{"podcast":{"title":"What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms","slug":"what-fresh-hell-laughing-in-the-face-of-motherhood-parenting-tips-from-funny-moms-853259","podcast_index_feed_id":853259,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/WFH1568989392","website_url":"https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/9fea9dc2-09d5-11e9-9ed5-83a605bddc55/image/062bd7012d95aeb7f1e32ca782c767d4.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood","episode_count":1043,"summary":"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 techni…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-20T12:18:32.951166+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-fresh-hell-laughing-in-the-face-of-motherhood-parenting-tips-from-funny-moms-853259"},"episode":{"title":"Is American Parenting the Problem? Or Is It Parenting *in* America?","slug":"is-american-parenting-the-problem-or-is-it-parenting-in-america","published_at":"2026-05-06T09:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-fresh-hell-laughing-in-the-face-of-motherhood-parenting-tips-from-funny-moms-853259/is-american-parenting-the-problem-or-is-it-parenting-in-america","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-fresh-hell-laughing-in-the-face-of-motherhood-parenting-tips-from-funny-moms-853259","url":"https://pdst.fm/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/JhoQDAATtO1l0y8tdKNa/traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL5680429219.mp3?updated=1777916387","audio_url":"https://pdst.fm/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/JhoQDAATtO1l0y8tdKNa/traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL5680429219.mp3?updated=1777916387","summary":"We're often told that the American style of parenting is inferior—that we're doing it all wrong compared to, say, a laissez-faire Parisian whose kids eat whatever is served. But is it our too intense/ too lax/ too snack-heavy parenting style that is making us (and our kids) so stressed? Or is it where we're doing that parenting? In this episode, we explore the forces shaping parenting in America today, and the ways in which other countries offer parents more support. From the pressure to “do it all” to the lack of community support, we examine how our American struggles may be rooted in American ideals. There's no doubt cultural expectations can shape our parenting decisions, leading to the \"intensive parenting\" that's so easy for others to criticize. But there's plenty about our circumstances as American parents that makes things harder. Our friend Janelle Hanchett (whose writing inspired this episode) was exactly right when she wrote: \"As much as we may in the US give lip-service to universal healthcare, parental leave, labor rights, and childcare subsidies as key tenets of good parenting, just below these assertions is the implication that if American parents simply tried harder, they would not be so stressed and they would parent better. The narrative bombards American parents relentlessly: Others do it better because they are culturally superior. They are not better people. They live in societies with better policies.\" Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Jannelle Hanchett on Substack: They aren't better parents because they're culturally superior Claire Cain Miller for the NYT: Today’s Parents: ‘Exhausted, Burned Out and Perpetually Behind’ Reddit/attachmentparenting: Thoughts on “Bringing Up Bébé” book? Kate Cray for The Atlantic: Pa…","meta_description":"We're often told that the American style of parenting is inferior—that we're doing it all wrong compared to, say, a laissez-faire Parisian whose kids eat…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2643,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/what-fresh-hell-laughing-in-the-face-of-motherhood-parenting-tips-from-funny-moms-853259/episodes/is-american-parenting-the-problem-or-is-it-parenting-in-america/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-fresh-hell-laughing-in-the-face-of-motherhood-parenting-tips-from-funny-moms-853259/is-american-parenting-the-problem-or-is-it-parenting-in-america.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}