The Mom Hour

From feeling like time (or money) is running out to second-guessing gift choices and blaming ourselves for our kids’ behavior, there’s no shortage of ways for moms to feel crummy during the holidays. Even when everything miraculously gets done, you might wonder where the heck’s the magic or feel guilty wondering if you slowed down enough to actually enjoy it (and honestly, would it even be the hol...

When it comes to parenting–and how we generally live our lives–actions speak louder than words. Our behaviors, priorities, emotions, and reactions are all things we’re modeling for our kids. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah try to see themselves through their kids’ eyes, reflecting on the qualities we feel good about and the ones we’re trying to be more conscious of. We talk about how we can’t co...

As 2021 winds down, we’re looking at the habits we picked up – intentionally or accidentally – in the past year. Some habits we stuck with and feel great about; some didn’t serve us as much as we thought they might. We celebrate some areas where we totally nailed it this year and get real about the not-so-healthy habits that crept in, too. From self-care and big improvements, to tech use and baby...

Over the years, we’ve developed a bit of a reputation for hating fun, but really we just want to give all moms permission to have actual opinions about what’s fun, what isn’t, and how they like to make memories with their kids. If you’re like us, cooking, crafting, outdoor activities, and Mommy-and-Me classes might strike you as are  occasionally  fun, never-ever fun, or not fun YET. In...

Matchy Christmas china, snuggly slippers, nice leather bags, and incredible concerts . . . these are a few of our favorite things! What makes a great gift AND how do you increase your odds of actually getting it? Today’s More Than Mom is all about the most memorable gifts of our Christmases Past–plus what’s on our wish lists (and shopping lists!) this year. We talk about gifts from childhood, expe...

One of the most common questions we’re asked is how to get kids ready for a new sibling. In today’s Voices episode, Meagan chats with a seasoned mom from our Contributor team about how she’s doing just that! Kia is a former postpartum nurse and about to give birth to Baby #4. With kids ages 12, 4, and 1, she’s being super thoughtful about tailoring her approach for each child and stage. Find out h...

There’s no shortage of IDEAS for making meaningful holidays with kids, but the reality is that time, money, and mama-energy are limited resources. If you’ve ever been curious about how REAL families do Christmas, join Meagan and Sarah as we sit down with two moms from our Contributor team for behind-the-scenes peeks at their holiday magic making, Advent traditions, and gift giving plans. Sarah cha...

From sharing toys to allowing screens, sleepovers to sibling dynamics, setting some expectations for playdates helps control the chaos (and the tears!). This latest episode in our “House Rules” series is a fascinating peek into how our listeners handle having kids over to play AND sending their kids to friends’ houses. Meagan reminds us there’s only so much moms can control–especially as kids get...

Who gets to claim the identity of Writer? In our humble opinions, there’s way more to it than whether your work is published or not. Meagan and Sarah have had writing careers that have run the gamut, including dealing with hangups, vulnerability, and rejection. Today’s More Than Mom episode paints a picture of our early writing days, touches on our current writing habits(spoiler alert: You’re prob...

Meal planning is one thing, but how do you build your recipe collection in the first place? And where do you go when you’re looking to make a change, such as trying a new technique, or cooking an unfamiliar food for the first time? In this special episode of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah talk about both the challenges of feeding a family healthfully, as well as the sources of inspiration we look...

From the etiquette to expectations, gatherings are a two-way relationship between the hosts and the guests. In this flip side of last week’s episode on hosting, Meagan and Sarah are talking about our favorite types of get-togethers, the ways we try to be “good guests,” and our strategies for surviving social events (including the ones that feel high-stakes) with little ones. We point out how thoug...

Hosting a gathering can feel like a huge burden, a creative outlet, a ton of fun, and everything in between. In our unofficial kickoff to the 2021 holiday season, Meagan and Sarah are here to look at how we host, how we don’t, and how opening our homes has changed over the years. We remind you – and ourselves – that there are many ways to be a gracious host and that nobody nails it in every catego...

City Mouse…Country Mouse…do we really have to choose? Not in our fantasy lives! Meagan and Sarah have both done stints as city dwellers and have some experience with rural life, but we’ve spent most of our kid-rearing years in suburbs or small towns. Today’s More Than Mom episode is a total indulgence in the fantasies of city living and country life – at their most extremes. We talk about how we’d...

From toddler tantrums to big kid anxiety, parents feel so much pressure to tackle these challenges in the right way. Are we expecting too much from our kids . . . and ourselves? In our latest Voices interview episode, Sarah has a conversation with Meghan Leahy, parenting expert and author of a new book,  Parenting Outside the Lines.  In her signature honest and humorous tone, Meghan shar...

From taking a detailed phone message and sticking to a meeting plan to utilizing physical resources like paper maps, bus schedules, TV guides, and phone books, there are so many life skills children of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s were just expected to know. In today’s episode of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah chat about these once-essential abilities our kids lack simply because the world has changed...

Aspirational meal plans are ubiquitous, but drilling down to what families ACTUALLY eat in a given week is a lot harder to find. For that reason, we–and our listeners–love our ongoing series of “what really went down” at mealtime. Meagan and Sarah are sharing what we actually prepared and ate for dinner the week of October 4th, 2021. We also have fun bringing in seven of our contributors to share...

We’ve talked about fashion on the podcast before, but personal style is one of those things that’s always evolving. With today’s trends, cuts, colors, and various ways of shopping, there’s a fine balance between dressing up-to-date AND feeling like ourselves. In today’s More Than Mom episode, Sarah and Meagan chat about the state of our current wardrobes, the challenge of putting on “public-facing...

When do you decorate for Halloween or carve pumpkins? What costumes are allowed? And exactly how much candy do kids get to eat? As we’ve said before: You get to decide! And once you do, it cuts down on SO many battles and questions. In our latest “House Rules” episode, we’re sharing our listeners’ best arbitrary rules for trick-or-treating, choosing (and trying on) costumes, and more! Meagan and S...

What do you do when your toddler has separation anxiety and being apart feels somewhat optional? A mom of a baby and a precocious toddler is looking for tools to help with emotional drop-offs at the church nursery. A mom with four young kids is desperate for a date night and looking for outside-the-box childcare solutions. Another mom whose age doesn't match up with her friends' wants help navigat...

A listener is curious about Meagan and Sarah’s Zodiac signs; she also wants to know if we could add any frivolous feature to our homes, what would it be? (Meagan recommends a llama to complement Sarah’s dreamy detail.) A longtime listener asks if we’ve had any show topics that didn’t make the cut. An aspiring blogger asks for writing tips. And finally, a new homeowner is looking for advice on land...

When you’re going through A Thing, what kind of help feels most… helpful ? Is it practical stuff, like a delivered meal? Is it emotional support, or humor and distraction? And does the way you feel most supported influence the way you step up for your own friends? Meagan and Sarah tackle these questions and more in Episode 333, all about the ways we give and receive support during hard seasons of...

From travel sports teams to competitive dance, elite kids’ activities and their impact on family life often get a bad rap. In this month’s Voices interview episode Meagan chats with Kelly Rippon, author of  Parent Up: Inspire Your Child To Be Their Best Self  and mother of former US champion figure skater Adam Rippon. Kelly shares a much more encouraging side of being an “opportunity cre...

From hand washing to changing undies, bath time to brushing teeth, staying on top of your kids’ hygiene is essential to keeping them healthy and not (too) stinky. In our latest “House Rules” episode, we’re sharing listeners’ hilarious, straightforward, and down-right-genius methods for taking the guesswork out of getting everyone clean. And in the spirit of keeping things VERY real, Meagan and Sar...

Meagan is an experienced camper, while Sarah likes the IDEA of family nature time, but isn’t so sure. There’s sleeping on the ground, critters (both mild and wild), plus all the logistics. And with so many options for “roughing it,” from rustic backpacking to glamping, what even qualifies as camping these days? In today’s More Than Mom episode, Meagan’s breaking it all down for Sarah – and for our...

Doing better by the planet is a lofty goal: but what does it REALLY look like in the homes of busy moms with lots of kids? Less plastic, no plastic, better plastic? Zero waste, composting, recycling? It’s objectively overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean it’s an all-or-nothing decision. As with any kind of improvement we talk about on The Mom Hour, we’re all about small, repeatable actions you can i...