The Mom Hour

Aspirational meal plans are ubiquitous, but drilling down to what families ACTUALLY eat in a given week is a lot harder to find. For that reason, we–and our listeners–love our ongoing series of “what really went down” at mealtime. Meagan and Sarah are sharing what we actually prepared and ate for dinner the week of October 4th, 2021. We also have fun bringing in seven of our contributors to share how they fed their families. This episode has a wide range of typical dinners (including chili all the ways!) from variety of families. You’re sure to find some dinner inspiration and validation that however you’re doing it, you’re not alone! Join us. LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to more of our Week of Real-Life Dinners episodes (we also referenced back to this recent episode: Envisioning A Week Of Ideal Meals)Get to know all of Our ContributorsMonday:Emily loves this Iowa Girl Eats’s Signature Smoky, Spicy, Sweet ChiliEmily’s favorite oatmeal-chocolate chip cookiesTuesday:Sarah’s Joie brand “roundy” silicone egg rings for perfectly round fried eggsThe tasty ground beef enchiladas recipe Stacy found last minuteJoanna’s favorite harvest salad WednesdayThe baked chicken wings the Powers family makes for “wings ‘n’ things”Sarah’s family usually gets their wings from ButcherBoxFridayFor a gluten-free teriyaki-inspired marinade, contributor Sarah Limberg likes this Nom Nom Paleo Stir-Fry Sauce recipeSaturdayEmily made this apple cobbler from their apple orchard bountySunday – check back soon for that herb/parmesan-crusted chicken recipe Sarah’s family ate at her parents’ house (we’re still tracking it down!)Check out all our food-related episodes and blog postsMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve talked about fashion on the podcast before, but personal style is one of those things that’s always evolving. With today’s trends, cuts, colors, and various ways of shopping, there’s a fine balance between dressing up-to-date AND feeling like ourselves. In today’s More Than Mom episode, Sarah and Meagan chat about the state of our current wardrobes, the challenge of putting on “public-facing pants,” the pieces we’re surprised we like, the ones that aren’t for us, and share some outfits we looked–and felt–cute in. We also figure out what color, exactly, is “puce.” Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Last time we did a style check-in was in this February 2021 More Than Mom episodeMeagan’s chat with Dacy Gillespie on How To Create A Mindful Closet (And Discover Clothes You Truly Love)Sarah’s favorite travel pants (influenced by Kelle Hampton of @etst)We mentioned our More Than Mom episode #Influenced a couple of timesMeagan likes the brands prAna and Kuhl for outdoor-wearCute and durable tightsSome of our favorite leggings are from Spanx and LysseCheck out all our style episodes and blog postsMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When do you decorate for Halloween or carve pumpkins? What costumes are allowed? And exactly how much candy do kids get to eat? As we’ve said before: You get to decide! And once you do, it cuts down on SO many battles and questions. In our latest “House Rules” episode, we’re sharing our listeners’ best arbitrary rules for trick-or-treating, choosing (and trying on) costumes, and more! Meagan and Sarah share how they’ve approached Halloween in their families, and talk about how some of their policies have evolved (or been eliminated!) as kids grow. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Apply to be included in our Small Business BoutiqueCheck out all our episodes and blog posts about HalloweenMeagan’s essay “Yes, That Might Be My Teen At Your Door on Halloween”Get to know Kia, and the rest of Our ContributorsMost of the House Rules we collected for this episode were comments on this post in our Facebook groupJoin our special Facebook Group for The Mom Hour Listeners (make sure to answer the questions to be approved!)Listen to our other episodes in the House Rules seriesMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you do when your toddler has separation anxiety and being apart feels somewhat optional? A mom of a baby and a precocious toddler is looking for tools to help with emotional drop-offs at the church nursery. A mom with four young kids is desperate for a date night and looking for outside-the-box childcare solutions. Another mom whose age doesn't match up with her friends' wants help navigating the intersection of motherhood, friendship, and family planning. A part-time SAHM wonders if it's normal to feel bored during long days with her toddler. (Spoiler alert: YES!) Meagan and Sarah give advice for ditching the guilt. We also send our love to a longtime listener who is struggling with setting healthy boundaries with Grandma. We tackle a lot of tough stuff in this episode of Listener Questions. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Here's our episode on Getting (And Giving) Help During Hard TimesCheck out all our episodes and blog posts about toddlersListen to our series on Friendships in Motherhood: Part 1 and Part 2Listen to our series on Sitters & Caregivers: Part 1 and Part 2Can you relate to these questions? Pass along a note of support or commiseration by emailing hello@themomhourAll of our Listener Questions episodes can be found hereOur House Rules for Halloween episode is coming soon! Get a sneak preview in the comments on this post in our Facebook groupMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A listener is curious about Meagan and Sarah’s Zodiac signs; she also wants to know if we could add any frivolous feature to our homes, what would it be? (Meagan recommends a llama to complement Sarah’s dreamy detail.) A longtime listener asks if we’ve had any show topics that didn’t make the cut. An aspiring blogger asks for writing tips. And finally, a new homeowner is looking for advice on landscaping a yard that looks nice, but is also low-maintenance. For this Sunday spin on listener questions, we’re stepping outside the realm of parenting to weigh in on a wider variety of topics. This was a fun one. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:More about Bookshop.orgExhale, Coffee and Crumbs’ online creative community#amwriting is a great hashtag and podcast to follow for writing support and inspirationAll of our Listener Questions episodes can be found hereMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When you’re going through A Thing, what kind of help feels most…helpful? Is it practical stuff, like a delivered meal? Is it emotional support, or humor and distraction? And does the way you feel most supported influence the way you step up for your own friends? Meagan and Sarah tackle these questions and more in Episode 333, all about the ways we give and receive support during hard seasons of life and motherhood. We look at our own personalities, our relationship patterns, and how all of this has evolved over time. (We also have a couple of real-time on-air epiphanies!) Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Esther Perel talking about comparative suffering on Brene Brown’s podcast, Unlocking UsMeagan’s selfie and essay about caring for yourself on IGWe talk about our personality types in our Knowing Yourself As A Mom episodeListen to our discussion about Love LanguagesRing Theory is the “dump out, comfort in” concept that helps you know the right things to do and say in a crisisCheck out all our episodes on hard stuffMore Listener Questions episodes are just around the corner! Send your questions to hello@themomhour (please write “listener question” in the subject line)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From travel sports teams to competitive dance, elite kids’ activities and their impact on family life often get a bad rap. In this month’s Voices interview episode Meagan chats with Kelly Rippon, author of Parent Up: Inspire Your Child To Be Their Best Self and mother of former US champion figure skater Adam Rippon. Kelly shares a much more encouraging side of being an “opportunity creator” for your kids, including her unique perspective as a single mom of many now-grown kids, all of whom were accomplished and active in extracurriculars. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Buy Kelly’s book Parent Up: Inspire Your Child To Be Their Best Self (Bookshop.org affiliate link)Learn more about Kelly’s Parent Up workshops and more on her websiteKelly’s InstagramAdam’s InstagramListen to our episode on Managing Kids’ ExtracurricularsMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From hand washing to changing undies, bath time to brushing teeth, staying on top of your kids’ hygiene is essential to keeping them healthy and not (too) stinky. In our latest “House Rules” episode, we’re sharing listeners’ hilarious, straightforward, and down-right-genius methods for taking the guesswork out of getting everyone clean. And in the spirit of keeping things VERY real, Meagan and Sarah both tell stories about times their kids seemed embarrassingly clueless about simple hygiene practices. Listen along for some ideas that might make YOUR family hygiene regimen less of a struggle. LINKS MENTIONED:Most of the House Rules we collected for this episode were comments from our Facebook pageJoin our special Facebook Group for The Mom Hour Listeners (make sure to answer the questions to be approved!)Check out our other episodes in the House Rules seriesListen to our episode on Potty Training & Other Bathroom MattersMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meagan is an experienced camper, while Sarah likes the IDEA of family nature time, but isn’t so sure. There’s sleeping on the ground, critters (both mild and wild), plus all the logistics. And with so many options for “roughing it,” from rustic backpacking to glamping, what even qualifies as camping these days? In today’s More Than Mom episode, Meagan’s breaking it all down for Sarah – and for our listeners! From packing to food prep, how to stay comfy and how to get clean(ish), follow along as Meagan shares her tips for figuring out what kind of camping might be right for you. Along the way, Meagan gets real about how she handles when nature calls, tells a funny story about a time she panicked about a snake getting too close for comfort, and talks about storing her gear. It’s an adventure–join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Read the blog post “Yes You Can Take Your Kids Car Camping” by our Contributor, Jennifer Carroll. That time when Meagan owned a camperMeagan’s guide on Beginner Hiking and Camping Gear for WomenArrive Outdoors is the camping gear rental website Meagan’s sister recommendsHipcamp is like the Airbnb of camping. Meagan has had good experience booking rustic sites and small cabins through it.MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Doing better by the planet is a lofty goal: but what does it REALLY look like in the homes of busy moms with lots of kids? Less plastic, no plastic, better plastic? Zero waste, composting, recycling? It’s objectively overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean it’s an all-or-nothing decision. As with any kind of improvement we talk about on The Mom Hour, we’re all about small, repeatable actions you can incorporate into your existing routine, and that add up to meaningful change over time–and in today’s special episode we’re applying that framework to sustainability in the kitchen. Meagan and Sarah share how we identify our personal values when it comes to kitchen sustainability, what small changes we’ve made (and stuck with!), and how we keep from getting lost in all the “shoulds” as we navigate doing just a little bit better for the planet, in ways that work for us.MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.