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PODCAST

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

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

42:15

Do Our Friendships Have to Be This Complicated?

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/17

Have female friendships become more complicated than they need to be? Amy and Margaret dig into the dynamics of their own female-female friendships and what the research says: why some friendships last decades, why others drift apart, and why friendship “breakup texts” have become a thing. In this episode you'll learn: Why women expect more intimacy and reciprocity from friends than men do Why conflict styles play a big role in how friendships evolve The six categories of

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30:58

DEEP DIVE: Natalie Mayslich and Blessing Adesiyan on...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/15

Natalie Mayslich is the President of Consumer for ⁠Care.com⁠, where she is responsible for expanding, building and delivering the Company’s portfolio of Childcare and Senior Care products and services.Blessing Adesiyan is the Founder of ⁠Mother Honestly⁠, a platform that provides financial technology and work-life infrastructure to employers and is reshaping the future of women and families at home and in the workplace. Natalie and Blessing are here to talk to us today about a new joint research

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38:45

Fresh Take: Trevor Hanson on Healing Our Attachment...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/12

Amy sits down with Trevor Hanson, coach and founder of The Art of Healing and the Secure Self Club, to unpack the power of attachment theory and how it shapes our relationships. Trevor explains the differences between secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment styles—and why understanding your patterns can transform the way you love, communicate, and connect.Trevor shares practical tools for breaking free from people-pleasing, over-apologizing, and shutting down, including his "TEMPO" framework for

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41:13

Even More Husband Crimes (Part 2)

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/10

It's what you've all been waiting for: Even More Husband Crimes, Part Two. This episode's charges include: napping on Mother's Day seasoning food like he's on a cooking show booking weeklong holidays to the in-laws' house Book 'em, Dano. Do not pass go. Do not collect 200 dollars. 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

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36:26

DEEP DIVE: Ericka Sóuter on How to Have a Kid and a Life

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/08

Ericka Sóuter has over 20 years of journalism experience and is a regular contributor on Good Morning America and other national broadcast outlets. Ericka speaks to parents across the country about the issues, controversies, and trends most affecting families today. She's also the author of ⁠How to Have a Kid and Life: a Survival Guide.⁠In this episode, Ericka and Margaret discuss: The greatest predictor of kids' socioemotional wellbeing The six questions you should ask yourself every

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38:43

Fresh Take: Allison Daminger, WHAT'S ON HER MIND- The...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/05

Amy and Margaret sit down with sociologist and author Allison Daminger to unpack the cognitive labor many of us fail to recognize in our families' daily lives— what's come to be known as the "mental load." In her new book WHAT'S ON HER MIND: The Mental Workload of Family Life, Allison unpacks her years of research to explain how cognitive labor—anticipating needs, planning, decision-making, and follow-up—shapes family dynamics and falls disproportionately on women. Allison explains why this

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44:48

Oops! My Kid Hates Me

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/03

Right now your kid doesn't like you. At all. What is really going on? And how can we respond without losing our cool, even when our feelings are genuinely hurt? In this episode Amy and Margaret discuss: Why kids say “I hate you” (and why it’s rarely about you) How to handle boundary-testing without escalating conflict The importance of letting kids push against limits... while holding firm to those limits Keeping connection strong during high-conflict moments Balancing correction

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46:57

BEST OF: How Involved Should We Be With Our Kids'...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/09/01

How do we help our kids succeed in school without becoming the dreaded "snowplow" parents? Here are some parenting tips for advocating for your child at school when necessary, while also empowering our kids to navigate their own learning. Amy and Margaret discuss: How school environments have changed in the last few decades Best practices for helping kids of different ages manage homework How to start a productive conversation with your child's educators about concerns you may

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47:07

BEST OF: What Kind of Monster? Family Vacation Edition

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/29

Toddler meltdowns, stroller mayhem, ear infections. Doesn't that sound so relaxing? In this listener-sourced episode, moms everywhere unleash frustration over the "monsters" who have made their vacations difficult - nay, impossible.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,

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40:40

Radical Acceptance—What It Is, and How It Can Help...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/27

Amy and Margaret dive deep into the concept of radical acceptance—what it is, what it isn’t, and how it can transform your approach to parenting, relationships, and life’s toughest moments. From the wisdom of the Serenity Prayer to Buddhist teachings about the “second arrow,” the hosts unpack how accepting reality (without judgment or resistance) can help you move forward, even when things are hard.In This Episode: What is radical acceptance? (Hint: It’s not denial or resignation!) The

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38:55

BEST OF: What Fresh Hell Is Back to School?

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/25

It's back-to-school season, and even if that means you have a few more hours to yourself each day, there are still plenty of fresh hells in store, from preseason sports to parent portals to an unholy invention called "ready confetti". Amy and Margaret share their own stories of times when back-to-school meant drive-me-mad.Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Phyllis Fagell for The Washington Post: ⁠"Five ways parents can help children have a better school year"⁠

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39:28

Fresh Take: Jyoti Chand, FITTING INDIAN

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/22

Margaret talks to author and mental health advocate Jyoti Chand (aka @mamajotes) about her debut graphic novel FITTING INDIAN. Jyoti shares how the novel integrates details from her own childhood, including the weight of cultural expectations in Indian families and the power of storytelling in healing generational trauma. Jyoti Chand is an author, speaker, and mental health advocate with a dedicated audience of over 300k across social platforms, where she is known as @mamajotes. Margaret

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40:37

How to Make the Back-to-School Transition a Little...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/20

Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be a chaotic scramble. In this episode, Margaret and Amy share practical tips to help parents make the transition smoother—without getting caught up in the “back-to-school industrial complex.” From resetting sleep schedules to planning meals and snacks, they break down what really matters for your child’s success and well-being this fall. You’ll hear strategies for easing morning stress, tackling "after-school restraint collapse,” and checking in on your

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43:04

DEEP DIVE: Kelly Corrigan on Letting Big Kids Go

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/18

What does it mean to parent grown children? How can we embrace those changing relationships? ⁠Kelly Corrigan⁠, host of ⁠"Kelly Corrigan Wonders"⁠, four-time New York Times bestselling author, and the host of PBS’ long-form interview show ⁠Tell Me More⁠, talks with Amy about the process of letting our big kids go.Kelly and Amy discuss: why the thing our older kids might most want to hear from us is, simply, "I know" why mothers and fathers might get different versions of the same stories

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42:04

Fresh Take: Mike de la Rocha, SACRED LESSONS

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/15

Margaret talks with visionary strategist, artist, and activist Mike de la Rocha, author of Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love. Together, they dive into masculinity, grief, intergenerational trauma, and how breaking cycles of emotional silence can transform families. Mike shares vulnerable insights into his father’s legacy, how ritual and presence shape connection, and the power of healing in community.Whether you're parenting sons, navigating emotional communication in marriage, or

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43:59

More Husband Crimes (Part One)

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/13

Margaret and Amy return to the courtroom of minor domestic infractions committed by the people we live with—our partners. Listeners shared their biggest household grievances—and the hosts delivered judgment. No offense is too petty when it comes to the everyday annoyances that drive us all a little bit bonkers.Margaret and Amy discuss: Thermostat wars (Inaccurate) male descriptions of childbirth Incriminating use of the royal "We" Here is the NYT article Amy referenced: Jackie

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40:08

DEEP DIVE: Vanessa Kroll Bennett and Dr. Cara...

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/11

These days, early is normal for puberty onset—and early is REALLY early. That means kids whose brains might not match the way they look, and parents who are freaking out about how to bring these delicate matters up in conversation. Help is here! ⁠Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett⁠, co-hosts of ⁠The Puberty Podcast⁠ and co-authors of ⁠This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained⁠, offer clear explanations (for parents and kids both!) and ways to start talking. Margaret, Amy, Vanessa,

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40:13

Fresh Take: Amy Larocca, HOW TO BE WELL

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/08

Margaret and Amy talk with award-winning journalist and author Amy Larocca, whose new book HOW TO BE WELL takes a deeply researched look at the trillion-dollar wellness industry. From supplements to concierge doctors to SoulCycle-as-religion, Larocca exposes how much of modern “self-care” is really about chasing youth, thinness, and unattainable perfection under a new label: wellness. We cover: The real reason “wellness” exploded—and how it's really just rebranded beauty, fitness, and weight

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48:27

Why Kids Lie: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What to Do

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/06

Margaret and Amy discuss the surprisingly normal reasons kids lie—and why it’s not always a sign of bad behavior.From toddlers covered in cake who swear they didn’t eat it, to teens who “forget” to mention that party in the woods, we unpack how lying is often a developmental milestone, not a moral failure. We discuss: When kids first start lying—and what brain developments make it possible The role of theory of mind and executive function in fibbing How to tell the difference between a

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46:06

DEEP DIVE: Your Tween, Explained

What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood |... ·

2025/08/04

When our kids reach a certain age—as young as eight, some experts say, and definitely well before thirteen— they suddenly don't think their parents are as great as they once did. Congratulations, you're officially the parent of a tween! This week we're talking about what tweens are going through emotionally and psychologically... and how we can give them room to grow while still seizing opportunities to connect with them as (big) children. Margaret and Amy discuss: The cognitive shifts that

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309 results

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