The Mom Hour

We love books, and we hope our kids grow up to love them too…but how do we get there? Meagan and Sarah break down the ways we encourage literacy and a love of reading in our homes–without piling on the pressure. We talk about reading aloud, reading for homework, encouraging reluctant readers, and modeling a book-loving life as adults. PLUS Katie Addiss joins Sarah for a fun segment all about holiday picture books! We share some favorites for babies through big kids–just in time for the coziest reading season!LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah and Katie’s full list of holiday books is hereMeagan’s appearance on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast: RAR #34: Reading Aloud around a Traditional School Schedule, and RAR host Sarah Mackenzie’s appearance on Meagan’s podcast The Home Hour in 2014Magazines Sarah loves include ASK and Muse from Cricket Media, Highlights High Five, and National Geographic KidsSarah loves the book lists at What Do We Do All Day?, and specifically mentioned these three in her segment with Katie:Timeless Christmas BooksNew Christmas Picture BooksChristmas Chapter Book Read Alouds for FamiliesMeagan mentioned these books (affiliate links):Krampus: The Devil of ChristmasThe Night Before Christmas – Illustrated by Arthur RackhamA Christmas CarolOther episodes you might enjoy:Raising Lifelong Learners (Ep95)Bedtime Routines At Every Age (Ep80)Finding Kids’ Media That Isn’t Terrible (Ep46)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.

Most families are touched by divorce in some way, and the holidays can bring up all kinds of questions and challenges for single or re-coupled parents, children of divorced parents (including adult children), and blended families. As Meagan enters her third holiday season post-separation, Sarah picks her brain about everything from the practical logistics of sharing the holidays with an ex, to the emotional landscape of the holidays as a divorced mom. PLUS we welcome the wise and witty voices of Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks and Spawned with Kristen and Liz. Listen for their advice, as well as a couple of listener questions, during the episode.LINKS MENTIONED:Last year Meagan talked about changing traditions mid-divorce (Episode 128)Don’t forget to check out Cool Mom Picks and the Spawned podcast, and thanks to Kristen and Liz for contributing to today’s show!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.

Buckle up, mamas. We’re getting into the details of air travel AND car trips with babies, toddlers, and little kids. Meagan’s the expert on road trips, and Sarah has flown a ton with tiny kids. If you’ve ever wondered whether to buy an airplane seat for a one-year-old, how to plan stops on an 8-hour car ride, or what to pack in your carry-on, this episode is for you. Join us!PLUS Alison Thompson joins Sarah to share her baby #2 birth story and an update on the first two months of adjusting to life as a family of four. They reveal the baby’s name, discuss how big sister Claire is adjusting, and talk about a scary hospitalization that all turned out okay.LINKS MENTIONED:Other episodes on kids and travel that you might have missed:Travel With Kids (Or, How To Enjoy Your Own Vacation)Smart Tech & Family TravelOver The River & Through The Woods (Holiday Travel & Visiting Family)Send in your holiday-themed listener questions! Email an audio file to hello@themomhour.com, or head to speakpipe.com/themomhour to record thereMORE 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.

This year’s December doesn’t have to be like last year. Join Meagan and Sarah as we set intentions for the busy holiday month ahead, everything from little ways to find joy in the messes to bigger stuff about changing traditions. It’s another Holiday Bonus episode of The Mom Hour!LINKS MENTIONED:All our holiday episodes of The Mom Hour are on this pageMORE 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.

At twenty-one and ten years into motherhood respectively, Meagan and Sarah have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to parenting trends. In Episode 184 we talk about the things that have changed since we became moms–from the superficial stuff like trends in baby gear to the more significant ways that the digital age has shaped parenting culture over the years. PLUS, Sarah’s mom offers insight from the perspective of someone who has been a parent for nearly (but not yet) forty years. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:“Mommy Needs Wine” and Other Problematic Mom-Tropes (Episode 183)Meagan talked about Aidan Donnelly Rowley’s blog posts on the dry life, which we discussed in more detail last weekmore in this cute videoCheck out SpanglerScienceClub.com and use promo code MOMHOUR to save $10 on a 3-month subscription (more in this cute video)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.

Our kids have made their holiday wish lists, and we’re popping into your podcast feed on Black Friday to chat about them! Join Meagan and Sarah as we review our own kids’ Christmas lists, what we have our eyes on as we kick off holiday shopping season, plus the ways we get around those “ain’t never gonna happen” wishes that kids love to put on their lists. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah’s 10-year-old is interested in this 3D pen from Mindware.comMeagan’s 9-year-old has asked for a subscription to ScrawlrBoxOur 2017 Holiday Gift Guide includes 3 bonus podcast episodes and a whole bunch of great links–it’s all organized for you on this pageAll of our holiday-related podcast content is on this pageMORE 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 and Sarah both enjoy wine and cocktails, but coincidentally we both scaled back our drinking recently and have observations to share. We’re also wary of the pervasive “mommy needs a drink” trope and the way meme culture in general aims for cheap laughs with potentially harmful side-effects. Today’s episode gets into the gray area between carefree happy hour and full-blown addiction, and we talk honestly about the places alcohol and motherhood overlap. LINKS MENTIONED:Sunday’s More Than Mom epsiodeAidan Donnelly Rowley and her blog posts on the dry life, her regular Instagram feed (which Sarah loves), her @drybeclub community, and her podcast EDITParenting With a Buzz: When Does Alcohol as Self-Care Become a Problem? (Kristen Mascia for Parents)How Mommy Drinking Culture Has Normalized Alcoholism For Women In America (Sarah Cottrell for Babble)#Winemom culture is about SO much more than wine—and we need to talk about it (Emily Glover for Mother.ly)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.

Heading into a holiday week, Meagan and Sarah are feeling festive and talking about our favorite adult beverages. We also talk about rituals and routines involving our favorite drinks, hangover cures, holiday drinking and more. Join us!Note: We know that alcohol is a tricky topic for a lot of people, and in this episode you’ll hear some honest thoughts about responsible–and irresponsible–consumption. This episode, intended to be light and fluffy, will be followed by a discussion on Tuesday’s show about the darker side of “Mommy Wine Culture” and other complicated pieces of this puzzle. LINKS MENTIONED:More Than Mom: Beverages!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.

Whether it’s across town for dinner or cross-country for a week, visiting family comes with challenges–especially at the holidays. There are relationship dynamics to consider, plus germs, traditions, sleep schedules, and a lot of public parenting. In Episode 182, Meagan and Sarah sit down for a thoughtful discussion on how to make family visits and holiday travel less stressful for you and your family. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:All our holiday-related podcast episodes are on this pageYou might also like the episodes we’ve done on dealing with criticism and things to remember when you feel criticizedWe’ve also done episodes on traveling with kids and smart tech and family travelMeagan mentioned our episode on greed and gratitudeWant to send in a question for our holiday-themed listener questions episode? Email us at hello@themomhour.com!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.

Cupboards, cabinets, closets, and drawers: Meagan and Sarah are opening up and confessing what’s working and what isn’t when it comes to clutter and our homes. Join us for another fun More Than Mom episode of The Mom Hour!LINKS MENTIONED:The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie CondoDecluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff, by Dana K. White of A Slob Comes CleanStuff, Junk and Things, Episode 35, in which we discuss kid-related clutterOur laundry episode, and our dishes episodeMORE 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.