The Mom Hour

It’s February, and everybody loves a deep dive into childhood crushes, right? For this week’s More Than Mom episode, Meagan has many questions for us both about our failed early attempts at love and relationships. From preschool through high school, from celebrities to real-life boys from days gone by, we’re laughing our way through this walk down a rose-petal-strewn memory lane. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:We mentioned this article on the Mandela effectJoin our special Facebook Group for The Mom Hour Listeners (make sure to answer the questions to be approved!)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.

The pandemic has shaken everything up, and our kids’ diets and family’s eating habits are no exception. In this month’s Voices interview, Meagan talks to Julie Revelant, food and health writer, mom of two, and host of the new podcast Food Issues. Listen to Julie’s thoughts on how COVID-19 has affected everything from school lunches to snacking habits, the sneaky ways marketers are introducing junk food to children (including “kid influencers” and even online learning platforms!) and how you can give yourself a break and stay flexible while still helping your kids become “little foodies.”LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to Food Issues wherever you get your podcastsVisit Julie at her website julierevelant.comConnect with Julie on Instagram, Facebook, and TwitterMORE 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.

Register for kindergarten, or wait another year? Scrap the distance learning and opt into a homeschool program, or stick it out and hope campus opens in the fall? Stick with what your friends and neighbors are doing, or blaze your own trail when it comes to kids’ education? There is no end to the list of questions parents face when it comes to making school decisions – and many of them crop up around this time of year when applications and registrations come due. In Episode 298 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah offer seven guiding principles to consider when making any school decision, from preschool through high school. We can’t help you decide or tell you what to do, but today we’re here to validate the struggle and give you our experience. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:We mentioned last week’s episode Advocating For Your Kids During A CrisisOur episode Kindergarten Readiness & Parent-Teacher Relationships with Kelly Hiltz pairs well with this conversationAll our school-related episodes (including those too old to appear in podcast apps!) can be found hereSarah referenced our Voices interview episode Kids & Friendships With Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore: Voices 18Sarah also referenced an episode about School Volunteering That Fits Your PersonalityCheck out all our Spotify playlists, including this one that combines more recent conversations about school and schoolingMORE 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.

Getting pregnant was relatively easy for Dani Kilgore and her husband William, who looked forward to growing a family after getting married in 2009. But for Dani, a former teacher and soccer coach who now serves as a pastor in a church, staying pregnant proved challenging. Through miscarriage and preterm labor, a premature birth and devastating infant loss, Dani and William leaned on one another, their faith, and their community even as they navigated a healthcare system that didn’t always appear to have their backs.In today’s special episode, Dani shares candidly with Meagan about the years that have led up to where she is today: the heartbreak and loss, the learning to trust her own voice as a patient, and the healing and hope that shines through her five-year-old daughter Harper.This episode contains sensitive topics, including miscarriage and infant loss. We believe it’s important to provide a platform for moms to share pregnancy and birth stories that, while difficult to hear, help all of us understand a fuller spectrum of the motherhood experience. We hope you’ll listen today, but if you cannot, we understand and send you our love.LINKS MENTIONED:March of DimesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)In 2020 we interviewed Ashley Schafluetzel about her daughter’s premature birth and cerebral palsy diagnosis, also in partnership with March of DimesMORE 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.

Whether it’s a medical emergency, a surprise diagnosis, upheaval at school, or a mental health situation, most moms will at some point be called to fight hard for their kid’s health, safety, and best interests. And when that moment comes, you might be surprised at what’s most challenging and what’s most helpful. In Episode 297 Meagan shares publicly for the first time a recent family crisis that put her in a position where she had to quickly and fiercely advocate for one of her kids. She shares what she learned – and is still learning – and how the lessons apply to advocating for our kids, even when we’re not in crisis. 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.

Containing our kids’ chaos is one thing; keeping track of our OWN stuff is another altogether. To round out our recent series of episodes about where to put all the STUFF of family life, Meagan and Sarah chat about how we store and organize all the things that fall under “mom’s domain.” From our bathroom counters to our nightstand drawers, the kitchen “drop zone” to mask and mitten management, we’re here to share what works, what we’re working on, and where we need serious help. Join us!This rounds out a series of episodes on Where To Put All The STUFF. Listen to Part One here (it’s all about kids’ toys), and Part Two here (it’s about art supplies, board games, books and more).LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 294: Where To Put All The STUFF (LEGO, Tiny Toys, Dolls & More)Episode 295: Where To Put All The STUFF (Art Supplies, Books, Board Games & More)Meagan got an air fryer (affiliate link) for Christmas, which led to making some countertop space decisions (RIP pressure cooker)Sarah has this Spode Christmas Tree Dinnerware (affiliate link) and loves itWe went on a tangent about dinnerware materials, and this blog post does a good job of rounding up the differences between china, porcelain, stoneware, earthenware, etc.Sarah uses a pretty vanity tray to contain bathroom countertop clutter (she has an old pewter one, but aren’t these pretty?) (affiliate link)Sarah likes a clear plastic drawer organizer like this one (affiliate link) for her top bathroom drawerSarah uses this Madesmart Divided Tote (affiliate link) in a deep bathroom drawer to keep upright bottles from falling overGetting a paper shredder for their home office (affiliate link) helped Sarah and family manage paper pilesMORE 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 love all of our kids – but does each of them FEEL our love in the same way? In Episode 296 Meagan and Sarah take on the famous five love languages as a framework for talking about how we most naturally show love to our kids–and also how they receive it. We talk about our own primary love languages and how they shape the ways we tend to show affection, and also look at the changing dynamics of parent-kid love through the growing-up years. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:We referenced the books The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts and The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively both by Gary Chapman (affiliate links)Learn your love language, take the quiz!Sarah mentioned the book Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen (affiliate link)Join our special Facebook Group for The Mom Hour Listeners (make sure to answer the questions to be approved!)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.

With nearly a year of “everything’s cancelled!” behind us, and facing down an early 2021 of “Who knows?”, we’ve all learned a couple things: Truth #1: We all need to set goals and make plans to stay on course and keep working toward our deepest priorities, especially when life is unpredictable. Truth #2: When life is unpredictable, it feels really hard to set goals. How do we make these two realities jive?The solution: goal setting with a big dose of self-awareness and self-empathy. As 2020 taught us, things aren’t always going to look exactly the way we plan, but that doesn’t mean goal-setting is cancelled! From our personal finances to family priorities; hobbies and household projects to travel (what?!) and extracurricular activities, Sarah and Meagan are here with a real-life conversation about goal-setting that will meet you where you are and help you plan what you can – while allowing a lot of flexibility for the things that may change along the way.LINKS MENTIONED:Earlier this month Sarah interviewed Sarah Hart-Unger about her process for setting goalsMeagan learned a lot about herself by following the FlyLady cleaning system back in the daySarah mentioned wanting to do a monthly review practice this year, and was inspired by this episode of Best-Laid Plans with Sarah Hart-UngerMeagan’s personal website/blog is up at meaganfrancis.comSee Meagan’s embroidery adventures in this postSarah talked about annual reading goals and slightly judgy Goodreads in this postMORE 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.

Art supplies taking over your shared space? Losing library books under piles of what-even-IS-this-stuff? Ready for a January re-set of your home’s organization systems? You’re not alone. This week Meagan and Sarah continue the conversation about where to put all the STUFF of family life, covering arts and crafts, board games and puzzles, super-sized play stuff, and all those wonderful books. We also touch on ways to know if an organizational system will work for you and your family – because, as we’ve found, one size does NOT fit all. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to the first part of this two part episode, Where To Put All The STUFF (Part One): Episode 294Be sure to check out our InstagramJoin our special Facebook Group for The Mom Hour Listeners (make sure to answer the questions to be approved!)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.

The holidays are behind us, but they’ve left their mark on our homes: mostly in the form of more STUFF to store. Meagan and Sarah have logged decades of toy sorting and stuff-storing and in this week’s episode share our experience finding just the right spot for all that brightly colored plastic. We talk about LEGO, we talk about stuffies and dolls; we remember the days of itty bitty sets and giant toddler ride-on toys. By the end of this episode we hope you’ll feel like you already have the space and sense required to store your kids’ stuff – no fancy bins required. Join us!Next week we’ll continue the conversation with board games, puzzles, arts & crafts, books, and more!LINKS MENTIONED:New? Check out our page just for new listenersSarah and Meagan both had something similar to this Delta Children Kids’ Toy Storage Organizer with 12 Plastic Bins from Target (affiliate link)Sarah likes large, flat bins for LEGO storage, like these Sterilite 41qt Under Bed Box With Lid from Target (affiliate link)Meagan has used food storage containers like Mason jars or these OXO POP Airtight Food Storage Containers (affiliate link) to contain super tiny parts to make believe sets like Littlest Pet ShopSarah has these stuffed animal bags from Jane (affiliate link)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.