What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms Podcast By Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson cover art

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms

What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny Moms

By: Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson
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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.comCopyright © 2016-2023 What Fresh Hell, LLC Parenting & Families Relationships
Episodes
  • Fresh Take: Sona Movsesian on Being the "World's Worst Mom"

    Fresh Take: Sona Movsesian on Being the "World's Worst Mom"
    Sep 11 2026
    What if being a comedian is kind of great for most things, but not so much for parenthood? We talk with Sona Movsesian, co-host of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend and author of the new book THE WORLD'S WORST MOM, about mom guilt, the mental load, and what becoming a mother taught her about her relationship with her own mom. We discuss: why Sona calls herself the “World's Worst Mom” the special fresh hell of twin boys how you see your mom differently as soon as you become one Here's where you can find Sona: @sonamov on IG Buy THE WORLD'S WORST MOM: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9798217046706 Listen to the "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" podcast Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/hell or use code HELL and get 70% off your first year! 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • Can We Make Youth Sports Fun Again?

    Can We Make Youth Sports Fun Again?
    Sep 9 2026
    Youth sports used to mean riding your bike to your friend's house to play Wiffle ball in the backyard, with a tree for second base. Eventually you'd head to the rec center, maybe join the school team. But those days are long gone. Kids' sports have become so involved, specialized, and expensive that fewer and fewer kids are even able to participate— and those who do play have to opt in to grueling practice schedules and travel teams that prioritize achievement and winning above many of the lessons sports are supposed to teach kids in the first place. Inspired by Caitlin Moscatello’s New York Magazine article “The Pay-to-Play Childhood,” we discuss how youth sports have shifted toward an increasingly expensive, competitive, and business-driven model, including: Why travel teams and sports specialization have become the norm The pressure parents feel to make their kids competitive at an early age How the wealth gap informs youth sports and elite athletic teams What parents and communities can do to make youth sports more accessible Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Written Testimony of Katherine Van Dyck Before the U.S. House Committee on Education for a Hearing on “Benched: The Crisis in American Youth Sports and Its Cost to Our Future” i9 Sports: Chances of Getting an Athletic Scholarship Stephen Borelli for USA Today: Congress addresses 'crisis' in youth sports. Can we fix it? Neglect of probability, defined Ryan Huettel for These Football Times: US Soccer and the re-imagining of an elitist culture Gabe Fernandez for SFGate: As youth sports costs soar, one Oakland neighborhood tries a creative solution Reset as a sports parent: 5 ways to get (or keep) kids active Our Fresh Take with Stuart Slavin on The Pressures Causing Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout in Our Kids What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/hell or use code HELL and get 70% off your first year! 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • DEEP DIVE: When Kids Fight You on Everything

    DEEP DIVE: When Kids Fight You on Everything
    Sep 7 2026
    This Deep Dive series is all about reducing the friction between ourselves and our kids when trying to communicate with them, whether it's yelling less, finding real reasons for constant defiance, or picking our battles. We've all had times when our kids resist every. single. thing. you tell them to do. When is it part of a larger problem, and even if it's not, how do we manage the exhausting defiance? Amy and Margaret discuss: How to keep track of a kid's defiance in order to figure out where it's coming from Gut-check questions to ask yourself to ascertain where ODD might be what's happening the "two free requests" approach Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Katherine Lee for VeryWell Family: ⁠Effective Ways to Handle Defiant Children⁠ Royce Flippin for Additude: ⁠Why Is My Child So Angry and Defiant? An Overview of Oppositional Defiant Disorder⁠ Dr. Douglas Riley: ⁠The Defiant Child: A Parent’s Guide to Oppositional Defiant Disorder⁠ Mount Sinai Parenting Center: ⁠Positive Opposites⁠ Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/hell or use code HELL and get 70% off your first year! 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/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
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Featured Article: The Best Podcasts for Moms on Parenting, Lifestyle, and Beyond


If you've been searching for a podcast that speaks to your particular experience of motherhood, these listens reflect a wide range of circumstances and identities. Featuring a beautiful diversity of mothers, families, and experiences of parenthood, these podcasts range in theme, including those hosted by and for single moms, queer moms, mothers dealing with loss, Black moms, working moms, homeschooling moms, and more.

Featured Article The Best Podcasts for Moms on Parenting Lifestyle and Beyond
All stars
Most relevant
the hosts are always super relatable and fun to listen too. Whether you have kids or work with kids, no matter the age, there is something to takeway from ever episode. Great content!

highly relatable

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I am so glad I stumbled on this podcast a year or so ago. It addresses real parenting issues in a non-judgmental and entertaining way. There is also a Facebook community with lots of moms interacting with great support and positivity. 100% recommend this podcast.

Great, REAL LIFE podcast for parents

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I LOVE What Fresh Hell. Amy and Margaret have the perfect blend of parenting advice and humor. Love their research, their interviews & their enthusiasm. I am definitely a Fresh Hellion!

Simply The Best!

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Such great topics, feels like I’m sitting with friends. They leave me feeling validated as a mom. Thank you Amy and Margaret! Keep up the great work!

Love these women

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If you need to support as you navigate parenthood but also want a good laugh about said parenthood, please listen to What the Fresh! It is informative and fantastic. Always relevant and always informative.

Real and funny

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