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

Written by: Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson
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  • Summary

  • 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
    Copyright © 2016-2023 What Fresh Hell, LLC
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Children's Audiobooks Comedy & Humor Parenting & Families Relationships
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Episodes
  • DEEP DIVE: Handling the News with Our Kids

    DEEP DIVE: Handling the News with Our Kids
    Jan 20 2025
    We’re sharing this excellent list of resources to support those affected by the California fires. This list was created by writer Sari Botton @saribotton: World Central Kitchen, providing meals in the area. Donate a Meal Mutual Aid Network L.A. GoFundMe Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation’s Wildfire Fund Project Hope (“actively distributing hygiene kits to displaced families and children, procuring high-need items for shelters and health clinics, supporting health workers administering care to people affected, and mobilizing mental health support in response to the historic fires…“) Greater Good Charities (helping people and pets, with donations matched) National Council of Jewish Women (collecting clothes, toys, hygiene products and funds). California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund Pasadena Humane Society, boarding displaced pets and supplying pet food and medical care. Friends In Deed Pasadena Displaced Black Families Displaced Latine Families Mutual Aid Directory Displaced Filipino Families Mutual Directory Master List Displaced Families Mutual Aid Displaced Disabled Folks California Fire Foundation Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation Direct Relief We're also offering a replay of this episode from 2021, on how to discuss the news with our kids. These days, even the littlest children might see a stray notification on a parent's phone, or overhear something scary from someone else's screen. A lot of us struggle with what to tell our kids, how much, and when. But if we don't give the kids any context, some older kid in the cafeteria might become their primary source of (mis)information. We discuss what age is old enough for difficult topics, what to do when the story is close to home, and how we can always lead with reassurance– plus the best ways to consume the news with, and in front of, our kids. Here are links to some of the writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode: Paul Underwood for NYT: Is the News Too Scary for Kids? NPR Parenting: What To Say To Kids When the News Is Scary Liz Gumbinner: No, I Don't Know. Please Don't Tell Me Common Sense Media: Best News Sources for Kids 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/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. 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, parental stress, kids stress, news, news with kids, current events, current affairs, LA wildfires, Los Angeles, Los Angeles wildfires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • Fresh Take: Mallory Thomas on How to Get Off Our Phones

    Fresh Take: Mallory Thomas on How to Get Off Our Phones
    Jan 17 2025
    We've been talking about it on the podcast a ton recently: we need to spend less time on our phones. But willpower doesn't work, at least not for long. Writer and influencer Mallory Thomas, author of the romantic novel SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, explains the science behind our phone addiction and the strategies she put in place that actually worked. In this episode Mallory, Amy, and Margaret discuss: The "aha" moment when Mallory realized she had to decrease her screen time Understanding the dopamine rush behind endless scrolling Strategies that didn't work, and then what actually did, to help Mallory curb her phone usage Here's where you can find Mallory: @mallorythomas_writes on IG, TikTok, and YouTube #whereisyoursomewhere www.mallorythomas.com Buy SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9798991499903 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/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. 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, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, life tips, useful tips, screentime, kids screentime, screens, phones, smartphones, decrease screentime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • "Are You Mad at Me?" When Kids Live to Please

    "Are You Mad at Me?" When Kids Live to Please
    Jan 15 2025
    Get Amy Wilson's new book HAPPY TO HELP at bit.ly/happytohelpamazon or wherever you buy books! It's a good thing to be aware of the emotions and needs of the people around us. For some kids, it can tip into hypersensitivity to others' emotions, people-pleasing behaviors, and asking if people are mad at them approximately twenty times a day. How can we help? (And is it way worse for girls?) In this episode, hosts Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables discuss: What empirical studies of gender differences in emotion really show How empathy can correlate with social anxiety Strategies for highly empathetic people to disentangle themselves from others' emotions Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our "How to Yell Less" episode Toni Bernhard J.D. for Psychology Today: It's Time to Stop Taking Things Personally Connie Chang for Parents Magazine: How to Help Your Sensitive, Deeply Feeling Kid Handle an Overwhelming World Kateri McRae et. al in Group Processes & Intergroup Relations Journal: Gender Differences in Emotion Regulation: An fMRI Study of Cognitive Reappraisal Athena Chan for The International Business Times: Are Women More Emotional Than Men? Not Really, Study Finds Kim Elsesser for Forbes Magazine: Labeling Women As ‘Emotional’ Undermines Their Credibility, New Study Shows Teresa J. Frasca et. al for Psychology of Women Quarterly: Words Like Weapons: Labeling Women As Emotional During a Disagreement Negatively Affects the Perceived Legitimacy of Their Arguments Zawn Villines for Medical News Today: Empaths and anxiety: Is there a link? Merle-Marie Pittelkow et. al for Journal of Anxiety Disorders: Social Anxiety and Empathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Sohee Jun for Forbes Magazine: Ways to Stop People-Pleasing Subscribe to Amy's Substack for more about Happy to Help: amywilsonauthor.substack.com Join Amy at one of her HAPPY TO HELP launch events, regularly updated at http://bit.ly/happytohelpevents. 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/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. 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, parental stress, kids stress, gender roles, gender equity, gender stereotypes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins

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