What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
What Fresh Hell is a parenting podcast hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, two busy moms of three kids each with contrasting parenting styles. They offer laughs, practical advice, and strategies for dealing with the daily challenges of motherhood. The show covers topics from toddler tantrums to teenage angst, providing insights and tips to help moms find joy amidst the chaos.
Episodes
This One Thing Was a Life-Changer
What's the one thing you've purchased that has delivered outsized returns in joy and ease? We asked our listeners to tell us the one thing in their lives that has really overdelivered. From travel hacks to sleep upgrades, from time-savers to towels, here are some of our favorites.
If you want links to all of the amazing products mentioned in this episode, sign up for our monthly newsletter here!
DEEP DIVE: Tips for Vacationing with Extended Family
This Deep Dive series is all about tips to stay sane while traveling with family —immediate or extended, kids younger or older in tow, across the state or across the globe!
We've both traveled with our extended families over and over again, and have loved the memories we've made together. But different bedtimes, sightseeing styles, and mealtime expectations can lead to unexpected conflict.
Laur
Fresh Take: Gillian Goddard on How Hormones Affect Our Health At All Ages
What do hormones actually do—and why are they often misunderstood? We talk with Dr. Gillian Goddard, an endocrinologist and author of The Hormone Loop: An Empowering Guide to Restoring Hormonal Harmony from Puberty to Menopause. Dr. Goddard explains how hormones affect far more than reproduction, influencing everything from metabolism and sleep to mood, stress responses, and cardiovascular health.
Do You Know Your Gen Z Slang?
What does it mean to get “mogged,” to be “chalant,” or to “put the fries in the bag”? In this episode we attempt to decode the latest Gen Z slang. (Although now that we've cracked the code, all these words are so nerfed.)
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DEEP DIVE: Giving Help That Works– And Asking for the Help We Need
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes on discerning what we need as moms, and then asking for it confidently.
Do you hate feeling unable to help people in crisis, or do you worry about getting too involved and stepping on toes? There are ways to give help to people in need that are productive and considerate, and our listeners wrote in with some excellent examples.
Amy and Ma
Fresh Take: The Custody Queens on What Parents Need to Know About Divorce and Separation
What should parents know if they're considering divorce? Margaret talks with family law attorneys Kristen Holstrom and Samantha McBride—the hosts of the "Custody Queens" podcast—about custody disputes, co-parenting conflict, child support, digital footprints, and the biggest mistakes people make during separation.
Drawing from years of experience in high-conflict custody and divorce cases, Kriste
Why Do We Love Looking Back?
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How does the powerful emotional pull of nostalgia connect to that midlife feeling of "how did I get here?" Why do we love looking back?
In this episode, we discuss:
Why nostalgia increases during periods of transition and uncertainty (aging parents, growing children, career reckonings)
The psychology and science behind n
DEEP DIVE: Mara Glatzel on Being "Needy"
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes on discerning what we need as moms, and then asking for it confidently.
If someone asked you "What do you need right now?" would you even be able to articulate it? In her new book NEEDY: How To Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty, intuitive coach Mara Glatzel lays out a roadmap for how to ascertain our needs as human bei
Fresh Take: Dr. Margo Lowy on Living the Full Emotional Truth of Motherhood
We often think "ambivalence" means indifference. Its actual meaning is quite different: ambivalence means having multiple and often opposite emotions in one moment. Motherhood contains much joy—but what about the resentment, grief, anger, fear, exhaustion, and guilt that can exist alongside deep love?
Psychotherapist and researcher Dr. Margo Lowy joins us to discuss her book MATERNAL AMBIVALENC
What's the Mom Equivalent of Golf?
Why does it seem so much easier for men to claim large blocks of leisure time for themselves than it is for women? This week, based on a listener question, we are asking: What is the mom equivalent of golf?
We unpack the “leisure time gender gap,” why women’s downtime is often treated as optional, and how motherhood changes the way we think about rest, hobbies, and friendship.
We discuss:
DEEP DIVE: Asking for Big Help (And the Best Ways to Give It)
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes on discerning what we need as moms, and then asking for it confidently.
We’ve all been in moments when we have to make a Big Ask. As in: it’s 2 a.m. The baby is throwing up and spiking a high fever. Your partner is out of town. Your other kid is asleep upstairs. Who are you going to call in the middle of the night? Making that ask is never
Fresh Take: Nicholas Epley on Why Talking to Strangers Can Make Us Happier
Why do we avoid small opportunities for connection with strangers, even when humans are wired for that very connection? Behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley, author of the new book A LITTLE MORE SOCIAL, explains why modern life leaves so many people feeling disconnected—and how small social choices can dramatically improve our well-being.
Nick explains the science behind loneliness, why humans ar
What Does "Dating" Look Like For Teens and Tweens These Days?
This week we're talking about how modern teen "dating" has changed—starting with the word itself (it's called "talking" or "hanging out" these days), where today's teens are meeting romantic partners, and how they tend to communicate. We also explain how and why conversations about boundaries, consent, self-worth, and emotional safety should begin earlier than you might think.
We also discuss:
DEEP DIVE: Leslie Forde of Mom's Hierarchy of Needs
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes on discerning what we need as moms, and then asking for it confidently.
Most of us know about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the pyramid pattern through which human needs and motivations generally move upward. We can't worry about what's at the upper levels of the pyramid until and unless the more basic needs at the bottom of the pyramid– foo
Fresh Take: Rachael Shepard-Ohta and Caitlin Wilder of "You're So Right" Podcast
Is social media a good thing for isolated mothers? Or does it just give us more to worry about? Margaret talks with Rachael Shepard-Ohta and Caitlin Wilder, hosts of the podcast You’re So Right, about parenting in the age of Instagram, postpartum mental health, identity outside motherhood, and why parenting advice can feel both helpful and impossible at the same time.
Rachael, a former special e
Is American Parenting the Problem? Or Is It Parenting *in* America?
We're often told that the American style of parenting is inferior—that we're doing it all wrong compared to, say, a laissez-faire Parisian whose kids eat whatever is served.
But is it our too intense/ too lax/ too snack-heavy parenting style that is making us (and our kids) so stressed? Or is it where we're doing that parenting?
In this episode, we explore the forces shaping parenting in Americ
DEEP DIVE: Olivia Martinez-Hauge on Special Needs Parenting
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes about the joys and the challenges that come with raising kids with differences and disabilities.
Olivia Martinez-Hauge is a marriage and family therapist specializing in the treatment of families, couples, and individuals who are caregiving for children or adults with neurodiversity. She is also a licensed occupational therapist with over
Fresh Take: Elizabeth Preston on What Animals Have to Teach Us About Parenting
Why does modern parenting feel so difficult? If a chimpanzee knows what to do without reading a hundred parenting books, why doesn't it just come naturally?
Science journalist and author Elizabeth Preston is the author of The Creatures' Guide to Caring: How Animal Parents Teach Us That Humans Were Born to Care. Drawing from animal behavior, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience, this book exp
Getting Our Kids to Help Around the House
How do you get kids to help out—ever, at all—without default resistance that makes it feel like it's not worth the trouble of your having asked?
Kids *should* contribute to their families' lives without their parents resorting to nagging or threats. Kids in other cultures, we are told, participate willingly and fully. Why does this seem so hard for so many of us?
We discuss:
Whether "chore
DEEP DIVE: Dr. Lynn Koegel on the Hidden Brilliance of Autism
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes about the joys and the challenges that come with raising kids with differences and disabilities.
What if we're looking at autism in the wrong way? Dr. Lynn Koegel, co-author of Hidden Brilliance: Unlocking the Intelligence of Autism, explains how to engage with the strengths in kids with autism rather than focusing on what they're lacking
Fresh Take: Leah Ruppanner on "DRAINED" and What the 'Mental Load' Really Means
Are women really better at all the things we do? Or are we just used to doing more?
Amy talks with sociologist and author Leah Ruppanner, author of the new book DRAINED, about her definition of the "mental load" and why so many women feel constantly overwhelmed.
Leah defines the mental load as much more than keeping track of tasks. It’s deeply emotional work tied to caring for others, anticip
Emotional Intelligence: Can It Be Taught?
What is emotional intelligence, exactly? Is it the yin to IQ's yang? Is it equally crucial to our success and well-being?
In this episode we talk about what EQ (or EI, depending on who you're asking) actually means, why it matters, and whether it can be taught to both adults and kids.
We discuss:
The four core components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social aw
DEEP DIVE: Kate Swenson of "Finding Cooper's Voice" on Parenting Autism
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes about the joys and the challenges that come with raising kids with differences and disabilities.
Kate Swenson writes and creates videos about her life as a mother of four and and an autism advocate for "Finding Cooper's Voice," a living, thriving community of people who not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place
Fresh Take: Fortesa Latifi on the Truth About Kids in Influencer Families
What happens when childhood becomes content? Journalist Fortesa Latifi, author of the new book LIKE, FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, discusses the rise of influencer families and the growing world of kid influencers. We explore how parenting content has evolved from "mommy blogs" to today’s visual and monetized social media landscape, where children are often at the center of viral content.
Fortesa explains w
Little-Known Parenting Milestones
What are the parenting milestones no one tells you about—but that completely change your daily life? We asked our listeners about the little wins of parenting that make a huge difference in reducing the day-to-day chaos, from kids pouring their own cereal to finally being able to leave them home alone.
Listen to our interview with Christina Martin here
Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
What F
DEEP DIVE: Meg Zucker on Empowering Kids with Differences and Disabilities
This Deep Dive series is about embracing the joys and acknowledging the challenges that come with raising kids with differences and disabilities.
How do we celebrate and encourage kids with disabilities and differences, without letting our fears and preconceptions dictate what we think they can do?
How do parents of kids with less understanding of differences and disabilities allow for children'
Preparing Our Kids (and Ourselves) as They Leave the Nest, with Christina Geist
As kids prepare to leave home for college, we tend to wonder: have we taught them everything they need to know? Christina Geist—author of Before You Fly Away: Life Lessons from Home—shares how this transition can feel like a “parental report card.”
Christina's late-night reflections and “mini panic moments" as her child prepared to leave for college became a collection of concise life lessons m
Why We Avoid Uncertainty (And How That Gets In Our Way)
Why do we cling to what’s familiar—even when it’s not working? In this episode we explore why humans are wired to avoid uncertainty, and how that shapes our decisions and our parenting.
We discuss the Ellsberg Paradox, which explains why we often choose “the devil we know” over potentially better—but unknown—options. Whether it’s staying in a situation that no longer serves us, avoiding difficult
DEEP DIVE: Janice Johnson Dias on Raising Joyful, Change-Making Kids
In honor of Women's History Month, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes about raising daughters.
Janice Johnson Dias is a professor of sociology at John Jay College, and author of PARENT LIKE IT MATTERS: HOW TO RAISE JOYFUL, CHANGE-MAKING GIRLS. Her collaborative work on black girls’ mental, sexual, and physical health issues earned her a special Congressi
Meredith Schwartz on Building a Reading Life You Actually Love
Why is it so hard to read more—even when we want to, even when we have stacks of books awaiting us on our bedside tables? We sit down with Meredith Monday Schwartz—co-host of the The Currently Reading Podcast—to talk about how to reconnect with reading in a way that feels joyful, flexible, and realistic.
If you’ve ever felt obliged to finish a book you hated, or berate yourself for the time you
How Can We Get Our Kids to Like Reading?
Why is it so hard to get some kids to read—and is it even our job to make them love it?
We tackle the reality of raising reluctant readers in a world dominated by screens. From decoding disorders to disinterest, we break down the different reasons kids struggle with reading—and why understanding the “why” matters more than forcing the habit.
We share practical, judgment-free strategies to help k
DEEP DIVE: Donna Jackson Nakazawa on Helping Our Daughters Thrive
In honor of Women's History Month, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes about raising daughters.
Donna Jackson Nakazawa is an award-winning science journalist whose work explores the intersection of neuroscience, immunology, and emotion. In, GIRLS ON THE BRINK: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media, she unpa
Fresh Take: Jessica Shaw, "Everyone Gets a Juice Box"
How can we best support our neurodivergent kids? Jessica Shaw, host of the podcast Everyone Gets a Juice Box, discusses the realities of raising neurodivergent kids—and the emotional, practical, and often isolating journey parents navigate along the way.
Jessica shares how the concept of neurodiversity has evolved, why the “big tent” of neurodivergence can feel both supportive and lonely, and how
Let's Not Care About Aging Gracefully
What does it really mean to “age gracefully”—and who decided that was the goal in the first place?
We unpack the cultural pressure on women to look younger for longer—and what we can do to resist it. From celebrity beauty standards and the billion-dollar anti-aging industry to the “mask of aging,” we explore why the gap between how we feel and how we look can become so jarring.
We dig into:
DEEP DIVE: Chelsey Goodan on How Parents Underestimate Their Teenage Girls
In honor of Women's History Month, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes about raising daughters.
Why are stereotypes of teenage girls rarely flattering? And even worse, what important traits are we not acknowledging in these young women? Chelsey Goodan, author of UNDERESTIMATED: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, explains what teenage girls really want
Fresh Take: Michaeleen Doucleff, DOPAMINE KIDS
What does dopamine actually do to our brains—and to our kids' brains? We welcome back science journalist and parenting expert Michaeleen Doucleff to discuss her latest book, DOPAMINE KIDS.
After years as an NPR science reporter, and after writing the bestselling HUNT, GATHER, PARENT, Doucleff began noticing something unsettling in her own life: even during beautiful moments with her daughter, s
How Not to Live Through Our Kids
First, we’re setting aside our own hopes and dreams to have (and raise) our kids. Then, we’re relentlessly mocked (perhaps correctly) for being overinvested in the fourth-grade luau. Are we living through our kids? And how do we stop?
Psychologists have long said that mothers transfer our own unfulfilled ambition onto our children. “Symbolic self-completion theory” suggests that we look to our ch
DEEP DIVE: Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein on Raising Resilient Girls
In honor of Women's History Month, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes about raising daughters.
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 book SEXISM AND SENSIBILITY, offers parenting tips to prepare our girls for the modern world.
Dr. Finkelstein, Amy, and Marg
Fresh Take: Jamilah Lemieux, BLACK. SINGLE. MOTHER.
What does it really mean to be a Black single mother in America? Why are the stories we hear and tell about that experience so often incomplete?
Margaret talks with cultural critic, writer, and editor Jamilah Lemieux, author of Black. Single. Mother: Real-Life Tales of Longing and Belonging.
Jamilah discusses the fears she initially had about writing openly about single motherhood—and how the p
Parenting Panics Through the Ages
Are screens ruining our kids' childhoods? Is AI going to rot our brains in the next thirty days? Or are these the latest examples of a very human tendency: the catastrophizing of change?
From the dawn of the printing press to the Satanic panic over heavy metal lyrics, we explore the long history of social panics, find familiar patterns, and discuss our findings, including:
Why parents are o
DEEP DIVE: Dr. Lisa Damour on Helping Kids Manage Anxiety
Based on a recent listener question about letting go as your kids get older and gain more independence, we're highlighting some of our past interview episodes that address this topic.
Anxiety is a natural response to stress. Sometimes it’s even useful, like when it alerts us to danger. But when anxiety grips our children, they often don’t (can’t) explain how they’re feeling, and their inner turm
Fresh Take: Susan Sutton, The Ember Project
What do we misunderstand about teen mothers? How does stigma contribute to the difficulties teen mothers face? This week we're talking to Susan Sutton about her nonprofit The Ember Project, which supports teen and early mothers through mentorship, financial literacy, education support, and small but powerful financial grants.
Susan shares her own story of becoming a mother in 10th grade and how t
When *You're* the One Who's Dysregulated
We talk a lot about how to manage kids when they are being impossible. But it's supposed to be the terrible twos, not the terrible forty-somethings. What do we do when we're the one in the family who's dysregulated?
In this episode, we discuss:
How to know if you're emotionally dysregulated
Why parents (especially moms) are particularly vulnerable
How dysregulation can show up both
DEEP DIVE: Gabrielle Blair, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Based on a recent listener question about how to start to let go as our kids get older, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes on the topic.
As moms, we're often given tons of societal pressure on how we have to give our kids all the right things—then told to "chill out" when it comes to the worrying part. Gabrielle Blair, author of THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, is
Fresh Take: Catherine Price, THE AMAZING GENERATION
How do we get kids to *want* to put their phones down? This week we're talking to bestselling author Catherine Price about her latest book, The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World, co-written with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt.
Instead of focusing on parental controls and screen-time battles, The Amazing Generation speaks directly to kids, inviting them
Do Siblings Need to Get Along?
Do siblings really need to get along as children to have healthy relationships as adults? We challenge one of parenting’s most deeply held assumptions: that sibling closeness is the ultimate goal.
We explain why sibling rivalry is developmentally normal and how fighting can actually be a sign of connection—not failure. Finally, we talk about what parents can influence—and what they can’t—when it
DEEP DIVE: Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, "The Disengaged Teen"
Based on a recent listener question about how to start to let go as our kids get older, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes on the topic.
Are teenagers destined to be "over" everything? Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, authors of THE DISENGAGED TEEN, explain what's behind what they call the "teen disengagement crisis" and how parents can act.
Jenny An
Fresh Take: Dr. Allison Alford, GOOD DAUGHTERING
Amy and Margaret talk with Dr. Allison Alford, communication scholar and author of the new book Good Daughtering: The Work You’ve Always Done, the Credit You’ve Never Gotten, and How to Finally Feel Like Enough.
Dr. Alford explains the concept of daughtering—the emotional, logistical, and mental labor adult daughters perform to assist their parents and to hold families together. Drawing on more
Why Are Some Kids Shy?
Why are some kids shy? Is there harm in giving a kid's personality that label? In this episode, we explore the differences between shyness, introversion, and behavioral inhibition, and why fear—not preference—is often at the heart of shy behavior.
We also discuss when shyness becomes a concern, and when it’s time to seek extra support.
Finally, we share practical strategies for helping shy or sl
DEEP DIVE: Julie Lythcott-Haims on Becoming An Adult
Based on a recent listener question about how to start to let go as our kids get older, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes on the topic.
Julie Lythcott-Haims is the author of the parenting bestseller How to Raise an Adult, which opened the minds of loving but hovering parents everywhere. In this episode, we discuss her follow up book Your Turn: How To Be An Ad
Fresh Take: Dannah Eve, STREET SMARTS
Margaret and Amy talk with safety expert and digital creator Dannah Eve, author of the new book STREET SMARTS, about the steps women can take to be safer in our daily lives—and how to teach age-appropriate techniques to our children.
Drawing on her background in criminology and her experience as a parent, Dannah shares practical strategies for trusting your instincts, recognizing red flags, and n
Our Moms Were Totally Right About This
It's time to confront one of life’s most uncomfortable truths: how our moms were often right—especially when we were convinced they were totally wrong.
From dead-end relationships to to coat-free winters, Amy and Margaret reflect on the advice they might have once ignored, but now repeat to their own kids.
We also discuss our listeners' own versions of mom wisdom: trusting your intuition about
DEEP DIVE: Lisa Damour on the Emotional Lives of Teenagers
Based on a recent listener question about how to start to let go as our kids get older, this "Deep Dive" series highlights some of our past interview episodes on the topic.
There's a mental health crisis among teens. Teens are also highly emotional creatures by design. Adolescent psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour thinks the two are starting to get conflated– and that means parents and educators can so
How Do We Talk About What's Happening in Minnesota? (with Erin Cox)
We welcome back family counselor Erin Cox to talk about how we talk about the immigration raids and ICE detentions taking place in the United States, the children who are being detained, and the fear all children are absorbing from the news, social media, and their communities.
We discuss what’s happening on the ground in places like Minnesota, Texas, and Portland; why it's making so many of us
February Is the New January!
Still not feeling that new-year excitement? That's because forcing productivity during the darkest months is a losing battle. Would it make you feel better to learn that January and February were once considered such black holes of nothingness that they did not appear on the calendar *at all*?
In this episode, we're declaring that February is the new January. We discuss the history of the calen
DEEP DIVE: Peer Pressure
When we imagine peer pressure, we imagine coming to the rescue by slapping drugs and alcohol out of our kids' hands after their friends undoubtedly tell them they should definitely try some. But peer pressure--who feels it, why, and exactly WHAT kids are being pressured to do--is a complex issue.
In this episode, Amy and Margaret discuss:
The biological imperative adolescents have to take ris
Fresh Take: Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Roberta Golinkoff
Amy talks with developmental psychologists Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Roberta Golinkoff, authors of the newly revised parenting classic EINSTEIN NEVER USED FLASHCARDS, about why today’s parents feel more pressured than ever to optimize every moment of childhood—and why research shows that approach often backfires.
From academic preschools to AI toys, screen time to early reading, Kathy and Ro
Watch Your Story: Becoming Aware of the Narratives We Live By
Why do some moments feel enormous while others vanish from memory? Why do two people experience the same event and walk away with completely different interpretations? And why do we so often repeat stories about ourselves that keep us stuck?
In this episode, we explore narrative identity—the science-backed idea that who we are is shaped not just by what happens to us, but by the story we tell abo
DEEP DIVE: Helping Kids Manage Their Friendships
What do we do as parents when our kids aren't great at making friends, or their friends are outgrowing them, or we feel that their friends are a bad influence?
Sometimes, we're not supposed to do anything at all. Sometimes our kids really need our support. How can we tell the difference?
In this episode, Amy and Margaret discuss:
what might contribute to trouble making friends
the skills
Fresh Take: Meredith Elkins, PARENTING ANXIETY
Margaret talks with clinical psychologist Dr. Meredith Elkins, author of the new book PARENTING ANXIETY, about how anxiety really works—and how parents can stop unintentionally reinforcing it in themselves and their kids.
Dr. Elkins, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and director of the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program, shares insights from her new book Parenting Anxiety: Breaking the Cycl
Tween and Teen Crimes
From socks-and-slides footwear to mysteriously disappearing spoons and phone chargers, teens and tweens can really rack up the infractions. In this episode, Amy and Margaret break down the baffling behaviors that define life with older kids—tween and teen “crimes"—as reported by parents in the What Fresh Hell community.
Paradoxical and criminal behavior further includes having “nothing to wear”
DEEP DIVE: When Our Kids Are Bad at Making Friends
When we have a kid who just doesn't seem to fit in—or who is a loner, if a fairly content one—it can be hard for parents. But putting our own anxiety about it aside, and getting clear on the lagging skills and social cues that may not quite be in place, is the best way to help kids get on a better path. This episode is full of specific and useful advice!
Amy and Margaret discuss:
all the reas
Fresh Take: Dr. Greg Hammer on the Winter Blues—and How Mindfulness Can Help
Why does winter affect our mood—and why are teens especially vulnerable? Amy talks with Dr. Greg Hammer, author of the book A MINDFUL TEEN, about the science behind the winter blues, teen mental health, and how simple mindfulness practices can help families feel better.
Dr. Hammer explains how reduced sunlight, disrupted sleep, less physical activity, and holiday stress all contribute to seasonal
How to Make Better Decisions (And Stress Less About Them)
Why does deciding what’s for dinner every night feel way harder than making major decisions at work? Here's why decision-making can feel so overwhelming—and what actually helps.
You'll learn the psychology behind choice overload, decision fatigue, and regret aversion, and how too many options, depleted mental energy, and fear of future regret can lead to avoidance, default choices, or endless sec
DEEP DIVE: When Your Kid is Being Bullied
Most of us hear “bullying” and picture a sand-kicking, lunch-money-stealing menace. But today’s bullying can take other forms. Research by Dr. Charisse Nixon shows that about 7% of kids report experiencing physical aggression once a week— but that HALF of kids report experiencing relational aggression at least once a month.
On the other hand, as bullying expert Signe Whitson explains, some thing
Fresh Take: Amil Niazi, LIFE AFTER AMBITION
What happens when the ambition that once fueled your identity no longer fits your life? Margaret talks with writer and producer Amil Niazi about her new book, LIFE AFTER AMBITION, and the complicated relationship between work, motherhood, and meaning.
Amil shares how her understanding of ambition evolved—from a bottomless pursuit shaped by hustle culture, immigrant expectations, and meritocracy m
Why Kids Act Differently at School Than at Home
Why do kids often act so differently at school than they do at home?
In this episode, you'll learn how skills like adaptability and “theory of mind” develop over time, why younger kids struggle more with behavior shifts, and how structure, transitions, and social pressure shape school-day behavior. We explore concepts like afterschool restraint collapse, social battery depletion, and masking—and
DEEP DIVE: Things We Weirdly Enjoy
To accompany us on our holiday road trips, here's one of our favorite funny family-friendly episodes: Things We Weirdly Enjoy.
What oddities do you love that others might look askance at?
Is it your magical singing rice cooker?
The silence just before it snows?
Terrible Ikea instructions?
Amy and Margaret share their weird pleasures and chime in on some listener suggestions as well.
Best of 2025: Shannon Watts, FIRED UP
To wrap up 2025, we’re re-running some of our favorite guest episodes from this year—including this interview with Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, discussing her book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age.
Shannon shares the personal story behind her midlife awakening, how she built the largest grassroots movement to fight gun violence in America
BEST OF: Wait, Didn't Everyone's Family Do This?
For the holidays, we’re re-running some of our favorite episodes. See you in 2026!
Did you grow up thinking everyone's family has a tooth fairy that leaves tin foil behind instead of coins? Said "padiddle" whenever a car with a single headlight drove past? We asked our listeners what they grew up thinking everyone else's families did too... only to find out that nope, it was just them.
Here's
DEEP DIVE: What Kind of Mom-ster?
What's your scariest mom-ster story? Do you leave half-empty cups everywhere like Margaret? Do you leave hairs on the shower wall like Amy? We asked our listeners when they were the mom-sters, and some of the answers sent chills down our spines!
In this episode, Amy and Margaret discuss:
"Driver's License" (wait, is it not cool anymore?)
The secret to moms' bad moods
Recycling rules (an
Best of 2025: Jessica N. Turner on Rising from Grief and Disappointment
To wrap up 2025, we’re re-running some of our favorite guest episodes from this year.
When we're faced with difficulties, how can we put them into perspective and move forward? Jessica N. Turner, author of the new book I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS, discusses the experiences that led her to look at life differently and how she has learned to make "imperfect choices."
Jessica, Amy, a
Best of: How to Be in "High Magic, Low Effort" Mode This Holiday Season
For the holidays, we’re re-running some of our very favorite holiday-themed episodes! It's hard not to feel like we've got to be doing ALL the things at the holidays, especially when social media tells us we should be. Here are some tips for taking perspective at the holidays and operating in "high magic, low effort" mode. We discuss:
pre-gaming with your (older) kids about the preferred resp
DEEP DIVE: Why Is This a Thing?
In this best-of, listener-driven episode, we talk about all the things that our listeners say should not be things, like:
prairie dresses
thank you cards
school theme days
Dinosaurs
...and so many more!
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
This episode was originally released on April 6th, 2022.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! Yo
Fresh Take: Sophie Kihm of Nameberry on the Baby Names We'll Be Seeing in 2026
Amy talks with Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of Nameberry (the world’s largest baby name website!) about the top baby name trends predicted for 2026, and why naming a child feels more complicated—and more meaningful—than ever.
Sophie explains how Nameberry analyzes real-time search and save data, alongside Social Security statistics, to forecast which baby names are poised to rise quickly through
Why Kids Melt Down During the Holidays—And How to Handle It
Why is the "most wonderful time of the year" also the time, all too often, when our kids are at their worst?
Drawing on research from child psychologists, developmental experts, and real-life family dynamics, Amy and Margaret explore this extremely familiar dynamic, and explain how disrupted routines, sensory overload, anxiety, social expectations, and good old-fashioned exhaustion collide to pus
DEEP DIVE: Better Then? Or Better Now?
This week we're discussing whether these parts of our lives (then as children, now as parents) are better then or better now:
Halloween costumes
holidays at school
jeans
what's for lunch
cleaning the house
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
This episode was originally released on October 30th, 2019.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible
Fresh Take: Sophie Lucido Johnson, KIN
This week, we sit down with writer, illustrator, and community-builder Sophie Lucido Johnson, author of KIN: THE FUTURE OF FAMILY, to explore how adults can create deeper, more fulfilling friendship networks. Sophie shares why modern culture pushes us toward hyper-independence, how to break out of the loneliness cycle, and the simple daily practices that strengthen connection.
They discuss the di
The Parables That Stick With Us
In this episode, we discuss some of our favorite parables— and what they can teach us about the meaning we attach to everyday frustrations with modern parenting, stress, and family dynamics.
Stories are sticky for our brains, and these are the lessons that have helped us notice our reactions, question our assumptions, and navigate everything from holiday family drama to college applications to si
DEEP DIVE: Why Kids Need More Time To Play
Kids have a less time for unsupervised, unstructured play than they did 40-50 years ago. Kids are also a lot less happy then they were back then. But has one actually caused the other? A new study says it has.
Psychologist Dr. Peter Gray and his associates at Boston College recently published the paper Decline in independent activity as a cause of decline in children's mental well-being, which
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