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

We want our kids to feel validated and heard. We also don't want to engage in five-hour negotiations every time they have to do something they don't want to do. Where's the happy middle?

Child development specialist Dr. Siggie Cohen, author of YOU ARE THE PARENT, explains how parents can create a balanced approach. Dr. Cohen explains why well-intentioned parents can end up overexplaining, over-fixing, over-advising, and trying too hard to prevent their children from experiencing difficult emotions.

Dr. Cohen and Margaret discuss:

The difference between validating emotions and accommodating behavior

Why children need to learn both emotional awareness and the ability to function even when they don't feel like doing something

How parents can respond when kids are overwhelmed and why stopping inappropriate behavior doesn't mean stopping the emotion behind it

Why happiness shouldn't be the ultimate goal for children

How to make true, authentic repair after parenting mistakes

Here's where you can find Dr. Cohen:

https://drsiggie.com

@dr.siggie on IG, FB, and YouTube

@parenting.with.dr.siggie on TikTok

Free resources on her website, including her newsletter signup

Buy YOU ARE THE PARENT: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780063448643

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 Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson.
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Which kid behaviors need to be addressed in the moment—and which are better ignored? We discuss when to fix behavior and when to let it go, from whining and backtalk to tantrums and other attention-seeking behavior.

Topics include:

How to reduce power struggles while still establishing clear rules and boundaries

Why target behaviors should be specific and observable

How to set expectations before challenging behavior happens

Practical strategies for handling difficult behavior in public

Knowing when a child's behavior is really a signal of an unmet need

This episode includes advice from the Child Mind Institute's Complete Guide to Managing Behavior Problems.

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 Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

What do we do when one of our kid's moods is affecting everyone else in the house? Whether it's anxiety, frustration, rigidity, or plain old temper tantrums, understanding where it's coming from is the first step. But even when we don't allow emotions to be an excuse poor behavior, that misbehavior can happen anyhow—and walking on eggshells is no way to teach the dysregulated person better emotional skills.

In this episode, we discuss:

the sometimes hidden needs of the other kids in the house

why "fair" is not the same thing as "equal"

the single most important factor for positive family well-being

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

Our episode ⁠"When One of Our Kids Is Taking All Our Bandwidth"⁠

Nicole Schwarz for ⁠imperfectfamilies.com⁠: ⁠When The Siblings of a Difficult Child Feel Ignored⁠

Leigh Anderson for Lifehacker: ⁠What to Do If Your Child's Behavior Is Ruining Your Relationship With Your Partner⁠

Pamela Li for Parenting for Bain: ⁠Emotional Regulation in Children | A Complete Guide⁠

Jane Indergaard for ADHD Newsstand: ⁠It's Never About Me: The Hidden Needs of Siblings⁠

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

How much of your time is actually going toward what matters most to you? Career expert and author Fran Hauser joins us to talk about her new book, 20 MINUTES IS THE NEW HOUR, and how women can rethink their relationship with time.

We discuss:

The “four Ps” that can quietly consume our time: perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and padding

Applying these ideas to family life

How a “to-don't” list can help you get your priorities in order

The difference between chronos (clock and calendar time) and kairos (the quality and experience of time)

Here's where you can find Fran:

https://franhauser.com

@fran_hauser on IG and Threads

Buy 20 MINUTES IS THE NEW HOUR from Bedford Books: https://www.bedfordbooks.shop/store/p/20minutes

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 Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We want our kids to grow and stretch their wings, but that doesn't mean every milestone is easy for parents. We talk about the complicated emotions that come with parenting transitions, from starting school to getting a driver's license to moving into a first apartment.

We discuss:

Why a child's growing independence can bring sadness, anxiety, nostalgia, and even a loss of identity for parents

The "second arrow of suffering," aka beating yourself up for having perfectly normal feelings about your kids' milestones

How to talk about your emotions without making your child responsible for them

Practical ways to navigate difficult transitions during parenting

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

CDC: Tips for Encouraging Independence

Collischon, Matthias, et. al for the Advances in Life Course research Journal: Parental well-being when children move out: A panel study on short- and long-term effects

American Psychological Association: Parents and caregivers are essential to children’s healthy development

Hartanto, Andree, et. al for the Communications Psychology Journal:
Cultural contexts differentially shape parents’ loneliness and wellbeing during the empty nest period

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 Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices