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

• What to Say to Our Kids When Bad Things Happen

  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 lead the conversation and avoiding over-explaining 😢 Why it’s okay for kids to see you upset—and how to model healthy emotion regulation 🎭 Understanding kids’ “weird” responses to trauma (jokes, play, denial) as coping 📺 The unintended impact of news media exposure on young children Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Free and confidential support is offered through resources like the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746), which connects you to trained counselors 24/7. Here's Margaret's preferred donation site for Kerrville: https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201 Zachary Suri for the Texas Standard: "How to talk to your kids about the Hill Country floods" Lee Ann Rawlins Williams for The Conversation: "When disasters fall out of the public eye, survivors continue to suffer – a rehabilitation professional explains how sustained mental health support is critical to recovery" Danielle S. McLaughlin for the Huffington Post: “Having Difficult Conversations with Kids”  PBS NOVA: What Next: Talking to children and finding a path to healing after the Newtown shooting tragedy. The poem "Good Bones" by Maggie Smith Our Fresh Take with Margaret's sister-in-law Christina Martin on How Children Learn Through Play 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, Kerrville, Kerrville flooding, Texas flooding, tragedy, news, Texas Hill Country Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• When One of Our Kids Takes Up All of Our Bandwidth

  A note from Margaret: My family was visiting Kerrville, TX when the flood occurred. She 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 efforts by using the following trusted link: https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201 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 one kid takes up all your parenting bandwidth, it's hard for the rest of the family not to be affected as well. In this conversation, we explore: The many ways our bandwidth can feel inconsistently applied Strategies for recalibrating the family ecosystem Why awareness, honesty, and small course corrections matter Whether you’re navigating chronic illness, disruptive behavior, or the demands of elite youth sports, this episode is here to help you name it, understand it, and—most importantly—not feel alone. And don't forget to buy HAPPY TO HELP if you haven't yet! Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Leigh Anderson for Lifehacker: What to Do If Your Child's Behavior Is Ruining Your Relationship With Your Partner Antoinette Deavin, Pete Greasley, Clare Dixon for Pediatrics: Children’s Perspectives on Living With a Sibling With a Chronic Illness Dean E. Murphy for NYT: Watching Them Watching Me Lisa Rapaport for Reuters: Healthy kids with sick sibling may hide emotions Nicole Schwarz for imperfectfamilies.com: It’s not fair, and that’s ok. Supporting your children when a sibling is struggling. Andrew Sullivan for NYT: How Do You Raise a Prodigy? Parent Child Interaction Therapy (this is what Margaret talked about) 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, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• BEST OF: Dumb Things We Thought When We Were Kids

  ⁠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 efforts by using the following trusted link: ⁠https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201⁠ 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 from our Facebook group! You can join in on the fun here: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatfreshhellcast⁠ 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, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Fresh Take: Danielle Bettmann on Positive Discipline

  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 efforts by using the following trusted link: ⁠https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201⁠ Amy and Margaret talk with parenting coach Danielle Bettmann, host of the Failing Motherhood podcast. Danielle specializes in helping parents of strong-willed and neurodivergent kids implement positive discipline—a proven, research-based approach that’s both kind and firm. Danielle breaks down: What “positive discipline” really means (and what it’s not) Why traditional approaches like time-outs, yelling, and sticker charts backfire with sensitive or strong-willed children How to mirror your child’s emotions and validate without giving in How to co-parent with consistency, even when you and your partner are on different pages What boundary-seeking behavior tells us—and how to set limits that make kids feel safe How to respond when relatives say “Back in my day…” If your kid seems to only melt down for you, if you’re Googling parenting solutions at 3 a.m., or if you’ve tried everything and nothing’s working—this episode will give you practical strategies and a whole lot of validation. Learn how to avoid becoming your kid’s emotional punching bag, why saying “and” is more effective than “but,” and how to intentionally indulge without reinforcing bad behavior. Here's where you can find Danielle: www.parentingwholeheartedly.com @parent_wholeheartedly on IG @thatparentcoach on Tiktok Listen to "Failing Motherhood" here: https://www.parentingwholeheartedly.com/podcast 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, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• 5 Conversations to Have with Your Kids This Summer

  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 efforts by using the following trusted link: https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201 In this episode, we break down five essential conversations parents should be having with their kids this summer. From online safety and media limits to emotional health and growth mindset, Amy and Margaret offer practical ways to open meaningful dialogue with your kids—without cornering them for awkward lectures. You'll learn how to talk about: 📱 Digital Life & Safety: Scam-proofing kids, screen time sanity, and talking tech boundaries. 🧠 Emotions & Mental Health: Helping kids name emotions, normalize asking for help, and express what they're feeling. 🚫 Respect, Consent & Boundaries: From the sandbox to social situations, how to model and enforce personal boundaries. 🌎 Kindness & Inclusion: Embracing diversity, talking openly about difference, and reinforcing family values. 💪 Growth Mindset & Resilience: Teaching kids how to face challenges, recover from failure, and develop a sense of possibility. Here are the themed playlists we've curated for each of these topics: Talking to Your Kids About Media and Technology Talking to Your Kids About Growing as a Person Talking to Your Kids About Kindness and Inclusion Talking to Your Kids About Emotions and Mental Health Talking to Your Kids About Respect, Consent, and Boundaries Here is Angela Duckworth's advice to the graduates of Bates College about phone usage. Here is an example of the pre-recorded conversations Amy mentioned that kids can use during ride shares. 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, inclusive, inclusivity , transgender, trans kids, transgender kids, support for trans kids, trans rights, queer kids, respect, consent, teaching kids consent, digital safety, online safety, media literacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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