What Fresh Hell

episodes

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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April 2, 2025

Extremely Achievable Self-Care

Self-care can take the form of spa days or expensive treats, but what if we only have five minutes before our toddler wakes up? Our audience came up with plenty of easy, no-cost/low cost forms of self-care that can be done with very little effort.

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March 31, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Is This Supposed to Be More Fun?

Pinterest promised us picturesque family photos at golden hour and meaningful conversations around the dinner table every night. No one told us parenting would be easy, but is it supposed to be this hard? Here’s how to inject more fun into parenting.

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March 28, 2025

Fresh Take: Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg on Friendship Dynam…

What do we do if we're consistently the planner/admin/organizer in our friend group—and we're tired of it? Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg, hosts of the podcast "How to Be Fine," discuss how to navigate tricky friendship dynamics.

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March 26, 2025

How to Be Connected (But Not Too Connected) with Our Kids

How can we create close relationships with our kids without becoming an "enmeshed" family? Here's what enmeshment looks like, how it happens, and how to keep appropriate boundaries in your parent/child dynamic.

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March 24, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Does Having Kids Make Us Happy?

Studies show an uncertain connection between becoming a parent and increased pleasure, so asking whether having kids makes us happy is complicated– and might not be the point. What are parenting’s rewards? What can we do to raise happiness levels?

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March 21, 2025

Fresh Take: Jenny Wood

As moms, it can be hard to express our needs and prioritize ourselves. Jenny Wood, author of the new book WILD COURAGE, gives tips for finding small ways to be brave and get out of our comfort zones when it comes to going after what we want.

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March 19, 2025

Family Meetings (and Why You Should Do Them)

Do you find that conversations about family logistics seep into quality time with your partner? Here's how weekly family meetings can help draw boundaries between time spent relaxing together and time spent planning together.

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March 17, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Is There Just Too Much Information?

A recent study found many parents report consulting the internet for parenting advice every single day. But how much information is too much? And is it the same for everyone?

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March 14, 2025

Fresh Take: Mary Catherine Starr on Truly Sharing the Mental Load in …

How can couples redistribute the mental load of housework and parenting equally once it's become incredibly one-sided? (Read: Mom-sided.) Mary Catherine Starr, author of the new book MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE, explains how couples can even out the mental load.

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March 12, 2025

How to Feel Less Starved for Time

There is a way to get more “time affluence” in your life—and it’s not by being more productive and getting your to-do list done more quickly! Margaret and Amy discuss how to organize your time such that you can do more of what you enjoy, no time turner needed.

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March 10, 2025

DEEP DIVE: Dealing With Uncertainty as a Parent

As parents we can feel like uncertainty is something we have to solve, especially where our kids are concerned. We’re supposed to have the answers. But how do we reassure them when we’re not certain either? How do we manage “uncertainty distress”?

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March 7, 2025

Fresh Take: Nicole Graev Lipson

In a patriarchal society, how can woman divorce themselves from unreal expectations around motherhood and find satisfaction in themselves as they are? Nicole Graev Lipson, author of the new book MOTHERS AND OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTERS, shares her insights on how women often find themselves performin…

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March 5, 2025

BEST OF: So What Do You Do All Day?

Tired of people assuming stay-at-home moms have nothing to do? Well, there's not a lot we can do about what other people perceive about stay-at-home-moms, but we can change how we think about our labor as SAHMs to validate ourselves and how hard we really do work.

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