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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

32:39

Fresh Take: Dr. Michael Milobsky

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

2025/11/21

Parenting today feels harder than ever—information overload, online anxiety, and constant pressure to “get it right.” Dr. Michael Milobsky, a pediatrician with 25 years of experience and host of the podcast "Your Kids Will Be Fine, " joins Amy and Margaret to talk about how raising kids has changed in today's society, and how parents can feel more confident.Dr. Milobsky tells us how to separate the noise from the signal, and what pediatricians really wish parents understood about their own kids

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42:29

Holiday Hacks

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

2025/11/19

Amy and Margaret share their and their listeners' best tips for making the holidays less stressful and more joyful. They discuss how to reimagine old traditions, simplify family gatherings, and the “law of holiday attrition," and how it work in your favor. From tackling family expectations to choosing what to let go of (and what’s worth keeping), this episode helps you create holidays that work for you. You’ll learn: The secret to surviving hosting duties without losing your mind Ways to

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30:34

DEEP DIVE: Dr. Gabor Maté and Dr. Gordon Neufeld on...

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

2025/11/17

This week, we're revisiting our interview with Dr. Gabor Maté and Dr. Gordon Neufeld. In the revised edition of their book ⁠HOLD ONTO YOUR KIDS⁠, Dr. Maté and Dr. Neufeld explain the crucial importance of remaining attached to our children as they grow. Dr. Gordon Neufeld is an internationally renowned psychologist and foremost authority on child development, and founder of the Neufeld Institute. Dr. Gabor Maté is a renowned speaker and bestselling author, highly sought after for his expertise on

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32:43

Fresh Take: Kate Baer, HOW ABOUT NOW

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

2025/11/14

Amy and Margaret talk with Kate Baer, three-time New York Times bestselling poet, about her new poetry collection How About Now— a book born out of a season of unexpected change. From sudden health crises to the shifting identity of motherhood, Kate invites us into the raw material of her life — and shows us how poetry can hold what the forms and boxes of everyday life cannot. We talk about how time begins to accelerate in midlife, how our bodies both betray and reveal us, and how friendship,

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44:27

Boys Online: What the Latest Data Shows

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

2025/11/12

Amy and Margaret discuss two new studies on boys and their lives online—in social media and gaming—and how today's digital culture shapes boys’ mental health, relationships, and ideas about their bodies and about masculinity. We discuss why gaming fills social and emotional needs for many boys, why the time spent may be of more concern than the content, and how parents can stay involved without over-policing. You’ll learn practical ways to become an “ask-able” parent, set boundaries, and how to

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35:19

DEEP DIVE: Liz Gumbinner on Ditching the Hustle

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

2025/11/10

Contrary to what social media would have us believe, not every hobby has to turn into a madly successful side-hustle that takes the world by storm. Margaret talks with Liz Gumbinner, co-host of the podcast ⁠"Spawned with Kristen and Liz⁠," about why it's okay to just make really delicious cookies.⁠Liz Gumbinner⁠ is a writer, award-winning ad agency creative director, and mom of teens. Online she’s better known as the publisher of ⁠coolmompicks.com⁠ and the author of the OG mom blog Mom-101. Her

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36:42

Fresh Take: Jen Hatmaker, AWAKE

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

2025/11/07

Amy and Margaret talk with bestselling author and "For the Love" podcaster Jen Hatmaker about her new memoir AWAKE. Jen's book begins with the moment she knew her marriage was over, and goes on to tell the story of the midlife reckoning that followed—and how her life up until that point had left her, in some ways, particularly unprepared. In this interview, Jen shares: How women are taught to ignore their instincts and prioritize belonging Why midlife brings inevitable upheaval — and

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43:20

Caregiving

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

2025/11/05

Amy and Margaret honor National Caregiving Month with an honest, compassionate look at the realities of caregiving. From raising kids to caring for aging parents—or both at once—they explore the invisible labor, emotional toll, and financial strain that caregivers face every day.They share personal stories, research-backed insights, and practical advice for managing burnout, compassion fatigue, and family dynamics. Whether you’re part of the “sandwich generation” or just beginning to navigate

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45:35

DEEP DIVE: Crazymakers

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

2025/11/03

We all know someone who causes chaos—both lawful and otherwise—wherever they go. Those people are sometimes called "crazymakers," a term first coined by Julia Cameron and which perfectly describes the unwelcome disruption they bring to our own peace of mind. Here's how to spot the crazymakers in your life, and how to avoid getting caught up in their mischief.Margaret and Amy discuss: The true definition of a crazymaker and the three top types Why crazymakers use low-power strategies of

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42:18

Fresh Take: Corinne Low, HAVING IT ALL

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

2025/10/31

Amy and Margaret talk with Dr. Corinne Low, Wharton economist and author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. Corinne shares her data-driven insights on why working mothers feel overextended, how “having it all” became an impossible equation, and how redefining success through your own “utility function” can help you build a more sustainable, meaningful life. The conversation dives into household labor, gender roles, and the systemic forces

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38:47

Why Kids Get Obsessed—And Why It's a Good Thing

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

2025/10/29

Amy and Margaret discuss why kids become intensely obsessed with the things they love—whether it’s dinosaurs, Pokémon, sharks, or Spider-Man—and how those fascinations manifest throughout their childhoods. They explore the developmental benefits of "intense interests," from mastery and comfort to confidence and identity. They break down when an obsession is typical and when it may need gentle guidance. Finally, they discuss how to connect with kids through their intense interests—and then use

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45:04

DEEP DIVE: Kendra Adachi (The Lazy Genius) on...

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

2025/10/27

We're so glad to be talking to ⁠Kendra Adachi⁠ again this week. Kendra is the host of the⁠ Lazy Genius Podcast⁠ and the two-time New York Times bestselling author of The Lazy Genius Way and The Lazy Genius Kitchen. In this interview, we discuss what Kendra calls "compassionate time management" and her newest book, ⁠The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius.⁠Kendra shares insights on productivity, pivoting in the face of unexpected life events, and the pitfalls of traditional time management

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43:07

Fresh Take: Irin Carmon, UNBEARABLE

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

2025/10/24

Content note: This episode discusses complications of pregnancy, including pregnancy loss and maternal death. Amy and Margaret sit down with journalist and author Irin Carmon to discuss her new book, UNBEARABLE: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America. Through research and deep reporting, Carmon exposes the complicated reality of being pregnant in today's America. Whether a pregnancy is wanted or unwanted, Carmon reveals how bias, systemic failures, secrecy and shame, and our changing

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3:23

Introducing: So Your Parents Are Old

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

2025/10/23

Sharing an episode of the new podcast So Your Parents Are Old. Journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis talks to friends, experts, and celebrities about the chaos of dealing with aging parents. From Medicaid nightmares to emotional meltdowns in storage units, it’s a brutally honest, often hilarious look at one of life’s most disorienting stages. Come for the catharsis, stay for the gallows humor and unfiltered conversations. Find more episodes of So Your Parents Are Old at

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45:06

How Kids Spend Their Time (And How They Should)

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

2025/10/22

How are our kids actually spending their time — and is it aligned with what we value for our families' lives and for our children's well-being?This week, Amy and Margaret discuss: How sleep too often loses out to homework and activities Time tracking and the sobering truth it can show about how many hours a week our kids actually spend on screens How outdoor time and free play, too often in short supply, affects creativity, independence, and self-regulation Strategies

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22:04

Dr. Natasha Bhuyan Introduces Amazon One Medical...

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

2025/10/21

This episode is brought to you by Amazon One Medical. Ever notice how kids only seem to get rashes in the middle of the night? Or get pinkeye only while you’re on vacation? It’s what we like to call a typical “mom worst”—and here comes a great new solution: Amazon One Medical Pay-Per-Visit is now offering trusted care through telehealth visits for families with kids ages 2-11. No insurance required, no waiting rooms, no hassle! In this episode we speak to Dr. Natasha Bhuyan—mom, practicing family

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35:20

DEEP DIVE: Laura Vanderkam on "Tranquility By Tuesday"

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

2025/10/20

Laura Vanderkam⁠ is the author of several time management books, including the just-out ⁠"Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters."⁠ She hosts the every-weekday-morning podcast "Before Breakfast" and also co-hosts "Best of Both Worlds" with Sarah Hart-Unger. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and five children. Laura explains: How to create a "resilient" schedule How to start small with prioritizing the more important things What keeps

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35:45

Fresh Take: Kate Rope, STRONG AS A GIRL

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

2025/10/17

Amy and Margaret speak with Kate Rope, award-winning journalist and author of STRONG AS A GIRL: Your Guide to Raising Girls Who Know, Stand Up For, and Take Care of Themselves. Together, they unpack the unique challenges and opportunities facing today’s girls—from body image and social media to perfectionism, mental health, and the pressure to be “kind” at their own expense.Kate shares practical strategies for raising confident, resilient daughters who trust their inner voice, understand consent,

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45:17

When Stress Becomes Burnout (and How to Tell the...

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

2025/10/15

In this episode, Amy and Margaret explore the crucial distinction between stress and burnout—two experiences that often blur together in the chaos of parenting, but which are very different in presentation and the attention they require. Stress might be unavoidable, but it can also be motivational and lead to further growth. But when stress becomes constant and unresolved, it turns into burnout: exhaustion, disconnection, cynicism, and the feeling that nothing you do matters. Together, they

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47:24

DEEP DIVE: 8 Ways to Make Better Decisions

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

2025/10/13

There is no magic formula to making the perfect decision every time, but there are philosophical principles, or "razors," you can use to pare down your options and see your problem more clearly. These razors can cut through the clutter of complexity and help us see the forest for the trees. And while they weren't designed with parents in mind, they can come in pretty handy! Starting with the most famous, Occam’s Razor, we discuss how paring away unlikely hypotheticals leads to the most accurate

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