The Mom Hour

From bedtime fears to big kid bed transitions, nightwaking big kids and second thoughts about co-sleeping, we’ve covered a lot of sleep challenges over the years. Today we’re bringing together some of the most common pain points our listeners have brought to us about SLEEP, complete with updated commentary and a fresh take on what sleep challenges are like with tweens and teens. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:We recorded this episode IRL! Check out this Instagram Live from our meetup!If you listen and one of the recordings was about your child we’d love to hear from you! Sarah mentioned her conversation with Dr. Catherine Pearlman on this recent episode. Laura asks for advice about strategies for helping her toddler who is afraid of ghosts and monsters at bedtime which originally aired in Episode 163.Brady asks about her six-year-old waking because he’s scared a few times a month which originally aired in Episode 242.Samantha asks for tips and tricks to make the transition to

While there’s a lot of value in setting goals and intentions at the start of a new year (and in revisiting and tracking progress throughout the year), sometimes the intentions we set months ago aren’t serving us the way we had hoped. In this More Than Mom episode, Meagan and Sarah revisit what we said we wanted to do and ways we hoped to grow in 2022, reflect on how we’ve done so far, and share how some intentions shifted over time. We also realize that sometimes life surprises us with growth we hoped for…just not in the way we thought it might happen. And that is OKAY. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to our first episode on our 2022 intentions and our first check-in earlier this year. Here is Meagan’s first post on instagram about her Less Boozin’ January.Interested in hearing more about Sarah’s reading habits? Here’s a recent More Than Mom: Books Talk!where she discusses just that.Sarah clearly hit the goal of fostering kittens in 2022 (or failed depending o

When an article or study claims that a certain parenting approach is “best” or is “matters most,” how does that make you feel as a mom? Meagan and Sarah have thoughts, starting with this: assuming that every family defines “parenting success” the same way is a tricky proposition. In Episode 386 we dive deep into research-based parenting advice and, specifically, how parenting data as published in articles and studies impacts our day to day decision-making as well as our mom-confidence. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan and Sarah referenced both The One Parenting Decision That Really Matters by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz and How to Quit Intensive Parenting by Elliot Haspel articles during this episode.Sarah mentioned Emily Oster, a data scientist and parenting writer, who writes a newsletter called ParentData on data, pregnancy, child rearing and whatever else is on the mind of parents. She’s published a few books that analyze the data behind choices in pregnancy and parenting.&nb

Whether you love everything about Halloween or mildly dread some of the excess (sugar, stuff, events, oh my!), today’s episode is meant to give you permission to find the traditions and celebrations that work for your family. Regular contributor Joanna Martin is back on the show to interview Sarah about how the Powers family has done Halloween over the years. Later in the episode Sarah chats with Diane Boden, host of the Minimalist Moms podcast about how a scaled-back approach to harvest season works in her family. Happy October, friends! LINKS MENTIONED:Learn more about our contributor Joanna Martin and follow her on instagram. Sarah’s family reads Pumpkin Soup (affiliate link) by Helen Cooper every year, and then makes this recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Apple & Bacon.Joanna Martin uses this Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe every year during pumpkin carving.Check out Meagan’s essay about Trick-or-Treating TeenagersSarah’s family loves the Disney

Now that school routines are underway, we’re going deep into the details of lunch packing – with the help of our team! In Episode 385 Meagan and Sarah call on the experience, perspective and real-life lunch packing advice of five moms from around the country, whose lunch-eating kids range in age from two to sixteen. We touch on lunch packing pain points, tried-and-true ideas for each food group, strategies for snacking, and some of our must-have lunch packing accessories. We hope that a peek inside the bento boxes of other families will both validate that you’re already doing a great job (yes, even if you send the same thing every day!) AND infuse your lunch packing with some easy new ideas. Take a listen!LINKS MENTIONED:Did you enjoy hearing from our contributors on this episode? You can learn more about them here or follow them on instagram to show them the love!Jayme SherrodLisa PayneMandy YangJoanne Ruelos DiazJennifer CarrollProducts our contributors just love and use to pack lunches daily.Jenn

Oh, you bought THAT carseat? Your third grader has a cell phone? Wow, you really give your kids freedom! No moms we know are immune from feeling judged, or criticized, or called out by comments from others (even if it’s mostly in our heads!). In Episode 384 Meagan and Sarah discuss our own insecurities and vulnerabilities when it comes to parenting. We share our specific insecurity triggers, plus offer ideas for what to think about BEFORE your insecurities get activated, what to say IN THE MOMENT when someone makes a comment, and what to remember AFTER you’ve had an experience that makes you feel judged. We hope you find this conversation comforting; you are not alone!LINKS MENTIONED:If this episode was helpful to you and you want to help US out a little, share and tag us on social media! It helps us so much! Next week, we are covering a week of real-life lunch packing featuring our contributorsMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private lis

Have you found some renewed energy now that the season is changing and the kids are back in school? Now is the perfect time to start some tiny habits to make the most of that fall mojo! Today, Meagan and Sarah share some of our small habits that are making a big difference for us this fall, along with the driving principles behind them. While some habits impact our morning and bedtime routines (like skin care, water before coffee and learning Finnish), others are woven into our busy weeks whenever we get the chance (like picking up and reading the local paper). And never forget: while we may seem like we have it figured out at times, some areas of our lives are still chaos, this fall and always. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:We will have a final check-in in a few weeks of the goals and intentions we each set for 2022. Here’s our last check-in from earlier this year. Meagan uses the free version of Duolingo each morning to learn Finnish.Meagan shared her skincare routine in the post Why I

Teaching kids life skills around money isn’t as straightforward as, say, teaching them how to order a pizza or do a load laundry. Not only are there different ways to approach each topic – from allowance and paying for chores to saving and charitable giving – but money is also incredibly emotionally-charged and often complicated by our own life experiences (ahem, baggage). Today Meagan and Sarah reflect on how our upbringings impacted our financial points of view, and the challenges we face when it comes to teaching our kids good money habits. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan read the book The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel which describes how everybody is emotional about money and nobody is rational about money. Here’s the recent College Plans & Family Culture episode where Meagan discussed how she talks about the cost of college with her children.Sarah interviewed a personal financial planner in Spending, Saving, and Living Your Values with Natalie Taylor: Voices

Separation anxiety – but make it for moms! Today we’re talking about the feelings and experiences that come up when we’re separated from our children, whether it’s for a couple of hours or many days. Meagan and Sarah look back on what separation felt like as new moms, how the tears at preschool drop-off years are sort of the worst, and why we both can go into “out of sight, out of mind” compartmentalization pretty easily when we’re not with our kids. We also discuss how much information we like to have about what our kids are up to when they’re away from us, and whether it helps or hurts to get a peek into their lives away from us. Whether you’re getting ready for your first caregiver handoff or sending an adult off to college, this episode is for you!LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan mentioned the recent episode of Lessons In Motherhood From Chickens & Kittens: Episode 379–If you didn’t listen yet, it’s a very entertaining one!New on the blog–Our contributor Stacy Bronec shares how to decide wha

It’s been a while since we talked about books and reading! These days Meagan identifies as a total bookworm and Sarah as more of a modest reader in terms of quantity – during other seasons of life we’ve been just the opposite. In this More Than Mom episode, Meagan and Sarah share how our reading habits ebb and flow, where and how we find new books to read, and specific titles we’ve read so far in 2022. Cozy up on the couch as we dive into some of our weirdest, quickest, fluffiest, unfinished, most educational and inspirational books we’ve been reading lately. Whether you’re an avid reader yourself, or just want some books talk by osmosis, enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Books listed below are affiliate links at Bookshop.org. That means if you click through from this page and make a purchase, we’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you – and you’ll be helping to support indie bookstores around the country! We also love to hear when you support your local bookstores and public libraries, too!Meagan’s List

Is your fridge neat and tidy inside with organized compartments, or is it more like a game of Tetris? Taking a peek into someone’s fridge can tell a lot about the season of life they’re in, and in today’s episode, Meagan and Sarah are opening ours for you! We cover the things we love and hate about the fridge models themselves, the items inside that make us cringe, what see in the fridge that makes us feel proud, and much more! Plus, Meagan looks for advice about how to better utilize her garage fridge, Sarah shares a meal prep fail, and we play a fun game of “in the fridge or on the counter” for food staples in our homes. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah mentioned a similar episode, More Than Mom: What’s In Our PursesSarah is loving Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee BagsSarah’s longtime go-to banana bread recipe that led to the prep-ahead failHere’s an easy recipe for pickled red onions (store and use on salads, tacos, and more!)Repurposing these Costco Olive Jars are a f

Fall is just around the corner and while some of us look to classic markers like crisp air, sweatshirts and chili, others – especially those in warm-weather climates – have to work a bit harder to make a mindful shift into a new season. In today’s Voices episode (and in a fun hot seat role-reversal!) our contributor Katherine DeVries interviews Meagan about seasonally-led parenting and homemaking. Meagan and Katherine share seasonal activities we enjoy with our kids (and some we avoid), tips for bringing seasonality into home decor (without breaking the budget), ways to change up your cooking routine depending on the time of year (we’re looking at you, farmer’s markets), and ideas for getting through long stretches of dreary weather. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Meet Katherine DeVries, one of our contributors, featured in this episode and follow her on instagram @thepaperdart.If you haven’t seen it, here’s the infamous photo (and backstory) of Meagan carrying her son Issac “The surfboard kid” on her hip in

Empty your lunch box! Wash your hands! No screens before homework! What non-negotiable rule do you enforce when the kids walk through the door after school gets out? In our latest “House Rules” episode, Meagan and Sarah tackle the time between when school-age kids get home and the onset of dinner and bedtime. We asked our community for rules, systems or routines that make the after-school time just a bit easier (having a rule can be pure magic because it takes the pressure off of mom!), as well as what small rituals help with reconnecting and decompressing after school. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:You can find all the House Rules For After School on this Facebook post or this Instagram post.Sarah mentioned learning the “two truths and a lie” tactic for asking kids about their school day from somewhere last year, and we dug up the source!MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the m

While we WILL be talking all about motherhood today, we WON’T be talking about mothering any humans. In this one-of-a-kind episode, Meagan and Sarah talk motherhood through the lens of caring for chickens and kittens! If you’ve been following us on instagram, you know we’ve been busy welcoming 23 chickens (Meagan) and two newborn kittens plus their lactating mama (Sarah) into our lives. We share how similar (and different) animal babies and mamas are compared to our own families (and how we just can’t help but assume human thoughts are happening in these creatures’ minds). Join us to find out why Meagan compares her roosters to bad 80’s sitcom dads and why Sarah gets reprimanded by mama cat! Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED:Here’s the article Meagan referenced about chickens and their behaviorPic of Sarah’s mama cat watching her kittens exploreDon’t forget to send us your House Rules For After School! The best places to add your comments are this Facebook post or this Instagram post&n

Got any empties? You know the ones–those products that you use down to the VERY last drop. In this super fun More than Mom, Meagan and Sarah share products that we simply can’t stop adding to our cart because they’re just THAT good. We cover all of our go-to skin care and makeup products, our can’t-live-without clothing essentials, candle obsessions and much more! Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah mentioned watching @jamiebgolden’s Empties stories on InstagramSarah’s List of EmptiesNeutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Body Gel Cream with Hyaluronic Acid (affiliate link)DRMTLGY Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46DRMTLGY Retinol Complex 0.5%L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Concealer (affiliate link)Gemmist Hair ProductsShampoo 6Conditioner 13Sheer StylerHarper Wilde bras – we discussed the Base, the Bliss, and the Bliss TriangleThe Gemini Boutique in Chicago where Sarah re-bought her favorite necklace, the Anna NecklaceNuun Hydration Tablets in Citrus Fruit flavor (affiliat

You’re invited to our accidentally-annual-grab-bag chat! In today’s episode, Meagan and Sarah have a good-old fashioned girl chat to catch up on all the things. We share our late summer moods (one of us is very ready for school to begin; one of us likes August to linger), our planned social media breaks (we’ll be back in September, promise!), trips we’ve taken this summer, creatures living on our properties (cute kittens and chickens) and more. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:2021’s Late Summer Grab Bag Chat Episode Need a few kitten videos in your life? Sarah’s got you covered with her foster kittens! Eeek, does it get any cuter than this?Take a glimpse into Meagan’s beautiful vacay in the Upper Peninsula!Sarah mentioned the Self-Improvement & Self-Acceptance In Motherhood: Episode 373 from earlier this summer being one of her all-time favorites!We love to hear from you! Send us an email or chat with us in our Facebook Group!If you’re still getting to know us, yo

The back to school season brings that sense of routine that some of us crave–but it can also bring on a whole lot of anxiety (getting the right supplies, attending all the events, filling out paperwork…the list goes on!). In this Glad I Did / Wish I’d Done episode, Meagan and Sarah reflect on all the things we’re glad we did to ease the transition into this season and also some things we could have done differently (or that we plan to try this year!). We share what to do with all those school supplies from one year to the next (Meagan is genius, really!), our approach for communicating with teachers, our thoughts on homework, how we plan to hold onto summer JUST a little bit longer this year, and more. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Have a child entering kindergarten? Check out our Kinder Parent Primer filled with past episodes and blog posts all about kindergarten.Like this episode format? We’ve done episodes like this for Summer Planning and Tech & Devices.See a whole season a

When to get kids their first cell phone brings up all kinds of questions: How do you know when your child is ready? How to talk to kids about safety? How to help kids develop a healthy relationship with their phone? Social Media? Phone etiquette? (The list goes on!) In today’s episode, Sarah welcomes back her friend Dr. Catherine Pearlman to talk about kids and technology–specifically the learning that happens when kids start to navigate their own personal devices, like phones.Dr. Catherine Pearlman is a social worker who has been helping kids and families navigate all kinds of challenges for the past 25 years. She recently published First Phone: A Child’s Guide to Digital Responsibility, Safety & Etiquette, written for kids 8-14. Today Catherine helps us navigate the new and murky waters of personal devices for our kids and answers some of your burning questions about first phones. Plus, stick around for a short conversation Sarah had with her own 9- and 12 year-olds about what THEY think about this

College decision-making is influenced by so many things–parents, peers, teachers, family members, your larger community and more. And as with everything else: all families approach this differently! While some bleed their alma mater colors, others don’t see college as the only option for helping launch kids after graduation. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah have an open-ended conversation about the role college played in our own stories, our family-of-origin culture, and the narrative we’re shaping for our kids now. We also give you a peek into our educational paths, how we made those decisions and how our eight kids perceive the idea of college today. This is a topic close to home for Meagan as she prepares to send Will off in the next few weeks to start his own journey. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Are you actively in the college preparation stage and have tips to share with us or our community? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Come back Friday for a Voices episode all about kids getting their first p

What are Meagan and Sarah’s best tips for getting kids started with their first phone? And with a new school year right around the corner, a mom asks how to prepare her child for the first day of kindergarten and looks for some fun traditions to help celebrate back to school. The “bigger kids, bigger problems” stage arrives early for one listener’s family, and she looks for strategies for maintaining her mental health and other relationships while they navigate tough times. Lastly, a mom of bickering siblings sets us up for a lively discussion about whether it’s mom’s job to prevent kids developing a complex or identity stemming from their birth order and sibling roles. In addition to our own thoughts, we tap the wisdom of our contributors as we tackle your listener questions in Episode 375. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah will be interviewing Meagan about midlife and reinvention this week on Meagan’s podcast Mother of Reinvention. Check it out as soon as it drops on July 28!Our Listener Sheri uses a&nb