“What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood” is a hilarious podcast exploring the joys and challenges of parenthood and adulting in general. Join hosts Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables as they navigate motherhood, careers, relationships, and the ever-changing landscape of women’s lives with a little research, a big dose of relatable stories, and a whole lot of laughter.
“What Fresh Hell” is a Webby-honored podcast with 12 million downloads and hundreds of episodes. Use the search function in the upper-right corner to find the topics you want to hear more about. From toddlers to teens, from toxic positivity to rejoining the workforce, we’ve talked about it.
Recent episodes
484
Sept. 1, 2026
Overfunctioning
Are overfunctioning and anxiety inextricably intertwined? Can you be the backstop for your entire family without doing too much and feeling too much stress? Here's the framework we're using to decide what has to happen and what can be put aside (for now).
Aug. 30, 2026
DEEP DIVE: Jennifer Wallace on Achievement Pressure
How do we protect our kids from the toxic achievement pressure that surrounds them? Jennifer Wallace, author of the book NEVER ENOUGH, explains how to walk this line.
Aug. 27, 2026
Fresh Take: Dr. Stuart Slavin on The Pressures Causing Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout in Our Kids
How is achievement culture fueling the teen mental health crisis? Dr. Stuart Slavin, author of THE SUCCESS TRAP, explains how academic pressure, perfectionism, and overscheduling affect kids, and how parents can counter these influences.
483
Aug. 25, 2026
How Much Should We Share With Our Kids?
How much should we share with our kids about our past mistakes and current struggles? We discuss how to know what's age-appropriate, what to leave out, and how to make sure you're keeping their best interests at heart.
Aug. 23, 2026
DEEP DIVE: Linda Flanagan on Taking Back Kids' Sports
Is your 6th grader’s travel lacrosse schedule taking over your life? Are you spending $20K a year on youth hockey? Linda Flanagan’s book is TAKE BACK THE GAME, and in this episode she explains how youth sports have been warped by money and mania.
Aug. 20, 2026
Fresh Take: Dr. Lucy McBride on Advocating for Yourself at the Doctor's Office
What if better health starts with becoming a more informed patient? Dr. Lucy McBride, author of the new book BEYOND THE PRESCRIPTION, explains how to look beyond lab results and prescriptions, understand your whole health ecosystem, and have more honest, effective conversations with your doctor.
482
Aug. 18, 2026
Outsourcing the Workload: How to Hand Stuff Over
How can we hand off some of our many, many to-dos without making more work for ourselves or spending a fortune? Here are some practical ways to reduce the mental load, delegate household responsibilities, and find affordable help that actually gives you some freedom back.
Aug. 16, 2026
DEEP DIVE: 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?
Aug. 13, 2026
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
Aug. 12, 2026
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.
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