Why Family Vacations Feel Like Work (and How to Enjoy Them Anyway)
2026/06/24 | 47 mins.
Why is it that our own vacations never look like the perfect, happy families on the posters enjoying their destination without a sunburn, meltdown, or lost bag in sight? Here's how to manage expectations while traveling with kids and enjoy your trip, whatever it ends up looking like!
We share stories of Disney overwhelm, international travel wins and disasters, airport anxiety, and the unexpected moments that end up becoming the best parts of a vacation.
Topics include:
How age and stage affect what kind of travel works best
Traveling with neurodivergent kids and accommodating different needs
Helping anxious kids prepare for flights and unfamiliar places
How to adjust plans when travel stress and meltdowns happen
The moments kids remember most (hint: often not what you planned)
Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
The Autism Community in Action blog: Traveling with Your Child with Autism
TSA Cares program
Bill Springer for Forbes Magazine: Kids Who Travel Do Better In School
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
DEEP DIVE: Traveling as a Family
2026/06/22 | 45 mins.
This Deep Dive series is all about tips to stay sane while traveling with family —immediate or extended, kids younger or older in tow, across the state or across the globe!
We asked our listeners what advice they have for harmonious family traveling. Here are our favorite tips they shared, plus a few of our own, from how early to get to the airport to hitting the top kid-friendly site in Paris!
Amy and Margaret discuss:
How to communicate effectively with your spouse before traveling
Useful packing tips - here's the carry-on bag Amy loves
Vacation scheduling advice
How to include kids in planning vacations
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
Fresh Take: Why Human Connection Matters in Medicine with Dr. Alan R. Cohen
2026/06/19 | 36 mins.
As technology improves medicine, and AI accelerates change, how do we maintain the human connection that must exist between doctor and patient?
Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Alan R. Cohen, author of the new book COMFORT ALWAYS, explains what he's learned in four decades of working with families in extremely intense situations, and how being a "humble physician" remains the most important part of his work.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why empathy is a skill worth intention and focus
The benefits and drawbacks of electronic medical records
Why parents' instincts remain a crucial part of their children's care
How to advocate for yourself with a disconnected provider
Why uncertainty is part of medicine—and part of life
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
Am I a Patient Mom? Or a Punching Bag?
2026/06/17 | 45 mins.
Moms hear it all the time: kids save their worst behavior for us because we're their safe space. Understood—but where’s the line between not taking every dig personally and becoming your kids' doormat?
When kids lash out—whether it’s a preschooler kicking in a Target checkout line, or a teenager declaring you’re the worst parent in the world—when are we supposed to absorb it, or rise above? And when do we need to set a boundary?
In this episode we discuss:
Why it's important for parents to allow small children to express negative emotion
Why adolescents hand parents their "emotional trash" (h/t Dr. Lisa Damour)
the role of "projection" in heightened emotions
how parenting an adolescent often means acting as a "wall" for kids to push off—and why that push can manifest as an insult or a slammed door
Strategies for responding without escalating conflict
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Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
Lisa Damour for the NYT: Parents of Teenagers, Stuck Taking Out the Emotional Trash
Jody Podl for Your Teen Mag: How Can Loving and Kind Parents Cope With Their Mean Teenagers?
Jessica Gudmundson et. al for Infant Behavior Development Journal: Links between mothers' coping styles, toddler reactivity, and sensitivity to toddler's negative emotions.
Sharon Selby, MA, blog: What Is Happening When A Child Projects Feelings On To You?
Sharon Selby, MA, blog: What Do Parents, A Swimming Pool and Child Development Have In Common?
East Bay Behavior Therapy Center Blog: Relationship saboteurs: It’s all your fault versus it’s all my fault
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
DEEP DIVE: Are Vacations Worth It?
2026/06/15 | 43 mins.
This Deep Dive series is all about tips to stay sane while traveling with family —immediate or extended, kids younger or older in tow, across the state or across the globe!
Why don't vacations feel like vacations for moms? Could it be all the prepping, packing, and traveling, with the additional pressure to make memories that will last a lifetime for our little ones?
Here's how to make vacations truly fun and relaxing for the whole family. In this episode we discuss
the wisdom of "taking turns being tired"
why "going with the flow" is not an additive stance to vacation preparation
why vacations get better as kids age
Here are some links to some writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode:
Marie Holmes for HuffPost: Behind Every Precious Vacation Memory Stands An Exhausted Mother
CafeMom: Moms Don't Get to 'Relax' on Family Vacations, For the Husbands Who Don't Get It
Colleen Lanin for Travel Mamas: Ain’t Nobody Happy if Mama Ain’t Happy – Tips for Happy Travel with Kids
The Onion: Mom Spends Beach Vacation Assuming All Household Duties In Closer Proximity To Ocean
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
About What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
About What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
About What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
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.com
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