get tickets for our live shows!
What Fresh Hell

episodes

May 3, 2023

Hear Us Out

A boutique where everything on the rack is exactly your size and is guaranteed to fit correctly and look good on you? An ATM app? Third-day hair shampoo? We asked our listeners what would be AMAZING if it were just …

Episode page
May 1, 2023

Ask Margaret: My Playroom Is a Disaster

How do we keep endless plastic junk from flowing into our house and gumming up the works? Margaret helps a frustrated listener with some tips for those who are swimming up to their necks in plastic toys.

Episode page
April 28, 2023

Fresh Take: Sara Petersen on Mommy Influencer Culture

Why do we get sucked into endless golden hour photos of mothers and their beatific children in pumpkin patches on Instagram? Sara Petersen, author of "Momfluenced," explains what it is about these so-called "perfect mothers" that holds us captive.

Episode page
April 26, 2023

Body Image: How It Affects Us (and Our Kids)

What do we do when we see our kids disparaging their bodies, especially when we're struggling with our own body images? As Margaret says, "this can't be fixed," but there are definitely things we can try.

Episode page
April 24, 2023

Ask Amy: My Kid Is Not Great at Apologizing

Kids sometimes view saying “sorry” as a get-out-of-jail-free card. I said the magic word, Mom, why are you still mad? But sorry is only the first step in a proper apology.

Episode page
April 21, 2023

Fresh Take: Dr. Tish Taylor on Fostering Connection with Our Kids

What do we do when it seems like every interaction with our kids is negative? Dr. Tish Taylor, author of "Fostering Connection," explains some strategies for building connection into our relationships with our kids in an authentic way.

Episode page
April 19, 2023

Best of: When Is This Going to Be Fun Again?

There really are ways to make our lives as parents more fun and lighthearted, even on a regular Tuesday. Memories aren’t only made at Disney. But it’s okay not to love every moment. Getting rid of the shame around that …

Episode page
April 17, 2023

Ask Margaret: My Kid Is Obsessed with Getting "Stuff"

What do we do when our kids seem more preoccupied with the next gift, toy, or game than the ones they already own? Here's how to contain kids' material obsessions.

Episode page
April 14, 2023

Fresh Take: Dr. Lynn Koegel on the Hidden Brilliance of Autism

What if we focused on the strengths of kids with autism rather than getting caught up in their perceived shortcomings or differing needs? Dr. Lynn Koegel, author of HIDDEN BRILLIANCE, discusses how to go about it.

Episode page
April 12, 2023

Your Tween, Explained

The word “tween” was popularized by marketers, who sold preteens stuff by treating them like they’re a lot older than they are. Which might explain why your kid is full of sass all of a sudden. But tweens’ brains really …

Episode page
April 10, 2023

Ask Amy: How Can I Support My Friend Struggling with Infertility?

How do we best support our friends dealing with infertility? Pretending we aren't aware that they might be sad isn't usually the best approach.

Episode page
April 7, 2023

APRIL BONUS TEASER! Our Humble Showbiz Beginnings

Wig mishaps? Check. Booed off the stage? Check. Trapped in a conference room at an audition for eight hours? Check. In this month's bonus episode, Amy and Margaret regale us with tales of their truly humble early years in show …

Episode page
April 7, 2023

Best Of: Yael Schonbrun on "Work, Parent, Thrive"

Do you feel guilty that you're not at work when you're parenting and not parenting when you're at work? Dr. Yael Schonbrun, author of the new book WORK, PARENT, THRIVE, tells us how we can view work and family as …

Episode page
April 5, 2023

Please Never Say These Things Again

What are the things you would sincerely ask the entire world never to say again? From "it is what it is" to "these unprecedented times," our listeners had answers.

Episode page
April 3, 2023

Ask Margaret: Help! My Boys Won't Stop Roughhousing

Do you feel like you're constantly playing referee for your kids' endless physical play? Margaret explains that less interference is actually more when it comes to (safe) roughhousing amongst our own kids.

Episode page
March 31, 2023

Fresh Take: Mara Glatzel on Being "Needy"

What if someone told you that as a parent your own needs matter MORE, not less? That's what Mara Glatzel argues in her new book "NEEDY: How to Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty."

Episode page
March 29, 2023

Do We Rush Kids Too Much?

At every age and stage, what we ask of our kids is often well beyond what should reasonably be expected of them. Sometimes challenge leads to growth; other times it leads to stress and overwhelm, and not just for our …

Episode page
March 27, 2023

Ask Amy: My Kid Cries Over Everything

When a kid cries over every bump and scrape, are parents supposed to ignore it? Tough-love them out of it? Or consider whether their child must just be more sensitive?

Episode page
March 24, 2023

Fresh Take: Beth Leipholtz on Teaching Inclusion

As the hearing mother of a deaf child, Beth Leipholtz is raising her son in both hearing and Deaf cultures. She tells us about her work as an inclusion and accessibility advocate and about her new children’s book, THE ABCs …

Episode page
March 22, 2023

Even More Minor But Life-Changing Tips

We received so many minor life-changing tips, we're back with part two! From fixing the tomato stains on Tupperware to strategically placed toothpaste, here are more tiny tips to make life a ton easier.

Episode page
March 20, 2023

Ask Margaret: My Kid Keeps Running Away!

Preschoolers love to run. It helps them flex their newfound independence and gives them an exhilarating feeling of freedom. But this behavior can be frustrating – and frightening– for parents. So how do we get our kids to stop taking …

Episode page
March 17, 2023

Fresh Take: Katherine May on "Enchantment"

How do we find deep meaning in today's world amidst the bad news all around us? Katherine May, author of "Enchantment: Awakening Our Wonder in an Anxious Age," tells us how she gained new perspective and mental energy by rediscovering …

Episode page
March 15, 2023

It's Not "Nagging"

When women ask repeatedly for something to be done– because it wasn’t done the last time they asked– they’re often rewarded by being told they’re “nagging.” How do we push back on the sexism of this word? And are there …

Episode page
March 13, 2023

Ask Amy: We Have a Newborn - and Houseguests

What happens when the "help" from family right after a baby is born means constant houseguests (and more work?) Here's how to ask for the postpartum help you actually need.

Episode page