
What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
When you're a parent, every day brings a "fresh hell" to deal with. In other words, there's always something. Think of us as your funny mom friends who are here to remind you: you're not alone, and it won't always be this hard.We're Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, both busy moms of three kids, but with completely different parenting styles. Margaret is a laid-back to the max; Amy never met a spreadsheet or an organizational system she didn't like.In each episode of "What Fresh Hell" we offer lots of laughs, but also practical advice, parenting strategies, and tips to empower you in your role as a mom. We explore self-help techniques, as well as ways to prioritize your own needs, combat stress, and despite the invisible workload we all deal with, find joy amidst the chaos of motherhood.If you've ever wondered "why is my kid..." then one of us has probably been there, and we're here to tell you what we've learned along the way.We unpack the behaviors and developmental stages of toddlers, tweens, and teenagers, providing insights into their actions and equipping you with effective parenting strategies.We offer our best parenting tips and skills we've learned. We debate the techniques and studies that are everywhere for parents these days, and get to the bottom of what works best to raise happy, healthy, fairly well-behaved kids, while fostering a positive parent-child relationship.If you're the default parent in your household, whether you're a busy mom juggling multiple pickups and dropoffs, or a first-time parent seeking guidance, this podcast is your trusted resource. Join our community of supportive mom friends laughing in the face of motherhood! whatfreshhellpodcast.com
Latest episodes

Sep 6, 2024 • 34min
Fresh Take: Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein on Raising Resilient Girls
How do we raise our daughters to feel empowered, rather than helpless, in the face of gender bias? Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein, PhD, author of the new book SEXISM AND SENSIBILITY, offers parenting tips to prepare our girls for the modern world.Dr. Finkelstein, Amy, and Margaret discuss:
The limits of the "girl power" line of thinking
How to teach girls what is and isn't in their control when it comes to sexism
How to recognize and combat sexism in our own parenting
Here's where you can find Dr. Finkelstein:
www.joannfinkelstein.com
@joannfinkelstein.phd on IG/TikTok
Jo-Ann Finkelstein, PhD - Author on FB
@finkeljo on Twitter
Buy SEXISM AND SENSIBILITY: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593581162
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, sexism and sensibility, raising girls, feminist parenting, everyday sexism, end sexism, gender equality matters, smash the patriarchy, double standards, girl power, body positive, parenting teens, teen health, equal partnership, respect women, teen mental health matters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 4, 2024 • 46min
What Happened to My Sweet Child?
Why do formerly-sunny kids turn overnight into little tornadoes of defiance and aggression? A listener posted this question in our Facebook group:My four-year-old daughter has recently developed a special, defiant, boundary-testing, aggressive version of herself that she saves only for me. I can’t make sense of it at all. WFH, send help!In this episode, we explain why
these sudden onsets of periods of dysregulation are completely normal
almost every kid will go through this—and a lot of four-year-olds, although not they do not have exclusive ownership of this sort of behavior
and why most kids alternate between periods of regulation and dysregulation repeatedly as they grow and mature.
These difficult stretches don't mean you're doing anything wrong as a parent. They don't mean you need to lock everything down because your kid will be a tornado forever. But they also don't mean mean you need to become the 24/7 punching bag for your dysregulated kid. Here's what to do instead.Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
Rebecca Onion for Slate: Why These Child Psych Books From the 1980s Are All Over Parenting Facebook Groups Today
Allana Robinson for Mom Halo: Here's why your 4 year old's behaviour is out of control
Uncommon Sense Parenting with Allana Robinson: What Exactly Is Stress?
Louise Bates Ames: Your Four-Year-Old: Wild and Wonderful
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, kid behavior, child behavior Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 2, 2024 • 48min
BEST OF: Back to School Back-to-Ones
Sign up for What Fresh Hell Plus on Supporting Cast to get all episodes ad-free, plus monthly bonus episodes. Supporting Cast works right where you already listen! Go to whatfreshhell.supportingcast.fm to subscribe in two taps for just $4.99 a month, or $39.99 a year. Getting-ready playlists? Choosing outfits the night before? Bringing snacks to the pickup line? We asked our audience about their favorite back-to-school tips... and we also allowed some venting about back-to-school craziness.Amy and Margaret discuss:
To make lunch or not to make lunch
How to keep outfits clean at breakfast
The best time to grocery shop
Here are links to resources mentioned in the episode:
Read the full Facebook thread here and if you're not already part of our amazing group, you can join at www.facebook.com/groups/whatfreshhellcast!
Watch the short film Amy mentions: "How Was Your Day?" directed by Allison Hadar and Maddie Corman
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, back to school, school, school day, school-age kids, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 1, 2024 • 30min
You Might Also Like: In It: Raising Kids who Learn Differently, from Understood.org
Today we’re sharing an episode from another parenting podcast we think our listeners will really appreciate. It’s called “In It: Raising Kids who Learn Differently.” This podcast offers perspective, stories, and useful takeaways for parents of kids with challenges in reading, math, focus, and other learning differences, like ADHD and dyslexia.This is an episode called "After the Diagnosis: How Kids Feel About Their Learning and Thinking Differences." To listen to more episodes, search for “In It: Raising Kids who Learn Differently” in your podcast app.Listen to "In It" here: https://lnk.to/initunderstoodFD!whatfreshhellWhat Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, learning differences, ADHD, dyslexia, IEP, learning challenges Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 30, 2024 • 37min
BEST OF: Esau McCaulley, "How Far To The Promised Land"
How can we talk about America’s ongoing legacy of racism without sliding into despair? In his new memoir HOW FAR TO THE PROMISED LAND, Esau McCaulley tells his own story—and questions why Black failure is judged collectively, while Black success is perceived as the merit of an individual.Rev. Esau McCaulley, PhD, is an author and associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. His work has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and Christianity Today.Esau and Amy discuss:
Why "escaping poverty" is a misleading term
How experiences that set the context for heroic bravery also create the possibility for failure
What caused Esau to change his definition of justice
Here's where you can find Esau:
www.esaumccaulley.com
@OfficialEsauMcCaulley on Facebook
@esaumccaulley on Twitter on Instagram
Buy HOW FAR TO THE PROMISED LAND: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593241080
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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

Aug 28, 2024 • 47min
When Kids Ask Tough Questions
We've all been there: our kid asks us what heaven is like, and whether dogs can go there too. Or why some people are homeless. Or why that person over there doesn't look like other people.Sometimes we rush to smooth things over, or chastise them for what is probably honest curiosity.Other times we overexplain, answering with a confusing lecture when what they really wanted was reassurance.In this episode, we talk about how to find the best balance.Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
Cory Turner and Anya Kamenetz for NPR's Life Kit: When Kids Ask (Really) Tough Questions: A Quick Guide
Our Fresh Take with Britt Hawthorne discussing kids' "curious questions"
Danielle S. McLaughlin for the Huffington Post: Having Difficult Conversations With Kids
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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

Aug 26, 2024 • 51min
DEEP DIVE: Might Seem Crazy. Works for Me.
This month's Deep Dive series is about flouting parenting rules and advice that don't work for us. Listen to a Spotify playlist of all the episodes in the series here. We asked our listeners to tell us all the things that others might call crazy but which totally work for them.From packing the laundry to eating the same lunch every day for five years to toothbrushes in the kitchen, these are the ideas that don't sound so crazy, come to think of it.Following us on Instagram? Join the fun! http://instagram.com/whatfreshhellcastWhat Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, bad advice, bad parenting advice, parenting rules, family rules Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 2024 • 45min
Fresh Take: Jill Castle, "Kids Thrive at Every Size"
The task of feeding kids "the right foods" can give parents a lot of anxiety. Jill Castle, author of the new book KIDS THRIVE AT EVERY SIZE, explains how we can set our kids up with healthy eating habits they'll maintain for life.Jill Castle is a pediatric dietitian and childhood nutritionist, founder of The Nourished Child®, and the host of the Nourished Child podcast. In this interview, Jill and Margaret discuss:
The 8 Pillars of Wellness: Family Culture, Sleep, Movement, Feeding, Eating, Food, Screens, and Self-Love
Useful tips for fostering your child's healthy relationship with food
What we often get wrong about the relationship between a child's size and their health
Here's where you can find Jill:
jillcastle.com
@pediRD on X
@i.am.pedird on IG
@thenourishedchild on FB
@JillCastle on YouTube
Buy THE NOURISHED CHILD: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781523521838
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, feeding kids, kids eating, kids nutrition, kids diet, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 21, 2024 • 49min
Randomest Claims to Fame
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe asked our listeners for their randomest, most tenuous claims to fame, and as usual, they delivered. Whether it's first place in a two-person pie-eating contest, or dating someone just four degrees removed from the Real Housewives of New Jersey, here are their stories.Join our Facebook group to see the thread with all of our listeners' randomest claims to fame!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/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, claim to fame, celebrity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 19, 2024 • 47min
DEEP DIVE: Rule Breaker Or Rule Follower: Which Are You?
This month's Deep Dive series is about flouting parenting rules and advice that don't work for us. Listen to a Spotify playlist of all the episodes in the series here. Are you a rule breaker or a rule follower? Are you married to your opposite? We're both rule followers, and when one builds a life with someone who sees the "NO DOGS IN THE LAKE" sign as an invitation to let the golden retriever go for a swim, one is caught between two bad choices: swallow the horrible anxiety that others might think *you* are the sort of person who has zero consideration for clearly posted signage, or be the stick in the mud who can never loosen up a little.In this episode we discuss why both kinds of people exist, and bump up against each other– and
why the "no rules pool" isn't as fun as it sounds
how rules limit possibilities, good and bad
why humans tend to create more rules during and after times of struggle
whether kids are born to be rule followers
It's worth the struggle to find the balance for our families. In order for our kids to have the secret thrill of breaking a rule, there need to be a few rules there in the first place.Here are links to some of the writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode:
Michele Gelfand: Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World
Diane Spear: Play By the Relationship Rules!
Michele Gelfand for The Guardian: Why countries with 'loose', rule-breaking cultures have been hit harder by Covid
Wikipedia: Rumspringa
What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltourWe 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/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, bad advice, bad parenting advice, parenting rules, family rules Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices