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

How can we show kids that their neighborhoods are wonderful places to explore, learn, and grow? Tamron Hall, author of the NYT-bestselling book HARLEM HONEY, discusses why fostering hometown curiosity in kids is so important. Tamron Hall is a two-time Emmy Award-winning television host and executive producer of syndicated talk show Tamron Hall. Tamron and Margaret discuss: Becoming a mom later in life Navigating anxiety in our kids Why Mom going off to work at the beginning of HARLEM HONEY is so important Here's where you can find Tamron: https://tamronhallshow.com/ Buy HARLEM HONEY: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780063244849 @tamronhall on IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, and X 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, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's something in your life that's made such a difference you wish you'd done it earlier? That's what we asked our listeners, and they came up with a range of excellent ideas, from big changes to tiny tweaks. Amy and Margaret discuss: Ideal coffee/tea temperatures Meal planning strategies that actually work Margaret's two recurring dreams and what they mean 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, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, emotional labor, cognitive labor, meal planning, grocery delivery, scheduling, family planner, family schedule Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Deep Dive series is all about why motherhood is so gosh darn hard. Turns out there are sociopolitical forces at play that make motherhood way harder than it needs to be. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify. Mothers have long been held at fault for anything that might occur in their children's lives, from autism ("refrigerator mothers") to colic, and everything in between. Why is there such a long history of blaming everything on Mom? In this episode, we discuss how mom blame has manifested in both psychology and parenting advice over the years, and how we can start to push back on it in our own lives. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Joseph E. Davis, PhD for Psychology Today: "For a Moratorium on Parent Blaming" Mitzi M. Waltz, PhD for the AMA Journal of Ethics: "Mothers and Autism: The Evolution of a Discourse of Blame" Rosjke Hasseldine for Medium: "How Mother Blaming Harms the Mother-Daughter Bond" Bonnie Zucker for Scary Mommy: "From a Psychologist: No, It's Not All Mom's Fault" 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, 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How does disability affect parenting, and what can disabled parents teach us all about parenthood? Jessica Slice, author of the new book UNFIT PARENT, discusses her journey as a disabled parent and the incredible joy she's found along the way. Jessica Slice is a disabled author, speaker, and essayist. She has been published in Modern Love, The New York Times and The Washington Post among many others. Jessica and Margaret discuss: Her journey towards accepting her disabled status How her disability prepared her for parenthood in an unexpected way How disabled parents are stigmatized and targeted by society Here's where you can find Jessica: www.jessicaslice.com @jessicaslice on IG Buy UNFIT PARENT: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780807013243 Rachel Fairbank for National Geographic: "What Is POTS? This Strange Disorder Has Doubled Since the Pandemic" 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, disability, disability awareness, disabled parenting, disabled parent, parenting while disabled #jessicaslice #unfitparent #disabledparenting #booksbydisabledauthors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a reason "gentle parenting" has become synonymous in some circles—and on social media—with never ever telling a child "no," even in the most extreme circumstances. But where did "gentle parenting" begin, what does the research really say about it, and what can it actually offer parents in the way of making their lives easier? Amy and Margaret discuss: The original definition of "gentle parenting"—and how it leaves the door open for broad interpretations What research has actually shown about the effects of gentle parenting—and how those who consider themselves gentle parents are faring What the disagreements surrounding gentle parenting tells us about parenting in the modern world Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Jessica Winter for the New Yorker: The Harsh Realm of 'Gentle Parenting' Kathryn Watson for Oprah Daily: The Truth About Gentle Parenting Annie Pezalla for The Conversation: Gentle parenting can be really hard on parents, new research suggests Anne E. Pezalla, et. al for the Public Library of Science Journal: “Trying to remain calm…but I do reach my limit sometimes”: An exploration of the meaning of gentle parenting Sarah Shemkus for the Boston Globe: ‘I’m hanging on for dear life.’ The parenting style pushing parents to the brink. 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, toddler, baby, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, gentle parenting, permissive parenting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about how much fun we are—or aren't—having while raising our kids. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify. There are some things in life that sound more fun in the planning stage than they are in the execution, and those things are statistically proven to be done more frequently by parents. We asked our listeners to tell us their lists of things that should be fun, but aren't. As the record will show, our listeners are sadly, completely correct. Don't say you weren't warned. Here's the link to the episode of The Mom Hour episode a few of our listeners mentioned: We Hate Fun! Sign up for "What Fresh Hell + " to get every one of our episodes ad-free, plus monthly bonus episodes. Go to whatfreshhell.supportingcast.fm to subscribe in two taps: $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, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, fun with kids, fun parenting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this conversation, Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson, author of the new book HELD TOGETHER, shares her experiences as a family medicine physician specializing in women's and children's health, focusing on her journey through pregnancy complications and losses. She discusses the importance of storytelling in healing, the interconnectedness of personal and professional experiences, and the collaborative nature of her book, 'Held Together.' Through the stories of herself and others, she emphasizes the complexities of motherhood, the medical profession, and the shared struggles that unite us all. Rebecca N. Thompson, MD, is a family medicine and public health physician who specializes in women’s and children’s health. Dr. Thompson and Amy discuss: Dr. Thompson's journey through pregnancy loss shaped her medical focus. Storytelling can be a powerful tool for healing and connection. Women often hide their struggles due to fear of pity or shame. The importance of sharing personal stories to foster understanding. Here's where you can find Dr. Thompson and buy HELD TOGETHER: www.rebeccanthompson.com 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, pregnancy, pregnancy loss, new mother, pregnancy complication, miscarriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are your kids steadily wearing you down on the topic of getting a puppy? Are you convinced that a "low-maintenance" pet like a turtle or fish will be a happy compromise for everyone? Here are some important points to consider if you are thinking about getting a family pet. Amy and Margaret discuss: Their soon-to-be-patented "pet decision matrix" Why smaller, "lower maintenance" pets are NOT less work than bigger ones How having a pet affects things like family travel, budget, and household labor Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Malinda Larkin for AVMA: "Pet population continues to increase while pet spending declines" Jacob Bogage for The Washington Post: "Americans Adopted Millions of Dogs During the Pandemic. Now What Do We Do With Them?"  Lisa Damour for NYT: "What Do Teenagers Need? Ask the Family Dog" View our pet decision matrix! We're on Spotify! Please rate us and follow us there, even if you listen elsewhere. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! https://spoti.fi/41ZShqS 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, family pet, family dog, family cat, pet care, getting a pet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about how much fun we are—or aren't—having while raising our kids. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify. We all fall into the trap of thinking that every day with our kids has to contain a “snow globe moment,” a social media-worthy image of perfect joy for our entire family. And even if part of us knows that’s not realistic, another part of us thinks that it’s all supposed to be fun. That there must be something wrong with us if we don’t love every single moment of our chaotic lives with little ones. But once we kick that shame to the curb, there really are ways to make our lives as parents more fun and lighthearted. Even on a regular Tuesday. In this episode, we discuss: How we can be lighthearted, even when things aren’t fun How we can have fun even when things aren’t easy How we can have fun even when our kids definitely aren’t Our basic takeaway: parenting definitely gets a little more fun as our kids get a little bit easier… and by “easier,” we mean “not throwing themselves into mortal danger every ninety seconds because they don’t know any better.” The first step to having more fun may simply be to wish that it were so. As motivational speaker Danielle LaPorte explains: “Knowing how you want to feel is the most potent form of clarity you can have.” 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, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, fun with kids, fun parenting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though there is more awareness about neurodivergence in today's world, there's still a lot most people don't know about what it's like parenting neurodivergent children. Kate Swenson, Carrie Cariello, and Adrian Wood, authors of the new book AUTISM OUT LOUD, discuss their individual journeys parenting a child with autism from diagnosis to young adulthood. Kate, Carrie, Adrian, and Margaret discuss: Figuring out what success looks like for your child with autism How an autism diagnosis affects family dynamics Processing the grief that accompanies an autism diagnosis Kate Swenson is the creator of the blog and Facebook page Finding Cooper’s Voice. She speaks regularly about autism, parenting, and motherhood, and is a contributor to TODAY Parents, The TODAY Show, and the Love What Matters blog. Carrie Cariello is the author of What Color Is Monday, Someone I’m With Has Autism, and Half My Sky.  Adrian Wood is the creator of the vlog Tales of an Educated Debutante. She has a PhD in Educational Research and contributes to TODAY Parents, The TODAY show, and the Love What Matters blog. Buy AUTISM OUT LOUD: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780778368366 Find out where the Autism Out Loud book tour is headed at https://autismoutloudbook.com/ Here's where you can find Kate: www.findingcoopersvoice.com @findingcoopersvoice on FB and IG https://findingcoopersvoice.substack.com/ Here's where you can find Carrie: @whatcolorismonday on FB @carrie_carriello on IG www.carriecariello.com https://substack.com/@carriecariello Here's where you can find Adrian: www.talesofaneducateddebutante.com @educateddebutante on FB @talesofaneducateddebutante on IG @theeducateddebutante on YT 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, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, autism out loud, autism after high school, autism and young adults, neurodivergent children, parenting neurodivergent children, autism, autism spectrum disorder, autistic children, special needs children, special education, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let's face it—we moms need self-care options that don't cost a lot, take a lot of time, or require any childcare. The members of our Facebook group came through again with some excellent, easy, no-cost/low-cost forms of self-care that will help you take back a little bit of your day—and your sanity! Amy and Margaret discuss: Their favorite forms of easy self care Their opinions on pickles Stores that are extra fun even if you're only window shopping 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, self-care Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about how much fun we are—or aren't—having while raising our kids. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify. When parenting feels like all work and no play, we may resignedly think "Well, that's the way it's supposed to be." But if you feel like parenting is more draining than fulfilling, there are ways to bring more presence, joy, and fun into the mix. Amy and Margaret discuss: Why having fun as a family usually means doing what kids think is fun, which is not the same as US having fun What psychologists say is required in order to have fun—and why those same things can be in short supply in our lives as parents The role of "flow" in fun, and whether eight hours of video games might start to have diminishing returns Sometimes parenting isn't fun. The reasons for that aren't our fault, and losing the guilt that it's not all more fun can really help. On the other hand, if it's never fun, there might be some rearrangements of our family life that can occur...and we've got ideas on how to start. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Jennifer Senior: All Joy And No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood Daniel Gilbert: Stumbling on Happiness Mikhail Csikszentmihalyi: Flow Arlie Hochschild: The Second Shift 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, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, fun with kids, fun parenting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we're the kinkeeper in our friend group—aka the one who organizes the get-togethers, remembers the birthdays, and sends out availability polls—it can get overwhelming, and we can even find ourselves resentful over it. Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg, hosts of the podcast "How to Be Fine," discuss how to approach conversations with friends about sharing the kinkeeping burden more evenly. Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg host the podcasts "By The Book" and "How to Be Fine." The current season of How to Be Fine is all about the loneliness epidemic and friendship quandaries, from jealousy to BFF breakups. Kristen, Jolenta, Amy, and Margaret discuss: Why new friends can actually be better than childhood friends sometimes What to do when one person is doing all the administration and planning in the friend group How to make friends as an adult Here are links to some of the things we mentioned in the episode: Allison P. Davis for The Cut: "Adorable Little Detonators Our friendship survived bad dates, illness, marriage, fights. Why can’t it survive your baby?" Our episode "Keeping Up with Friends Without Kids" Hear Amy on the "How to Be Fine" podcast talking about friendship burnout Here's where you can find Kristen and Jolenta: www.kristenmeinzer.com www.jolentagreenberg.com www.kristenandjolenta.com @howtobefinepod, @jolenta_g, @k10meinzer on IG Listen to "How to Be Fine" Buy the book HOW TO BE FINE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780062957207 https://patreon.com/listentobythebook 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, self help, friends, loneliness, female friendship, adult friendship, making friends as adults, kinkeeping, people pleasing, people pleaser Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We want to build a family that feels close and connected, but how do we know when the boundaries in our relationships are too porous? Here's what family enmeshment means, what it looks like, and how to look for signs of enmeshment in our relationships with our kids. Amy and Margaret discuss: The family systems theory and how it relates to enmeshment How clear boundaries create safety in relationships How enmeshment in family dynamics affects stress tolerability Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Melissa Porrey for VeryWell: What Is Enmeshment, and How Do You Set Boundaries? Sharon Martin, for Psych Central: The Enmeshed Family System: What It Is and How to Break Free Jesse L. Coe et. al for Journal of Family Psychology: Family Cohesion and Enmeshment Moderate Associations between Maternal Relationship Instability and Children’s Externalizing Problems Our Fresh Take with Gabor Maté and Gordon Neufeld, authors of Hold On to Your Kids: WHY PARENTS NEED TO MATTER MORE THAN PEERS 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, cognitive labor, emotional labor, mental load, second shift, family meeting, partners, marriage, spouse, relationships, couples, enmeshment, family enmeshment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is all about how much fun we are—or aren't—having while raising our kids. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify. The world wants us to believe that having kids will bring us untold happiness. It's a love you've never known! Your life will never be the same! The reality is a little more complicated, and that can be quite confusing. As psychologist Jean Twenge points out, "Parents might believe that it's their fault when the transition to parenthood is difficult, rather than seeing it as something that everyone experiences." So: does having kids make us happy? Is that even the right question? Is it supposed to? Are the benefits that come from parenting different, and perhaps larger, than happiness? Here are links to some writing and studies on the topic that we discuss in this episode:  Paul Bloom for The Atlantic: What Becoming a Parent Really Does to Your Happiness Dan Kahneman et al: A survey method for characterizing daily life experience: the day reconstruction method Roudi Nazarina Roy et al: Effects of Expected and Perceived Division of Childcare and Household Labor on Mother’s Relationship Satisfaction during Their Transition to Parenthood E.E. LeMasters: Parenthood as Crisis M. Luhmann et al: Subjective well-being and adaptation to life events: A meta-analysis.  Jay Belsky et al: Patterns of Marital Change across the Transition to Parenthood: Pregnancy to Three Years Postpartum Jean M. Twenge et al: Parenthood and Marital Satisfaction: A Meta-Analytic Review Rainer Maria Rilke: “Go To The Limits of Your Longing” 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, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty, fun with kids, fun parenting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can moms feel empowered to make progress towards their personal and professional goals? Jenny Wood, author of the new book WILD COURAGE, offers tips for applying courage in your daily life, balancing personal ambitions with family responsibilities, and setting healthy boundaries. In her 18 years at Google, Jenny Wood grew from entry-level to executive. Jenny’s writing has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Forbes.  Jenny and Margaret discuss: The nine negative adjectives women are often labeled as and how Jenny flips them in her book How to differentiate between the "truths" and the "tales" you tell yourself about a situation The very small ways you can start to exhibit courage in your everyday life Here's where you can find Jenny: www.itsjennywood.com @itsjennywood on IG and @jennyilles on LinkedIn Buy WILD COURAGE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593717646 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, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does your quality time with your spouse sometimes/always devolve into discussions about finances, kids, or future plans? Here's how focused weekly meetings—both for our partnerships and for our families—can strengthen, deepen, and save the sanity of our relationships. Amy and Margaret discuss: How marriage/family check-ins improve the day-to-day health of relationships Best practices for successful marriage/family check-ins How they tailor their own marriage/family check-ins to work for them Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: MARRIAGE MEETINGS FOR LASTING LOVE by Marcia Naomi Berger Brett and Kate McKay for Art of Manliness: How and Why to Hold a Weekly Marriage Meeting Julia Ries for Self: Scheduling a Weekly ‘House Meeting’ With My Partner Changed My Damn Life Jo Piazza for Bustle: The HR-ification Of Marriage 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, cognitive labor, emotional labor, mental load, second shift, family meeting, marriage meeting, family check-in, marriage check-in, relationship check-in, partners, marriage, spouse, relationships, couples Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This month's Deep Dive series is about parenting through uncertainty. Listen to all of the episodes in the series with this Spotify playlist. “Information overload” is defined as the tipping point when the input of information exceeds an individual’s capacity to process it all. When we begin to feel overwhelmed and stressed by the amount of information that is available, we can end up feeling more stressed and overwhelmed than knowledgeable. For parents, the urge to find certainty through online research—only to end up feeling even less certain—is particularly common. How can we make the constant availability of information, useful and otherwise, work for us rather than against? Amy and Margaret discuss: How "information overload" can reduce decision-making abilities Whether obsessive internet searching is the result, or cause, of low self-confidence in parents How to know your limits, and then set them Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Terese Glatz and Melissa A. Lippold. “Is more information always better? Associations among parents’ online information searching, information overload, and self-efficacy.” International Journal of Behavioral Development. Jessica Runberg for The Washington Post: Is crowdsourced parenting eroding confidence? Cara Goodwin for Psychology Today: New Study: Information Overload for Parents 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, stress, news, current events, world affairs, emotions, kids emotions, parent emotions, uncertainty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Women take on the lion's share of housework in heterosexual partnerships, and that gap in labor becomes a chasm once a child is born. Once Mom is the default parent, it becomes very difficult to even out the distribution of housework and parenting more equally. Mary Catherine Starr, author of the new book MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE, has renegotiated the distribution of labor in her own marriage post-kids and has tips for how other women can do the same. Mary Catherine Starr is an artist, graphic designer, and author. Her hugely popular Instagram account @momlife_comics explores motherhood, marriage, and the double standards of parenting. Mary Catherine and Amy discuss: What inspired Mary Catherine to start Mom Life Comics Why women usually become the default parent as soon as a baby is born Why Mary Catherine's cartoons help women explain the mental load to their partners Here's where you can find Mary Catherine: https://www.marycatherinestarr.com/ @momlife_comics on IG marycatherinestarr.substack.com Buy MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781797226866 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, cognitive labor, emotional labor, mental load, second shift Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As moms, it feels like we're always crunched for time without a moment to ourselves in a given day. And that really takes its toll on our mental health. Here are some tips for getting more "time affluence" in your day—and no, it's not about being more productive! Time affluence is about structuring your to-do list so it feels more manageable and working time for yourself into the fabric of your day-to-day so that you're not going months without any me-time. Margaret and Amy discuss: The difference between "time famine" and "time poverty" Why modern conveniences haven't given us more leisure time What studies show about the relationship between time affluence and happiness Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Wikipedia: Time Affluence Ross Bruch for Brown, Brothers, & Harriman Law Firm blog: The Value of Time: Understanding and Maximizing Time Affluence Barnaby Lashbrooke for Forbes: This is the Key to Achieving Time Affluence Jermaine Archer's TEDTalk: "A Matter of Time" 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, time management, time hacks, life hacks, time affluence, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices