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What Fresh Hell

episodes

May 28, 2025

Traveling as a Family

As summer travel looms large, what can we do to keep the family chaos to a minimum as we hop in a car or on a plane? Here are some useful family travel tips from Amy, Margaret, and our listeners.

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May 26, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Do We Need to Lower Our Standards?

Is it really our "maternal gatekeeping" and too-high standards that are preventing a more equitable distribution of household tasks? We discuss the minimum standard of care and how that can be determined.

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May 23, 2025

Fresh Take: Gretchen Rubin on Life's Simple Truths

Do we have to learn life's hardest lessons over and over, or is there a way to easily access the important advice we've heard before? Gretchen Rubin, author of the new book SECRETS OF ADULTHOOD, discusses the power of the aphorism.

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May 21, 2025

How Parenting Advice Has Changed Over the Last 125 Years

Is parenting harder today—or just different? We explore 125 years of parenting trends, from strict rules to gentle parenting, and why modern moms feel more pressure than ever.

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May 19, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Decision Fatigue—And Why It's Especially Bad For Moms

The more decisions you have to make, the more difficult it can become to make them. Decision fatigue is cumulative, and when it happens, we get frustrated more easily. Here's how to make fewer, better decisions.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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'.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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April 23, 2025

I Wish I'd Done This Sooner

Most people have at least one habit or hack that they wish they had started long ago. We asked our listeners what they wish they'd done sooner, and they had a whole host of excellent ideas.

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April 21, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Why Do Moms Get All The Blame?

Whatever goes wrong, experts have traditionally agreed: it's all Mom's fault. Why do moms get all the blame? Who and what else do we give a pass when we stop looking for other causes (and solutions)?

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April 18, 2025

Fresh Take: Jessica Slice on Parenting While Disabled

What can the experiences of disabled parents teach everyone about raising kids? Jessica Slice, author of the new book UNFIT PARENT, discusses parenting as a disabled woman and why it makes her a better mom.

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April 16, 2025

Is Gentle Parenting "Too" Gentle?

Gentle parenting may strike some people as too permissive. But part of that stems from the fact that its definition has been warped by social media. Here's what gentle parenting originally meant and some useful parenting tips we can take away from it.

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April 14, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Things That Should Be Fun... But Aren't

Nerf guns. Beach vacations. Corn mazes. Parades. What do these things have in common? They really should be fun—but aren't.

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April 11, 2025

Fresh Take: Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson on the Healing Power of Shared St…

How can women feel empowered in sharing their stories of pregnancy complication and loss? Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson, author of the new book HELD TOGETHER, discusses how her own experiences led her to seek out others with similar stories and discover the power of storytelling to heal.

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April 9, 2025

Should Your Family Get a Pet?

Are you on the fence about getting a family pet? Do your kids swear they'll do all the caretaking once it arrives? Here are some factors to take into consideration before pulling the trigger on this big decision.

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April 7, 2025

DEEP DIVE: When Is This Going to Be Fun Again? Lighthearted Parenting

There really are ways to make our lives as parents more fun and lighthearted, even on a regular Tuesday. Memories aren’t only made at Disney. But it’s okay not to love every moment. Getting rid of the shame around that is the first step to more fun.

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April 4, 2025

Fresh Take: Kate Swenson, Carrie Cariello, and Adrian Wood on Parenti…

What does successfully parenting a child with autism look like? Kate Swenson, Carrie Cariello, and Adrian Wood, authors of the new book AUTISM OUT LOUD, discuss their own struggles and small victories parenting children with autism.

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