The Mom Hour

That “surfboard kid” meme you’ve seen all over the internet? That’s a photo of Meagan and her son Isaac in 2003. We’re popping in with the full backstory on the photo, how the meme took off without our knowledge or Meagan’s permission, and what we’re doing to bring the focus back to the real story. Watch the video backstory here . MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check out deals from our part...

Meagan’s a youngest, Sarah’s a firstborn, and between us we have eight kids (not to mention a bunch of grown siblings ourselves). In Episode 197 we share insights into sibling relationships from little to grown, what it’s like raising a kid whose personality is similar to yours, and how our families of origin continue to influence our parenting styles–PLUS some fun and little-known facts about us...

Best purchase we’ve made recently? Product we can’t believe we lived so long without? Splurges that were worth it and cheapos we love? Meagan and Sarah talk STUFF in this fun more than mom — all about the products and purchases that have made our lives better recently. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Meagan’s product mentions: Revlon One Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless...

Meal plans are one thing; real life is another. Join Meagan and Sarah as we look back at a recent week in our lives, detailing the dinners we planned, the ones that came together as expected, and the curve balls that led to pizza ordered in. We also share cooking tips, modifications for picky eaters, recipes, and more. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED: The first time we did  A Week of Real-Life Dinners...

From baby safety to impulsive toddlers, school projects to friendship struggles, as moms we’re given a ton of opportunities to get up in our kids’ business  or  let them figure it out on their own. This week on the podcast we continue our look at helicopter parenting and the challenge of raising confident, independent kids. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: How To Raise An Adult , by Julie Lythc...

Two things always fun to reminisce about: former jobs (especially the crazy ones) and style evolutions (our own, and fashion in general). Join Meagan and Sarah for a fun More Than Mom episode of The Mom Hour wherein we share weird or embarrassing things we’ve done for money, the fashion decade we’d most like to travel back to, what our prom dresses looked like, and more. LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah’s p...

It’s not as simple as “helicopter” vs. “free range”. It never is, right? Most of us want to raise resilient, fulfilled, happy future-adults, but the trajectory from high-needs infant to self-assured teen is really murky. What distinguishes over-involved from just, um, involved? What about the cultural pressure to produce kids with impressive, well-rounded résumés? And how can we find that elusive...

All moms know that parenting is full of hilarious moments…well, hilarious in the “someday you’ll look back and laugh” kind of way. Tracey Tee and Shayna Ferm – friends, moms, comedians and creators of the Pump & Dump show – have turned those funny (and frustrating) moments into a stage show that invites moms to get out of the house, laugh, commiserate and find community. In this interview they...

Everybody is getting rid of stuff…and we’re holding on! At least we’d like to. Join Meagan and Sarah as we talk about the stuff of motherhood–the material things that may not spark joy, but do hold meaning and memories. We build imaginary time capsules as we talk through sippy cup lids and old Lansinoh tubes, plastic baby combs and LEGO creations: these are the things we’re holding onto, if only i...

Ever have an inexplicably grumpy day? (Please say yes.) Meagan and Sarah chat all things grumpiness in this More Than Mom episode of The Mom Hour. We laugh about our personal grumpiness triggers, how we survive grumpy days as a mom, and even how our personality types play into grumpiness. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: The episodes where we talk about the Enneagram are Episodes  57  and ...

Emotionally volatile, intellectually delightful (for the most part), overflowing bundles of growth and change: Toddlers and teens have a lot in common. Join Sarah and Meagan for a healthy debate about the trials and virtues of both stages, and how as moms we can support kids through their big feelings and changing worlds. It’s a fun one–join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Go-To Resources For Parenting Toddl...

We know from research that kids who do chores become more successful adults…but we also know from experience that teaching kids to take on household responsibilities is challenging and often frustrating (and rarely results in less work for mom). In Episode 191 Meagan and Sarah share an honest look at where our combined eight kids are with their family contributions these days, what chores we wish...

Pillow quirks, perfect sheets, temperature preferences, and bedside clocks–we have a LOT to say about the role sleep plays in our lives. For this More Than Mom episode we’re not talking about kids’ sleep, we’re talking about our own: how we like it, how to get the best of it, and what happens when we’re short on it. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Meagan’s bedside clock:  Philips Wake-Up Light Alar...

With New Year energy buzzing, it’s easy to get excited about overhauling every area of your life from parenting to home to work and play. Continuing the conversation we started  last week about choosing a word for the year , Meagan and Sarah tackle practical ways to keep your intentions, goals, and resolutions top of mind when real life resumes. Whether you resist goal-setting or love it, we’...

Is your toddler ready to begin potty training? What about a preschooler with frequent accidents or a fear of pooping in the toilet? And how long is it normal for kids to be dry during the day and still struggle with staying dry at night? We get so many questions about potty training that we called in an expert to help sort out these and other typical potty training challenges. Join Meagan and Sara...

Seems like everybody chooses a “word of the year” nowadays, and we’re conflicted. Both Meagan and Sarah can be trend-averse and skeptical of fads…but we’re also all-in on self-reflection and anything that gives moms a chance to prioritize their happiness and fulfillment. So in Episode 189, our first of the new year, we discuss the WOTY phenomenon and agree to give it a try in 2019. Listen to find...

From confessing our #MomFail moments to airing our (literal) dirty laundry, Meagan and Sarah are looking back at the best moments on the podcast from 2018. Join us for a brand new episode and fresh commentary, plus throwback clips from some of our favorite moments. It’s the very last episode of 2018–join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Listen to the full episodes we discussed at these links: The Life-Changin...

From most embarrassing moments to favorite TV shows to what we learned about ourselves, Meagan and Sarah are taking a (mostly) fun and fluffy look back at 2018 for this More Than Mom episode of The Mom Hour. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Spanx leggings  (affiliate link) Meagan’s trash can  (affiliate link) Sarah mentioned the following TV shows (listed by network or service): HBO: Godless, S...

On the fence about adding another baby to the family? You are not alone. We hear this a TON from listeners, and it’s a favorite topic among mom friends in the family-growing years. In Episode 187 Meagan and Sarah share our own experiences growing our families (with a special focus on the transition from two to three), as well as some of our favorite and least favorite parts of pregnancy. We also s...

Gift ideas for a second baby who wants for nothing, managing holiday hosting stress as a mom with a clingy toddler, tips for staying organized during the holidays, and standing your ground when extended family lays on the guilt. We answer these listener questions in this week's holiday bonus episode. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: All our holiday-related podcast episodes are here Sarah and Katie did a&...

We love books, and we hope our kids grow up to love them too…but how do we get there? Meagan and Sarah break down the ways we encourage literacy and a love of reading in our homes–without piling on the pressure. We talk about reading aloud, reading for homework, encouraging reluctant readers, and modeling a book-loving life as adults. PLUS Katie Addiss joins Sarah for a fun segment all about holid...

Most families are touched by divorce in some way, and the holidays can bring up all kinds of questions and challenges for single or re-coupled parents, children of divorced parents (including adult children), and blended families. As Meagan enters her third holiday season post-separation, Sarah picks her brain about everything from the practical logistics of sharing the holidays with an ex, to the...

Buckle up, mamas. We’re getting into the details of air travel AND car trips with babies, toddlers, and little kids. Meagan’s the expert on road trips, and Sarah has flown a ton with tiny kids. If you’ve ever wondered whether to buy an airplane seat for a one-year-old, how to plan stops on an 8-hour car ride, or what to pack in your carry-on, this episode is for you. Join us! PLUS Alison Thompson...

This year’s December doesn’t have to be like last year. Join Meagan and Sarah as we set intentions for the busy holiday month ahead, everything from little ways to find joy in the messes to bigger stuff about changing traditions. It’s another Holiday Bonus episode of The Mom Hour! LINKS MENTIONED: All our holiday episodes of The Mom Hour are on this page MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check...

At twenty-one and ten years into motherhood respectively, Meagan and Sarah have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to parenting trends. In Episode 184 we talk about the things that have changed since we became moms–from the superficial stuff like trends in baby gear to the more significant ways that the digital age has shaped parenting culture over the years. PLUS, Sarah’s mom offers insight f...