times a day. How can we help? (And is it way worse for girls?) In this episode, hosts Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables discuss: What empirical studies of gender differences in emotion really show How empathy can correlate with social anxiety Strategies for highly empathetic people to disentangle themselves from others' emotions Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our "How to Yell Less" episode Toni Bernhard J.D. for Psychology Today: It's Time to Stop Taking Things Personally Connie Chang for Parents Magazine: How to Help Your Sensitive, Deeply Feeling Kid Handle an Overwhelming World Kateri McRae et. al in Group Processes & Intergroup Relations Journal: Gender Differences in Emotion Regulation: An fMRI Study of Cognitive Reappraisal Athena Chan for The International Business Times: Are Women More Emotional Than Men? Not Really, Study Finds Kim Elsesser for Forbes Magazine: Labeling Women As ‘Emotional’ Undermines Their Credibility, New Study Shows Teresa J. Frasca et. al for Psychology of Women Quarterly: Words Like Weapons: Labeling Women As Emotional During a Disagreement Negatively Affects the Perceived Legitimacy of Their Arguments Zawn Villines for Medical News Today: Empaths and anxiety: Is there a link? Merle-Marie Pittelkow et. al for Journal of Anxiety Disorders: Social Anxiety and Empathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Sohee Jun for Forbes Magazine: Ways to Stop People-Pleasing Subscribe to Amy's Substack for more about Happy to Help: amywilsonauthor.substack.com Join Amy at one of her HAPPY TO HELP launch events, regularly updated at http://bit.ly/happytohelpevents. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, gender roles, gender equity, gender stereotypes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about useful tips we've acquired over the years! Listen to the whole series on this Spotify playlist. We asked our listeners what minor and yet life-changing advice they have to offer. From bringing Sharpies everywhere, to cleaning the shower in the shower, to milkshakes after doctors' appointments, our lives just got a whole lot better! Margaret and Amy discuss: The correct way to boil corn What really goes in the glove compartment (not gloves) Amy's meet-cute with her husband "Let's Make a Deal" Links! "Bag o' Glass" on SNL We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, life tips, useful tips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where do we even start when we feel like we're drowning in too much stuff? Tyler Moore, better known on Instagram as @tidydad, and author of the new book TIDY UP YOUR LIFE, discusses tips on dealing not only with clutter, but with the emotions that accompany it. Tyler and Amy discuss: Keeping only what supports your current life, freeing up space for what matters How to divide decluttering into seasons Why "easily tidied," and not "always tidied," is the real goal Here's where you can find Tyler: www.thetidydad.com  @tidydad on IG @thetidydad on TikTok #tidyupyourlife Buy TIDY UP YOUR LIFE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593797839 We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, time management, new year, resolutions, positive psychology, clutter clearing, clutter, tidying, tidy up, tidy up your life, tidy up your life book, tidy dad, tuyl book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In celebration of the launch of her new book, HAPPY TO HELP, in this episode Margaret gives Amy the interview treatment! Amy tells all about the process of writing this book, the hard times that really put her parenting to the test, and her eventual discovery that putting our own needs lower and lower down our list of priorities will never work well enough to forever-fix everything around us. You can find HAPPY TO HELP in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook (read by Amy !) at bit.ly/happytohelpamazon or wherever you buy books! Subscribe to Amy's Substack for more about Happy to Help: amywilsonauthor.substack.com Join Amy at one of her HAPPY TO HELP launch events, regularly updated at http://bit.ly/happytohelpevents. Find all the HAPPY TO HELP launch events at www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/tourdates/ And if you'd like to choose HAPPY TO HELP for your book club and have Amy join you live or over Zoom to discuss, send an email to hello@amywilson.com. Here's where to find more about Amy: @amywlsn on Instagram @amywilsonauthor on Tiktok We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. #happytohelpbook memoir, new books, new release, women's lives, essays, people pleasing, perfectionist, type c, chronic illness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about useful tips we've acquired over the years! Listen to the whole series on this Spotify playlist. Happy 6th Anniversary to What Fresh Hell! In six years of doing this podcast, we've learned a lot, changed our minds, and watched our kids grow. This week we're talking about the most important things we've learned over the last six years, and what a privilege it is to be part of this incredible podcast community. Thanks for listening! Here are some things we talk about in this episode: Fresh Take: Helena Andrews-Dyer on Learning From Moms Not Like Us Fresh Take: Dr. Becky Goodman on Being "Good Inside" Faberge Organics Hairspray commercial (tell two friends!) Sign up for the What Fresh Hell newsletter! Once a month you’ll get our favorite recent episodes, plus links to other things to read and watch and listen to, and upcoming special events: http://eepurl.com/h8ze3z We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cognitive biases are self-deceptive thought patterns we all use to make sense of the world. In a world that makes less and less sense, Amanda Montell argues, humans have become more irrational than ever. In her new book THE AGE OF MAGICAL OVERTHINKING, Montell explains how our brains' coping mechanisms have become overloaded—and how to slow down our panic responses when the world becomes too overwhelming. Amanda, Amy, and Margaret discuss: How magical overthinking has manifested from the modern age of mass information overload and an epidemic of loneliness The types of cognitive biases that comprise magical overthinking, such as the sunk cost fallacy, the halo effect, and proportionality bias Strategies to combat the negative effects of magical overthinking Here's where you can find Amanda: https://amandamontell.com/ @amanda_montell on IG Buy THE AGE OF MAGICAL OVERTHINKING: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781668007976 Listen to the "Sounds Like a Cult" podcast We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. manifest reality, positive thinking, toxic positivity, magical thinking, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can positive psychology help us create more of what we want for ourselves in this new year? Life coach Ann Imig takes Margaret and Amy through some of her coursework and tells us how to connect our already-existing personality strengths to more joy and well-being. Ann Imig is an award-winning writer, speaker, and performer, currently working as a certified positive psychology life coach. In 2010 she created the nationwide storytelling series and book titled Listen to Your Mother. Ann, Amy, and Margaret discuss: -taking stock of the previous year and using that knowledge to create what's next -how the character strengths quiz can help you create more well-being -how to get more of what we want in 2025 Here's where you can find Ann Imig: -ListenLifeCoaching.com -Get a free 30-minute consultation with Ann! -Preview the "Year BEGIN" Workshop -Listen to Ann's podcast "It's Pronounced Memwah" with Wendy Aarons and Mariana Olenko -Take the character strengths quiz: https://viacharacter.org/ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, meal prepping, time management, new year, resolutions, positive psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about useful tips we've acquired over the years! Listen to the whole series on this Spotify playlist. Here are the parenting experts who changed our thinking the most, the listeners who made us laugh the most, and what we're going to carry with us into the new year. We also shout out the fantastic small team that makes What Fresh Hell and our podcast network, Adalyst Media, run so smoothly. All women, all amazing. Our listeners are amazing, too. Thank you for being part of our funny, fun, supportive community. If you haven't yet, join our Facebook group, the last good place on the internet: https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatfreshhellcast We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, toddler, baby, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you and your partner find yourselves talking past each other when arguing? Erin and Stephen Mitchell, authors of the new book TOO TIRED TO FIGHT, discuss how parenting can impact relationships (including their own!) and strategies to manage conflict and stay connected.  Erin and Stephen Mitchell are the cofounders of Couples Counseling for Parents, a company focused on providing access to research-informed, psychologically sound online education for couples. Amy, Erin, and Stephen discuss: Why fighting between couples often increases once kids come into the picture What conflict in a relationship really signifies—and why it's not a bad thing Why conflict resolution doesn't have to be dead serious all the time Here's where you can find Erin and Stephen: www.couplescounselingforparents.com Buy TOO TIRED TO FIGHT: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593714270 Listen to the "Couples Counselling for Parents" podcast We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, relationships, fighting, couples, marriage, couple arguing, couple fighting, conflict in relationships Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when the usual parenting advice feels zero-percent applicable to our own situation? The first step is to let go of any "second arrow" self-blame that that is the case. The second step is to chart our own paths. Amy and Margaret discuss: What types of kids may not benefit from the one-size-fits-all parenting advice Why the concept of default parenting advice is harmful Why kids "irritating behaviors" are signs that they are growing and learning appropriately Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Sarah Lyons for Western NY Family Magazine: "One Size Doesn't Fit All" Our episode "When Your Kid Doesn't Fit the Mold" Jeanie Lerche Davis for WebMD: 10 Commandments of Good Parenting Dana Bosu: How to Cope When Your Child is Different Andrew Solomon: Far From the Tree Ross Greene: The Explosive Child Rita Eichenstein: Not What I Expected Deborah Reber: Differently Wired Sign up for What Fresh Hell Plus on Supporting Cast to get all episodes ad-free, plus monthly bonus episodes. Supporting Cast works right where you already listen! Go to whatfreshhell.supportingcast.fm to subscribe in two taps for just $4.99 a month, or $39.99 a year. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, meal prepping, time management, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re rerunning some of our favorite holiday episodes to keep you company while you do all the things this season. Listen to all of our holiday episodes in this Spotify playlist. Experts say happiness is often purer in the anticipation of an event. The reality can be a little more messy. And at no time of year is that sentiment more true than during the holiday season. We asked our listeners to tell us their holiday worsts, and in this episode we discuss them all, plus a few of our own. Hams glazed with norovirus! Toddlers sleeping in airports! And of course, everyone's favorite Yuletide treat: The Vomiting Christmas Baby! And yet those are the holidays we remember best. Which makes it (almost) all worth it. Think your holiday season has been a little crazy? Hold our eggnog. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans - https://www.futurefans.com What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Santa, Elf on the Shelf, gift exchange, holiday, holiday shopping, holiday gifts, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, toddler, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are teenagers destined to be bored by high school, or are we missing an important piece of the puzzle? Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, authors of THE DISENGAGED TEEN, explain what's behind the teen disengagement crisis and how parents can act. Jenny Anderson is an award-winning journalist, author, and speaker with more than 25 years of experience. Rebecca Winthrop is the director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Jenny, Rebecca, and Margaret discuss: The four different modes of learning that teens tend to engage in What academic disengagement in a teen really signals about them How parents can help their kids get more excited about learning Here's where you can find Jenny and Rebecca: www.jennywestanderson.org www.rebeccawinthrop.com www.thedisengagedteen.com @jennyandersonwrites and @drrebeccawinthrop on IG #DisengagedTeen #LearnBetterLiveBetter Buy THE DISENGAGED TEEN: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593727072 We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans: https://www.futurefans.com/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, meal prepping, time management, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SHOULD we yell at our kids? No. Do we? Yes. Some of us perhaps a little too often. Kids are hardwired to push our buttons to get attention, and none of us are saints.But while verbal abuse is definitely horrible, hollering “you are about to miss the bus again” is perhaps a little more forgivable—and fixable, as it turns out. And it is definitely better to yell less, not just because you’ll have a more peaceful home, but because the more yelling your household has in it, the more it is likely to have.In this episode Amy and Margaret discuss: Why yelling at your kids might not be as universally toxic as some headlines have claimed Why yelling is, in the end, ineffective Why finding workarounds for the sources of tension might be a more effective path to change than berating yourself for (once again) having raised your voice Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Carla Naumburg Our Fresh Take with Emily Edlynn Lisa Belkin for NYT: Can Yelling at Your Kids Be Good? Sue Shellenbarger for WSJ: Talking to Your Kids After You Yell Ming-Te Wang and Sarah Kenny in the Journal of the Society for Research in Child Development: Longitudinal Links Between Fathers’ and Mothers’ Harsh Verbal Discipline and Adolescents’ Conduct Problems and Depressive Symptoms Dr. Emily Edlynn for Psychology Today: The Truth About Parents Who Yell at Kids Stephen Marche for NYT: Why You Should Stop Yelling at Your Kids We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans - https://www.futurefans.com What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, meal prepping, time management, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re rerunning some of our favorite holiday episodes to keep you company while you do all the things this season. Listen to all of our holiday episodes in this Spotify playlist. Are you juggling “dress as your favorite reindeer” day at preschool with frantic texts from your sister-in-law asking what your spouse wants for Christmas? Are you feeling like hiding under the covers instead of hitting the office holiday party?  It’s the most everything time of the year, and women report the holidays as being far more stressful than men do.  In this episode we discuss how to manage the holiday stress, how to accept the non-cozy feelings that may arise, and why it’s okay to dial back if you’re really not feeling the holiday spirit.  Here are links to some of the writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode:  Pooja Lakshmin on Instagram @womensmentalhealthdoc Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research: Holiday Stress Harvard Medical School: A holiday advisory for your emotions Cedars-Sinai Hospital: Depression and Anxiety Around the Holidays We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans - https://www.futurefans.com What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Santa, Elf on the Shelf, gift exchange, holiday, holiday shopping, holiday gifts, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, toddler, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does being a crunchy mom mean milling your own flour and sending your kids to school barefoot? Emily and Jason Morrow, creators of Really Very Crunchy, discuss what inspired them to both embrace and riff on the crunchy lifestyle. Emily Morrow is a stay-at-home mom who created the social media channel "Really Very Crunchy" with her husband Jason in 2022. Emily, Jason, and Margaret discuss: What the crunchy lifestyle entails and why it's a spectrum How Emily and Jason got the inspiration to start Really Very Crunchy How to balance your own crunchiness with the lifestyles of your friends and family Here's where you can find Emily and Jason: www.reallyverycrunchy.com @reallyverycrunchy on IG, FB, YouTube, and TikTok  Listen to the Really Very Crunchy Podcast Buy Emily's book REALLY VERY CRUNCHY: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780310367529 We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans - https://www.futurefans.com What Fresh Hell is hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, emotional labor, crunchy lifestyle, organic lifestyle, crunchy mom, crunchy life, really very crunchy podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Engaging in regular household chores is a great way for kids to develop important life skills. But how can we take the time to teach kids how to do these chores while not making laundry day any more hectic than it already is? Amy and Margaret discuss: How regular chores help kids develop important skills Why "noticing" what needs to be done is just as important as actually doing it How to pick your battles when it comes to involving little kids in chores Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Emily Rubin Persons Our Fresh Take with Michaeleen Doucleff Life Kit: Raising Kids Who Help with Chores, with Michaeleen Doucleff Morgan Music for Scary Mommy: This Mom Is Teaching Her Kids About Invisible Labor Early — Here’s How American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Chores and Children We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans: https://www.futurefans.com/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, chores, kids and chores, teen chores, household labor, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about family dynamics. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify. Are you the “bad parent” in your home? The enforcer of bedtimes, the keeper of deadlines, the stern shusher in the church pew? Or are you the “good parent,” the authority figure more likely to agree that time is a construct and that ice cream not only can, but should, be what’s for dinner? This week we’re breaking down  how this dynamic plays out in each of our homes whether the primary caregiver has to always be stuck with the Killer of Joy role how this can play out when parents are divorced how drill sergeants can ease up on the oversight how the “good time Charlies” can become more aware  As in most things, change is possible when we watch our stories. These aren’t roles that have to harden in amber and then never change. The Carrier of the Diaper Bag and The Worrier of All Potential Outcomes deserves to kick back once in a while too.  Here are links to some of resources we discuss in the episode:  Isaac Watts’ poem “Love Between Brothers and Sisters” Julia Austin for Madame Noire: How The Good Cop/Bad Cop Parenting Dynamic Ruins Marriages James Lehman for Empowering Parents: Good Cop/Bad Cop Parenting This clip from the movie The Great Santini Our episode Parenting as a Team We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Future Fans: helping little kids become BIG fans - https://www.futurefans.com What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, preferred parent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices