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What Fresh Hell

“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

May 16, 2025

Fresh Take: Anna Fader and Amelia Eigerman

How can we get our grumpy travelers on board with summer vacation? Anna Fader and Amelia Eigerman, authors of the new MOMMY POPPINS TRAVEL JOURNAL AND ACTIVITY BOOK, have practical parenting tips for harmonious summer travel.
May 14, 2025

Moms and Anxiety

As moms, we worry pretty much nonstop about our kids. But is that normal? Should we be THIS anxious? Here's how anxiety specifically manifests in moms and some practical tips for countering it.
May 12, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Making the "Invisible Workload" Visible

Many of the things we take on in our family's daily lives go without notice or recognition by the people we live with. That doesn't mean it's not work. Here's how to make the "invisible workload" more visible.
May 9, 2025

Fresh Take: Susan Dominus

Do siblings have more influence on each other than parents do on children? Susan Dominus, author of the new book THE FAMILY DYNAMIC, discusses the power of parental expectations in shaping kids and what we can learn from highly successful families.
May 7, 2025

Finding Summer Camps

How are we going to find affordable activities/childcare for our kids all summer long? It's a question we ask every year. Here are some tips on finding summer camps and activities that fulfill both your needs and your kids'.
May 5, 2025

BEST OF: What Fresh Hell Is Mother's Day?

Why do moms have mixed feelings about Mother's Day? Turns out Anna Jarvis, the holiday's founder, had second thoughts. Perhaps for good reason. We talk the ups and downs of Mother's Day.
May 2, 2025

Fresh Take: Jessica N. Turner on Rising from Grief and Disappointment

How do we deal with the hard things in life that will inevitably come our way? Jessica N. Turner, author of the new book I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS, discusses how she processes difficult experiences with a healthy perspective.
April 30, 2025

Maternal Gatekeeping: Is It a Thing?

Is maternal gatekeeping merely the manifestation of an overly controlling mother who thinks only she knows what her baby needs? Here's what maternal gatekeeping is really about and how we can all work to counter it even before children arrive.
April 28, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Mom Rage

Mom rage engenders debilitating shame. Where did it come from? Are we actually the worst parent who’s ever parented? But mom rage has common triggers and a predictable path along which it builds- which also means there are things we can do about it.
April 25, 2025

Fresh Take: Tamron Hall

Where kids grow up, whether it's in the countryside or in the big city, has a huge impact on their sense of self. Tamron Hall, author of the new NYT-bestselling book HARLEM HONEY, discusses how kids can learn about the world at large by first exploring their own neighborhood.

Reviews

Funny Hosts With Practical Advice

"I have been listening to this podcast (I would have to guess) 8 years. For me the messaging from this podcast is, “It is all going to be alright” and “Don’t take it too seriously.” This was helpful f…"

Memphis627 | Nov. 4, 2024

5 stars on purpose

"I have been listening to this show for at least seven years and I like it so much I’ve subscribed. The style is conversational and non-judgmental while being well researched and brimming with the liv…"

Emily_M_B | April 10, 2025

Meaningful without feeling heavy

"Margaret and Amy are so good at having conversations about topics that I think about all the time in a way that helps me feel seen, while still learning. Also I don’t leave listening to an episode fe…"

The Friendly Podcast Guide | April 21, 2025

Amazing show

"I Have been listening for over 4 years. I am a mom of 3 (5, 4, and 10 month old). Have got me through tough times with lots of laughs and heart. Keep the good episodes coming!"

Beckinator88 | Aug. 8, 2024

The episode is coming from INSIDE THE CAR…

"I would just about swear these hosts have my house/car tapped and are using my daily chaos to come us with episode topics, they are THAT relevant. Thank you WFH for dishing up what I need to hear wit…"

notks | Aug. 14, 2024

Funny

"This podcast is so funny and enjoyable. I look forward to new episodes coming out every week!"

LDT7777 | Feb. 21, 2025

Y’all are the best!

"I’ve tried many parenting podcasts and yours is hands down the best. You have a great banter and balance. I appreciate the variety of topics and the tempo of each show is a nice constant- it feels li…"

s ren | June 22, 2021

Humor, Advice & Solidarity

"Perfect balance of humor, practical advice and stories that give solidarity in the ups and downs of parenting. Been listening for years and love Amy & Margaret! Highly recommend!"

Fun app for toddlers! | Oct. 21, 2021

Can't say enough good things

"I recommend this podcast to all my mom friends...and random moms I meet. 😂 It's my go-to listen while I do any house work or long drives. I'm always excited when a new episode drops and have gone bac…"

LarissaKelly6 | March 5, 2022

Family Meetings

"I listen regularly but the family meeting episode for this week was exceptional. Very real work to put to use. Thank you."

EileenA25 | March 20, 2025

A definite must listen!

"Just this morning I was yet again losing the battle of getting both of my kids out the door to school- when I got in the car for my daily commute I turned on WFH for some comic relief and commiserati…"

WLWmom2two | Oct. 24, 2023

Recommend to Every Mom

"I started listening to WFH about a year ago, and now I don’t miss a show. I’m Actually going back thru the archives so I don’t miss anything, they are so funny, real and provide a good range of paren…"

HeLLa79 | Oct. 19, 2023

WWAMD (What would Amy & Margaret Do?)

"After listening for well over a year now, I often find myself wondering what would Amy & Margaret do when I encounter life’s daily surprises & hiccups. This podcast is one of those rare gems - a true…"

Court C N | Dec. 6, 2023

My favorite parenting podcast!

"This is the perfect parenting podcast—interesting and informative topics, great dynamic between the hosts, and fun to listen to. I always come away feeling like I just hung out with two friends who t…"

amber girl | Dec. 4, 2023

Got me through a lot

"The humor and humanity of this podcast has seen m through a lot. Living far away from family and with no friends with kids around, Margaret and Amy have been my surrogate mom friends through the pand…"

HannahGlennWriter | March 15, 2024

Brilliant!

"Love this podcast. A perfect mix of light hearted and humor, and truly profound and meaningful conversations on parenting."

hpatnaik | June 13, 2024

Love it

"I quote Amy and Margaret often. They have solid advice and an awesome sense of humor. Thanks!"

Dsemenza | June 5, 2024

Keeping it Real 💯

"I consistently listen to this show. The hosts Amy and Margaret have super relevant topics that help me other my very different from each other kids. The suggestions and topics are “real” and things t…"

Used to be happy with it | May 21, 2024

Amazing tips that make my day easier

"Loving this show! Great tips on why we do what we do and how to do better. Super helpful in knowing what to do to raise better humans and model better behavior. Thank you Margaret and Amy!"

Bre Brighter | May 17, 2024

Highlight of My Week

"The moment I hear the music at the beginning of each episode, my blood pressure drops. I hoard episodes to listen to while I do laundry, mundane computer work, etc. This is BY FAR my favorite podcast…"

E. S. Pearson | April 10, 2024

Informational, insightful and fun

"I’ve been listening to this podcast since I had my youngest son almost 6 years ago. I was a mom of 3 under 3, just trying to survive each day and I immediately connected with this show! Time and time…"

jamiehaley | April 10, 2024

Funny AND helpful, understanding and educating

"I love this podcast. Amy and Margaret are hilarious in their delivery of helpful ideas, with their own relatable examples of how they try to do better, making me believe I too can do better in my par…"

EmLew1982 | Aug. 7, 2024

Best Parenting Podcast!

"This is my favorite podcast and the only one I have listened to consistently for YEARS! These two are so funny and down to earth, but still full of practical advice. I don’t really write reviews but…"

kth912 | Aug. 10, 2024

Funny, informative and backed by stats!

"I love that they keep the discussions light and interesting but still stuff plenty of facts and statistics from studies in to the discussions! My favorite podcast about motherhood!"

Donns Leigh | Aug. 8, 2024

I’m a millennial mom of two kids under 4 and I still feel very seen

"Amy and Margaret are Gen X moms with kids who are in their teens and tweens, but no matter what stage of parenting you are in, you can still gain a whole lot of helpful and stress relieving informati…"

Katness11 | Aug. 7, 2024

Global reach

"International listener and fan. No matter where you are in the mom life, from littles to college/workworld-bound, Margaret and Amy have something for everyone. Informative and humorous, I look forwar…"

Tapatia64 | Aug. 9, 2024

The perfect balance of knowledge and fun

"I started listening and at the time believed that just like any other podcast it would run its cycle and become less interesting, after all, there is “only so much” to talk about parenting right?! O …"

jasonari | Aug. 26, 2024

The best!

"Listening to these ladies got me through the pandemic with 2 kids under 2. Four years later, I’m still laughing, still learning, still listening— and the huge one: not feeling alone in the ups and do…"

A.S. In PNW | Nov. 1, 2024

Love it!

"This podcast makes me feel so seen as a mother of two. Great advice, always backed up by research. I have young kids and I feel like you are my mom mentors, thank you for all that you do!"

Snickler04 | Oct. 31, 2024
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