What Fresh Hell

episodes

May 29, 2023

Ask Margaret: My Kid Is Afraid of Storms

How do we calm our kids' fears about storms, floods, fires, and tornadoes? Here's how to help your kids process scary things in an honest way.
May 26, 2023

Best Of: Dr. Becky Kennedy on Being "Good Inside"

Dr. Becky Kennedy, host of the "Good Inside with Dr. Becky" podcast and @drbeckyatgoodinside on Instagram, tells us how the “Good Inside” approach can reshape how we view both ourselves as parents and our children.
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May 24, 2023

Things We Should Be Able to Do (But Can't)

Parallel parking? Riding a bike? Estimating how many people are in a stadium? We asked our listeners what lessons they "missed in school" and never caught up on again.
May 22, 2023

Ask Margaret: When Kids Ask Embarrassing Questions

What do we do when our kids loudly observe other people's differences in public? Curiosity may be normal, but the outcomes can be mortifying.
May 19, 2023

Fresh Take: Meg Zucker on Empowering Kids with Differences and Disabilities

Meg Zucker is the author of the new book BORN EXTRAORDINARY: Empowering Children with Differences and Disabilities. We talk about the work all parents can do to empower all kids.
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May 17, 2023

Ditching Mom Guilt

"Mom guilt" might be universal and inescapable. It's also often misplaced, and can sabotage not just our own happiness, but our ability to parent effectively.
May 15, 2023

Ask Amy: My Kid Is Learning Sassy Talk at Preschool

Is it a big deal if your child brings salty talk home from preschool? Not necessarily. Is it a teachable moment? Absolutely. This age is the time kids first become aware of others' feelings.
May 12, 2023

Fresh Take: Laura Cathcart Robbins on Motherhood and Addiction

If we feel like we're constantly performing motherhood rather than living it, how is that sustainable—or desirable? Laura Cathcart Robbins talks about her journey to authenticity in her new memoir STASH.
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May 10, 2023

Our Mom Friendships Are Different Now

Have your mom friendships changed after the upheaval of the last few years? How do we get past our decreased social stamina and get back out there?
May 8, 2023

Ask Amy: My Kid Just Doesn't Want to Talk About It

Some kids are more expressive than others. And a child’s ability to discuss feelings might be frustrated by their vocabulary or emotional maturity. How can we encourage kids to open up? Is there a point at which we should be concerned if they don’t?
May 5, 2023

Fresh Take: Virginia Sole-Smith on Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture

The stigmatization of fat people shapes how we think about our health. Virginia Sole-Smith, author of the book FAT TALK: PARENTING IN THE AGE OF DIET CULTURE, invites us to question what it means to be “good" regarding weight, diet, and exercise.
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May 3, 2023

Hear Us Out

A boutique where everything on the rack is exactly your size and is guaranteed to fit correctly and look good on you? An ATM app? Third-day hair shampoo? We asked our listeners what would be AMAZING if it were just a liiiiiitle bit different.
May 1, 2023

Ask Margaret: My Playroom Is a Disaster

How do we keep endless plastic junk from flowing into our house and gumming up the works? Margaret helps a frustrated listener with some tips for those who are swimming up to their necks in plastic toys.
April 28, 2023

Fresh Take: Sara Petersen on Mommy Influencer Culture

Why do we get sucked into endless golden hour photos of mothers and their beatific children in pumpkin patches on Instagram? Sara Petersen, author of "Momfluenced," explains what it is about these so-called "perfect mothers" that holds us captive.
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April 26, 2023

Body Image: How It Affects Us (and Our Kids)

What do we do when we see our kids disparaging their bodies, especially when we're struggling with our own body images? As Margaret says, "this can't be fixed," but there are definitely things we can try.
April 24, 2023

Ask Amy: My Kid Is Not Great at Apologizing

Kids sometimes view saying “sorry” as a get-out-of-jail-free card. I said the magic word, Mom, why are you still mad? But sorry is only the first step in a proper apology.
April 21, 2023

Fresh Take: Dr. Tish Taylor on Fostering Connection with Our Kids

What do we do when it seems like every interaction with our kids is negative? Dr. Tish Taylor, author of "Fostering Connection," explains some strategies for building connection into our relationships with our kids in an authentic way.
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April 19, 2023

Best of: When Is This Going to Be Fun Again?

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.
April 17, 2023

Ask Margaret: My Kid Is Obsessed with Getting "Stuff"

What do we do when our kids seem more preoccupied with the next gift, toy, or game than the ones they already own? Here's how to contain kids' material obsessions.
April 14, 2023

Fresh Take: Dr. Lynn Koegel on the Hidden Brilliance of Autism

What if we focused on the strengths of kids with autism rather than getting caught up in their perceived shortcomings or differing needs? Dr. Lynn Koegel, author of HIDDEN BRILLIANCE, discusses how to go about it.
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April 12, 2023

Your Tween, Explained

The word “tween” was popularized by marketers, who sold preteens stuff by treating them like they’re a lot older than they are. Which might explain why your kid is full of sass all of a sudden. But tweens’ brains really are different—here’s how.
April 10, 2023

Ask Amy: How Can I Support My Friend Struggling with Infertility?

How do we best support our friends dealing with infertility? Pretending we aren't aware that they might be sad isn't usually the best approach.
April 7, 2023

APRIL BONUS TEASER! Our Humble Showbiz Beginnings

Wig mishaps? Check. Booed off the stage? Check. Trapped in a conference room at an audition for eight hours? Check. In this month's bonus episode, Amy and Margaret regale us with tales of their truly humble early years in show business.
April 7, 2023

Best Of: Yael Schonbrun on "Work, Parent, Thrive"

Do you feel guilty that you're not at work when you're parenting and not parenting when you're at work? Dr. Yael Schonbrun, author of the new book WORK, PARENT, THRIVE, tells us how we can view work and family as connected rather than in competition.
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