What Fresh Hell

episodes

June 5, 2023

June Bonus TEASER: Our Hobbies

From decoupage to the OG bullet journal, Amy and Margaret discuss the hobbies they love, the ones they hate, and the ones they only learned for a show they were in.

Episode page
June 5, 2023

Ask Amy: When Other People Discipline Your Kids

It can really get under our skin when other adults– relatives or strangers– tell our kids to stop splashing, or sit still, or any other directive we might or may not agree with. But when should we go full Mama …

Episode page
June 2, 2023

Fresh Take: Gaia Bernstein on Gaining Control Over Addictive Technolo…

Screens are everywhere today, and both we and our kids are on them too much. Gaia Bernstein, author of "Unwired: Gaining Control Over Addictive Technologies" explains how to start to untangle ourselves from screen addiction.

Episode page
May 31, 2023

Uh Oh, It's Summer!

Ah, summer! Time for relaxing. Just as soon as we get through the end-of-year craziness and sign each of our kids up for ten camps.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
May 19, 2023

Fresh Take: Meg Zucker on Empowering Kids with Differences and Disabi…

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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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?

Episode page
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 …

Episode page
May 5, 2023

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

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, …

Episode page
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 …

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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 …

Episode page
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.

Episode page
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.

Episode page