June 28, 2026

DEEP DIVE: When Mom Leaves Town

Does the thought of leaving your kids for a few days terrify you? Here are some parenting tips to prepare for all of the eventualities that may occur if you leave town, from interpreting the toddler's babble to handling your feelings of mom guilt.

Apple Podcasts podcast player badge
Spotify podcast player badge
Goodpods podcast player badge
Audible podcast player badge
iHeartRadio podcast player badge
Youtube Music podcast player badge
Apple Podcasts podcast player iconSpotify podcast player iconGoodpods podcast player iconAudible podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconYoutube Music podcast player icon

This Deep Dive series is all about tips to stay sane while traveling with family immediate or extended, kids younger or older in tow, across the state or across the globe!

Does it seem like just as much work to leave your kids behind for a couple of days as not to go in the first place? Do your instructions for family operational procedures during your absence run more than five pages?

Getting away from our kids—for work, for the weekend, for a friend’s 40th—isn’t just good for us. It’s also an opportunity for our kids to realize that “only Mommy” stuff they pull when we’re around is not as necessary as they might have thought.

Margaret and Amy discuss:

  • Why our kids may behave better when we aren’t around (and why it's not a bad thing)
  • Why the best time to call your kids when you travel is in the morning
  • How the instructions you leave behind can change as your kids grow

Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:


What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

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/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices