The Mom Hour

Has your reading life come to a screeching halt due to the responsibilities of motherhood? In this month’s Voices interview, Meagan welcomes back blogger, podcaster, and book club leader Amy Clark, to discuss how a busy mom can take small steps to create a readerly life. We discuss all the hacks for finding the time to dive back in (think TikTok’s #sundayreset for inspiration!) and a neat tool for finding the perfect book to match your mood. Amy also shares how reading can help you “find your people” during your current season of life. This episode is for anyone looking to fit more reading into their lives (in little and big ways). Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Amy debuted on The Mom Hour in Living and Mothering with a Chronic Illness: Voices 39You can find Amy on her Blog, The Mom Advice Book Club, and on the Book Gang Podcast.Meagan mentioned stuffing The Flowers In the Attic series of books under her mattress as a teen. Wondering what it’s about? Find it here. Megan interviewed A

Crouching. Bending. Stooping. The magical, ninja-like way you lay a baby down in the crib without waking her up; the feeling of wet, sloppy gums on your knuckles as he teethes. In Episode 363, Sarah and Meagan reflect on the muscle memories associated with the repetitive motions of early motherhood. Some bring back all the warm fuzzies and others make us shudder (looking at you, nipple-biting babes), but we promise, this episode will bring the memories flooding back. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Interested in learning more about our Contributor Joanna who we mentioned inspired this episode? Here’s a link to her contributor page or listen to her on this recent Voices episodeMeagan’s detailed memories of breastfeeding included placing a soggy nipple back in her bra! She and Sarah could have used Kia’s recent roundup of her favorite breastfeeding products on our blog.We mentioned Jennifer’s blog post Five Tips for Water Safety This SummerMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out

Between our kids’ school schedules, extracurricular activities, and social plans, we spend a lot of time driving them around. And when they get older and start driving themselves, a whole new world of independence (and issues) presents itself. In this special episode of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah talk about how we use car time to connect with our kids and how we handle some of the challenges that crop up over time, from crying babies and sibling squabbles to sensory overload and car sickness. Buckle up!LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to past episodes on Car Talk (Then, Now, Someday) as well as Minivans, Mom-Mobiles & Grownup CarsWe’ve shared a lot of advice on road trips and family travel!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 membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pr

Sports and extracurriculars are picking up this spring, and two different listeners have questions about what age to start kids in activities and how to budget for this part of family life. We take a question about “gentle parenting” that leads into an in-depth discussion about discipline philosophies and finding the approach that works for your family. Finally, a busy mom of three has the chance to get help from neighborhood “mother’s helpers” and wants our guidance on how to make the most of the extra sets of hands. Meagan and Sarah offer validation, support, and encouragement in another Listener Questions episode this week – join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to all our Listener Questions episodesListen to Mother Of Reinvention, Meagan’s other podcast!Shop our merch collection! (And, follow the #MyMomHour hashtag on Instagram to catch our team reflecting on how they’d spend an hour to themselves … with mug-in-hand)Meagan interviewed Kelly Rippon about raising elite athletes in this Voi

English cottages, sunny greenhouses, cozy cabins, and professors’ offices. What do these spaces have in common? They all evoke an essence we wish we could recreate in our own spaces. Join Meagan and Sarah as we reveal our twinkle-lit, midlife-lady dream spaces . . . even if we may never have them. We talk about our actual homes, too, and our romantic visions vs. reality. Plus we imagine nap rooms (yes, please) and opening The Mom Hour satellite offices in our favorite fantasy locales. This is a fun one; join us!LINKS MENTIONED:We find inspo on Instagram (Sarah mentioned @houseandgardenuk specifically), Rinky Dink Retro, Skoolie, In Her Studio Magazine, and Where Women Create MagazineCheck out these related episodes: City Lives, Country Lives (& Suburbia, Too!), Our Fantasy Kitchens, and The Lives We Didn’t LeadMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membe

A mom of big kids is going back to work full-time and wondering how to prepare her family. A toddler needs to brush his teeth and take vitamins, but hates it; should Mom force it? A lucky listener now has two pantries and is looking for tips on optimal organization for kitchen items and back stock storage. Finally, a teacher mom is stuck on how to balance school behavior and discipline at home. For today’s episode, we’re answering these questions from our community together in person (woohoo!) Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:We enjoyed our time together at Hotel Vin in Grapevine, TX.Our Contributors Joanna and Katherine joined Sarah to chat about Books We’re Loving Lately.Let us know know about how you feel about a live event for The Mom Hour community!Read our Contributor Mandy’s blog post: “We Moved Twice Last Year: Here Are 10 Things I Wish I’d Known”Check out all our Listener Questions episodes.MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on Ins

Settle in for a books chat! Sarah is joined by two guest co-hosts from our contributor team today: Joanna and Katherine. Both are former educators and avid readers, here with lots to say about books. We touch on our reading lives as moms, what we're reading lately, and how and when we prefer to do our reading. Then we dive into book recommendations for kids - starting with babies and moving all the way up through teens. This episode is for anyone who loves to read or aspires to read more - grab a warm beverage and join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Watch Joanna's IG Takeover and read her blog postsWatch Katherine's IG Takeover and read her blog postsKatherine was part of Pandemic Babies seriesJoanna contributed to A Week Of Real-Life DinnersWe talked about Kindles:Joanna's eight-year-old got a Paperwhite Kids and she uses the OasisSarah's family has Paperwhites (affiliate link)Epic read-to-me books are great for pre-readersWe mentioned #bookstagr

When we imagine the “refrains of motherhood,” poetic sweet-nothings of love and encouragement come to mind. In reality? The words that come out of moms’ mouths on repeat are a little more… normal. And that’s OK! We’re here to normalize being normal. In Episode 360 Meagan and Sarah highlight the best of our communities oft-repeated phrases–everything from clever quips to 1,001 different ways to say “No”. We love how universal mom-speak is in the end, and we’re marveling over the clever ways moms find to talk to their families. Get ready to take notes!LINKS MENTIONED:Here’s the Instagram post where our community shared their motherhood refrainsWe mentioned our House Rules For… seriesLast call for Listener Questions! Email us to have your question considered for an upcoming episode (please put Listener Question in the subject field!).We’ll be together in person this week! Follow along on Instagram.MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on Inst

Calling all experts . . . OR at least those who have been there, done that, and are willing to share their thoughts. In this week’s More Than Mom episode, we’re flipping the script and sharing our own challenges in the hopes that our smart, skilled, and seasoned listeners have the solutions we need. We’re stuck when it comes to a variety of topics such as home organization, the care and keeping of living things, hair maintenance, and sibling bonding screen time. Can you help? Listen and let us know!LINKS MENTIONED:Got advice for us? Let us know in the comments on these posts on our Instagram feed or in our Facebook group (or comment on the show notes on our website)Are you a zoologist OR do you want our advice? Email us at hello@themomhour.com and if you have a query, please type “Listener Question” in the subject line. Our friend Amy Clark uses Madison Reed hair colorMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us

Today we’re looking back on past summers and remembering the choices we appreciate and the ones we regret. This is a fantastic episode to listen to if you’re starting to plan your summer! We cover family traditions, camps, childcare, travel, and overall philosophies for fun (with boundaries). There’s a fine line between unstructured leisure time and going off the rails, and hopefully our reflections will help you find the right balance for your family. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:The Lazy Genius talks about opening ceremoniesIf you have topic suggestions for this Glad I Did / Wish I’d Done series, email us!Sarah loves What Do We Do All Day for kids’ book lists by ages (and don’t forget she hosted a podcast all about kids’ books from 2018-2020: Kidliterate!)Check out our Family Travel HubListen to these related episodes: Preparing Kids (And Ourselves!) For Summer Independence, A Summertime Chores, Life Skills & Freedoms Reset, and It’s Time To Plan Fo

We know what it’s like to be a teen because we were all teenagers once, right? Well, not quite. In this month’s Voices episode, Meagan is joined by her son, affectionately nicknamed “Good Ol’ Reliable William” to discuss life as a teenager. As a 18-year-old wrapping up his senior year, Will walks us through the nuances of 9th-12th grade, shares some high school memories, and reveals what he’s looking forward to. He also schools us all on what adults don’t get about being a teen . . . and Meagan explains what balancing a checkbook is. Together, we bond over the universality of struggling to appreciate where you are in the moment. Listen ’til the end to hear Will’s message for moms who are (and will be!) raising teenagers. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to the other episodes in this series about Ages 2-8 and Ages 9-17Meagan’s IG essay on momming young adultsRead Will’s blogCheck out this related content: Managing Kids’ Extracurriculars, Winning, Losing, and That Moment When

Tweens, teens, (and the parents who love them!) go through a lot between the ages of 9 through 17. There's growing societal pressure, shifting friendships, mounting responsibility, and body changes. Fun, right?! In Episode 358, Meagan and Sarah pick up where we left off last week's conversation, but this time it's all about the older kids. While acknowledging every child is different and being sensitive to our kids' privacy, we remember the sweetness of kids just-on-the-cusp of growing up and tell stories about adolescent awkwardness and attitudes. It can be a bit of a rocky journey, but every teen eventually comes into their own. Whether you're in the thick of it with us or want a fun peek ahead, this episode is a great reminder that kids--and motherhood--are ever-evolving. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shutdowns, re-openings, surges, and guidelines . . . so much has changed since the COVID-19 Pandemic crashed into our lives two years ago. And it's bringing up all feelings. In this More Than Mom episode, Meagan and Sarah have a lighter (but still honest!) look back on things like our final outings, strongest pandemic memories, and shared experiences. What do we really remember, and are our recollections even accurate? We also share what we're eager to get back to and what will never be the same. We'll all be processing these squiggly feelings for a long time, and we think this reflection--on both the surreal and the sweet--is a good start. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Language leaps, school milestones, growing bodies . . . a lot happens on the journey from toddler to big kid! Join Meagan and Sarah as we try to capture the true essence of ages two through eight. We’ll talk through each year, sharing memories of our own kids and observations from all the little ones we’ve known. There are ages that feel like major transition points and many times where kids’ skills don’t quite match up with their wants. If you’re parenting in the trenches, looking ahead at what’s to come, OR looking back with us, we think you’ll love this one. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:We remembered this Brain, Child essay series-turned book when we were planning this episode – and we were able to dig up online versions of the essays from ages 2-8!“This Is Two”“This Is Three”“This Is Four”“This Is Five”“This Is Six”“This Is Seven”“This Is Eight”Email us if you’d like the idea of a The Mom Hour Magazine! Here is Sarah’s Voices interview with Meghan LeahyRead the intro to Now We Are S

From day camps to sleep-away camps, playdates with new friends to sleepovers with grandparents, summer vacation can be a great time for your child to hone their independence skills. But it can be scary, too. Sometimes a health issue, disability or allergy can make our kids seem especially vulnerable. Sometimes we’re just not sure they’re ready to take that next significant step in self-sufficiency. So how do we balance guarding them from harm with encouraging their growth?In this special episode of The Mom Hour, we’ll talk about the tools you can use to help everyone feel ready for summer plans and the big adjustments that come along with the season. Meagan and Sarah share stories about times our kids seemed especially vulnerable, how those fears or nerves showed up in our kids (and us!), what we did to feel calm and confident, and how we plan for major milestones with kids who are content to stay tucked under our wings – or the ones we’d like to keep there longer than they want to stay.LINKS MENTIONED:For mo

From packing and organization to sleep arrangements and laundry, there are a million little things that can make or break a family trip. This latest episode in our travel series is a collection of our community’s best tips and cleverest hacks for traveling with kids of all ages. We cover what to bring, where to put everything (including your people!), efficient strategies, and how to stress less. Sarah talks about moving hotel furniture, and Meagan shares a surprising hideaway to sneak in some alone time. Whether you’re boarding a flight or loading up for a road trip, you’ll discover some brilliant, mom-tested ideas to try here. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Read all our listeners’ tips in this post from our Facebook communityRight before the pandemic, we aired this episode: Planning Travel and Family VacationsFor travel parenting tips, check out our House Rules for Travel & Vacation episodeWater Wow books are the best!Our community loves the ease of scheduling Shipt, Insta

Whether for work or for fun, flying is a travel experience that’s full of details, decisions, and preferences that can have a major impact on how enjoyable (or not!) it is. In today’s More Than Mom episode, we’re continuing our travel conversation to chat about how we find the perfect balance between timing, cost, stress, and comfort. We spill on our baggage preferences, security line personalities, how our small regional airports impact everything, and more. Plus Meagan tells a story about running to her gate, and we also share our favorite travel snacks and accessories. Whether you miss flying, dread flying, or have never flown before, we think you’ll find this episode (and deeper peek into our personalities!) a fun ride. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah loves her carry-on and laptop backpackMeagan has this bag in the color terracotta, as well as the Metro duffle and backpack in mahoganyMeagan also likes to travel with her Hydro Flask and travel

Does it feel like everyone else (but you) is going on fancy vacations all the time? Will your spring break look more like a staycation than a sandy beach? Social media seems to make it worse, but the envy that arises when looking at someone else’s vacay pics is as old as time! In this episode, Meagan and Sarah are busting some common travel myths and talking about how to deal with the feelings that sometimes pop up when all your people are (seemingly) jetting off to one fun destination after another. We also chat about how to make memories closer to home and how being intentional about stepping outside your normal routine can matter way more than the dollars you spend. If you need some downtime–minus the guilt or a giant price tag–this episode is for you. LINKS MENTIONED:This article, “Other People’s Great Vacations Don’t Have to Get to You” is still super relevant. Sarah chatted about planning in this Voices episode with Christine Koh and Sarah Hart-Unger. Check out tons of

News flash: the babies born at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are turning two! Their little lives have been marked with fear, stress, sadness . . . and, undeniably, also joy. In today’s episode, Meagan and Sarah are joined by seven moms from our team sharing about their remarkable babies and this historic time they’ve entered the world. You’ll hear different perspectives on how real moms have handled situations like introducing their babies to other people, venturing out into the world, and the little moments that made them think, “Wow, this is a pandemic baby!” Even if you didn’t have a baby in the past two years, you’re sure to appreciate this reflective episode – the first in a two-part series – as we honor the hard and celebrate the specialness of pandemic babies. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to our series on Pandemic Perspectives, and these related episodes: How Covid Complicates Parenting, Stage By Stage, and 10 Things We Love About ToddlersCheck out all our episodes and blog po

Moms of new babies have been through a lot the past two years - from tough career and childcare decisions to postpartum mental health struggles, and both the general and very specific grief that goes along with things not going to plan. In Episode 354, Meagan and Sarah continue last week's discussion, honoring the voices of nine moms from our team and community who had babies during the pandemic. While Part 1 focused on the babies, this episode is more about the moms and their pregnancy and postpartum experiences. It's raw, honest, and at times, emotional; it's also an important reminder that every family's "hard" was different, and that every mom's story worth hearing. Whether you had a pandemic baby, are pregnant now, or have older kids; if you've ever felt desperate as a mom, we hope this episode will remind you're not alone. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.