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

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 out there. It’s that our phones are designed to win. Picking up a book requires focus and intention—two things that feel increasingly scarce. But reading offers a deeper kind of satisfaction than screens. Books can provide immersion, rest, perspective, and even emotional connection. Meredith argues that reading isn’t just a habit. It's a form of meaningful self-care. Stepping away—even briefly—can leave you more refreshed, focused, and able to engage with the world when you return. Meredith also argues for “delicious reads” over "should reads." Forcing yourself through something that doesn’t work for you can lead to burnout—and even stop you from reading altogether. Reader, Know Thyself A central theme of the conversation is learning what kind of reader you are. (Take the "What Kind of Reader Are You?" quiz here!) Understanding your preferences helps you: Choose books you’ll actually finish Avoid common “deal breakers” Create a reading routine that fits your life Permission to Not Finish (DNF) Books If you’ve ever forced yourself to finish a book you weren’t enjoying, this is your official permission slip to stop. Meredith is a strong advocate for DNF (“Did Not Finish”), with a twist: sometimes it’s not a “no,” it’s a “not right now.” A book that doesn’t resonate today might become a favorite later in life. Letting go of a book that isn’t working frees you to find one that does—and can instantly reignite your reading momentum. How to Get Back Into Reading Feeling stuck? Meredith shares simple, practical strategies to help you ease back into reading: Start small: Commit to just 15–20 minutes at a time Pair reading with a routine: Try reading during a bath or before bed Use multiple formats: Audiobooks, Ebooks, and print can all coexist Create a “book flight”: Sample the first few pages of several books and choose what grabs you Always have options: Keep a list of appealing reads ready to go If your kids used to love books but now prefer screens, you’re not alone. The most effective strategy? Model reading yourself. When kids see you enjoying books, it sends a powerful message that reading is valuable and enjoyable. There’s no quick fix—but there is long-term impact. Here's where you can find Meredith: IG @meredithmondayschwartz or @currentlyreadingpodcast The Currently Reading Podcast wherever you get your podcasts! View the list of all the books Meredith recommends in our Bookshop What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 complicate our relationship with reading. In this episode, we discuss: Why kids become reluctant readers (and the different types) Supporting kids with learning differences like dyslexia Why forcing “worthy” books can backfire Letting go of the pressure to raise kids who love reading Sign up for our newsletter here! Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Common Sense Media: Books for Reluctant Readers Amy Mascott for PBS Kids for Parents: What to Do When Your Child Hates Reading Susan Dominus for NYT: Motherhood, Screened Off Linda Flanagan for KQED: How Audiobooks Can Help Kids Who Struggle with Reading Mary Ann Scheuer’s Great Kid Books blog Campbell University: Alumni Experts: 6 Ways to Engage Reluctant Readers Scholastic Parents: The Five Finger Rule for Reading Will Help Your Child Find a 'Just-Right' Book Dawn Adkins for Providence Classical School blog: 10 Ways to Help Kids Choose Books Over Screens Jamie Martin for Understood.org: Do audiobooks get in the way of learning to read? What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parenting reluctant readers, kids reading habits, how to get kids to read, children and screen time, reading motivation for kids, reluctant reader strategies, audiobooks for kids, graphic novels for children, parenting tips reading, literacy development children, encouraging kids to read, reading vs screens, family reading routines, struggling readers support, dyslexia and reading, independent reading skills, raising readers, reading comprehension kids, parenting challenges reading, kids and books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 this interview, we discuss: Why girls tend to be more depressed and anxious than boys How we've stolen girls' "safe in-between years" "Antidote" strategies for helping girls through adolescence Here's where you can find Donna: ⁠https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com⁠ @donnajacksonnakazawaauthor on Facebook ⁠Buy Donna's book!⁠ Sign up for the What Fresh Hell newsletter! Once a month you’ll get our favorite recent episodes, plus links to other things to read and watch and listen to, and upcoming special events: ⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/newsletter/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, girls mental health, teen girl anxiety, teen girl depression, parenting daughters, social media and girls, adolescent brain development, why are girls more anxious than boys, helping girls through adolescence, girls and depression statistics, middle school girls mental health, neuroscience of anxiety, immunology and mental health, stress in teenage girls, protecting girls mental health, parenting in the age of social media, girls and self esteem, safe in-between years, raising resilient daughters, girls emotional development, mental health strategies for teens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 challenges of seeking diagnoses, trusting parental instincts, and navigating conflicting advice from professionals and peers. They also answer some listener questions about raising neurodiverse kids. Here's where you can find Jessica: www.understood.org Listen to "Everyone Gets a Juice Box" here (and wherever you get your podcasts) What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, neurodivergent parenting, raising neurodivergent kids, neurodiversity in children, parenting special needs children, autism ADHD parenting, parenting teens with special needs, neurodivergent teens independence, special needs parenting support, parenting podcast neurodiversity, emotional challenges of parenting, early diagnosis neurodivergence, parenting community support, traveling with neurodivergent child, sensory needs children tips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, often artificial ideals the impact of these messages on our kids—and how to interrupt the cycle Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Séraphine Roger for Vanity Fair: Short-Haired Demi Moore (And Her Dog) Stun At Gucci Kate Manne's Substack More to Hate Teresa Karpinska for Vogue: Was the Term “Ageing Gracefully” Coined by Men? Sarah Miller for The New Yorker: Desperate for Botox Meagan Fredette for W Magazine: Julianne Moore is Sick of the Term “Aging Gracefully” Becca Rothfeld for The New Yorker: The Captivating Derangement of the Looksmaxxing Movement Amber Wardell, Ph.D., for Psychology Today: The Paradox of Women’s Aging Barański, Jarosław for Hybris 32: Mask and Shame of Ageing Meredith Jones for The Journal of Popular Culture: “Skintight: An Anatomy of Cosmetic Surgery” What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, aging gracefully myth, anti aging culture, women and aging, body image psychology, motherhood and identity, beauty standards media, aging and self image, mask of aging psychology, looksmaxxing trend, female aging pressure, parenting and body image, cultural expectations women, self acceptance aging, modern motherhood podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 empowerment among young girls today The significance of offering agency to young girls in shaping their identities and futures What teenage girls want from their parents more than anything else Here's where you can find Chelsey: ⁠https://www.chelseygoodan.com⁠ @chelseygoodan on IG and X Buy UNDERSTIMATED: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781668032688⁠ ⁠https://www.democrashe.org/⁠ ⁠https://www.acalltomen.org/about/⁠ Amy also mentions our Fresh Take with Judith Warner in this episode: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-judith-warner-on-what-grownups-get-wrong-about-middle-school/ 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, teenage girl, female empowerment, feminism, mentorship for teens, gender equity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 brain chemical tied to reward, motivation, and habit formation—and how modern technology and ultra-processed foods are designed to trigger it. In this conversation, Amy and Doucleff discuss how the dopamine-driven design of both screens and ultra-processed foods affects both kids and parents, often making it harder for families to reduce the use of these things in the home. They also explore practical ways families can reclaim attention, connection, and balance in a world full of digital distractions. Here' s where you can find Michaeleen: www.michaeleendoucleff.com Buy DOPAMINE KIDS: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781668049839 What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, dopamine kids, Michaeleen Doucleff, dopamine and screens, parenting and technology, kids and smartphones, screen addiction kids, dopamine parenting, digital distraction families, parenting podcast technology, healthy screen habits kids, raising kids in the digital age Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 they get the big part in the school play; we’re a little too thrilled. Sing out, Louise! But as psychologist Wendy Mogel reminds us, our children are not our masterpieces , and pushing them towards our own notions of greatness prevents them from becoming the humans they are meant to be. In this episode, we discuss the pitfalls of “achievement by proxy distortion” and how to take a step back if you find yourself a little too enmeshed. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Wendy Mogel Wendy Mogel: BLESSING OF A SKINNED KNEE Our episode "Pushing Kids the Just-Right Amount" What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, living through your kids, parenting psychology, ambition transference, symbolic self completion theory, achievement by proxy distortion, youth sports parents, parenting expectations, supporting kids passions, parenting identity, parenting advice podcast, parenting and ambition, modern parenting challenges Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 isn't in their control when it comes to sexism How to recognize and combat sexism in our own parenting Here's where you can find Dr. Finkelstein: ⁠www.joannfinkelstein.com⁠ @joannfinkelstein.phd on IG/TikTok Jo-Ann Finkelstein, PhD - Author on FB @finkeljo on Twitter Buy SEXISM AND SENSIBILITY: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593581162⁠ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, sexism and sensibility, raising girls, feminist parenting, everyday sexism, end sexism, gender equality matters, smash the patriarchy, double standards, girl power, body positive, parenting teens, teen health, equal partnership, respect women, teen mental health matters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 behind the stereotypes surrounding Black single mothers and the complicated mix of love, resilience, struggle, and community that shapes these experiences. Here's where you can find Jamilah Lemieux: https://www.jamilahlemieux.com/ @jamilahlemieux on IG/Threads/X facebook.com/jamilahlemieux Buy BLACK. SINGLE. MOTHER: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593447543 See the locations and dates for Jamilah's book tour here! What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, Black single motherhood, Jamilah Lemieux interview, Black motherhood, single mother stereotypes, parenting and race, Black parenting stories, motherhood essays, cultural critic parenting, parenting and identity, race and motherhood, parenting interview, motherhood narratives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 media will cause moral or cognitive decline The role of mass media and politics in amplifying fear How parents can keep perspective while still setting healthy limits on technology Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Brittany Wong for HuffPost: New Study Shows This Social Platform Can Shift Your Politics To The Right — And It Happens Very Fast Wikipedia: definition of a moral panic Jo Ellen Parker for Liberal Arts Online: Socrates on Technology Christie Stratos: Why Did the Victorians Think It Was Dangerous for Women to Read Novels and Newspapers? Ana Vogrinčič for Media Research Journal: The Novel-Reading Panic in 18thCentury in England: An Outline of an Early Moral Media Panic Sarah Durn for Atlas Obscura: How Gruesome Penny Dreadfuls Got Victorian Children Reading Miller Kern for Ball Bearings Magazine: The Downfall of Society PS Art Books: The Comic Book Burnings of the 1940s: A Cultural Firestorm What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parenting panics, moral panic parenting, screen time kids, technology and children, parenting fears, media panic history, parenting and technology, video games and kids, screen time debate, parenting anxiety, social media and kids, parenting trends history, generational parenting fears, digital parenting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 anxiety in children can be easy to miss the negative behaviors anxious kids might exhibit why letting our kids avoid anxiety-causing situations is counterproductive how anxiety "lives in the future” We also interview ⁠Dr. Lisa Damour⁠ about her book ⁠Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls⁠. Dr. Damour’s book is full of empathetic insight and useful takeaways for helping our anxious daughters (and sons). Here’s links to other research and writing discussed in this episode: Lindsay Holmes for Huffington Post Life: ⁠10 Things People Get Wrong About Anxiety ⁠ Liz Matheis for anxiety.org: ⁠Identifying Signs of Anxiety in Children ⁠ CDC: ⁠Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health⁠ Metropolitan CBT: ⁠About Anxiety⁠ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, childhood anxiety, anxiety in kids, parenting anxious children, Dr. Lisa Damour, Under Pressure book, stress in girls, teen anxiety, kids mental health, coping strategies for anxiety, signs of anxiety in children, hidden anxiety, anxious behaviors, emotional regulation, anxiety and avoidance, resilience skills, helping kids manage stress, parenting teens, parenting girls, adolescent stress, school anxiety, social anxiety in kids, fear of the future, mindfulness for kids, mental health parenting, emotional support, psychology of anxiety, family mental wellness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. We discuss: The role of teen fathers and the importance of shared accountability Why $500 can be the difference between dropping out and graduating for a teen mom Mentorship as a bridge between survival mode and stability Here's where you can find Susan: www.theemberproject.org "The Ember Project Podcast" wherever you get your podcasts What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, Susan Sutton interview, The Ember Project nonprofit, teen motherhood support, teen mom education barriers, generational poverty cycle, interrupted college education teen moms, childcare and teen mothers, rapid repeat pregnancy, duct tape budgeting meaning, financial literacy for young moms, mentoring teen mothers, small grants for single moms, stigma of teen pregnancy, breaking poverty cycles, support for early mothers, parenting podcast teen moms, nonprofit helping single mothers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 dysregulation can become contagious in a household—and how calm can be contagious, too Practical ways to reset when you feel triggered Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Cleveland Clinic: Emotional Dysregulation Our Fresh Take with Erin Cox Elif B. Koş Yalvaç et. al for Journal of Affective Disorders: Emotional dysregulation in adults: The influence of rumination and negative secondary appraisals of emotion H.W. Koenigsberg for Journal of Personality Disorders: Affective instability: toward an integration of neuroscience and psychological perspectives Rachel Schepke for PsyPost: Young children are more irritable when their mother has emotion regulation difficulties Dominique Cave-Freeman, Vincent O. Mancini, et al for Journal of Personality and Individual Differences: Maternal Emotion Regulation and Early Childhood Irritability: The Role of Child Directed Emotion Regulation Strategies Couples Therapy, Inc: Navigating a Marriage with an Emotionally Dysregulated Spouse Rick Hanson et. al: Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, self-help for moms, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, emotional dysregulation in parents, parenting under stress, overwhelmed mom, reactive parenting, mom anger, yelling at kids, parental burnout, depleted mother syndrome, parenting anxiety, co-regulation, emotional regulation skills, parenting triggers, rumination and resentment, family emotional climate, repairing after yelling, parenting stress management, mom mental health, default parent stress, generational patterns parenting, managing big emotions as a parent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 success and happiness that all our kids deserve. Gabrielle Blair is the the founder of ⁠DesignMom.com⁠ and the author of the New York Times blockbuster bestseller Ejaculate Responsibly. Gabrielle, Amy, and Margaret discuss: How the idea of the "reliable path to success" is actually harmful for a lot of parents and kids Simple (and free/cheap) ways to use your home to create the family life you want Why Gabrielle disagrees with the "you only get 18 summers" rhetoric that permeates parenting circles Here's where you can find Gabrielle: ⁠designmom.com⁠ @designmom on IG #thekidsareallright #thekidsareallrightbook Buy THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781523526505⁠ 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, Gabrielle Blair, The Kids Are All Right, DesignMom, modern parenting, parenting pressure, success myths, raising kids, redefining success, motherhood expectations, family culture, home life, parenting mindset, letting go of fear, alternative paths to adulthood, parenting teens, parenting young adults, emotional resilience, family connection, values-based parenting, creative home, simple living, conscious parenting, parent burnout, mental health for parents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 discuss: Why empowering kids works better than scaring them How smartphones and social media shape adolescent brain development The growing youth rebellion against addictive tech How to shift from conflict to collaboration when it comes to screens Here's where you can find Catherine and her work: www.catherineprice.com https://catherineprice.substack.com @catherinepriceofficial on IG and LinkedIn www.amazinggeneration.com Buy THE AMAZING GENERATION: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9798217111916 What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, The Amazing Generation book, Catherine Price interview, Jonathan Haidt Anxious Generation, screen time for kids, social media and teens, tech addiction in children, smartphone brain development, how to break up with your phone, defend mode discover mode, empowering kids about technology, youth rebellion against big tech, parenting in a digital world, AI and teenagers, family screen time solutions, helping kids quit social media, real life vs social media, attention economy and kids, middle school smartphone advice, raising kids without smartphones, tech literacy for families Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 speak—this episode will help you reframe what’s normal, what’s healthy, and what truly matters in the long run. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Susan Dominus, author of THE FAMILY DYNAMIC Our episode Sibling Rivalry Our Fresh Take with Dawn Huebner on Sibling Rivalry (And What Parents Usually Do Wrong) Kevin Henkes: JULIUS, THE BABY OF THE WORLD Stephen P. Bank and Michael D. Kahn: ⁠THE SIBLING BOND Rachel Nuwer for Scientific American: How Childhood Relationships Affect Your Adult Attachment Style, according to Large New Study Keely A. Dugan et. al for The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: A prospective longitudinal study of the associations between childhood and adolescent interpersonal experiences and adult attachment orientations Dr. Ammara Khalid for RIA Social Services: On Sibling Relationships: Attachment and Birth Order Leijten, P. et. al for Journal of Family Psychotherapy: Parenting programs to improve sibling interactions: a meta-analysis. Sign up for What Fresh Hell Plus on Supporting Cast to get all episodes ad-free, plus monthly bonus episodes. Supporting Cast works right where you already listen! Go to whatfreshhell.supportingcast.fm to subscribe in two taps for just $4.99 a month, or $39.99 a year. What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, sibling relationships, sibling rivalry, do siblings need to get along, sibling conflict, parenting siblings, raising siblings, siblings fighting, sibling bond, how to handle sibling rivalry, is sibling fighting normal, why siblings fight, how to help siblings get along, parenting tips for sibling conflict, sibling dynamics psychology, sibling relationship in adulthood, how siblings shape identity, family conflict parenting, should siblings be close, is it bad if siblings don’t get along, how to stop sibling fighting, what is normal sibling rivalry, kids arguing all the time, brothers and sisters fighting, parenting guilt siblings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Rebecca Winthrop is the director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Jenny, Rebecca, and Margaret discuss: The four different modes of learning that teens tend to engage in What academic disengagement in a teen really signals about them How parents can help their kids get more excited about learning Here's where you can find Jenny and Rebecca: ⁠www.jennywestanderson.org⁠ ⁠www.rebeccawinthrop.com⁠ ⁠www.thedisengagedteen.com⁠ @jennyandersonwrites and @drrebeccawinthrop on IG #DisengagedTeen #LearnBetterLiveBetter Buy THE DISENGAGED TEEN: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593727072⁠ 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/⁠⁠ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, decluttering, meal prepping, time management, teen disengagement, disengaged teen, high school boredom, Jenny Anderson, Rebecca Winthrop, The Disengaged Teen, teen motivation, student engagement, education psychology, parenting teens, academic burnout, learning styles, four modes of learning, school stress, teen mental health, re-engaging teens, motivation in teens, parenting strategies, education reform, adolescent development, emotional learning, growth mindset, student success, learning motivation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 than a decade of qualitative research, she explains how this work is often unrecognized and uncounted. We discuss kin-keeping, invisible labor, and the pressures women face to be “good daughters.” Dr. Alford explains how cultural expectations, gender norms, and family systems reinforce this burden—and why naming it is the first step toward change. You are already doing more than you think—and you deserve credit for it. Here's where you can find Allison: www.daughtering101.com @daughtering101 on FB, IG, and TikTok Buy GOOD DAUGHTERING: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780063436428 Read Sensemaking in Organizations: Reflections on Karl Weick and Social Theory What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, daughtering, invisible labor, emotional labor, kin keeping, adult daughters, family roles, mental load, caregiving expectations, good daughter, women’s identity, boundaries, communication in families, motherhood podcast, Fresh Hell podcast, Allison Alford, Good Daughtering book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 slow-to-warm-up kids feel safe without forcing them to change. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Psychology Today: Shyness Dartmouth Health Children's Blog: The Difference Between Shy and Introvert APA Dictionary of Psychology: Behavioral Inhibition Healthychildren.org: Understanding Your Child's Temperament: Why It's Important Katherine Martinelli for Child Mind Institute: Helping Young Children Who Are Socially Anxious Arlin Cuncic for Verywell Mind: Differences Between Shyness and Social Anxiety Disorder Deborah Ko for Medium: Redefining Extraversion: How Cultural Differences Shape Our Understanding of Leadership APA on YouTube: Why are some kids shy? With Koraly Pérez-Edgar, PhD What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, shy children, why are some kids shy, behavioral inhibition, child temperament, introversion vs shyness, social anxiety in kids, slow to warm up child, parenting shy kids, anxious children, child social anxiety, labels and kids, supporting shy kids, child development psychology, fear-based behavior, parenting podcast shyness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Adult⁠, which Julie calls "a compassionate beckoning into the freedoms and responsibilities of adulthood." Adulting is a mindset. That might explain why many of us whose drivers' licenses indicate grown-up status still don't feel ready to be in charge of anything– including the children with whom we have somehow been entrusted. But trying and failing doesn't mean you're not ready to be an adult. Failing and trying again, Lythcott-Haims argues, is what makes us adults in the first place. This episode is full of advice on how to move the parent/child paradigm (gradually) from vertical to horizontal– and on why becoming an adult is actually a path to joy. As Julie explains in this episode: "Whether we're 8 or we're 18, or 28 or 38 or 48, we are yearning to make our way down a path that is ours to lay. We want to be loved and cared about along the way, but we do not want someone else to lead our lives for us." Find out more at ⁠julielythcotthaims.com,⁠ on social media ⁠@jlythcotthaims⁠, and find YOUR TURN in our Bookshop store: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781250137777. This episode originally aired on April 16, 2021. What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, Julie Lythcott-Haims, How to Raise an Adult, Your Turn book, adulting mindset, becoming an adult, parenting young adults, overparenting, helicopter parenting, raising independent kids, transitioning to adulthood, parent child relationship, letting go as a parent, autonomy in adulthood, failure and growth, resilience skills, emotional independence, purpose and meaning, identity development, joy in adulthood, modern parenting, parenting teens, parenting adult children, life skills for young adults, boundaries with adult kids, self-directed life, compassionate parenting, personal growth podcast, psychology of adulthood, human development, mental health and growth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 navigating both physical and digital spaces with confidence. The conversation explores why women are often taught to suppress their intuition, the science behind fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses, and how rehearsing “what if” scenarios can help families respond more effectively in real-life situations. Margaret, Amy, and Dannah also discuss how to talk to kids about tricky people without resorting to outdated “stranger danger” messaging, and how open communication is a powerful tool for parents to have. This episode is an empowering guide to raising confident kids and helping women feel safer, more aware, and more in control in today’s world. Here's where you can find Dannah: www.dannaheve.com @dannah_eve on IG, TikTok, and YouTube Buy STREET SMARTS: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780063438880 What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, women’s safety, street smarts, dannah eve, parenting and safety, digital safety for kids, online grooming, sextortion, trusting your instincts, fight flight freeze fawn, intuition and safety, raising confident kids, parenting in the digital age, scams and fraud awareness, family safety tips, empowering women, tricky people vs stranger danger, situational awareness, personal safety strategies, safety education for families Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 friends and partners, wearing sunscreen, following up on job applications, buying fewer but better things, making lists, and remembering to eat, walk, or take a bath when emotions run high. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Gabrielle Blair The thread in our FB group about all the things our listeners' moms were right about What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parenting podcast, mother daughter relationships, parenting teenagers, mom advice, generational wisdom, teenage rebellion, parenting humor, midlife parenting, letting kids fail, choosing battles, emotional regulation, What Fresh Hell podcast, modern motherhood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 sometimes overcorrect in their responses to teens' emotional outbursts. ⁠⁠Dr. Lisa Damour⁠⁠ co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast and writes about adolescents for the The New York Times, in addition to her clinical practice. Her book discussed in this episode is ⁠⁠The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents⁠⁠. Amy and Lisa explore: Why good sleep is the first thing we need to help dysregulated teens solve What the pandemic actually revealed about teens' mental health Key myths and misconceptions about adolescent emotions Dr. Lisa says that we– and our teenagers– can gain much by asking if the strong emotion a teen may be feeling is uncomfortable or unmanageable. If it's uncomfortable, learning to sit with that is part of the process of healthy emotional maturation. Here's where you can find Lisa: Our ⁠⁠previous interview ⁠⁠with Dr. Lisa ⁠⁠https://drlisadamour.com/⁠⁠ @lisa.damour on IG ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lisadamourphd⁠⁠ Buy Lisa's book: ⁠⁠https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593500019⁠⁠ This episode originally aired on February 24, 2023. What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/⁠ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, teen mental health, adolescent emotions, letting go as kids grow up, parenting teenagers, Dr. Lisa Damour, Ask Lisa podcast, teen emotional regulation, teen anxiety and stress, pandemic teen mental health, parenting teens through big emotions, how to help dysregulated teens, teen sleep and mental health, emotional development in adolescence, teen mental health myths, supporting teen independence, raising emotionally healthy teens, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, Untangled, Under Pressure, connected and compassionate teens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 feel frightened and disoriented; and what we can do as parents whose children are directly impacted—and for those kids who are learning about it online. We discuss how children communicate distress through behavior and play and why empathy and emotional vocabulary are essential tools we can teach our children. Erin explains the importance of co-regulation—how children borrow calm from the adults in their lives—and shares ways parents can care for their own nervous systems so they can show up as a steady presence. While fear may be the point of these tactics, connection, community, and resilience are how we can respond. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Follow Erin on IG @loveuwitherin Corina Knoll for The New York Times: A Winter of Anguish for Minneapolis Children A.O. Scott for The New York Times: In Under 500 Words, a Judge Weaponized Wit to Free the Child Detained by ICE Hennepin County Sheriff Dewanna Witt talks to CBS News' Nicole Sganga about the situation in Minnesota Elora Mukherjee for The New York Times: Liam Ramos Was Just One of Hundreds of Children at This Detention Center. Release Them All. Sahara Sajjadi for Copper Courier: Three-year-old child forced to serve as her own attorney in Tucson immigration court Camilo Montoya-Galvez for CBS News: ICE halts "all movement" at Texas detention facility due to measles infections CBS News: Columbia Heights schools, where 5-year-old Liam Ramos attends, closed Monday due to bomb threat David Martin Davies for Texas Public Radio: Reps. Castro and Crockett Describe Conditions at ICE Dilley Detention Center Laura Kelly Fanucci for America: The Jesuit Review: I’m a Minnesota Catholic Mom — Here’s What My Neighbors Are Saying About ICE The Marshall Project: ‘Why Is This Happening to Us?’ Daily Number of Kids in ICE Detention Jumps 6x Under Trump Lily Hay Newman et. al for WIRED: What to Do If ICE Invades Your Neighborhood Ken Burns documentary The American Revolution James Baraz and Shoshana Alexander: AWAKENING JOY What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parenting in crisis, talking to kids about ICE, immigration fear children, kids and anxiety, family separation, safety planning for kids, co-regulation, empathy for children, trauma-informed parenting, kids and current events, emotional regulation parents, helping anxious kids, resilience in families, parenting during political stress, how to talk to kids about scary news Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 calendar, why January is the worst time to start anew, and how modern life works against our natural rhythms. We also discuss the Lunar New Year, how the Year of the Snake has a few more weeks before we enter the Year of the Horse, and how we're going to use our February for reflection, not reinvention. Keep resting! You're a mammal! Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Dr. Greg Hammer Our Fresh Take with Katherine May Annie Scott on Substack: The Wankery Verdict: New Year, New You! Erin Blakemore for National Geographic: The new year once started in March—here's why Aadrika Sominder for The Hindustan Times: As the Year of the Snake ends, the Year of the Horse begins: Here's what this Chinese zodiac transition means for you r/LTL_Chinese: Year of the Fire Horse 2026 🐎 What does it mean for you Stacey Durnin for Medium: Why January is a terrible time to make resolutions What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. 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, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, February is the new January, wintering, seasonal affective disorder, parenting podcast, mental health and seasons, Gregorian calendar, Lunar New Year, Chinese zodiac, productivity culture, burnout, rest and reflection, seasonal rhythms, modern parenting, self-care in winter, New Year resolutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 risks in front of their peers What kids report actually feeling peer pressured to do- the answers aren't what expected How to actually prepare our kids to counter the peer pressure they face This episode was originally released on April 13, 2022. Here are links to past episodes with similar topics: ⁠"When Other Kids Are Bad Influences"⁠ ⁠"What Is Up With Teenagers?"⁠ Here are links to resources mentioned in this episode: Juliana Menasce Horowitz and Nikki Graf for the Pew Research Center: ⁠"Most U.S. Teens See Anxiety and Depression as a Major Problem Among Their Peers"⁠ Centerstone.org: "⁠What is Peer Pressure and Who is at Risk?⁠" Science Daily: ⁠"Peer pressure? It's hardwired into our brains, study finds"⁠ ⁠Laurence Steinberg⁠ and ⁠Kathryn C. Monahan⁠: ⁠Age Differences in Resistance to Peer Influence⁠ Jess Shatkin, ⁠Born to Be Wild: Why Teens Take Risks, and How We Can Help Keep Them Safe⁠ Jessica Lahey, ⁠The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence⁠ Sign up for What Fresh Hell Plus on Supporting Cast to get all episodes ad-free, plus monthly bonus episodes. Supporting Cast works right where you already listen! Go to whatfreshhell.supportingcast.fm to subscribe in two taps for just $4.99 a month, or $39.99 a year. What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, peer pressure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Roberta explain what actually supports healthy learning and development. You’ll learn: Why play-based learning leads to better academic and emotional outcomes The five key conditions for how the human brain learns best Why “faster” and “earlier” aren’t better for child development How everyday moments (like the grocery store or setting the table) are powerful learning opportunities The effects of AI toys and excessive screen use How simple games build executive function and social skills A practical mantra for overwhelmed parents: reflect, resist, recenter This episode offers science-backed reassurance that children don’t need flashcards, apps, or enrichment overload—what they need most is playful, joyful, human connection. Here's where you can find Drs. Hirsh-Pasek and Golinkoff: @drkathyanddrro on IG Buy EINSTEIN NEVER USED FLASHCARDS: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593980767 What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. 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/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, play-based learning, Einstein Never Used Flashcards, child development, early childhood education, parenting advice, executive function, screen time for kids, AI toys, learning through play, social emotional development, preschool learning, developmental psychology, parenting pressure, raising kids, how children learn, educational research, parent anxiety, technology and kids Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices