The Mom Hour

One hospital birth. Two home births. Two birthing center deliveries. Three scheduled cesarean sections. Meagan and Sarah have had eight pregnancies between them (now eight kids ages 3-18!) and about as wide a cross-section of birth experiences as you can get. In Episode 38, at the request of several pregnant listeners, we travel back in time and share our pregnancy and birth stories with the benef...

Last we talked about traveling spouses; this week's episode is all about what happens when MOM is the one taking off for a trip. Whether you travel rarely or regularly, we hope you'll join us for a great discussion on the prep, the guilt (or lack therof!), and the logistics of leaving your kids. LINKS MENTIONED: Going away–without the kids? Feeling guilty or worried? Read this. Guilt? Worry? Fear?...

If your co-parent travels - occasionally 0r all the time - you know that holding down the home front is hard work. In Episode 36 we talk about what we've learned from years of experience about how to survive - and even thrive! - when your partner is away. LINKS MENTIONED: Your advice and tips about traveling spouses on  our Facebook page  and  Instagram post  (thank you so much...

While we didn't set out to talk about  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  in this episode, it turns out Meagan  got into a bit of a Facebook debate  about the so-called magic of Marie Kondo's method. We had a bit of fun with this (and we're not altogether negative about the book - in fact, Sarah shares her take-aways in this episode) before moving on to the meat of Kate's q...

Milestones tend to be something moms think a lot about in the first year or two of motherhood. But kids keep developing (at their own pace, as we all know) and moms keep celebrating, wondering, and sometimes worrying about them long after the baby years are behind us. In Episode 34 we tackle eight milestones from the preschool through teen years and share when and how our kids met them. We also ta...

Neither Meagan nor Sarah is a resolution-maker, but we both love starting fresh after the holidays with renewed energy and focus. Today we’re talking about fitness, food, and self-care – our own intentions for 2016 as well as what has worked for us (and not so much) in the past. Are you new here? Welcome! LINKS MENTIONED: Past episodes of The Mom Hour you might have missed Improving Your Media Die...

As Christmas fast approaches, we're here to remind you that YOU too deserve great, thoughtful gifts under the tree this year! Join us as we talk about our own wish lists and favorite gifts from holidays past, and get some ideas you can drop as not-so-subtle hints this week! LINKS MENTIONED 20 Can’t-Miss Holiday Gifts For Moms  (our 2012 guide at  The Happiest Home  – all the ideas s...

Have you been meaning to watch old holiday film classics but never get around to it? Or are you just as disturbed as we are by some of the mid-century Christmas TV programming (looking at you,  Rudolph )? In Episode 31 Meagan and Sarah talk about our favorite – and not-so-much – holiday movies, TV, books, and music. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: MOVIES & TV It’s a Wonderful Life ,  Holid...

"Simplify" has become one of the buzziest holiday buzzwords over the last decade, and today Meagan and Sarah are unpacking what that really means in their homes. Whether you really do want to scale back this season or whether, like us, you're just out to maximize magic and minimize stress, we hope you'll join us for Episode 30! LINKS MENTIONED: Be The Best Parent You Can Be  – FREE online par...

From helping a toddler adjust to a new baby, to coping with bickering, to creating a family culture that honors both individual kids and sibling relationships, parenting siblings is no small task. Join us for Episode 29 of The Mom Hour, where we get real about the dynamics among our own kids and share thoughts on raising siblings who like each other (well, most of the time). LINKS MENTIONED: Peace...

Get our complete guide to gifts that your kids will still be playing with next year (and beyond!), PLUS enter to win one of TWO amazing scooters from Micro Kickboard! Gifts for babies & toddlers Sarah loves Fisher-Price Little People – the  Fun Sounds Farm , and  Builders sets like this one  are a great precursor to Duplo and LEGO Little Tikes Cozy Coupe A crawl-through pla...

Those sweet, pudgy things keep you up at night? News flash: they'll be adults before you know it. In honor of Meagan's oldest turning 18 this week, we're devoting Episode 27 to talking about the adults we're raising: what we hope for them, what we imagine they'll become, and just how much control we have over how they turn out. LINKS MENTIONED: Why I’m not worried about my late-blooming teen &nbsp...

Episode 26 of The Mom Hour is all about dealing with criticism. Whether it's in-law tension, the "back in MY day" comments from relatives, or your own inner critic (isn't she the worst?), we offer our own stories and tips for taking it all in stride. LINKS MENTIONED: What’s your parenting Achilles’ heel?  (Meagan for The Happiest Home) Zen Parenting Radio’s most recent podcast episode, ...

It's Halloween week! Whether it's your first time dressing up a little pumpkin or your teenagers are beyond trick-or-treating, we hope you'll join Meagan and Sarah as we share stories and tips to make Halloween fun, safe, and totally-not-stressful at every stage. LINKS MENTIONED: Halloween costumes from  One Step Ahead , marked down like crazy right now All the fantastic  Halloween costu...

By popular request, we're following up Episode 19 (Things We Shouldn't Have Freaked Out About (As New Moms)) with a show all about the things that stressed us out when we were parenting toddlers. From potty training to introducing a sibling, we unpack our toddler-mom stresses and worries (with the added benefit of hindsight) in the hopes that we can help you worry just a little less. See Privacy P...

Feeding a family can be fun or frustrating, simple or complicated, rewarding or full of resentment. The one thing it will always be? NECESSARY. If you have a family, they have to eat, and in this episode we talk about how that works - from grocery shopping to meal planning to gaining confidence as a home cook. LINKS MENTIONED: How an hour in the kitchen gave me back my evenings  (Meagan for T...

Where Meagan lives in Michigan, temperatures are dropping and leaves are turning. For Sarah in SoCal, people just wish those things were true. Join us as we laugh about everyone's favorite season to talk about - from Pumpkin Spice Lattes to late-90s J. Crew pea coats. We also share a few ideas for bringing fall into the kitchen, no matter what the thermometer says outdoors. Enjoy Episode 22, and t...

Showing support for your child’s school and educational experience matters. But does that mean we all have to chaperone field trips and join the PTA? Meagan and Sarah say, rather emphatically,  nope . In Episode 21 we tackle eight myths surrounding what it means to be a “good school mom,” and help debunk those myths for those of you new to the school parenting journey. We also talk about...

Routines are powerful. When they're just right, we feel energized and balanced. When they're a little off, we feel unsettled. And when they completely fall by the wayside, we sometimes need a complete reset to get back on track (looking at you, back-to-school season). LINKS MENTIONED: LaCroix water , specifically Meagan’s favorite flavors: apricot, blackberry-cucumber, and cherry-lime Music Togeth...

Once upon a time, Meagan and Sarah were new moms. And we worried - a lot. Years later, we look back at some of the things we could have lightened up about just a tad. (Or a lot.) Episode 19 is for new moms - and anyone who can remember being one. We talk about agonizing over ounces pumped and hours slept (or not slept), and offer a little perspective from where we are now. LINKS MENTIONED: La Lech...

Meagan has never identified as a "sports parent," but this fall she has four kids in four different sports. Sarah is still learning to find the balance between protecting precious time at home and allowing her younger kids to explore different activities. LINKS MENTIONED: ‘I love to Watch You Play’ but Not Every Game  (Sharon Holbrook for  The New York Times  Motherlode blog) Minima...

Do the supply lists and back-to-school clothes shopping expectations overwhelm you? You’re not alone. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah share real-life tips and tricks for minimizing back-to-school stress and enjoying the process of returning to routine. LINKS MENTIONED: Posts from  The Happiest Home Meagan’s  Lunch Box Challenge series  from 2011 (the giveaway is obviously years ou...

Repeat after us, moms: It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. Choosing a school for your child can seem like a life-altering, permanent decision. In Episode 16, Meagan and Sarah are here to reassure you that it isn't. We share our own experience making school choices for our kids, from private to public to home schooling to charters to magnets to lotteries to... (Nope...

In episode 15, Meagan and Sarah get into the details of chores, home management, delegating, and helping kids take on age-appropriate responsibilities. LINKS MENTIONED: Relevant posts from The Happiest Home: Delegate Like Downton: A Strategy For Managing Home Helpers Confessions of a Chore-Chart Dropout The Honey-Do List & Why It Works For Us How Meagan Learned To Keep A Cleaner House Sometime...

Well, we've reached THAT point in the summer. The one where you have no idea what day it is and your kids eat Otter Pops and Nutella-straight-from-the-jar for breakfast (and if you think we're exaggerating, just WAIT). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.