Concerns over safety and privacy are one thing (and worth discussing), but what about the broader implications of kids growing up with a digital identity shaped by their parents long before they were old enough to have a say? This week Meagan and Sarah talk about how we make decisions about what to share online (and on the podcast) about our own kids and how things shift as kids get older and technology evolves; we also tackle a few listener questions on the topic of “sharenting” from moms of yo...
Jul 23, 2019•46 min
On this day in history, where were we? One year Sarah was stuck inside with littles in 115-degree Arizona heat; another year Meagan was directing her kids in a play. One July day many years ago, Meagan’s four boys all fit on the same park swing; on another, more recent one Sarah sent a nervous kindergartener off to a full day of summer camp. Looking back at photos from the past, we reflect on the phases of motherhood we’ve survived through a series of ordinary July days. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED...
Jul 16, 2019•39 min
Today is pure fun–a game of Would You Rather…? , in which Meagan and Sarah challenge each other with choices between wildly impossible scenarios. Which one of us would rather have a permanent three-year-old and which would rather have a permanent 18-month old? You’ll have to listen to find out! LINKS MENTIONED: Last summer’s episode where we also played Would You Rather… Follow us on Instagram @TheMomHour and play along! MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check out deals from our partners Fol...
Jul 14, 2019•33 min
Now that our kids are getting older, we have the opportunity to ooh and ahh over other people’s babies, and we’re here to talk about it. From how we are with our nieces and nephews to whether holding babies really makes our ovaries twinge, we look at the role of auntie, experienced/helpful friend, and even future grandparent (!!) and how they differ from the way we were with our own babies. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Episode 126 is For The Love Of Cousins Episode 146 is about Other Adults in Our ...
Jul 09, 2019•43 min
When starting a family didn’t go as planned and money was tight, singer-songwriter K.C. Clifford felt like she had no choice but to surrender to the devastating possibility that she would never become a mom. Then, just days after finding this acceptance, she got a phone call that changed her life. Join Sarah and K.C. for a real and raw conversation about the heartbreak of infertility, the hope that followed, and the kids who were worth the wait. You’ll also hear the debut of K.C.’s brand new sin...
Jul 05, 2019•1 hr 1 min
We’re known by many as fun-haters (see Episode 10 for the backstory!), but does this still hold true four years later? We revisit the fun-list today–everything from pushing kids on the swings, to parades and carnivals, to craft projects–to see whether our opinions have changed. PLUS Katie Addiss joins Sarah to talk about what we’ve been reading, what makes for a great beach read, and what’s on our book list for this summer. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: This episode is a throwback to one of our earl...
Jul 02, 2019•1 hr 2 min
We’ve been to the beach and the pool with little kids…and survived! From what to take with you to how to carry it, from how to sit comfortably to the best ways to stay entertained, we’ve got you covered. Episode 214 is full of practical tips and our favorite products for beach days and pool trips with kids. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: What To Sit On Meagan loves this beach chair and beach blanket Sarah likes this JJ Cole Outdoor Blanket These Summer and Rose towels from a FabFitFun box Meagan and ...
Jun 25, 2019•40 min
Meagan opens up about dating as a divorced mom after being partnered up for the better part of two decades, and Sarah has many questions. If you’ve ever wondered about dating apps, dating as a single parent, or starting a relationship with someone you’ve already Googled, this More Than Mom episode takes us all behind the scenes. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED: I Swiped Right For Your Dog: Adventures In Dating Apps (Meagan’s PechaKucha talk from 2017) Bumble and Tinder We mentioned Enneagram personality ...
Jun 23, 2019•54 min
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 ...
Jun 18, 2019•55 min
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...
Jun 11, 2019•1 hr
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 Friendlier Hydro Flask 12oz Coffee Travel Mug (affiliate link)...
Jun 09, 2019•43 min
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 unconv...
Jun 07, 2019•37 min
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 page Join our Patreon group to get access to our The Mom Hour Patreon Facebook Community Hear more about budgeting for...
Jun 04, 2019•55 min
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 ...
May 28, 2019•48 min
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 Things MORE HELPFUL LINKS:...
May 26, 2019•49 min
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 roundups...
May 21, 2019•54 min
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 Scout Elizabeth is also a guest in our Voices Episode 2: Inside The Lives of 3 Working Moms Kelly Hiltz is a guest in Voice...
May 17, 2019•27 min
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 Times Jenni...
May 14, 2019•47 min
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 Languages Meagan gave Sarah a gift from Artsy Voice Print Sarah gave Meagan this heron print from Etsy shop MiaoMiaoDesign Sarah used Google Voice to ...
May 12, 2019•48 min
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 MENTIONED Kids & Friendships with Eileen Kennedy-Moore (Voices 18) No More Mean Girls , by Katie Hurley (affiliate link) Other episodes in this Our Eight series MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our w...
May 07, 2019•52 min
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 gett...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 1 min
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 kitchen 6 Themed Dress-Up Days This Mom...
Apr 30, 2019•49 min
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 Taylor MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check out deals from our partners Follow us on Instagram Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership que...
Apr 23, 2019•47 min
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 204 AllModern and Wayfair are some of Sarah's favorite places to shop for décor Meagan likes Overstock.com Target's throw pillows (affiliate...
Apr 21, 2019•1 hr 2 min
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 Louv Camping With Kids (And Other...
Apr 16, 2019•46 min
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 website Check out deals from our partners Follow us on Instagram Join our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!) Sign up f...
Apr 11, 2019•8 min
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 ...
Apr 09, 2019•56 min
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 website Check out deals from our partners Follow us on Instagram Join our private listener group on Facebo...
Apr 07, 2019•50 min
Seeing our kids struggle is HARD–but the long game involves supporting them through mistakes and even failures in the pursuit of raising kids who take (appropriate) risks and can advocate for themselves competently and autonomously. In this month’s Voices interview Meagan chats with teacher, author, and mom Jessica Lahey about the connection between overparenting and academic learning, when the slippery slope of helicopter parenting really begins, and what parents can do at every stage to suppor...
Apr 05, 2019•49 min
Meagan wants to go lilac-hunting and Sarah might try something for Earth Day this year. Of course we're also dyeing eggs, hiding baskets, and sprucing up our homes and gardens for a new season. Join us as we discuss the rituals, routines, and traditions that Spring brings to our homes--plus Katie Addiss joins Sarah to talk Spring and Easter books for kids! LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah uses this Nordic Ware Spring Lamb 3-D Cake Mold for their lamb cake tradition We learned a ton of technical tips from ...
Apr 02, 2019•54 min
