What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson
Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson
When you're a parent, every day brings a "fresh hell" to deal with. In other words, there's always something. Think of us as your funny mom friends who are here to remind you: you're not alone, and it won't always be this hard. We're Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, both busy moms of three kids, but with completely different parenting styles. Margaret is a laid-back to the max; Amy never met a spreadsheet or an organizational system she didn't like. In each episode of "What Fresh Hell" we offer lots of 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
9h ago
Amy talks with Sophie Kihm , editor-in-chief of Nameberry (the world’s largest baby name website!) about the top baby name trends predicted for 2026, and why naming a child feels more complicated—and more meaningful—than ever. Sophie explains how Nameberry analyzes real-time search and save data, alongside Social Security statistics, to forecast which baby names are poised to rise quickly through the ranks. Together, Amy and Sophie walk through Nameberry’s 10 biggest baby naming trends for 2026 , from ancient civilization names and soulful, subtle spiritual names to showgirl-inspired choices influenced by pop culture and Taylor Swift. Along the way, Sophie shares how modern parents use Nameberry tools like forums, "Name DNA," and curated lists to find baby names that feel personal, flexible, and future-proof. Here's where you can find Sophie and Nameberry: https:://nameberry.com @nameberry on IG @nameberry.com on TikTok Read about the top 10 trends for baby names in 2026 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! 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, baby name trends 2026, baby names 2026, Nameberry baby names, Sophie Kihm Nameberry, baby naming trends, modern baby names, unique baby names, rising baby names, gender-neutral baby names, baby name popularity trends, ancient baby names, vintage baby names, boomer baby names, romantic fantasy baby names, anime baby names, Utah baby names, number baby names, vowel-heavy baby names, literary baby names, baby name ideas, baby name inspiration, name nerd podcast, parenting podcast episode, pop culture baby names Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2d ago
Why is the "most wonderful time of the year" also the time, all too often, when our kids are at their worst? Drawing on research from child psychologists, developmental experts, and real-life family dynamics, Amy and Margaret explore this extremely familiar dynamic, and explain how disrupted routines, sensory overload, anxiety, social expectations, and good old-fashioned exhaustion collide to push kids past their emotional thresholds. They discuss: How blown-up routines remove a key emotional “protective factor” for kids Why holiday excitement + uncertainty creates anxiety (for kids and adults) The “migraine threshold” analogy for understanding meltdowns How neurodivergent kids experience holiday environments differently Why expectations—ours and theirs—fuel disappointment When misbehavior is emotional dysregulation vs. strategic escape How to rethink traditions so they actually work for the kids you have Practical ways to add back small routines, reduce overwhelm, and prepare kids ahead of time If holiday gatherings feel harder than they “should,” this episode offers compassion, insight, and doable strategies to help every kid (and parent) get through the season with less stress. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Selman, S. B., & Dilworth-Bart, J. E. (2024). “Routines and child development: A systematic review.” Journal of Family Theory & Review Amhefferan for In the Now Counseling blog : Why Do Kids Misbehave On Holidays? Howcast: How to Handle Your Child’s Holiday Stress with Dr. Robin Goodman Melinda Wenner Moyer on Substack: Why Do my Kids Turn Into Monsters Over the Holidays? Melinda Wenner Moyer for Slate: Better Not Pout, Better Not Cry Melinda Wenner Moyer on Substack: Managing the Post-Holiday "Why Are My Kids Acting Like This?" Slump Megan Devine for Empowering Parents: How to Manage Tantrums, Misbehavior, and Meltdowns During the Holidays 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! why kids melt down at the holidays, holiday meltdowns kids, kids holiday behavior, child emotional regulation holidays, holiday stress for kids, parenting holiday tips, disrupted routines kids, sensory overload holidays, family holiday expectations, managing holiday overwhelm, neurodivergent kids holidays, parenting during the holidays, child anxiety during holidays, traveling with kids during the holidays, preventing holiday meltdowns, Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, What Fresh Hell podcast, holiday family stress tips, mindset and resilience for parents, 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4d ago
This week we're discussing whether these parts of our lives (then as children, now as parents) are better then or better now: Halloween costumes holidays at school jeans what's for lunch cleaning the house What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. This episode was originally released on October 30th, 2019. 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 12
This week, we sit down with writer, illustrator, and community-builder Sophie Lucido Johnson , author of KIN: THE FUTURE OF FAMILY , to explore how adults can create deeper, more fulfilling friendship networks. Sophie shares why modern culture pushes us toward hyper-independence, how to break out of the loneliness cycle, and the simple daily practices that strengthen connection. They discuss the difference between friendships and partnerships, why we need multiple kinds of support people, and how to nurture relationships with curiosity, generosity, and reciprocity. Sophie also talks about community care, asking for help, borrowing instead of buying, and the small acts that make neighborhoods feel like actual communities. Whether you’re feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or simply craving richer relationships, this episode offers warm, practical, and often funny reminders that we don’t have to do life alone — and that we’re all better off when we rely on each other. Here's where you can find Sophie: @sophielucidojohnson on IG and FB https://www.sophielucidojohnson.com/ Buy KIN: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781668060650 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! 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, Sophie Lucido Johnson, Sophie Lucido Johnson interview, Kin book Sophie Johnson, adult friendships, how to make friends as an adult, building community as a parent, interdependence vs independence, community care, reducing loneliness, parenting podcast interview, What Fresh Hell podcast, Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, creating support networks, nurturing friendships, reciprocity in relationships, borrowing instead of buying, neighborhood connection, emotional support systems Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 10
In this episode, we discuss some of our favorite parables— and what they can teach us about the meaning we attach to everyday frustrations with modern parenting, stress, and family dynamics. Stories are sticky for our brains, and these are the lessons that have helped us notice our reactions, question our assumptions, and navigate everything from holiday family drama to college applications to sibling squabbles with greater awareness. This a great episode to share with friends who may not be parents but love a smart, funny take on modern life! Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our episode on radical acceptance The Parable of the Empty Boat, from The Secular Buddhism Podcast with Noah Rasheta 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! parenting parables, empty boat parable meaning, two wolves story explanation, Chinese farmer parable, boiling frog metaphor, drowning man parable, parenting mindset shifts, handling family dynamics, dealing with frustration, managing anxiety as a parent, Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, What Fresh Hell podcast, holiday family stress tips, mindset and resilience for parents, 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 8
Kids have a less time for unsupervised, unstructured play than they did 40-50 years ago. Kids are also a lot less happy then they were back then. But has one actually caused the other? A new study says it has. Psychologist Dr. Peter Gray and his associates at Boston College recently published the paper Decline in independent activity as a cause of decline in children's mental well-being, which suggests that the decline in play and the decline in children's well-being are directly correlated: “Our thesis is that a primary cause of the rise in mental disorders (among children and teens) is a decline over decades in opportunities for children and teens to play, roam and engage in other activities, independent of direct oversight and control by adults.” In this episode we discuss the fascinating research explored in this study, the difference in our freewheeling neighborhood childhoods and our own kids' more curated daily existences, and how letting our children take independent risks—and even get a few bumps and bruises— is setting them up for a sense of well-being that is all their own. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast is new to Adalyst Media! 200 episodes of inspiration on how to reclaim the finite moments of childhood through prioritizing outdoor play. our recent Fresh Take with Dr. Camilo Ortiz Peter Gray, et. al: "Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children’s Mental Wellbeing," Journal of Pediatrics Mia Venkat, Kathryn Fox, Juana Summers for NPR: "How lack of independent play is impacting children's mental health" 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. 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, toddler, baby, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 5
The holidays are the time of year we're most likely to spend time with our extended families— visits which can also bring guilt, frustration, and overwhelming expectations. In this episode, Amy and family counselor Erin Cox dive into the challenges of holiday family dynamics: setting boundaries, splitting time between multiple households, managing difficult relatives, and trying to create a joyful season for our own kids without losing ourselves in the process. We explore why returning home makes boundaries harder to keep, why the pressure ramps up this time of year, and how to stay grounded when everyone wants something from you. From travel burnout to critical parents, hosting fatigue, mismatched traditions, and even holiday pet drama, we’re talking through the real stories listeners shared — and how to protect your peace while still showing up with love. What You’ll Hear in This Episode Why boundaries feel harder to hold around the holidays The stress of splitting time between multiple sets of grandparents Handling critical or overbearing parents with grace (and limits) What to do when the most difficult family member controls the vibe How to pass holiday hosting to the next generation without hurting anyone's feelings 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/ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. holiday family dynamics, holiday boundaries, setting boundaries with family, navigating family during holidays, splitting time between families, managing difficult relatives, overbearing parents holidays, holiday guilt and expectations, balancing multiple households holidays, protecting your peace holidays, holiday burnout tips, holiday travel stress, passing holiday hosting duties, parenting during the holidays, holiday stress management, adult children family expectations, family counselor holiday advice, creating your own holiday traditions, peaceful holiday season tips, coping with holiday overwhelm, managing family drama holidays Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 3
Amy and Margaret tackle one of women's most exhausting challenges: the nonstop onslaught of small asks, random requests, invisible labor, and mental load that quietly drains them. They break down why saying "no” to additional responsibilities is not laziness, and why "just say no to" is actually not a realistic option in many situations. Drawing on real-life examples, Amy and Margaret explore the emotional calculus behind every “yes,” the hidden costs of over-accommodating, and why moms often feel pressure to be endlessly available. They offer practical scripts, boundary strategies, and mindset shifts to help you pause before automatically agreeing, tolerate the discomfort of disappointing others, and value your own limits. Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Our Fresh Take with Corinne Low Our episode "Getting Better at Saying No" Katharine Ridgway O'Brien: "Just Saying "No": An Examination of Gender Differences in the Ability to Decline Requests in the Workplace." Kristin Wong for the NYT: Why You Should Learn to Say ‘No’ More Often Kate Manne on Substack: Our Boundaries Will Not Save Us Kate Manne on Substack: Your Annual Reminder: You Do Not Have to Be a Giving Tree 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/ Get 50% Off Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH ! Head to GigSalad.com and book some awesome talent for your next party, and let them know that What Fresh Hell sent you. 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 boundaries, saying no as a parent, invisible labor, mental load, emotional labor, moms and burnout, parenting overwhelm, how to set boundaries, family stress management, sustainable parenting, decision fatigue, time management for parents, household labor imbalance, parenting scripts, avoiding burnout, saying no kindly, realistic parenting expectations, parenting advice, family dynamics, parent mental health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
