episodes

Is it easier to run the house when our spouses are out of town? A good number of our listeners said yes. Can we embrace that feeling, instead of feeling guilty?

How can institutions like Cornell still be protecting rapists instead of victims? How do we teach our children to protect themselves from sexual violence on campus if those institutions are going to continue to fail them? Guest Meg Stone explains that when it comes to preventing sexual violence on campus, compliance does not make us safer. But resistance does.

How do you tend to handle conflict? With avoidance, anger—maybe a little of both? Amy and Margaret explore conflict styles, family-of-origin patterns, “red brain,” and practical tools for resolving disagreements without damaging your relationships.

Beth Gellman-Beer spent her whole career fighting for kids with disabilities — first as a student written off as “lazy,” then as a federal civil rights attorney who found her dream job protecting students like her younger self. But on one ordinary night, a phone call changed everything: Her entire office had been eliminated. In the premiere of Zero Reject, reporter Anya Kamenetz traces Beth’s journey from an unfair fourth-grade classroom to the front lines of a sweeping overhaul at the Departme...

Are you adrift in the "Only Mommy" or "Only Daddy" doldrums of parenting? Here's when to accept the biological imperative of preferring one parent over the other, and when to push back on the behavior.

Tired of being the only one in your home who notices the things that need doing? Sam Kelly, author of the new book NOTICE AND DO, explains how teaching kids the "Notice and Do" method can transform your household.

It's the 10th anniversary of "What Fresh Hell" AND our 1,000th original episode! We're taking this moment to revisit the things we've learned doing this podcast over the last decade that have stuck with us the most.

Supporting us in our careers. Building sandboxes. Flossing. We love it when our partners knock it out of the park. We asked our listeners about times they caught their spouses being awesome, from big favors to small gestures.

How does the current reproductive healthcare landscape in the U.S. play out for ordinary women seeking ordinary care? Margaret's sister Anne shares her harrowing story of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and why timely reproductive healthcare is a matter of life and death.

Why do some kids struggle so much with transitions? We explore the underlying factors that can make transitions hard and share practical strategies to make switching activities, getting ready for school, and leaving the house easier.

There's always something to fight about in our households. But which battles are worth fighting for long-term benefits, and which can be let go for the sake of parental peace and child development?

How can we parent gently without letting our children run the show? Dr. Siggie Cohen, author of the new book YOU ARE THE PARENT, explains how to validate kids’ emotions while maintaining boundaries and help children build skills to navigate life.

How do we know when to fix our kid's behavior and when to let it slide? We talk reducing power struggles, ignoring attention-seeking behavior, and successfully setting boundaries ahead of time.

How do we cope when one family member's irritability, tantrums, or anxietiesa take over the household? When one person's moods become the family's weather, it's important to acknowledge what's happening.

If we feel like we never have enough time to do the things that matter to us, what might be getting in the way? Fran Hauser, author of the new book 20 MINUTES IS THE NEW HOUR, offers practical tips for how to assess where your time is spent currently and redistribute it in alignment with your goals.

Parenting through our children's milestones can be hard and exciting at the same time. We talk about the grief, anxiety, and nostalgia of watching kids grow up, plus how to support independence while staying connected.

What happened to your formerly sweet and agreeable child, who woke up on the wrong side of the bed one day and never stopped whining? How does one try to restore equilibrium?

Do you have a child who flies into a rage over mouth sounds at the dinner table? Are you the person with that intense and involuntary reaction? Dr. Thomas Phelan, author of STOP THAT CHEWING, explains why "misophonia" occurs, why it can be so debilitating, and how triggers can be effectively managed.

Why do in-person friendships feel harder than ever? How do we get the get-togethers off group texts and into real life? We discuss the increasing loss of casual social connection— plus low-keys ways to both reconnect with old friends and reach out to new ones.

Yelling. We all do it. We all hate ourselves for doing it afterward. Here’s why we yell, why it doesn’t usually even work that well, and why we still say the goal should still be LESS yelling (not none).

How does becoming a mother give us perspective on our own mothers' experiences? Comedian Sona Movsesian, author of the new book THE WORLD'S WORST MOM, joins us to talk mom guilt, parenting twin boys, and why finding more fun in motherhood is so revelatory.

Why have most youth sports become a pay-to-play model, and an expensive one at that? We explore the rise of travel teams, early specialization, college scholarship pressure, and what it would take to make sports fun and accessible for every kid again.

All kids are defiant sometimes. Some kids are defiant all of the time—or at least it can feel that way. When kids push back constantly, it gets overwhelming. What are the best ways of understanding and responding to kids who argue about everything?

Make back-to-school season less stressful with these tips on sleep schedules, meal planning, and simple routines. Margaret and Amy share ways to reduce overwhelm, save time, and support kids' mental health this fall.