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PODCAST

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms

Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson

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

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

41:11

Why We Avoid Uncertainty (And How That Gets In Our Way)

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/04/08

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 conversations, or overthinking every possible outcome, our brains are constantly trying to reduce

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37:49

DEEP DIVE: Janice Johnson Dias on Raising Joyful,...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/04/06

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 Congressional recognition. In this conversation, Janice explains how we can embolden both our daughters and our

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38:15

Meredith Schwartz on Building a Reading Life You...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/04/03

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 spend scrolling instead of reading, this conversation is for you. It’s not that there aren’t good books

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39:35

How Can We Get Our Kids to Like Reading?

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/04/01

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 kids engage with books and how parental expectations, school pressures, and comparison culture can

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32:44

DEEP DIVE: Donna Jackson Nakazawa on Helping Our...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/30

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 unpacks the causes of the stress on American girls and its detrimental effects on their mental health. In

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42:12

Fresh Take: Jessica Shaw, "Everyone Gets a Juice Box"

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/27

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 parents can find connection through shared experience. Together, Jessica and Margaret unpack the

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39:21

Let's Not Care About Aging Gracefully

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/25

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: the rise of “stretched middle age” and “looksmaxxing” why we compare ourselves to unrealistic,

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32:03

DEEP DIVE: Chelsey Goodan on How Parents...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/23

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 and need from us. Chelsey and Amy discuss: The generational shift towards a culture of support and

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38:59

Fresh Take: Michaeleen Doucleff, DOPAMINE KIDS

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/20

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, she felt pulled toward her phone. That realization led her to explore the powerful role of dopamine, the

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45:42

How Not to Live Through Our Kids

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/18

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 children as symbols of ourselves, and transfer our ambitions to them— which is why we’re not jealous when

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30:39

DEEP DIVE: Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein on Raising...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/16

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 Margaret discuss: The limits of the "girl power" line of thinking How to teach girls what is and

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39:23

Fresh Take: Jamilah Lemieux, BLACK. SINGLE. MOTHER.

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/13

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 process ultimately became one of healing, honesty, and connection. Together, they explore the realities

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45:27

Parenting Panics Through the Ages

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/11

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 often thrust onto the front lines of new technology fears Why each generation believes the newest

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54:48

DEEP DIVE: Dr. Lisa Damour on Helping Kids Manage...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/09

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 turmoil can take over. In this episode we discuss: coping strategies for all ages and stages how

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42:12

Fresh Take: Susan Sutton, The Ember Project

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/06

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 that experience shaped her mission to break cycles of generational poverty and teen pregnancy stigma

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39:36

When *You're* the One Who's Dysregulated

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/04

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 as anger and as shutdown The connection between rumination, shame, and reactivity How emotional

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36:12

DEEP DIVE: Gabrielle Blair, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/03/02

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 here to tell us that adulthood doesn't look like it used to, and that there are many paths to the

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41:38

Fresh Take: Catherine Price, THE AMAZING GENERATION

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/02/27

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 to question the promises of Big Tech and reclaim real friendship, real freedom, and real fun. We

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44:19

Do Siblings Need to Get Along?

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/02/25

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 comes to sibling bonds. If your worried because your kids currently fight nonstop—or currently barely

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46:09

DEEP DIVE: Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, "The...

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making... ·

2026/02/23

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 Anderson is an award-winning journalist, author, and speaker with more than 25 years of experience

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398 results

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