The Mom Hour

Coping tips for a mom whose husband travels for several weeks at a time, our thoughts on whether traditional preschool is “necessary” when a four-year-old’s needs are being met at home, Sarah’s detailed response to a listener anticipating a planned Caesarian birth, and encouragement for a mom of three who wonders when her family will all be able to enjoy the same activities together. Join us for a...

What makes an experience an adventure, and how has motherhood changed our willingness to be up for it? Are Meagan and Sarah adventure-seekers, adventure-avoiders, or somewhere in the middle? And what types of adventures are our favorites? Join us for a More Than Mom episode all about living a life of adventure…even when (and especially if) you’re in the trenches of motherhood. LINKS MENTIONED: Why...

Whether you’re more structured like Sarah or intuitive like Meagan, your parenting decisions around screen media will likely evolve as kids get older, new tech emerges, and expert recommendations shift again (and again). Here’s a look at how our own feelings and approaches to screen time have changed over the years–and how you can lose the guilt and accept the journey for your own family. Join us!...

May is so crazy for parents that it has a new internet nickname: MAYcember (like December, without the presents). We covered the parenting side of things in Episode 206 ( listen here if you missed it ), and in this special bonus episode, we hear from three teachers about what it’s like from their perspective. Take a listen! LINKS MENTIONED: Elizabeth’s blog  Teaching Sam and Scout Elizabeth i...

Archie is seventh in line to the crown, and we have thoughts about it all: the royals, our cultural obsession with celebrity parents, and how becoming a new mom in the spotlight would be both harder and easier than for the rest of us. Sarah also shares her personal connection to the Duchess of Sussex (true story!), we talk about our celebrity pregnancy buddies, and more. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED:...

Do you love giving gifts or sometimes stress over the obligation? Are you more of a spontaneous giver or a planner? And where does Receiving Gifts fall in your Love Languages? Meagan and Sarah discuss our own gift-giving personalities and quirks in this fun More Than Mom episode of The Mom Hour. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: We discussed  The Five Love Languages Meagan gave Sarah a gift from&nbsp...

Between us we’ve seen it all: the shy kid, the sensitive empath, the loyal bestie, the social-savvy teen. In Episode 207 Meagan and Sarah look at our combined eight kids through the lens of friendships and social dynamics, unpacking their strengths and struggles and how they’ve changed over time. LINKS MENTIONED Kids & Friendships with Eileen Kennedy-Moore  (Voices 18) No More Mean Girls...

Credit card debt, saving for college, working full-time vs. part-time, and planning for the long term: there are big questions that come up in personal finance, and they manage to overlap and intertwine in ways that can be hard to sort out. That’s why it’s so helpful to have the counsel of a trusted advisor. In Episode 36 of our Voices interview series, Sarah sits down with Certified Financial Pla...

Brace yourselves, school moms: May is here. In Episode 206 Meagan and Sarah share time-tested tips for surviving the end of school–from volunteering our time without going nuts to keeping track of the crazy calendar. Join us for laughs and commiseration; this is the pep talk you need before the final stretch. LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah’s family has  this Ubrands Black Wood Frame Dry Erase Board w...

Meagan recently did a budget overhaul and has some thoughts. From getting really clear about expenses to taking an honest look at emotionally-motivated money decisions from the past, we’re getting real about family finances in Episode 205. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Don’t miss our May 3 Voices interview with  Natalie Taylor MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check out deals from our partner...

From dream porches and fantasy backyards to the practical ways we currently enjoy our outdoor spaces, this More Than Mom episode is all about the homes outside our homes. We've got DIY (and hire-it-out) projects this spring, wish lists for updates, and thoughts on overgrown gardens. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: We discussed  Getting Outside With Kids in Episode 204 AllModern  and  Wayf...

Are you a total nature mama or more of an “indoor cat” (as Sarah calls herself)? Wherever you fall on the spectrum, there are big benefits that come with getting kids outdoors as much as possible…and there are also some tricky logistics. And bugs. In Episode 204 Meagan and Sarah discuss the why and the how of getting outside with kids. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our...

Gimlet Media's new podcast for moms launches today! We're popping into your feed to air a special conversation between Julia, a mom grappling with her identity and family history after having her own kids, and Dr. Alexandra Sacks, a reproductive psychiatrist specializing in women's health and psychiatry. MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check out deals from our partners Follow us on Instagram...

Self-discovery doesn't always coincide with becoming a mom, but for many of us the identity shift that begins in new motherhood continues down a path of personal development through personality profiling, self-help books, and other modes of learning. In Episode 203 Meagan and Sarah look at our own interest in personality tests and self-discovery, and how knowing yourself as a mom can make you a mo...

What makes for a memorable restaurant meal or hotel stay? What’s the secret sauce involved in great hospitality? (Hint: Pricy does not always equal excellence.) In this More Than Mom episode, Meagan and Sarah share our own service industry experience working in restaurants and retail as we discuss great service, poor service, and everything in between. Join us! MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our websit...

Seeing our kids struggle is HARD–but the long game involves supporting them through mistakes and even failures in the pursuit of raising kids who take (appropriate) risks and can advocate for themselves competently and autonomously. In this month’s Voices interview Meagan chats with teacher, author, and mom Jessica Lahey about the connection between overparenting and academic learning, when the sl...

Meagan wants to go lilac-hunting and Sarah might try something for Earth Day this year. Of course we're also dyeing eggs, hiding baskets, and sprucing up our homes and gardens for a new season. Join us as we discuss the rituals, routines, and traditions that Spring brings to our homes--plus Katie Addiss joins Sarah to talk Spring and Easter books for kids! LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah uses this  No...

It’s spring, which means we’re thinking about summer. Cobbling together childcare as a working mom, giving kids a chance to try new activities without over-scheduling them, and making time to enjoy a simpler schedule in your own backyard–we’ve got a lot to talk about. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: More episodes about  SUMMER More episodes about  CALENDAR PLANNING MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit ou...

From microphones to sponsors, babysitters to sound engineers, the way we make The Mom Hour podcast has changed a ton in the last four years and 200+ episodes. In this fun look-back episode we laugh about what we’ve learned, what has changed, and what has stayed the same. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Episode 200: What We’ve Learned From Each Other Curious about what gear and services we use to record...

Four years to the day after dropping our very first episode of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah are here with our 200th show. Join us as we reflect on what we’ve learned from each other, our guests, and you: our community. We also play voicemails from listeners, team members, and fellow podcasters from around the world. It’s a four-year-old birthday party and a bicentennial all rolled into one…join...

Were you shocked – but, you know, not really all that surprised – to learn about this week’s widespread accusations of wealthy parents using cheating, bribing, fraud and other nefarious means to get their kids into elite colleges? In a special “breaking” episode of The Mom Hour, Meagan sits down with  Amy Joyce , the On Parenting editor at The Washington Post, to find out more about this case...

Helping a little kid deal with big feelings about an out-of-state move, traveling as a nervous flyer, finding your groove as an at-home mom when kids are in school full-time, and getting dad involved when a toddler only wants mama–we’re taking more of your parenting challenges and listener questions in this week’s episode. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: More on helping kids adjust to a move in  Ep...

Those little squares on our phones are portals to a whole lot of essential–and nonessential–aspects of life. From navigation to shopping, social to fitness, mindless to productive, Meagan and Sarah break down the apps on our phones in today’s More Than Mom edition of The Mom Hour. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah uses  Pocket Casts  to listen to podcasts We mentioned  Voxer  a f...

Helping school-age kids start to self-regulate around screens and sweets, navigating an awkward situation with a fellow preschool mom, and organizing the “drop zone” in our homes–we answer these great listener questions in Episode 198. PLUS Alison Thompson joins Sarah to answer more questions from listeners about her transition from one baby to two. We talk sleep, schedules, and getting ready to g...

As a mom of an only child who came home through adoption to a family already rich with diversity, Karen Walrond has thought a lot about what it means to develop a family culture under your own roof. Combining influences from their countries of origin and cultural backgrounds, she and her husband have intentionally set out to give their daughter an appreciation not only for her own diverse backgrou...