Best What Fresh Hell Laughing In The Face Of Motherhood Podcasts (2025)

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Fresh Take: Corinne Low, HAVING IT ALL 42:18

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3d ago42:18

42:18

Amy and Margaret talk with Dr. Corinne Low, Wharton economist and author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. Corinne shares her data-driven insights on why working mothers feel overextended, how “having it all” became an impossible equation, and how redefining success through your own “utility…

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Why Kids Get Obsessed—And Why It's a Good Thing 38:47

5d ago38:47

38:47

Amy and Margaret discuss why kids become intensely obsessed with the things they love—whether it’s dinosaurs, Pokémon, sharks, or Spider-Man—and how those fascinations manifest throughout their childhoods. They explore the developmental benefits of "intense interests," from mastery and comfort to confidence and identity. They break down when an obs…

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DEEP DIVE: Kendra Adachi (The Lazy Genius) on Compassionate Time Management 45:04

7d ago45:04

45:04

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

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Fresh Take: Irin Carmon, UNBEARABLE 43:07

10d ago43:07

43:07

Content note: This episode discusses complications of pregnancy, including pregnancy loss and maternal death. Amy and Margaret sit down with journalist and author Irin Carmon to discuss her new book, UNBEARABLE: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America. Through research and deep reporting, Carmon exposes the complicated reality of being pr…

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Introducing: So Your Parents Are Old 3:53

11d ago3:53

3:53

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

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How Kids Spend Their Time (And How They Should) 45:06

12d ago45:06

45:06

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

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Dr. Natasha Bhuyan Introduces Amazon One Medical Pay-Per-Visit 22:04

13d ago22:04

22:04

This episode is brought to you by Amazon One Medical. Ever notice how kids only seem to get rashes in the middle of the night? Or get pinkeye only while you’re on vacation? It’s what we like to call a typical “mom worst”—and here comes a great new solution: Amazon One Medical Pay-Per-Visit is now offering trusted care through telehealth visits for …

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DEEP DIVE: Laura Vanderkam on "Tranquility By Tuesday" 35:20

14d ago35:20

35:20

Laura Vanderkam⁠ is the author of several time management books, including the just-out ⁠"Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters."⁠ She hosts the every-weekday-morning podcast "Before Breakfast" and also co-hosts "Best of Both Worlds" with Sarah Hart-Unger. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and…

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Fresh Take: Kate Rope, STRONG AS A GIRL 35:45

17d ago35:45

35:45

Amy and Margaret speak with Kate Rope, award-winning journalist and author of STRONG AS A GIRL: Your Guide to Raising Girls Who Know, Stand Up For, and Take Care of Themselves. Together, they unpack the unique challenges and opportunities facing today’s girls—from body image and social media to perfectionism, mental health, and the pressure to be “…

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When Stress Becomes Burnout (and How to Tell the Difference) 45:17

19d ago45:17

45:17

In this episode, Amy and Margaret explore the crucial distinction between stress and burnout—two experiences that often blur together in the chaos of parenting, but which are very different in presentation and the attention they require. Stress might be unavoidable, but it can also be motivational and lead to further growth. But when stress becomes…

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DEEP DIVE: 8 Ways to Make Better Decisions 47:24

21d ago47:24

47:24

There is no magic formula to making the perfect decision every time, but there are philosophical principles, or "razors," you can use to pare down your options and see your problem more clearly. These razors can cut through the clutter of complexity and help us see the forest for the trees. And while they weren't designed with parents in mind, they…

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Fresh Take: Jean Twenge, 10 RULES FOR RAISING KIDS IN A HIGH-TECH WORLD 38:31

24d ago38:31

38:31

Amy and Margaret sit down with Dr. Jean Twenge, renowned researcher of generational differences and author of the new book 10 RULES FOR RAISING KIDS IN A HIGH-TECH WORLD. Dr. Twenge shares what her research reveals about smartphones, social media, and gaming—and how they impact kids’ mental health, sleep, and friendships. From the rise of teen depr…

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Mom Worsts 44:55

26d ago44:55

44:55

Mom firsts? We prefer to reminisce about Mom WORSTS. In this episode we relive some of our all-time lousiest experiences as mothers, from family-wide Coxsackie virus to elaborate homework assignments achievable only with extensive parental participation. Margaret mentions the song "Tim Finnegan's Wake" in this episode, which you can listen to here:…

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DEEP DIVE: What Can We Add? What Can We Take Away? 42:31

28d ago42:31

42:31

The human tendency to solve problems by adding something is called "additive solution bias." However, sometimes a problem is more quickly and effectively solved by taking something away. In this episode we talk about how "additive solution bias" can play out in our parenting strategies, and how we can become more aware of the times when what we act…

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Fresh Take: Suzanne Warye, THE SOBER SHIFT 42:41

1M ago42:41

42:41

Margaret sits down with Suzanne Warye—sobriety influencer, host of The Sober Mom Life podcast, and author of the new book THE SOBER SHIFT. Suzanne shares her story of walking away from alcohol, the truth about moderation, the concept of gray area drinking, and why sobriety can feel like abundance, not deprivation. Together, they explore how alcohol…

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When Does "Typical" Behavior Become Something More? 44:23

1M ago44:23

44:23

Is your kid extremely resistant to the simplest of requests? Or completely impossible to wake up in the morning? Or sure their peers don't like them, despite pretty clear evidence to the contrary? All of these are extremely typical kid behaviors. All of these also have more intense manifestations—PDA, DSWPD, and RSD, respectively— which meet clinic…

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DEEP DIVE: Why Women Have Less Free Time 44:13

1M ago44:13

44:13

A recent report found that the division of home responsibilities is still grossly unequal. Mothers—whether they are married or single—do significantly more than fathers. In fact, the ⁠“The Free-Time Gender Gap” ⁠report found that “simply being a woman is linked to spending more time on unpaid childcare and household work, and having less free time,…

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Fresh Take: Carla Ciccone, NOWHERE GIRL 35:48

1M ago35:48

35:48

What happens when you finally, as an adult, understand for the first time that your brain has been wired differently all along? Writer and mother Carla Ciccone joins Amy and Margaret to discuss her memoir NOWHERE GIRL: Life as a Member of ADHD’s Lost Generation. Together, they explore how ADHD in women often presents differently than the “hyperacti…

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The Craziest Things We've Done for Our Kids 43:31

1M ago43:31

43:31

From road trips to reclaim lost lovies to birthday extravaganzas with six-month planning windows, parents will do just about anything for their kids. Amy and Margaret share listener stories—and their own—about the wildest, weirdest, and most over-the-top lengths we have all gone to make their kids happy. Read the saga of the missing Tortellini We l…

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DEEP DIVE: Dr. Amber Thornton on Finding Real Balance 30:27

1M ago30:27

30:27

We've all felt the guilt that comes with taking time away from our kids to do something we enjoy. But if we're always being told how liberating it is to do things for ourselves, why do we have such complicated feelings about? Dr. Amber Thornton tells us how we can successfully balance our lives both as women and as mothers. ⁠Dr. Amber Thornton⁠ is …

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Fresh Take: Kate Mason, POWERFULLY LIKABLE 41:16

1M ago41:16

41:16

How do women balance being both effective and likable? It shouldn't be ours to manage, and yet it is. This week Margaret and Amy talk with Dr. Kate Mason, communications coach and author of POWERFULLY LIKABLE: A Woman’s Guide to Effective Communication. What you'll learn in this episode: Why women often feel trapped between being “powerful” or “lik…

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Do Our Friendships Have to Be This Complicated? 42:15

2M ago42:15

42:15

Have female friendships become more complicated than they need to be? Amy and Margaret dig into the dynamics of their own female-female friendships and what the research says: why some friendships last decades, why others drift apart, and why friendship “breakup texts” have become a thing. In this episode you'll learn: Why women expect more intimac…

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DEEP DIVE: Natalie Mayslich and Blessing Adesiyan on the Future of Remote Work 30:58

2M ago30:58

30:58

Natalie Mayslich is the President of Consumer for ⁠Care.com⁠, where she is responsible for expanding, building and delivering the Company’s portfolio of Childcare and Senior Care products and services. Blessing Adesiyan is the Founder of ⁠Mother Honestly⁠, a platform that provides financial technology and work-life infrastructure to employers and i…

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Fresh Take: Trevor Hanson on Healing Our Attachment Styles 38:45

2M ago38:45

38:45

Amy sits down with Trevor Hanson, coach and founder of The Art of Healing and the Secure Self Club, to unpack the power of attachment theory and how it shapes our relationships. Trevor explains the differences between secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment styles—and why understanding your patterns can transform the way you love, communicate, and…

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Even More Husband Crimes (Part 2) 41:13

2M ago41:13

41:13

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

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DEEP DIVE: Ericka Sóuter on How to Have a Kid and a Life 36:26

2M ago36:26

36:26

Ericka Sóuter has over 20 years of journalism experience and is a regular contributor on Good Morning America and other national broadcast outlets. Ericka speaks to parents across the country about the issues, controversies, and trends most affecting families today. She's also the author of ⁠How to Have a Kid and Life: a Survival Guide.⁠ In this ep…

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Fresh Take: Allison Daminger, WHAT'S ON HER MIND- The Mental Workload of Family Life 38:43

2M ago38:43

38:43

Amy and Margaret sit down with sociologist and author Allison Daminger to unpack the cognitive labor many of us fail to recognize in our families' daily lives— what's come to be known as the "mental load." In her new book WHAT'S ON HER MIND: The Mental Workload of Family Life, Allison unpacks her years of research to explain how cognitive labor—ant…

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Oops! My Kid Hates Me 44:48

2M ago44:48

44:48

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

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BEST OF: How Involved Should We Be With Our Kids' Schools? 46:57

2M ago46:57

46:57

How do we help our kids succeed in school without becoming the dreaded "snowplow" parents? Here are some parenting tips for advocating for your child at school when necessary, while also empowering our kids to navigate their own learning. Amy and Margaret discuss: How school environments have changed in the last few decades Best practices for helpi…

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BEST OF: What Kind of Monster? Family Vacation Edition 47:07

2M ago47:07

47:07

Toddler meltdowns, stroller mayhem, ear infections. Doesn't that sound so relaxing? In this listener-sourced episode, moms everywhere unleash frustration over the "monsters" who have made their vacations difficult - nay, impossible. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our cu…

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Radical Acceptance—What It Is, and How It Can Help Our Parenting 40:40

2M ago40:40

40:40

Amy and Margaret dive deep into the concept of radical acceptance—what it is, what it isn’t, and how it can transform your approach to parenting, relationships, and life’s toughest moments. From the wisdom of the Serenity Prayer to Buddhist teachings about the “second arrow,” the hosts unpack how accepting reality (without judgment or resistance) c…

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BEST OF: What Fresh Hell Is Back to School? 38:55

2M ago38:55

38:55

It's back-to-school season, and even if that means you have a few more hours to yourself each day, there are still plenty of fresh hells in store, from preseason sports to parent portals to an unholy invention called "ready confetti". Amy and Margaret share their own stories of times when back-to-school meant drive-me-mad. Here are links to some of…

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Fresh Take: Jyoti Chand, FITTING INDIAN 39:28

2M ago39:28

39:28

Margaret talks to author and mental health advocate Jyoti Chand (aka @mamajotes) about her debut graphic novel FITTING INDIAN. Jyoti shares how the novel integrates details from her own childhood, including the weight of cultural expectations in Indian families and the power of storytelling in healing generational trauma. Jyoti Chand is an author, …

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How to Make the Back-to-School Transition a Little Easier 40:37

2M ago40:37

40:37

Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be a chaotic scramble. In this episode, Margaret and Amy share practical tips to help parents make the transition smoother—without getting caught up in the “back-to-school industrial complex.” From resetting sleep schedules to planning meals and snacks, they break down what really matters for your child’s succe…

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DEEP DIVE: Kelly Corrigan on Letting Big Kids Go 43:04

3M ago43:04

43:04

What does it mean to parent grown children? How can we embrace those changing relationships? ⁠Kelly Corrigan⁠, host of ⁠"Kelly Corrigan Wonders"⁠, four-time New York Times bestselling author, and the host of PBS’ long-form interview show ⁠Tell Me More⁠, talks with Amy about the process of letting our big kids go. Kelly and Amy discuss: why the thin…

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Fresh Take: Mike de la Rocha, SACRED LESSONS 42:04

3M ago42:04

42:04

Margaret talks with visionary strategist, artist, and activist Mike de la Rocha, author of Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love. Together, they dive into masculinity, grief, intergenerational trauma, and how breaking cycles of emotional silence can transform families. Mike shares vulnerable insights into his father’s legacy, how ritual an…

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More Husband Crimes (Part One) 43:59

3M ago43:59

43:59

Margaret and Amy return to the courtroom of minor domestic infractions committed by the people we live with—our partners. Listeners shared their biggest household grievances—and the hosts delivered judgment. No offense is too petty when it comes to the everyday annoyances that drive us all a little bit bonkers. Margaret and Amy discuss: Thermostat …

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DEEP DIVE: Vanessa Kroll Bennett and Dr. Cara Natterson on Puberty 40:08

3M ago40:08

40:08

These days, early is normal for puberty onset—and early is REALLY early. That means kids whose brains might not match the way they look, and parents who are freaking out about how to bring these delicate matters up in conversation. Help is here! ⁠Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett⁠, co-hosts of ⁠The Puberty Podcast⁠ and co-authors of ⁠Thi…

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Fresh Take: Amy Larocca, HOW TO BE WELL 40:13

3M ago40:13

40:13

Margaret and Amy talk with award-winning journalist and author Amy Larocca, whose new book HOW TO BE WELL takes a deeply researched look at the trillion-dollar wellness industry. From supplements to concierge doctors to SoulCycle-as-religion, Larocca exposes how much of modern “self-care” is really about chasing youth, thinness, and unattainable pe…

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Why Kids Lie: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What to Do 48:27

3M ago48:27

48:27

Margaret and Amy discuss the surprisingly normal reasons kids lie—and why it’s not always a sign of bad behavior. From toddlers covered in cake who swear they didn’t eat it, to teens who “forget” to mention that party in the woods, we unpack how lying is often a developmental milestone, not a moral failure. We discuss: When kids first start lying—a…

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DEEP DIVE: Your Tween, Explained 46:06

3M ago46:06

46:06

When our kids reach a certain age—as young as eight, some experts say, and definitely well before thirteen— they suddenly don't think their parents are as great as they once did. Congratulations, you're officially the parent of a tween! This week we're talking about what tweens are going through emotionally and psychologically... and how we can giv…

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Fresh Take: Rebecca Bloom, WHEN WOMEN GET SICK 33:51

3M ago33:51

33:51

Amy talks with women's health advocate and author Rebecca Bloom about her new book When Women Get Sick: An Empowering Approach for Getting the Support You Need. Rebecca shares her personal and professional journey from caregiver to expert advocate, offering practical advice for navigating a complex healthcare system that often fails women. This con…

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Is It Normal to Feel Jealous of Other Moms? 43:32

3M ago43:32

43:32

Margaret and Amy explore the messy truths about jealousy—why moms feel it, how shame adds fuel to the fire, and what we can actually do about it. From parenting pressures to social comparisons, they discuss how jealousy is normal, but how we respond to feelings of envy can make all the difference. Margaret and Amy discuss: 😬 Why jealousy feels so s…

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DEEP DIVE: Best Advice for Dealing with Teenagers 42:58

3M ago42:58

42:58

How do we raise healthy, loving, polite, and appreciative teens? Is it humanly possible? From remaining "passively available" to taking our adolescents' seemingly trivial problems seriously, our listeners had great advice for bringing up teenagers. Amy and Margaret discuss: The blessing of nerd-dom How to keep your face in check when talking to you…

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Fresh Take: Shannon Watts, FIRED UP 40:38

3M ago40:38

40:38

Amy and Margaret sit down with Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, to discuss her transformative new book: Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age. Shannon shares the personal story behind her midlife awakening, how she built the largest grassroots movement to fight gun violence in America, and the life-cha…

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Fresh Take: Genevieve Kingston, DID I EVER TELL YOU? 30:08

3M ago30:08

30:08

A note from Margaret: My family was visiting Kerrville, TX when the flood occurred. Having seen the devastation to the Hill Country first hand, it is impossible to put into words the scope of the disaster. These losses are close to home for my family and I know they have touched so many of you as well. Please join us in donating to the relief effor…

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BEST OF: Kids with Big Imaginations 53:40

3M ago53:40

53:40

Is there such a thing as a too-imaginative kid? Parenting experts say no. Dr. Paul Harris, professor of education at Harvard and author of ⁠The Work of the Imagination⁠, says that kids’ active imaginations are “essentially positive” and represent cognitive work, the way that children make sense of the world. But if you’ve got a kid who prefers her …

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What to Say to Our Kids When Bad Things Happen 40:02

4M ago40:02

40:02

In light of the recent floods in Kerrville, Texas, Margaret and Amy discuss how we can talk to kids about scary, sad, or tragic events—especially when we don’t know what to say. Topics include: 🧠 How children process grief, tragedy, and fear at different ages 🛡️ The limits of “protecting” kids from the world—and when it's important 💬 Letting kids l…

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When One of Our Kids Takes Up All of Our Bandwidth 37:28

4M ago37:28

37:28

In this episode, Margaret and Amy tackle a commonplace parenting issue: when one child consumes the majority of your bandwidth—whether that's your time, your energy, or your attention. Some bandwidth-hogging situations are temporary, some are more this-is-how-it-is. Some are for positive reasons, some distinctly less so. Whatever the cause, when on…

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BEST OF: Dumb Things We Thought When We Were Kids 42:09

4M ago42:09

42:09

Amy thought The Love Boat was filmed in real time, at sea. Margaret's grandfather had all the kids convinced his dining room light switch controlled the Tappan Zee Bridge. We asked our listeners for all the silliest things they fully believed as children, and in this episode, we highlight all of the absolute dumbest. We got all of these answers fro…