The Mom Hour

Asking for help with childcare, close friends with dramatically different parenting styles, handling kids’ big emotions with elementary school friendship struggles, and how to stop apologizing for where you are in life/motherhood and embrace the chaos with confidence. It’s another Listener Q & A show!LINKS MENTIONED:How to get our Summer Shortcuts eBook for free (hint: listen to Episode 51)The most stressful 8 minutes of my week (and why I changed my mind about them) – Sarah for The Happiest HomeEpisode 44 – What Are Your “Mom Superpowers”?Episode 42 – Parenting Through the Hard TimesEpisode 41 – the first time we did a “Listener Q & A” show like this oneEpisode 26 – Dealing with CriticismMORE 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 all about laid-back, low-key summer fun – but sometimes it takes a little planning ahead to make room for all that lazing around. In Episode 51 Meagan and Sarah talk about getting organized for summer – from what to do with the avalanche of school papers that come home this time of year, to looking at the calendar and making room for the stuff (literal and figurative) that matters.Whether you’re days (yay!) or weeks (hang in there, mama) away from summer’s official start, we hope you’ll join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Last year’s end-of-school podcast where we laughed – and griped – about this time of yearOn dealing with the paper onslaught…3 Tips for Tackling End-of-School Year Clutter (Meagan for The Happiest Home)The Lakeshore Learning keepsake portfolio that Sarah usesOn purging clothes and toys…Meagan’s super simple strategy for organizing seasonal clothes and hand-me-downsEpisode 35: Stuff, Junk & ThingsOn planning the calendar and bucket listsSarah’s Summer Mom Manifesto (kind of like a bucket list, but with more holes) (The Happiest Home)A dissenting opinion on bucket lists from our friend Sarah Stewart Holland at bluegrass redheadSarah’s “just structured enough” summer schedule for kids (The Happiest Home)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.

Parenting is hard enough - even when you've studied up on expert tips and have your diaper bag stocked and organized. But sometimes our most genius moments as moms and dads happen when we're caught off guard - when we don't have a clear-cut answer and have to rely on in-the-moment instinct and commonsense intuition.That's what Sarah discusses with author Asha Dornfest the first-ever BONUS interview episode of The Mom Hour! Join Sarah and Asha for a great discussion about learning to trust your instincts as parents, what it's like to curate a community of differing opinions, and how Asha has made the transition from blogging to book writing to podcasting. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:ParentHacks.comPurchase Parent Hacks: 134 Genius Shortcuts for Life with Kids on AmazonWhy Asha thinks kids should do chores that aren't 100% safe (ParentHacks.com), plus the Instagram photo that inspired the postThe Edit Your Life show with Asha and Christine KohThe Art Of MacGyvering For Sleep-Deprived Moms And Dads (Asha's interview on NPR's All Things Considered)@AshaDornfest on Twitter and Instagram@ParentHacks on Facebook, Twitter and 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.

50 episodes into The Mom Hour (!!) and some things never change. We laugh. We ramble a bit. We gush about how great you guys – our listeners – are.As we gear up for a summer full of some great shows, and some new ideas and improvements we’re making to the podcast, join us for a look back at our favorite moments and most popular episodes, and a look at what’s ahead for The Mom Hour.LINKS MENTIONED:Leave us a voicemail in Speakpipe (a great way to ask a question or suggest a topic!)How to leave a rating or review in iTunesLike us on Facebook!Follow us on Twitter!Follow us on Instagram!Browse all episodes of The Mom HourMORE 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 follow us on social media, you probably saw that Meagan and Sarah got to hang out – and record this very podcast episode – in person over the weekend at the Mom 2.0 Summit in Laguna Niguel, CA.Not only did we get to hang out with one another, we shared a makeshift recording studio (translation: one king-sized hotel bed) with some of our favorite fellow podcasters: Jessica Ashley of Single Mom Nation Radio, Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner of Spawned, and Asha Dornfest and Christine Koh of Edit Your Life.Episode 49 is all about friendships with other moms. You’ll hear each pair of longtime friends – Meagan/Jessica, Kristen/Liz, Asha/Christine, and Meagan/Sarah – talk about how they met online, when their internet-buddy status morphed into real-life friendship, and what kind of creative opportunities and joint ventures developed as a result.LINKS MENTIONED:Jessica Ashley is the creator of Single Mom Nation and the Single Mom Nation Radio podcast. She and Meagan also have a brand new show forthcoming called The Content Coaches right here on the Life, Listened network!Asha Dornfest is the author of Parent Hacks and creator of ParentHacks.com. Asha and Christine Koh (of Boston Mamas and the Lifestyle Solutions video series) co-authored Minimalist Parenting and co-host the Edit Your Life showKristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner are the creators of Cool Mom Picks, Cool Mom Tech, and Cool Mom Eats. Together they host Spawned with Kristen and LizMORE 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.

Last week we talked about our ever-evolving “mom style” and what looks we’re loving at this stage of life. This week we’re moving on to hairstyles, skincare, make-up and beauty routines.Join Meagan and Sarah for much confusion and hilarity – and hopefully a little insight – on growing out short hair, going gray in our 30’s, being completely overwhelmed by skincare products, and making time in the daily routine for basic beauty and skincare.LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 47: Our Ever-Evolving “Mom Style”Neutrogena Visibly Even BB Cream (Sarah wears “Light to Medium” color)If you want more on the foundation / face make-up conversation, check out the second half of Episode 7 of The Style HourSome of our favorite drug-store lip glosses:L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Extraordinaire Lip ColorBurt’s Bees Lip ShineRevlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss (this is the one Meagan once stole from Sarah) in Kiss Me CoralBrush On Block Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen (goes on AFTER makeup, and Sarah’s much-younger sister swears by 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.

When you spend years cycling through maternity, post-partum, nursing and “oh gee I’m pregnant again!”wardrobe pieces, thinking about your personal style can take a back seat. Now that Meagan and Sarah are squarely on the other side of those years, we’re talking about clothes, shopping and style in Episode 47.Join us for a fun conversation about where we love to shop, when to buy cheap and when it makes sense to spend a little more, how our own personal styles have evolved over the years, and what looks we wish we could pull off but just can’t seem to.LINKS MENTIONED:Fabletics, Meagan’s go-to for workout wear and everyday activewearThe Style Hour podcast (currently on hiatus) and Shana Draugelis’s website The Mom EditLucky Brand graphic tees and tanks (Sarah’s favorites)Urban Outfitters one-piece swimsuits (Meagan has had luck with these)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.

There’s no shortage of movies, television, books and music geared toward kids. The tough part is, some of it is pretty terrible, some is just okay, and some is truly fantastic (making us want to be a kid again, quite frankly).In Episode 46 Meagan and Sarah discuss helping our kids follow their interests into the realms of literature, music, and screen media. We marvel over some of the differences between what’s available today and what we watched as kids, and we share some of our favorite resources for navigating the ever-changing landscape of kids’ media.TLINKS MENTIONED:Commonsense MediaOverdrive (mobile app for digital audio and ebook loans from your local library)Cool Mom Tech (great reviews of tablet apps and games for kids)Some of Sarah’s kids favorite chapter book series (good for read-aloud with a parent or grades 1-3 independent reading)Magic Tree HouseThe Magic School Bus chapter books (different from the picture books)The Secrets of DroonNancy Clancy chapter books (same author as the Fancy Nancy picture books, but for early elementary schoolers)Ivy & Bean seriesNon-fiction biography series Who Was… (here’s one example)Chinaberry (book catalog)KidsVuz (kid-generated videos and product reviews)Disney Stories playlist on SpotifyPodcasts Sarah’s kids like:Brains On! and Tumble (both science podcasts for kids)Potter and Daughter (an accompaniment to the Harry Potter book series)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.

There’s no question that the academic demands on kids – at school and at home – have increased since we were students. Join Meagan and Sarah for an honest, thoughtful conversation about elementary school homework and the continued pressure on our kids into their middle and high school years.As usual, we embrace the fact that we don’t have all the answers, and we do our best to stay positive and non-judgmental. We love our schools and our kids’ teachers and we’re honest about our own insecurities as we navigate through the school years. This is such an important conversation and we can’t wait to hear your feedback!LINKS MENTIONED:The Homework I Wish My Child Brough Home From School (Sarah’s piece on Scary Mommy)Books & articles by Heather ShumakerHeather’s books It’s OK Not to Share and her latest It’s OK to Go Up the Slide, which includes more thoughts on homeworkThe article we discussed in detail in the show: Homework is wrecking our kids: The research is clear, let’s ban elementary homework (Salon.com)Why Parents Should Not Make Kids Do Homework (Time.com)Here’s why I said no to homework for my elementary-aged kids (TODAY Parenting Community)Meagan’s interview with Heather on The Home Hour, Episode 6The question of homework: Should kids have it at all? (Lauren Knight for The Washington Post)Other episodes of The Mom Hour on school-related topics: Choosing the Right School (Ep16) and The Myth of the “Good” School Mom (Ep21)#EditYourLife podcast Episode 10: How To Handle HomeworkMeagan’s interview with teacher and author Erica Ladd in The Home Hour, Episode 49MORE 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.

Let’s face it: most of us have certain areas of motherhood that feel easy-breezy and others where we tend to struggle. And while it’s always possible to improve your parenting game, we think it’s also helpful to acknowledge that one mom’s superpower might be another’s kryptonite…and that’s okay.Join Meagan and Sarah for a frank and fun conversation about their own superpowers and kryptonite. Enjoy Episode 44 of The Mom Hour!LINKS MENTIONED:“Mom. Mum. Mommy” (Family Guy clip via YouTube)Untangling the chain: why both strategy and intuition matter (Meagan on MeaganFrancis.com)How to get out the door on time, (almost) every time (Sarah for The Happiest Home)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.