The Mom Hour

We're moms. We already spend a lot (in some cases A LOT) of time with our kids. So why add the sometimes-complicated task of setting aside one-on-one time for each child on a regular basis? Is it really THAT important? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether you’ve listened to every podcast we’ve ever made or are a brand-new listener, we guarantee you’ll find out something you didn’t know about Meagan and Sarah after listening to Episode 85…the one where we interview each other. Want to know Meagan’s first real job? (It involved tassels…but not that kind.) Can you guess what Sarah was most likely to get in trouble for as a kid? Or what bad-driving trait we both share? Join us, and share your thoughts in the comments!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.

We’re so excited to bring you our first Bonus Interview of 2017! In this podcast episode, Sarah talks to Doña Bumgarner about what it means to nurture yourself during motherhood, how her health crisis caused her to look at the idea of self-care in a new light, and why creativity and passion are essential during the intense years of early motherhood. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:How To Get Through It: A brief guide for chemo patientsPractice Radical Self CareHello From Outer Space – Keeping A Self Care Practice7 Things to Do When Your Life is a Hot MessA Lesson On Creative Abandon (the play-dough story)How To Be A Passionate Mama (the post from which Sarah read an excerpt in the podcast)Don’t miss Doña’s eBook about getting out the door on time in the mornings, and making mornings with kids more peaceful in general! Get it free when you sign up to receive her email newsletter, which you can do at her website, nurturedmama.net@donab on InstagramMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals fr

Are you an aspiring writer? Curious about getting published? Interested in what’s involved in a freelance writing career? In Episode 84 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah take a question from listener Mairin and share our own experiences on getting published in magazines and online over the last several years. Enjoy!LINKS MENTIONED:Submit a question like Mairin did using Speakpipe at speakpipe.com/themomhour – it’s fun and it makes our day!Online and print publications that accept submissions from freelancers (this is not a complete list and we know there are others out there, so chime in in the comments if you know of others!)MotherwellScary MommyMamalodeBrain, Child (linking to Brain, Child’s writer’s guidelines, but they do have a note saying they are not currently accepting submissions – this could always change)Coffee + Crumbs (C+C also says they’re not currently accepting submissions but this may change)On Parenting from The Washington PostBabbleLocal moms blogs like th

How do YOU calendar? Paper planner, digital calendar, color-coded dry erase board, or all of the above? In Episode 83 Meagan and Sarah share our strategies for keeping appointments, deadlines, and family schedules organized. We talk about the pros and cons of both paper and digital systems, offer suggestions for managing large families’ many commitments, and give you a peek into our own quirky way of thinking about a week at a glance. We also discuss to-do lists and we make them work for us. Join us!Note: We mentioned a TON of tips and ideas in this episode and we’ve tried to include as many links as possible in the show notes. If you don’t see something you’re looking for, leave us a comment and we’ll dig it up!LINKS MENTIONED:Amazon links are affiliates and have been updated for 2018. Thanks for helping support the show in this small way at no additional cost to you!Sarah’s digital-to-paper calendaring system (as explained on the podcast, but in a blog post for The Happiest Home)Meagan’s thoughts on&nb

Do you have 3,574 photos on your smartphone and not a print or photo book to show for it? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In Episode 82 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah share smart tips for getting pictures off your phone and into the cloud, ideas for storing old printed photos, and a few easy ways to create lasting memories with the photos you take. If you missed it, check out last week’s podcast episode, which was all about taking better photos of your kids. Listen to Episode 81 now, and keep reading to listen to this week’s show.LINKS MENTIONED:Shoot AlongEpisode 81: Taking Better Photos of Your KidsGoogle PhotosCostco Photo CenterShutterfly Photo BooksBlurb Photo BooksChatbooksOur friends at The Girl Next Door Podcast did a show all about family memory-keeping earlier this year (and they’re also big fans of Google Photos) – listen to it hereMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answe

All the holiday cards arriving in the mail this month have us thinking about family portraits, taking photos (or having them taken) of our kids, and documenting life with little ones throughout the year. In Episode 81 we talk about how to take better photos of your kids (with the camera you already own), why school pictures are still a thing, when and how we’ve chosen to spring for professional photos, and how we manage to capture events like school plays and birthday parties without feeling like we spend the whole time behind the camera.Next week we’ll have a follow up podcast episode all about what we DO with the photos we take – including tips for storing, organizing and creating keepsakes with your family photos. So check back here for Episode 82!LINKS MENTIONED:Shoot Along 2017 – use Promo Code THEMOMHOUR at checkout to save $25!The Mom Stays in the Picture (Allison Slater Tate)A Thousand Stories (Rebecca Woolf / Girl’s Gone Child on her approach to photography)Meagan’s interview with phot

Bath time, pajamas, a story, and a kiss goodnight. That’s how it’s “supposed” to go down, right? In Episode 80 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah talk about how bedtime routines change through various stages, and offer our tips for making it work – even when you have a new baby, a traveling spouse, or kids with wildly different get-to-sleep styles. We also talk about how often our kids REALLY bathe, why reading aloud doesn’t have to always be at night, and our strategies for dealing with bedtime stalling. Join us for Episode 80!LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan’s interview on The Home Hour with Sarah Mackenzie of Amongst Lovely Things, and the time Meagan appeared on Sarah’s podcast Read-Aloud RevivalOur thoughts on a listener question about co-sleeping (skip to 25:20 to hear this question)Other episodes about how we handle different daily routinesMaking Mornings Easier (Ep 67)A Week of Real-Life Dinners (Ep 72)Routines for a Happy Mom-Life (Ep 20)MORE HELPFUL L

It’s time for another Listener Question & Answer episode, and this time it’s holiday-themed! Join Meagan and Sarah as they tackle three questions from real moms about navigating some of the season’s trickier stuff.First up, Sheri asks how we keep gift spending in check, and whether we have any budgeting tips to avoid going overboard on presents for our kids. (Our answer starts at 01:12)Then Kelsey from The Girl Next Door podcast wondered about simple advent traditions to start with her two little ones. (We weigh in at 10:56)And finally Emily is lucky enough to have two sets of parents/grandparents in the town where she lives, which during the holidays can lead to feeling like you’re shuttling kids all over town and never slowing down to relax and enjoy. (We offer our advice at 20:25)Wait, there’s more!We had so much fun doing a Facebook Live chat on Sunday evening. Watch our short 5-minute video (click here if you can’t see it embedded below) for our answers to two MORE listener-submit

How do we nurture the friendships we have? How to we make time to see our friends in person? How can technology support long-distance (and not-so-long-distance) friendships? These questions get tricky during the busy years of new motherhood, but they’re important no matter what phase of life you’re in. We’ve talked about friendship in other episodes, but it’s been mostly focused on either making new friends or feeling distanced from friends who aren’t in the same stage of life you are. Episode 78 is all about the daily practice of being a friend to the people already in your life – near and far.LINKS MENTIONED:Other podcast episodes about friendshipHow To Make Mom Friends (The Home Hour, Episode 32)Online Pals Turned Real-Life Friends (The Mom Hour Episode 49) – There’s a bit of audio trouble in the beginning of this one, but stick with it In Episode 41 of The Mom Hour we take a listener question about how to handle friendships strained by different phases of life/motherhood

It’s time for another edition of The More-Than-Mom Hour! Every once in a while we set aside parenting and motherhood topics and catch up about what’s making us happy in other areas of life. In Episode 77 we talk about decorating! Meagan has a new nook of her own to make pretty, and we both love changing up home decor for the holidays. We also share our favorite foods, drinks and treats to order when we’re dining out. Enjoy!Meagan’s Office Coming Together!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.

November is National Adoption Awareness month, and for our latest Bonus Interview episode Sarah interviews adoptive mom (and podcaster/writer/teacher) Erica Ladd. Erica shares her family’s foster-to-adoption story, offers encouragement for others going through the process, and has great tips for friends who want to support adoptive families but aren’t sure what to say. Enjoy the See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do we handle the holiday “gimmies,” when kids claim to NEED everything on their gift list? What’s the best way to cultivate a practice of gratitude (and does it have to involve a craft?)? How can we include kids in meaningful giving during the holidays – and all year round? These are big questions and we’re taking them on in Episode 76 of The Mom Hour. Join Meagan and Sarah for a thoughtful, no-judgment conversation on raising kids to be thankful (even when they still REALLY want that toy…).LINKS MENTIONED:How we help curb the ‘I want that!’s during the holidays (Tsh Oxenreider for The Art of Simple)20 Gratitude Activities for Kids (more than half of which do NOT require crafting/making/projects) (Rebecca Eanes for positive-parents.org)A Life Like Mine: How Children Live Around the World (DK Children & UNICEF, via Amazon)The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money (Ron Lieber, via Amazon)Playmobil Advent Calendar Playset&nb

It’s officially cold and flu season and we’re devoting Episode 75 to coping when kids get sick. Join Meagan and Sarah for our tips on knowing when it’s time to get in to the pediatrician, dealing with ER and Urgent Care visits, and making the best of those times when a virus seems to take down the whole house.Disclaimer. We’re not doctors, we’re moms. This episode isn’t medical advice, it’s story-sharing. The end.LINKS MENTIONED:Nose Frieda Nasal Aspirator (Amazon)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.

Nesting. Naming. Decorating. Gender revealing. There are so many fun ways to anticipate the arrival of a new baby, and we’re talking about all of them in this week’s podcast! Whether you’re expecting (congrats!) or just really love talking about baby names (Sarah raises hand), we think you’ll love Episode 74. Join us!LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 38, all about our pregnancy and childbirth experiences, more from a healthcare/symptoms/physical perspectiveThe Baby Name Wizard, Revised 3rd Edition: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby (book by Laura Wattenberg)The amazing data tools at BabyNameWizard.com, like the The Baby Name Wizard, Revised 3rd Edition: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby, which looks at name popularity and trends over timeNameberry.comMORE 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 newsletter

Rosalynn let her five-year-old quit an activity she had begged to start and wonders how to handle the same situation as kids get older and the commitment-stakes get higher for sports and activities. Tessa asks about helping a trio of girl cousins get along without forcing inclusiveness or letting hurt feelings dominate. Finally, we talk about weaning a breastfeeding toddler as suggested by an anonymous participant in our listener survey. Join us for another round of Listener Questions!LINKS MENTIONEDEpisode 18, all about sports and activitiesEpisode 29, about raising siblings who like each otherHow to wean your three-year-old with a cupcake (our friend Doña Bumgarner of Nurtured Mama for Motherwell Magazine)Other episodes where we’ve taken your listener questions: Episode 41, Episode 52, and Episode 65MORE 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 questio

Meal plans are great, but how often do we get to the end of a well-intentioned week and realize that things didn’t go exactly (or at ALL) as planned? Pretty often.So this week we’re giving you a look at a week of totally honest, no-filter dinners in our homes. We each kept track for a week of what we fed our families for dinner, and in Episode 72 we share it with you – from the slow-cooked pork shoulder and roasted vegetables (nailed it!) to the everyone-ate-standing-up-and-mom-had-cereal-for-dinner (twice!).LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 23, about meal planning and grocery shoppingEpisode 70, about kids in the kitchenEpisode 55, about saving money on groceries and household suppliesMeagan’s interview with with Jenny Rosenstrach of Dinner, A Love Story on an episode of The Home HourMORE 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

If you’re a regular listener, you know all about the kids in Meagan’s and Sarah’s houses. But we haven’t shared much about our furry, feathered and scaly friends on the podcast. In this week’s show we talk about family pets – including the ones we own and have owned – and how they impact our lives as we raise our families.For tips on adding a new pet to the family, what kinds of caged creatures tend to work better than others, finding pet care while you’re traveling, dealing with the loss of a pet, and just how much help to expect from older kids who promise they’ll help take care of a new pet, listen to Episode 71 now!LINKS MENTIONED:Check out this awesome video of Meagan’s crested eyelash gecko!@CheeseHands on InstagramMORE 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 Calif

If you shy away from political discussions to avoid ruffling feathers, you’re not alone. But after listening to Sarah’s interview with writer, podcaster, and mom of three Sarah Stewart Holland, you might have a different perspective on those heated political Facebook comment threads. Join Sarah and Sarah in this special bonus episode for a thoughtful See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When they’re tiny, having kids with you in the kitchen can be challenging (to put it mildly); during these little years it’s all about keeping them occupied while you put together a meal or put away the groceries as fast as humanly possible. As they get older, though, including kids in cooking and meal prep can be a great way to bond while teaching them important kitchen skills – all at a much more leisurely pace.LINKS MENTIONED:Wait, they want to eat every DAY? (Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping) – Episode 23Kitchen Helper / Safety Tower like this one from Guidecraft via AmazonHow to cook dinner with a toddler underfoot (Meagan for The Happiest Home)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.