The Mom Hour

It can be as small as trying a new food or as big as starring in the school play; helping our kids feel the thrill of adventure doesn’t have to mean putting them at risk or forcing an indoor-loving kid outside. In Episode 213 Meagan and Sarah talk about why creating a family culture around adventure is important to us AND tackle some of the obstacles to living a life of adventure when you have small children, including nudging anxious kids out of their shells and getting over our own hangups in the process. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Listen to our More Than Mom episode on adventureMeagan mentioned two movies about stories of adventure that are good to watch with kids; Big Fishand The Secret Life of Walter MittyWe mentioned our episodes on helicopter parenting, Episode 194 and Episode 195Sarah referenced the book The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey (affiliate link)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private li

Introducing a new baby to a freshly-minted big sibling can be daunting, and it’s only the beginning of parenting siblings. Join Meagan and Edit Your Life’s Asha Dornfest, who are both now parenting teens and young adults, for a look back at how they managed new baby transitions with older siblings and how sibling relationships continue to evolve in new ways.This episode is part of a host swap with our friends Asha and Christine of the Edit Your Life podcast. Hear Sarah talk about work-from-home productivity hacks in Episode 167 of Edit Your Life, available wherever you get your podcasts.LINKS MENTIONED:Check out Sarah on Edit Your Life, chatting with Christine Koh about work-from-home productivityHear Asha talk with Meagan about parenting older kids in Voices 31Asha was also a guest on our VERY FIRST Voices episodeAsha referenced two books on parenting siblings, Siblings Without Rivalry, and How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, both by

That product you’ve been searching for to do just that thing you need? We found it. Okay, well, we found a few of them…and we’re still on the hunt for a few more. In this More Than Mom episode, Meagan and Sarah share a few “perfect things” and a few more that we’d love to find. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:This episode was inspired by an episode on the same topic on The Girl Next Door Podcast, who got the idea from this 2017 episode of FriendlierHydro Flask 12oz Coffee Travel Mug (affiliate link)J. Crew Classic Hair ClipNative Shoes, specifically the Jefferson style slip on (affiliate link)Madewell Medium Transport ToteMeagan’s Kitchenaid Electric Kettle (affiliate link)KTM Valley Rucksack from EST/WSTFabletics Devore Seamless Sports BraMORE 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/p

Take a girl with a great eye for design and an entrepreneurial streak, add a just-out-of-high-school introduction to motherhood, and sprinkle with some good-old Midwestern pluck and determination, and you’ve got a great reinvention story.Our guest on today’s Voices episode is Emma Hicks, founder of Camp Climb, a gathering for women entrepreneurs and creatives. Emma and Meagan talk about their similar backgrounds (having babies really young and raising a business alongside a family), the unconventional career Emma launched when her kids were small, and how she continues to pivot her career while building a community of creative entrepreneurs. LINKS MENTIONED:The retreat Emma Hicks founded for female entrepreneurs, Camp ClimbEmma Hicks’ blog, Main + SecondErin Loechner will be speaking at Camp Climb, hear her interview on Voices 09Find Emma Hicks on Instagram at @hicks__emmaMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private l

Creating family culture around vacations, whether we let our kids skip school for family trips, how to (and whether to) stick to sleep routines on the road, dealing with kid meltdowns while traveling, and budgeting tips for family travel–we’re taking your vacation-related listener questions in Episode 211. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:All our Listener Questions episodes are on this pageJoin our Patreon group to get access to our The Mom Hour Patreon Facebook CommunityHear more about budgeting for vacation in Sarah’s interview with Natalie Taylor on Voices 36MORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 jam-packed Listener Questions episode!LINKS MENTIONED: All our Listener Questions episodes are on this pageMeagan mentioned the conversations about sibling sets (in the context of friendships) we had recently in Episode 207MORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 I Bought A Camper (On Moving On After Divorce)Becoming The Mom Who Does ThingsMORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!LINKS MENTIONED:Cool Mom Tech, from the ladies of CoolMomPicks.com, always has great app roundupsThe CMP ladies are also behind the Facebook group Out Tech Your Kids, where Sarah lurks to get a sneak peek at the screen time issues facing parents of tweens and teensAlthough much of the info is dated now, Sarah loves the book The Case for Make-Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World by Susan Linn (affiliate link)Sarah also loves The Importance of Being Little: What Young Children Really Need From Grownups by Erika Christakis (affiliate link)Voices Episode 13: Becoming Screenwise wit

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 ScoutElizabeth is also a guest in our Voices Episode 2: Inside The Lives of 3 Working MomsKelly Hiltz is a guest in Voices Episode 23: Kindergarten Readiness & Parent-Teacher Relationships with Kelly HiltzKelly’s podcast The Chatty Sisters PodcastKelly’s blog Ask A Teacher MomMORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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:Archie, the newest British royal family member, has no title. Here’s why (we think) – LA TimesJennifer Garner on InstagramOur episode about postpartum symptoms & surprisesWe talked about this adorable photo of the duchess and Archie surrounded by mom and familyMore information about moist wound healingMORE 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://art1

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 LanguagesMeagan gave Sarah a gift from Artsy Voice PrintSarah gave Meagan this heron print from Etsy shop MiaoMiaoDesignSarah used Google Voice to collect voicemails and used Audacity to edit them together into an audio giftMORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 MENTIONEDKids & Friendships with Eileen Kennedy-Moore (Voices 18)No More Mean Girls, by Katie Hurley (affiliate link)Other episodes in this Our Eight seriesMORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Planner and mom of two boys Natalie Taylor. We unpack some of the myths surrounding the process of getting unbiased financial advice, address specific listener questions about spending and saving, and dive into what it means to make financial decisions based around your values. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan and Sarah mentioned our conversation about the month of MAY (Episode 206) from earlier this weekWe also mentioned Episode 205, on family finances and budgets from our non-expert perspectiveSarah’s Voices interview on fitness and body confidence with Jenny Schatzle (coincidentally, Natalie’s w

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 with Marker – 23″ x 35″ from Target (affiliate link) hanging in the kitchen6 Themed Dress-Up Days This Mom Can Get Behind (Sarah for Scary Mommy, circa 2014)Knowing Yourself As A Mom (Episode 203 where we talk about our personalitiesHow To Be The Parent That Teachers (And Schools) Love (Episode 174)The Life-Changing Magic Of Opting Out (Episode 161)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/privac

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 TaylorMORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 204AllModern and Wayfair are some of Sarah's favorite places to shop for décorMeagan likes Overstock.comTarget's throw pillows (affiliate link) are looking great a whole year later in Sarah's yardOur Amazon store includes a Spring Improvements list of products we loveMORE 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder (affiliate link), by Richard LouvCamping With Kids (And Other Outdoor Adventures) (Episode 8–an oldie but goodie!)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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 more compassionate parent, partner and friend. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Enneagram resources:We like this free test from eccelecticenergies.comWe like the 9 Type Descriptions found at enneagraminstitute.comWe've both read The Road Back To You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery (affiliate link) by Ian Morgan Cron We recommend the full Myers-Briggs type descriptions found here, and a more in-depth explanation of the Myers-Briggs letters found hereTake the Five Love Languages quiz hereTake Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies QuizSarah mentioned Gift From The Sea (affi

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 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.