• 40 minutes 25 seconds
    BEST OF: How to Make the Back-to-School Transition a Little Easier

    Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be a chaotic scramble. In this "Best of" 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, here's what really matters for your child’s success and well-being this fall. You’ll hear strategies for easing morning stress, tackling "after-school restraint collapse,” and checking in on your family’s values to make sure those priorities are aligning with your new school-year schedule.

    Margaret and Amy discuss:

    • How much sleep kids really need—and how to help them get it
    • Meal and snack strategies to keep your kid energized
    • Using visual schedules to stay organized

    Share this episode with a fellow parent who's overwhelmed with all things back-to-school!


    Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:


    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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/

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    4 September 2026, 5:30 am
  • 42 minutes 10 seconds
    Overfunctioning

    Overfunctioning is usually defined as taking on excess responsibility for other people’s feelings, issues, and tasks. And it's usually presumed to be tied to anxiety. IF someone's overfunctioning, it's either a symptom of or cause of the panic assumed to be lying just underneath.

    But are we "overfunctioning" when we're doing our absolutely regular amount of way-too-much as a parent? Does anxiety have to have anything to do with it?

    In this episode, we're talking about

    • the stress that comes with being the backstop
    • how to sense overfunctioning in ourselves as a potential barometer of anxiety
    • the MoSCoW method (Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, Won't Have) as a business-world framework that can help all of us discern what absolutely has to happen in a given "timebox"... and what might be able to wait

    Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:


    And in response to this week's mailbag, here are a few of our past episodes specifically relevant to single / solo parenting:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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/ Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to ⁠https://heypolo.com/hell⁠ or use code HELL and get 40% off your first year!

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    2 September 2026, 5:30 am
  • 33 minutes 9 seconds
    DEEP DIVE: Jennifer Wallace on Achievement Pressure

    This "Deep Dive" series revisits a few of our past episodes on back-to-school challenges such as the morning rush, school projects which require lots of parental oversight, and how to help our kids navigate intensifying academic pressure.

    Two recent national studies underlined that there's a surprising group of children at risk for worse mental health outcomes: kids who go to high-achieving schools. How do we protect our kids from the pressures all around them to succeed at any cost? ⁠Jennifer Wallace⁠, author of the book ⁠Never Enough⁠, shows us how to teach our kids that they matter intrinsically.

    Jennifer Wallace is an award-winning journalist and a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. She lives in New York City with her husband and their three teenagers.

    Amy, Margaret, and Jennifer discuss:

    • Why achievement pressure is at an all-time high
    • How parents contribute to, but are not solely responsible for, this pressure
    • How to teach our kids that they matter independently of their achievements

    Here's where you can find Jennifer:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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/

    Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/hell or use code HELL and get 40% off your first year!

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    31 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 39 minutes 13 seconds
    Fresh Take: Dr. Stuart Slavin on The Pressures Causing Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout in Our Kids

    What if the proven decline in the mental health of today's adolescents isn't just about phones and screen time? What if academic pressure and "achievement culture" is the real driver of the increase in anxiety and depression today's teens are experiencing?

    Dr. Stuart Slavin, pediatrician and author of THE SUCCESS TRAP, explains just how widespread academic pressure and "achievement culture" in the United States has become— not just in fancy schools on the coasts, and not just in high school, either.

    Amy and Dr. Slavin discuss:

    • the average teen's default state of sleep deprivation, caused by hours of homework per night (work that may not even do much to change outcomes)
    • the top stressors today's teens report—and why "peer pressure" doesn't even make the top ten
    • how smartphones feed maladaptive perfectionism and achievement culture
    • how schools that reduce demands on kids are also seeing improved test scores and academic performance
    • how parents can create "low-pressure zones" at home
    • how to advocate for healthier expectations at your kids' schools—and why you shouldn't fight that battle on your own


    Here's where you can find Dr. Slavin:


    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    28 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 42 minutes 56 seconds
    How Much Should We Share With Our Kids?

    When is it useful for our kids to hear about our own life experiences—including situations caused by our own bad decision-making?

    When does it become oversharing, or get too personal or inappropriate?

    We discuss how to know how much to tell our kids, and how to have useful difficult conversations, including:

    • our own past choices around drinking, drugs, and sexual activity
    • the family secrets that may be part of our history
    • traumatic and difficult experiences: how do you get across what's important without giving a child information too heavy for them to hold?
    • divorce and family conflict: how not to recruit kids into taking sides of adult disagreements
    • serious illness of a parent, grandparent, or another loved one Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    26 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 33 minutes 46 seconds
    DEEP DIVE: Linda Flanagan on Taking Back Kids' Sports

    This "Deep Dive" series revisits a few of our past episodes on back-to-school challenges such as the morning rush, school projects which require lots of parental oversight, and how to help our kids navigate intensifying academic pressure.

    Linda Flanagan is a journalist, researcher, and a former cross-country and track coach. She's also a founding board member of the Positive Coaching Alliance and an Advisory Group member for the Aspen Institute’s Reimagining Sports initiative. Flanagan's book is ⁠TAKE BACK THE GAME: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports--and Why It Matters⁠. Linda tells Amy and Margaret what forces conspired to make the youth sports landscape the way it is today.

    In this episode, Linda, Amy, and Margaret discuss:

    • How the purpose of kids' sports has changed since we were playing ourselves [7:00]
    • Why we assume sports build character, and whether that's true [14:30]
    • How recruitment for college sports affects both kids' and parents' perspectives [22:15]

    Here's where you can find Linda:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    24 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 35 minutes 37 seconds
    Fresh Take: Dr. Lucy McBride on Advocating for Yourself at the Doctor's Office

    What does it really mean to become an active participant in the care of your own health? In this episode, Margaret talks with primary care physician Dr. Lucy McBride about her new book, Beyond the Prescription: A Doctor’s Guide to Taking Charge of Your Health. They discuss how to become a more self-aware and empowered patient, as well as:

    • The difference between medicine and "wellness"
    • Why data is less useful without full context
    • How stress and grief can affect physical health
    • The four parts of whole-person health: informatics, inputs, infrastructure, and insight
    • Why health decisions involve trade-offs
    • The importance of understanding your own “patient personality”
    • How to ask better questions at medical appointments
    • How to make shared decision-making part of your healthcare
    • Why quality of life matters alongside longevity


    Here's where you can find Dr. McBride:


    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    21 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 42 minutes 43 seconds
    Outsourcing the Workload: How to Hand Stuff Over

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    Feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done? If you're the person who keeps track of the appointments, school forms, groceries, household repairs, gifts, kids' activities, and all the little things that seem to live permanently in your head, you may not need to get better at managing your workload—you may need to outsource some of it.

    We tackle a listener question about how to outsource the household workload without having pockets deep enough for full-time help. We talk about why outsourcing can actually feel like more work at first, how to decide what to hand over, and how to get other people to truly take responsibility instead of simply giving you another task to manage.

    Here are some topics we discuss:

    • Why the mental load is usually a systems problem

    • Glass balls vs rubber balls, and how to tell the difference

    • Why part-time help is a great way to outsource

    • why making your own life easier is a legitimate use of your resources

    Here are links to some of the resources discussed in the episode:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    19 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 42 minutes 25 seconds
    DEEP DIVE: Are Our Kids Overscheduled?

    This "Deep Dive" series revisits a few of our past episodes on back-to-school challenges such as the morning rush, school projects which require lots of parental oversight, and how to help our kids navigate intensifying academic pressure.

    So many of us spend hours chauffeuring our kids back and forth to their myriad activities. Why are kids so overloaded with activities these days, and can we get off of this ride? Here are some parenting strategies for navigating this issue.

    Amy and Margaret discuss:

    • Why kids are so overscheduled these days
    • How overscheduling really affects kids, beyond the mom guilt-inducing headlines
    • What questions to ask when assessing if our kids are overscheduled

    Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    17 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 33 minutes 23 seconds
    Fresh Take: Dr. Özgür Bolat on the Real Science of Motivating Kids

    We think of rewarding kids as a surefire way to get the behavior we want. But what if rewards mainly serve to underline our children's intrinsic drive to succeed? Dr. Özgür Bolat, education scientist and author of The Reward Trap: Why Rewards Backfire and the Real Science for Motivating Kids, explains why rewarding kids may actually undermine their motivation in the long run.

    As Dr. Bolat explains, there's a difference between motivation and compliance. Rewards can get children to do something, but they don't necessarily create the ownership, engagement, or intrinsic motivation parents actually want.

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • How rewards can change the way children view an activity
    • Hedonic adaptation and why rewards often need to get bigger to have the same effect
    • The connection between rewards, praise, and controlling parenting
    • How autonomy-enhancing parenting differs from control
    • Why family chores can help children develop a sense of responsibility and prosocial values
    • Mastery orientation vs. performance orientation, and how each affects children's anxiety and motivation
    • Why focusing too heavily on grades, competition, and achievement can create performance anxiety
    • How parents can encourage curiosity and help kids find motivation even in subjects they don't initially enjoy
    • The role of flow in learning and why children become deeply engaged when a task matches their skill level
    • Why differentiated learning matters—and what happens when work is too easy or too difficult
    • How rewards and competition in school can contribute to learned helplessness
    • Why understanding big concepts can actually help children remember facts and information
    • Dr. Bolat's PEACE model for building connection with children
    • How getting curious about the reason behind a child's behavior can reveal what they actually need
    • Why a homework problem may be a symptom of a much bigger issue around fear, judgment, or connection

    Here's where you can find Dr. Bolat:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    14 August 2026, 5:30 am
  • 43 minutes
    Helping Our Kids Feel Seen

    What happens when one child’s needs take up most of a family’s attention? Even when parents are doing their best, it can be easy for another child to quietly become the “easy” one—the independent kid, the high achiever, the people-pleaser who never seems to need anything.

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • What the term glass child means and why some children can become overlooked
    • How hyperindependence can be both a strength and a sign that a child doesn't feel comfortable asking for help
    • Why people-pleasing isn't inherently a bad quality—and when it can become a problem
    • How being the “easy,” responsible, or high-achieving child can lead to perfectionism
    • Why some kids learn to hide anger, sadness, resentment, or other difficult emotions
    • The importance of making space for children to express complicated feelings without judgment
    • How small-T trauma and difficult family dynamics can affect kids even when their experiences don't seem “bad enough” compared with someone else's
    • Why children may act out or seek negative attention when they're feeling overlooked
    • How parents can use short, intentional moments of one-on-one connection to help every child feel seen
    • The idea behind the 7-minute rule: finding small windows of distraction-free connection throughout the day
    • How connection can look different at different ages, from play and cuddling with young children to mentorship and open communication with teens
    • Why you don't need to perfectly balance your attention every single day to make your kids feel loved and supported

    Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

    What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

    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

    12 August 2026, 9:30 am
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