What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms cover art
Podcast · 197 episodes

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

by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson · English

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

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Which Behaviors Should You Fix and Which Should You ignore?“Fix it or forget it” for parenting and household behavior—how to decide which behaviors to address immediately versus ignore, using categories like safety/danger/disrespect vs minor…30 Sep 2026 · 44 min · 16 chapters
Deep Dive: When One Family Member's Moods Are Running the HouseHow one family member’s emotional dysregulation (kid, parent, or partner) can “run the house,” disrupting routines, causing conflict, and affecting siblings; strategies include radical honesty,…28 Sep 2026 · 44 min · 17 chapters
Fresh Take: Fran Hauser on How to Make Time for What Actually MattersFran Hauser discusses her book 20 Minutes is the New Hour, arguing women’s time problems come from four time-sucking habits: perfectionism, people pleasing, procrastination, and padding (giving…25 Sep 2026 · 35 min · 20 chapters
TransitionsParenting transitions and why they’re hard for moms even when kids are excited; managing grief, anxiety, identity loss, and “second arrow” self-criticism; separating task-based love from love without…23 Sep 2026 · 47 min · 25 chapters
DEEP DIVE: What Happened to My Sweet Child?The episode explains why a child (often around age four) can suddenly become intensely dysregulated—defiant, aggressive, boundary-testing—especially toward one parent, and what to do about it.21 Sep 2026 · 43 min · 17 chapters
Fresh Take: Dr. Thomas Phelan on What Parents Should Know About MisophoniaMisophonia—when ordinary sounds (especially eating/chewing) trigger intense, involuntary distress—plus what parents should do: recognize it early, reduce shame, manage triggers, and use CBT/family…18 Sep 2026 · 37 min · 19 chapters
Why Our Friendships Stall (and How to Fix It)Why friendships stall and how to fix it, focusing on post-pandemic “friendship recession,” loss of micro-interactions, decline of third places, and the need for a more diverse “friend portfolio” plus…16 Sep 2026 · 42 min · 19 chapters
DEEP DIVE: How to Yell LessThe episode discusses how to yell less (and why “yelling” is often misunderstood), focusing on defining harmful yelling, correcting misconceptions from research, and practical strategies to reduce…14 Sep 2026 · 46 min · 19 chapters
Fresh Take: Sona Movsesian on Being the "World's Worst Mom"Sona Movsesian discusses motherhood through her “World’s Worst Mom” lens—how hormones, IVF, postpartum anxiety/depression, and the mental load of parenting shape her life and comedy.11 Sep 2026 · 34 min · 19 chapters
Can We Make Youth Sports Fun Again?Youth sports in the U.S. have shifted from affordable, community-based play to expensive, competitive “pay-to-play” travel sports, driven by pandemic shutdowns, defunded rec programs, and…9 Sep 2026 · 42 min · 22 chapters
DEEP DIVE: When Kids Fight You on EverythingParenting when kids argue, resist, and defy everything; how to interpret it as “having a hard time,” manage escalation, and consider when it may be beyond typical oppositional behavior (including…7 Sep 2026 · 42 min · 21 chapters
BEST OF: How to Make the Back-to-School Transition a Little EasierThe “What Fresh Hell?” episode focuses on making the back-to-school transition easier by reducing overwhelm and rejecting the “back-to-school industrial complex.” Hosts Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson…4 Sep 2026 · 40 min · 20 chapters
OverfunctioningDefines “over-functioning” as taking on too many responsibilities for others (tasks, feelings, problems), often to prevent mistakes; explores how it relates to anxiety (sometimes over-functioning…2 Sep 2026 · 42 min · 19 chapters
DEEP DIVE: Jennifer Wallace on Achievement PressureAchievement pressure and toxic “never enough” culture harming teens; how parents and caregivers can buffer it by fostering “mattering” (feeling valued and being relied on to add value), plus reducing…31 Aug 2026 · 33 min · 12 chapters
Fresh Take: Dr. Stuart Slavin on The Pressures Causing Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout in Our KidsDr. Stuart Slavin argues that depression, anxiety, and burnout in teens (and younger kids) are driven less by “screens” alone and more by excessive achievement demands, internalized self-pressure,…28 Aug 2026 · 39 min · 18 chapters
How Much Should We Share With Our Kids?How much parents should share with kids about their personal history, family conflict, health issues, and major life events—balancing honesty with age-appropriate detail to avoid harm or “permission”…26 Aug 2026 · 43 min · 22 chapters
DEEP DIVE: Linda Flanagan on Taking Back Kids' SportsYouth sports “commodification” and how money, anxiety, and early specialization undermine kids’ enjoyment and development; plus Linda Flanagan’s “four pillars” for parents to “take back the game.”24 Aug 2026 · 34 min · 9 chapters
Fresh Take: Dr. Lucy McBride on Advocating for Yourself at the Doctor's OfficeDr. Lucy McBride discusses her book Beyond the Prescription and argues that health care should be whole-person and data-driven, not just episodic, transactional “fix the organ” medicine.21 Aug 2026 · 36 min · 11 chapters
Outsourcing the Workload: How to Hand Stuff OverHow to outsource household and parenting workload on a budget, and how to choose what to delegate so it actually improves life rather than adding stress.19 Aug 2026 · 43 min · 18 chapters
DEEP DIVE: Are Our Kids Overscheduled?Whether kids are overscheduled, and how to decide when activities (sports, music, scouting, homework) become too much.17 Aug 2026 · 42 min · 19 chapters
Fresh Take: Dr. Özgür Bolat on the Real Science of Motivating KidsHow rewards backfire in motivating kids; motivation vs compliance; replacing reward/control with autonomy, connection, and mastery.14 Aug 2026 · 33 min · 18 chapters
Helping Our Kids Feel SeenHow to help kids feel seen, especially children who may become “glass children” (the sibling whose needs are overlooked because another child has higher needs).12 Aug 2026 · 43 min · 17 chapters
DEEP DIVE: When School Projects Become Parents' Projects (and How to Push Back)How school projects (science fairs, book reports, dioramas, Pinewood Derby) become parents’ projects, causing tears, yelling, and inequity; how to push back with the right level of help and better…10 Aug 2026 · 49 min · 23 chapters
Fresh Take: Michael McLeod on ADHD and Executive FunctionMichael McLeod discusses ADHD as an executive-function/self-regulation developmental disorder and explains his Grow Now ADHD approach from his book The Executive Function Playbook: Building…7 Aug 2026 · 43 min · 18 chapters