What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms

Tired of the emotional burden of saying yes? Two hilarious moms dive into the complexities of refusing requests and the hidden costs of overcommitting. They explore societal pressures on women to always be available and discuss how saying no often requires its own type of emotional labor. With practical scripts and strategies, they guide listeners on valuing personal limits, navigating guilt, and even modeling healthy boundaries for kids. It's a refreshing take on reclaiming time and energy in the chaos of motherhood!

Explore the fine line between helpful parenting and overparenting. Discover how parental anxiety and societal pressures shape our instincts to protect. Dive into the pitfalls of helicopter parenting and learn to identify the signs in yourself. Hear about the impact of social media on our perceptions of danger and how to shift from micromanaging to fostering independence. Gain insights on allowing kids to face challenges while providing a safety net. Ultimately, the hosts emphasize the growth that comes from letting kids spread their wings.

Glen Henry, creator of Beleaf in Fatherhood and author of Father Yourself First, passionately advocates for intentional and compassionate fatherhood. In this enlightening conversation, he shares his journey from a challenging upbringing to becoming a nurturing father. Glen emphasizes the importance of mentorship and open dialogue on tough topics like race and safety. He also discusses breaking cycles of trauma, modeling real family dynamics, and the notion of 'fathering yourself first'—transforming inner dialogue to foster healthier parenting.

This episode dives into the pet peeves of family life, exploring shared annoyances like excessive kitchen crowding and repeated questions. The hosts discuss the age-old dilemma of 'What's for dinner?' and how to manage kids' responses with humor. Listeners chime in about the messes kids claim aren't theirs and coping with interruptions while multitasking. They also fantasize about escape to dreamy islands, all while acknowledging the everyday challenges that make parenting such a wild ride.

Anxiety expert Lynn Lyons and co-host Robin Hutson created the podcast ⁠FLUSTERCLUX⁠ to help anxious kids and anxious families, which are usually one and the same. Lynn Lyons has trained hundreds of teachers, school nurses, counselors and parents about managing anxiety. In this episode, Lynn, Robin, and Amy discuss: Why reassurance doesn't always placate kids' anxieties Why anxiety craves certainty– and how we can unwittingly "do the disorder" in trying to reassure anxious kids How to model moving through uncertainty for our kids How perfectionism feeds anxiety in kids Here's where you can find Robin and Lynn: ⁠flusterclux.com⁠ @flusterclux on FB and Instagram Buy Lynn Lyons' book The Anxiety Audit ⁠"Flusterclux" podcast⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, anxiety in kids, parenting podcast, Lynn Lyons, FLUSTERCLUX podcast, anxious families, childhood anxiety, parenting anxious kids, managing anxiety, perfectionism in kids, emotional resilience, anxiety and uncertainty, reassurance and anxiety, helping anxious children, modeling calm for kids, parenting through anxiety, mental health for families, anxiety coping skills, parenting perfectionists, raising resilient kids, breaking anxiety cycles, child emotional health, anxiety triggers in kids, supporting anxious teens, mindfulness for parents, family anxiety dynamics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting today feels harder than ever—information overload, online anxiety, and constant pressure to “get it right.” Dr. Michael Milobsky, a pediatrician with 25 years of experience and host of the podcast "Your Kids Will Be Fine, " joins Amy and Margaret to talk about how raising kids has changed in today's society, and how parents can feel more confident. Dr. Milobsky tells us how to separate the noise from the signal, and what pediatricians really wish parents understood about their own kids. From picky eating to teen mental health, this is a grounded, compassionate conversation for parents who just want to do their best. Here's where you can find Dr. Mike: www.yourkidswillbefine.com Listen to the "Your Kids Will Be Fine" podcast @pedsatthemeadows on IG @dr_mikem on TikTok @Dr_Michael_Milobsky on YouTube We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. Parenting advice, pediatrician interview, Dr. Michael Milobsky, parenting anxiety, digital parenting, childhood vaccines, picky eating, neurodiversity, autism diagnosis, teen mental health, adolescent anxiety, parenting in the information age, trusting your instincts, parental overwhelm, modern motherhood, fatherhood, pediatric medicine, parent-doctor relationship, raising resilient kids, social media and parenting, What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amy and Margaret share their and their listeners' best tips for making the holidays less stressful and more joyful. They discuss how to reimagine old traditions, simplify family gatherings, and the “law of holiday attrition," and how it work in your favor. From tackling family expectations to choosing what to let go of (and what’s worth keeping), this episode helps you create holidays that work for you. You’ll learn: The secret to surviving hosting duties without losing your mind Ways to make holiday meals easier (and more fun!) How to navigate changing family dynamics See all of our listeners' holiday hacks in this Facebook thread! We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. holiday hacks, holiday stress relief, family holiday traditions, Thanksgiving tips, Christmas planning, stress-free holidays, parenting podcast, holiday family dynamics, hosting Thanksgiving, gift-giving ideas, simplify the holidays, parenting during the holidays, letting go of traditions, holiday overwhelm, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Gabor Maté and Dr. Gordon Neufeld, experts in child psychology and development, delve into the critical need for maintaining strong parental attachments as kids grow. They discuss the impact of peer orientation and how cultural shifts can weaken these bonds. The doctors emphasize that true independence stems from secure attachments, not reliance on peers. They explore the dangers of early peer influence and the effects of digital media on childhood. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the importance of being emotionally available and making children feel safe in their connection with adults.

Amy and Margaret talk with Kate Baer, three-time New York Times bestselling poet, about her new poetry collection How About Now— a book born out of a season of unexpected change. From sudden health crises to the shifting identity of motherhood, Kate invites us into the raw material of her life — and shows us how poetry can hold what the forms and boxes of everyday life cannot. We talk about how time begins to accelerate in midlife, how our bodies both betray and reveal us, and how friendship, marriage, and motherhood become the scaffolding for truth-telling. Kate Baer's work makes the ordinary sacred and the chaotic strangely comforting. Here's where you can find Kate: https://www.katebaer.com @katejbaer on IG and Threads https://katebaer.substack.com Buy HOW ABOUT NOW: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780063306080 We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you.Kate Baer, How About Now, What Kind of Woman, motherhood, poetry, midlife, body image, female friendship, creativity, nostalgia, marriage, parenting, women’s voices, self-expression, What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amy and Margaret discuss two new studies on boys and their lives online—in social media and gaming—and how today's digital culture shapes boys’ mental health, relationships, and ideas about their bodies and about masculinity. We discuss why gaming fills social and emotional needs for many boys, why the time spent may be of more concern than the content, and how parents can stay involved without over-policing. You’ll learn practical ways to become an “ask-able” parent, set boundaries, and how to know whether their time spent online is more harmful than helpful. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Gottfried, Jeffrey & Sidoti, Olivia for Pew Research Center: ⁠⁠Teens and Video Games Today⁠⁠ Clair Cain Miller & Amy Fan for the NYT: ⁠⁠“How Video Games Are Shaping a Generation of Boys, for Better and Worse”⁠⁠ Oxford Internet Institute: ⁠⁠“Violent Video Games Found Not to Be Associated with Adolescent Aggression⁠⁠ Boston Children's Digital Wellness Lab: ⁠⁠Pulse Survey: Digital Gaming and Social Interaction⁠⁠ Claire Cain Miller for the NYT: ⁠⁠It’s Not Just a Feeling: Data Shows Boys and Young Men Are Falling Behind⁠⁠ Federica Pallavicini et. al for Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking: ⁠⁠The Effects of Playing Video Games on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness, and Gaming Disorder During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: PRISMA Systematic Review⁠⁠ Wenliang Su et. al for Computers in Human Behavior: ⁠⁠Do men become addicted to internet gaming and women to social media? A meta-analysis examining gender-related differences in specific internet addiction⁠⁠ Kirk M. Welker for JAMA: ⁠⁠Video Games—Cognitive Help or Hindrance?⁠⁠ Kara Alaimo for CNN Health: ⁠⁠What your teenage son is really seeing on social media, according to new survey⁠⁠ Common Sense Media: ⁠⁠⁠Boys & Gaming: What Parents Need to Know⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Fresh Take: Jean Twenge⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Why Kids Get Obsessed—And Why It's a Good Thing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Laura Vanderkam's time-tracking spreadsheet⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Sign up for our newsletter to get monthly recs/goodies from us! ⁠⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. boys and social media, boys and gaming, boys mental health, digital culture and masculinity, parenting boys online, raising boys in the digital age, video games and boys, healthy screen time for kids, social media effects on boys, parenting advice for tweens and teens, online friendships and gaming, emotional development in boys, helping boys navigate technology, positive masculinity, how to talk to kids about gaming, setting digital boundaries, boys body image online, supporting boys’ wellbeing, parenting in the digital world, tech and teen mental health, What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices