The Mom Hour

We're moms. We already spend a lot (in some cases A LOT) of time with our kids. So why add the sometimes-complicated task of setting aside one-on-one time for each child on a regular basis? Is it really THAT important? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether you’ve listened to every podcast we’ve ever made or are a brand-new listener, we guarantee you’ll find out something you didn’t know about Meagan and Sarah after listening to Episode 85…the one where we interview each other. Want to know Meagan’s first real job? (It involved tassels…but not that kind.) Can you guess what Sarah was most likely to get in trouble for as a kid? Or what bad-driving trait we both share? Join us, and share your thoughts in the comments!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’re so excited to bring you our first Bonus Interview of 2017! In this podcast episode, Sarah talks to Doña Bumgarner about what it means to nurture yourself during motherhood, how her health crisis caused her to look at the idea of self-care in a new light, and why creativity and passion are essential during the intense years of early motherhood. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:How To Get Through It: A brief guide for chemo patientsPractice Radical Self CareHello From Outer Space – Keeping A Self Care Practice7 Things to Do When Your Life is a Hot MessA Lesson On Creative Abandon (the play-dough story)How To Be A Passionate Mama (the post from which Sarah read an excerpt in the podcast)Don’t miss Doña’s eBook about getting out the door on time in the mornings, and making mornings with kids more peaceful in general! Get it free when you sign up to receive her email newsletter, which you can do at her website, nurturedmama.net@donab on InstagramMORE 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.

Are you an aspiring writer? Curious about getting published? Interested in what’s involved in a freelance writing career? In Episode 84 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah take a question from listener Mairin and share our own experiences on getting published in magazines and online over the last several years. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Submit a question like Mairin did using Speakpipe at speakpipe.com/themomhour – it’s fun and it makes our day!Online and print publications that accept submissions from freelancers (this is not a complete list and we know there are others out there, so chime in in the comments if you know of others!)MotherwellScary MommyMamalodeBrain, Child (linking to Brain, Child’s writer’s guidelines, but they do have a note saying they are not currently accepting submissions – this could always change)Coffee + Crumbs (C+C also says they’re not currently accepting submissions but this may change)On Parenting from The Washington PostBabbleLocal moms blogs like the ones run by City Moms Blog Network are often very welcoming to new writers (find out here if there’s one in a city near you)How To Start A Freelance Writing Career – Our friend and colleague Chaunie Brusié was one of Meagan’s students several years ago and has since built a successful full-time, at-home writing career while raising four young kids. This is her virtual writing class, which can be taken anytime, on your own time. UPDATE! Chaunie graciously offered $50 off her course for listeners of The Mom Hour. Just use code themomhour at checkout. Thanks, Chaunie!#AmWriting with Jess & KJ – Sarah loves this podcast about full-time professional writing. Even if you’re just an aspiring writer, we think you’ll love Jess and KJ’s helpful, generous style. A few episodes for new writers:EPISODE 2: #AMPITCHING, GOOD STRATEGIES AND UNEXPECTED HURDLESEPISODE 8: #DEADOFEXPOSURE, SHOULD YOU WRITE FOR FREE?EPISODE 13: #HOWIT’SDONE, A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SELF PUBLISHINGEPISODE 20: #AMBLOGGING, SHOULD I START A BLOG?EPISODE 31: #WRITEWHATYOUKNOW, YOUR EXPERIENCE IS VALUABLEMeagan and Sarah both appeared on the Sarah R. Bagley podcast recently, talking about our own roads to freelance writing and professional blogging. Listen to Sarah’s interview here, and Meagan’s here.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.

How do YOU calendar? Paper planner, digital calendar, color-coded dry erase board, or all of the above? In Episode 83 Meagan and Sarah share our strategies for keeping appointments, deadlines, and family schedules organized. We talk about the pros and cons of both paper and digital systems, offer suggestions for managing large families’ many commitments, and give you a peek into our own quirky way of thinking about a week at a glance. We also discuss to-do lists and we make them work for us. Join us!Note: We mentioned a TON of tips and ideas in this episode and we’ve tried to include as many links as possible in the show notes. If you don’t see something you’re looking for, leave us a comment and we’ll dig it up!LINKS MENTIONED:Amazon links are affiliates and have been updated for 2018. Thanks for helping support the show in this small way at no additional cost to you!Sarah’s digital-to-paper calendaring system (as explained on the podcast, but in a blog post for The Happiest Home)Meagan’s thoughts on To-Do Lists and To-Dream ListsOur listeners had great ideas on Facebook and Instagram – click through to read their comments (and give us a “Like” while you’re there if you haven’t already!)Wunderlist – Sarah uses this for on-the-go list making and shared to-do lists (but completely forgot to mention it on the show – oops!)Sarah’s wall calendar (new link for 2019!)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.

Do you have 3,574 photos on your smartphone and not a print or photo book to show for it? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In Episode 82 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah share smart tips for getting pictures off your phone and into the cloud, ideas for storing old printed photos, and a few easy ways to create lasting memories with the photos you take. If you missed it, check out last week’s podcast episode, which was all about taking better photos of your kids. Listen to Episode 81 now, and keep reading to listen to this week’s show.LINKS MENTIONED:Shoot AlongEpisode 81: Taking Better Photos of Your KidsGoogle PhotosCostco Photo CenterShutterfly Photo BooksBlurb Photo BooksChatbooksOur friends at The Girl Next Door Podcast did a show all about family memory-keeping earlier this year (and they’re also big fans of Google Photos) – listen to it 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.

All the holiday cards arriving in the mail this month have us thinking about family portraits, taking photos (or having them taken) of our kids, and documenting life with little ones throughout the year. In Episode 81 we talk about how to take better photos of your kids (with the camera you already own), why school pictures are still a thing, when and how we’ve chosen to spring for professional photos, and how we manage to capture events like school plays and birthday parties without feeling like we spend the whole time behind the camera.Next week we’ll have a follow up podcast episode all about what we DO with the photos we take – including tips for storing, organizing and creating keepsakes with your family photos. So check back here for Episode 82!LINKS MENTIONED:Shoot Along 2017 – use Promo Code THEMOMHOUR at checkout to save $25!The Mom Stays in the Picture (Allison Slater Tate)A Thousand Stories (Rebecca Woolf / Girl’s Gone Child on her approach to photography)Meagan’s interview with photographer Chookooloonks’s Karen Walrond on The Home Hour in 2015Sarah’s DIY family’s holiday card photo this year (see below)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.

Bath time, pajamas, a story, and a kiss goodnight. That’s how it’s “supposed” to go down, right? In Episode 80 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah talk about how bedtime routines change through various stages, and offer our tips for making it work – even when you have a new baby, a traveling spouse, or kids with wildly different get-to-sleep styles. We also talk about how often our kids REALLY bathe, why reading aloud doesn’t have to always be at night, and our strategies for dealing with bedtime stalling. Join us for Episode 80!LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan’s interview on The Home Hour with Sarah Mackenzie of Amongst Lovely Things, and the time Meagan appeared on Sarah’s podcast Read-Aloud RevivalOur thoughts on a listener question about co-sleeping (skip to 25:20 to hear this question)Other episodes about how we handle different daily routinesMaking Mornings Easier (Ep 67)A Week of Real-Life Dinners (Ep 72)Routines for a Happy Mom-Life (Ep 20)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.

It’s time for another Listener Question & Answer episode, and this time it’s holiday-themed! Join Meagan and Sarah as they tackle three questions from real moms about navigating some of the season’s trickier stuff.First up, Sheri asks how we keep gift spending in check, and whether we have any budgeting tips to avoid going overboard on presents for our kids. (Our answer starts at 01:12)Then Kelsey from The Girl Next Door podcast wondered about simple advent traditions to start with her two little ones. (We weigh in at 10:56)And finally Emily is lucky enough to have two sets of parents/grandparents in the town where she lives, which during the holidays can lead to feeling like you’re shuttling kids all over town and never slowing down to relax and enjoy. (We offer our advice at 20:25)Wait, there’s more!We had so much fun doing a Facebook Live chat on Sunday evening. Watch our short 5-minute video (click here if you can’t see it embedded below) for our answers to two MORE listener-submitted holiday questions!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.

How do we nurture the friendships we have? How to we make time to see our friends in person? How can technology support long-distance (and not-so-long-distance) friendships? These questions get tricky during the busy years of new motherhood, but they’re important no matter what phase of life you’re in. We’ve talked about friendship in other episodes, but it’s been mostly focused on either making new friends or feeling distanced from friends who aren’t in the same stage of life you are. Episode 78 is all about the daily practice of being a friend to the people already in your life – near and far.LINKS MENTIONED:Other podcast episodes about friendshipHow To Make Mom Friends (The Home Hour, Episode 32)Online Pals Turned Real-Life Friends (The Mom Hour Episode 49) – There’s a bit of audio trouble in the beginning of this one, but stick with it In Episode 41 of The Mom Hour we take a listener question about how to handle friendships strained by different phases of life/motherhood (skip to 32:45 to hear our answer)Get started with Google HangoutsVoxer and Anchor – the audio-based apps for when you just want to SPEAK 5 Rules for Hosting a Crappy Dinner Party (Kelley Powell for The Kitchn)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.