The Mom Hour

How do you make your town feel more like a home?That’s the question journalist and mom Melody Warnick set out to answer after moving her family to a new town for the sixth time. In this month’s BONUS interview episode Meagan interviews Melody about her book, This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live, and the ideas in it.LINKS MENTIONED:Melody’s book, This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You LiveEpisode 56 of The Mom Hour: Moving with Kids & Cultivating CommunityMelodyWarnick.comMORE 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.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we forget the details about each age and stage as soon as they’re behind us? In this week’s episode, Sarah draws numbers from a hat – literally – to prompt a little reflection on the ages our collective kids are right now.If you’ve got little kids have ever wondered what age 12 is like, or if your kids are older and you want to look back on the lispy sweetness of three, we hope you’ll join us for Episode 61!LINKS MENTIONED:Our bonus interview series! Bonus 01 with Asha Dornfest, Bonus 02 with 3 Working Moms, and the upcoming Bonus 03 with Melody WarnickThis is Childhood is a collection of essays put together by Brain, Child magazine in 2014. With one essay for each year of childhood from ages one to ten plus pages to write your own notes about your own kid, the book does a beautiful job of helping capture the essence of each age.Kindness Wins by Galit Breen (mentioned in our discussion about middle schoolers and social media)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.

“Hi Sarah and Meagan, this is Sheena from Oregon, and I have two questions that both relate to time management. I have a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 3-month-old and I’m finding that I’m always behind, and I’m wondering if you have any tips for how to get ahead? Also, how do you find time in the day to play? I find that I’m always just trying to get the kids busy so I can get on to my next task, and I never have time to just sit down and play. Thanks for your advice!”This is the question we got in our Speakpipe mailbox a couple weeks ago, and in Episode 60 we sat down to answer Sheena’s questions. Want to hear our responses? Listen now in the player below, or keep reading for more!LINKS. MENTIONED:Leave us a question via SpeakPipe like Sheena did!Episode 10: We Hate Fun!The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed (Jessica Lahey)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 mid-July and time for an update on our summer travels! Join Meagan and Sarah for a fun conversation about cross-country road trips, flying solo with three kids, and what our families watched, listened to, read and played while on vacation. We also talk about what’s coming up for us, and for The Mom Hour, in the second half of the summer. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Big Quiet Camping (where Meagan and family stayed in the teepee)The Martian by Andy Weir (audio book via Audible.com)Star Wars (the original story dramatized for radio in 1981, via Audible.com)Gem Mountain Montana (where Meagan’s family got their sapphire mining kit)Michael Pollan’s Netflix Documentary Series, CookedWalt Disney Animation Studios Short Film Collection (streaming on Netflix or purchase on Amazon here)Phrase Party app ($1.99 on iTunes)Meagan is a guest co-host on a local morning radio show July 11-15 – listen here!!Summer Shortcuts (Yes, We’re THAT Lazy)Getting Organized for SummerTravel With Kids (Or, How To Enjoy Your Own Vacation)Keeping Kids Safe Outside This SummerCamping With Kids (And Other Outdoor Adventures)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.

Welcome to part two in our series on personality types! Last week we discussed the general appeal of personality tests and delved into the concepts of introversion and extroversion (we recommend listening to that episode first if you haven’t already. This week we reveal our Myers-Briggs and Enneagram types (drumroll….) and continue the conversation as it relates to parenting, partner relationships and more.Myers-Briggs & Enneagram Personality TestsThese are the tests we took, and we’d love you to take them too if you haven’t already! These are the tests and results we discuss in this week’s episode.MYERS-BRIGGS test from 16personalities.comENNEAGRAM test from ecclecticenergies.comAfter you take the tests, we recommend the full Myers-Briggs type descriptions found here, a more in-depth explanation of the Myers-Briggs letters found here, and the descriptions of the nine Enneagram types found here (scroll to bottom of the page).LINKS MENTIONED:The ENFP’s Guide to Dating Rationals (Heidi Priebe for Thought Catalog)Knowing myself, knowing others: my uncomfortable – but revealing – afternoon with the Enneagram(MeaganFrancis.com)Megan Tietz and her Sorta Awesome podcast co-hosts LOVE this topic. Check out their shows on Enneagram and Myers-Briggs typesOur friends Kelsey and Erica of The Girl Next Door podcast helped inspire this show with their Personalities & More Compari episodeOn The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin defines her four tendencies framework here, and has a fun quiz to determine yours hereMeagan’s articles at QuietRev.com, and Susan Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop TalkingMORE 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.

Welcome to our two-part show all about personality types! In Episode 57 we discuss the general appeal of self-discovery and the lure (or, for some, skepticism) of personality tests and quizzes. We also discuss the concepts of introversion and extroversion, how neither of us fit a classic mold, and how our needs change over the course of motherhood.Online Personality Tests (Take yours – it’s fun!)These are the tests we took, and we’d love you to take them too! Next week in Episode 58 we’ll reveal our results…MYERS-BRIGGS test from 16personalities.comENNEAGRAM test from ecclecticenergies.comAfter you take the tests, we recommend the full Myers-Briggs type descriptions found here, a more in-depth explanation of the Myers-Briggs letters found here, and the descriptions of the nine Enneagram types found here (scroll to bottom of the page)LINKS MENTIONED:Knowing myself, knowing others: my uncomfortable – but revealing – afternoon with the Enneagram(MeaganFrancis.com)Megan Tietz and her Sorta Awesome podcast co-hosts LOVE this topic. Check out their shows on Enneagram and Myers-Briggs typesOur friends Kelsey and Erica of The Girl Next Door podcast helped inspire this show with their Personalities & More Compari episodeOn The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin defines her four tendencies framework here, and has a fun quiz to determine yours hereMeagan’s articles at QuietRev.com, and Susan Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop TalkingMORE 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.

Working outside the home brings its own set of challenges and opportunities that Meagan and Sarah don't get to speak to personally as freelancers who work from home, and we get requests from listeners all the time to address working mom life on the podcast. So we are thrilled that for our second Bonus Interview episode Sarah interviewed three moms who work full-time outside the home.Meet Elizabeth, Kelsey, and Angela. Three working moms who live in vastly different areas of the country, have different professions and kids of different ages. And while we know, of course, that no one mom's experience is representative of others', we did love hearing about their daily routines, tips and tricks, and what they love about working mom life.Meet Elizabeth (interview starts at 02:10)Elizabeth Chapman is a full-time high school English teacher from Virginia who is also the mom of a one-year-old and a five-year-old. Elizabeth also blogs about her passion for working motherhood and teaching on her blog, Teaching Sam & Scout.Check out some of Elizabeth's writing below, and be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!For The Working Mom with Sick KidsThe Napkin MomPros and Cons of Teaching for MomsHow To Love A Working MomOn Choosing To Be A Working MomMeet Kelsey (interview starts at 28:50)Kelsey Wharton is a science writer at a large research university and the mother of two little boys who lives in Gilbert, Arizona. Kelsey also co-hosts The Girl Next Door podcast with her next door neighbor and, together with her husband Chris, hosts Matrimoney, a podcast about marriage and money.We know you'll love following Kelsey via her podcasts and writing - here's where to find her!The Girl Next Door podcastMatrimoney podcastRising*Shining (Kelsey's personal blog)@kelswharton on Instagram, @kelseykw on Twitter, Girl Next Door Podcast on FacebookMeet Angela (interview starts at 54:45)Angela Reier (or Angie to those who know her) is Sarah's friend from college! Angie is a full-time corporate attorney and mom of three kids ages 8, 3.5 and 9 months who lives in Davenport, Iowa. She also travels for work and competes in marathons and triathlons. Angie and I had a great discussion about encouraging newer working moms, the trade-offs that come with working mom life, and how her feelings about working outside the home have evolved over her 8.5 years as a mom.Want to connect with Angie? Send us an email to hello@themomhour.com and we'll send it along!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.

Moving with kids – whether it’s across town or out of state – is no easy task. Meagan and Sarah have each done it several times and share their tips and experiences in Episode 56. We also expand the conversation to the broader topic of cultivating community where you live, regardless of how long you’ve been there. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Speakpipe – Leave us an audio message and your question might make it onto the show like Amy’s did!This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live (Melody Warnick)Prince Lionhart Stove Guard and Safety 1st Clear View Stove Knob CoversPodcasts Sarah is loving latelyCoffee + Crumbs#AmWriting with Jess & KJ (Jessica Lahey and KJ Dell’Antonia)NPR Politics PodcastGame of Thrones Podcast from baldmove.com (Bryan’s recommendation)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.

We aren’t extreme couponers (or couponers at all, really), but as moms of many kids and growing families, we definitely have our eyes on the grocery budget. Join Meagan and Sarah for an inside look at our shopping habits when it comes to groceries and household supplies in Episode 55. We talk about where we shop, how we keep costs down, and what we think of warehouse retailers and big box stores when it comes to saving money.LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 23 of The Mom Hour where we talk about meal planning and grocery shoppingCVS ExtraCare Rewards ProgramGrocery delivery companies like Instacart (the one Sarah’s sister uses) and Amazon FreshMORE 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.

If you’ve traveled with small children, you know that “enjoy” and “vacation” don’t always belong in the same sentence. In Episode 53 Meagan and Sarah share tips for reclaiming a little bit of R & R in your family travels, even during the little years.We talk about how to making packing and getting out the door less hectic, ways to get aligned with your co-parent and make use of each other’s travel strengths, and how to structure your time away from home so that kids have fun and parents get a little bit of a break, too.LINKS MENTIONED:How Meagan packs her family of seven into two suitcases (The Happiest Home)Our very first Bonus Interview Episode, with Asha Dornfest, in case you missed itMom Spends Beach Vacation Assuming All Household Duties In Closer Proximity To Ocean (The Onion)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.