This month kicks off the fall holiday season in the strangest year of all of our lives, and moms everywhere seem to be asking the same thing: what do we do about Halloween? From helping older kids deal with expectations-vs-COVID-reality, to finding safe ways for littler kids to celebrate, Meagan and Sarah unpack it all in Episode 281. We also touch on some tips for dealing with our own holiday disappointment as moms, and share some insight about holiday traditions in general to set the tone for ...
Oct 06, 2020•50 min
“I’ve been looking through my closet and I just want to burn it all down and start over.” (Meagan, recently to Sarah) As moms, our bodies change a lot and we don’t always feel like we have permission to invest in our personal style, but what we wear makes a huge difference in how we feel. After Meagan said this to Sarah recently, she decided to call on personal stylist Dacy Gillespie for help… and you get to listen in! Dacy is creator of The Mindful Closet, where she offers both one-on-one perso...
Oct 02, 2020•45 min
We’ve covered the hard stuff: leaky everything, blinding exhaustion, night sweats. But the fourth trimester, or postpartum period, has its perks as well. In Episode 280 Meagan and Sarah take turns sharing their favorite memories of postpartum life with a newborn–without glossing over what we ALL know to be true: it’s not easy. Join us for the latest in our “10 Things We Love About…” series! LINKS MENTIONED: Like this format? Check out 10 Things We Love About Toddlers and 10 Things We Love About ...
Sep 29, 2020•41 min
We challenged you to ask us your most burning questions–but not about parenting for once! And wow, did you deliver. Join Meagan and Sarah for a fun, silly, and sometimes serious More Than Mom episode featuring your questions about our perfect day, favorite Hamilton songs, thoughts on dating after divorce, and whether we consider ourselves religious. PLUS a big announcement at the top of the show that you won’t want to miss. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Listener Allison is blogging about her BRCA2 j...
Sep 27, 2020•57 min
“Zoom school” is in session in both our homes, although the programs and schedules are very different for our six school-aged kids, grades two through eleven. In this week’s episode we check in about how remote learning is going for our elementary, middle, and high schoolers, giving an honest assessment of the areas that are going better than expected (or worse…or just about the same). We also pool our experience to share some strategies for keeping kids motivated and engaged, and recommend some...
Sep 22, 2020•56 min
It’s not if but when: losing your cool with your kids is part of motherhood ( especially during a global pandemic). Sometimes we yell, sometimes we cry, and sometimes we stomp our feet like a toddler or sass-talk like a tween. If you do any of these things too, we can assure you you’re not alone–and it’s not too late to practice the art of recovery. In Episode 278 of The Mom Hour Meagan and Sarah talk about the different types of mom-meltdowns we’re prone to, and what repair and recovery can loo...
Sep 15, 2020•46 min
Nothing feels the same as it did six months ago, and in today’s return of our More Than Mom series, Meagan and Sarah are looking at the weirdest ways we’ve changed since March. From some out-of-character purchases to new routines and habits, we’re here to discuss some of more idiosyncratic details of our strange new normal. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Email us or send a voicemail with a question for our Ask Us Anything episode coming up later this month! Both Meagan and Sarah use the Revlon Root E...
Sep 13, 2020•42 min
Meagan and Sarah are both refocusing on personal spending this fall, after a strange pandemic spring and summer brought about changes to the family budget. In today’s episode we look at the areas of our spending that have changed since March, and talk through tips and strategies we’re using to save money right now. From working with a financial planner to buying secondhand, reevaluating dinner delivery and doing an audit on those pesky auto-renew subscriptions, we’re here with seven strategies m...
Sep 08, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Back-to-school season usually means a refreshing change of schedule and, for many parents, fewer hours with kids in the house. This year, the way we use our homes for school, work, and leisure look very different–but that doesn’t mean we can’t harness some of that familiar fall energy and tackle clutter in a new way for a new reality. Join Sarah and longtime listener/community member Mandy Yang for a look at how the Konmari method of decluttering can serve us as we set up our homes for one of th...
Sep 04, 2020•42 min
We’re kicking back for a casual chat this week, taking time to update listeners on some of the behind-the-scenes events in both our lives lately. From the details of Sarah’s move to what’s coming up this fall on the podcast, from Meagan’s annual end-of-summer malaise to her anticipation of a revamped time-blocking system for fall 2020, these are the little (and big) conversational rabbit holes we don’t always have time for on the podcast. Join us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter here . Our Se...
Sep 01, 2020•56 min
An eight-year-old with a “can’t-do” attitude and a ten-year-old who struggles to bounce back after little setbacks (two more in an accidental series of questions that we’re affectionately calling “boys with bad attitudes”): Meagan and Sarah have thoughts–and personal experience–for the moms of these kids. Then Sarah weighs in on a question about how to use an “okay to wake” clock with a clever three-year-old, and Meagan validates a mom of a clingy preschooler with big feelings. Today’s episode b...
Aug 25, 2020•47 min
How to make friends and cultivate community after a move; contemplating a third baby and wondering if the older two will ever play together nicely; answering questions about puberty and other growing-up topics; and dealing with a five-year-old who is never satisfied: Meagan and Sarah take four listener questions in this week’s episode of The Mom Hour. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Check out all of our Listener Questions Episodes Join our special Facebook Group for The Mom Hour Listeners (make sure t...
Aug 18, 2020•41 min
If we’ve learned anything since March, it’s that little things can make a big difference in our moods. In Episode 273 Meagan and Sarah revisit the idea of small comforts for unprecedented times, little pleasures that can’t solve a global pandemic but do offer a quick pick-me-up. From recent Etsy finds to a new fitness tracking gadget, pretty kitchen towels to a return to yoga, you’ll come away with ideas for bringing a little comfort into your days as we look ahead to fall. Join us! LINKS MENTIO...
Aug 11, 2020•57 min
With schools across the country increasingly moving in the direction of online-only attendance in the fall, many moms are asking: “How do we make this work?” While homeschool pods, cutting back hours at work and other creative solutions may be a temporary solution for some families, there are many others for whom these options are not on the table. And there’s no doubt that moms are unfairly shouldering the brunt of this crisis (as we are so often expected to do). In this month’s Voices intervie...
Aug 07, 2020•56 min
The messes start even before the baby is born, and they don’t stop…they just change form as the years progress. In Episode 272 Meagan and Sarah look back at some of the most epic messes of our mothering years–from diaper blowouts to parking lot puke, glitter explosions to stinky wadded up socks, we’re getting gross today, all in the name of making you laugh and feel like you’re not alone (whatever mess you’re facing today!). Enjoy! MORE HELPFUL LINKS: Visit our website Check out deals from our p...
Aug 04, 2020•1 hr 4 min
After listening to moms around the country share their feelings about schools re-opening (or not), Meagan and Sarah continue the discussion we started last week by looking at the challenges facing families this fall. We touch on the core drivers of school decision-making–academics, childcare, kids’ social-emotional health, and community health–and talk through the pros and cons of some of the likely learning scenarios on the table for kids. Just like last week, this is an inclusive conversation ...
Jul 28, 2020•58 min
Virtual, on campus, hybrid, or homeschool? For many families, it isn’t even a choice; it’s whatever the local district decides. For some families, opting out, changing schools, waiting an extra year, or enrolling in an independent study program are options that are still on the table. For everyone, it’s an extraordinarily confusing, stressful, and uncertain time to be looking ahead at Fall 2020. With inclusion, empathy, and nonjudgment leading the way, Meagan and Sarah kick off a two-part series...
Jul 21, 2020•53 min
Remember makeup? And going places? We miss it. Join Meagan and Sarah for a light and fun more-than-mom-ish conversation about how our makeup style has changed from our teen and young adult years through today, which looks and trends from the past make us cringe, some products and techniques we’re playing with lately, whether and how staying at home has changed our daily makeup approach, and more. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED: If you like this topic, check out our Spotify playlist filled with light and...
Jul 14, 2020•57 min
Regression. Clinginess. Tantrums. Bedtime battles. Mood struggles. We’re hearing from moms all over the world about the toll that 2020 is taking on children, from toddlers up through teens. We’ve had so many posts and questions in our Facebook group that for this month’s Voices interview we decided to bring back Dr. Erin Lanphier, a child psychologist, therapist in private practice, and university professor. Dr. Erin chats with Sarah about these and other struggles kids are having right now, how...
Jul 10, 2020•45 min
No matter what’s going on in the world around you, the people need to eat. In Episode 268 of The Mom Hour, Meagan and Sarah break down the process of feeding a family when you’re going through a major life transition (or, say, a global pandemic). We talk about why meal plans are even MORE crucial in chaotic times, how to get fruits and veggies into the kids even when you’re serving up convenience food more often than you’d like, and how to stick to your “food values” even as you let some of your...
Jul 07, 2020•57 min
Moving while momming is no small task–and we’ve been there, trust us. Meagan has mastered the art of the DIY cross-town move to a new home with a whole bunch of kids; Sarah’s moves have been fewer and farther between, but also farther in distance and bigger in scope. Join us as we continue last week’s discussion about big moves and get into the details of actually packing up and relocating your family. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED: This episode is a continuation of our episode on moving last week, Big...
Jun 30, 2020•42 min
Do you dream of packing up the family and moving somewhere new? Or starting fresh in a different home or neighborhood? Maybe the idea of a move isn’t yours, but has been introduced by a job change or prompted by family circumstance. In this first of a two-part series on big moves, Meagan and Sarah talk about fantasy moves, aspirational moves, and making the decision to actually move our families. We also look at all the considerations we’ve made when planning a big move–from schools and neighbor...
Jun 23, 2020•57 min
In hindsight, was the worry worth it? That’s the question Meagan and Sarah are looking at in this week’s episode, as we bring back a popular series all about things that stressed us out as less experienced moms. From nutrition and discipline to kids’ friendships and developmental milestones, we look at the worries that kept us up at night and how it all turned out in the end. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Listen to our other Things We Shouldn’t Have Freaked Out About episodes We mentioned Meagan’s N...
Jun 16, 2020•48 min
For the first time in generations, many of us are reexamining how often we shop, where we get our groceries, and what household essentials we might be able to make at home instead of running out to buy. But this month’s Voices guest Kris Bordessa has been teaching families how to live more sustainably for years. Hear Meagan get Kris’s take on the bake-your-own-bread craze, why so many adults feel like they never really learned to cook, and how growing your own food or making soap doesn’t have to...
Jun 12, 2020•45 min
We may be staying closer to home this summer, but we still want to feel good about the way we look! Join Meagan and Sarah for an update on our warm weather wardrobes, from which pieces have served us in past summers to what we’re eyeing for purchase this year. We talk about tops and bottoms, undergarments and swimwear, shoes and accessories. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Tops Sarah’s favorite t shirts are these Whisper cotton from Madewell We both love dolman sleeve tops even in summertime, like thi...
Jun 09, 2020•52 min
As we’ve seen in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, there is still so much work to be done around racial injustice. For white people, that’s often accompanied by confusion and uncertainty that can keep us stuck in a loop of discomfort and defensiveness. But if we want things to change, we need to be part of the conversation – even if that means risking our own comfort and challenging the status quo. While books, documentaries and social media can be important catalysts for change on a lar...
Jun 05, 2020•1 hr 25 min
Summer 2020 isn’t going to be like any other summer in our memories–and it’s not going to look like whatever we’d dreamed up in midwinter before the pandemic hit. Still, Meagan and Sarah have ideas for how we’d like to set up ourselves and our families for healthy routines, regular self care, and (is it possible?) even some fun outings this summer. Join us for a look ahead at the next few months as we set our realistic intentions for summer 2020. This episode was recorded on May 31, 2020. A NOTE...
Jun 03, 2020•45 min
Allison is a minister in a church, finding new ways to lead her congregation while awaiting her second baby; Alison deals with the guilt of laying off foodservice employees and permanently shutting down a location of her café business; Starlynn owns an in-home daycare serving front-line families while navigating changing rules and regulations. All three are also working moms with all the demands of mothering and living through a global pandemic. Find out what’s hard, what’s hopeful, and what lif...
May 31, 2020•47 min
With most of us staying at home for an unforeseen amount of time, managing our households to run efficiently and calmly is crucial to keeping the family machine plugging along and helping us create a positive mental space. From meal planning to cleaning schedules to keeping things organized, Meagan and Sarah will share 10 small habits that have the power to transform at-home life from frazzled, chaotic and marred by unmet expectations, to calm, reasonably-organized, and just-productive-enough. H...
May 29, 2020•49 min
Naming a new human is a big task–and a fun one, we think! Looking back over our combined eight experiences naming babies, Meagan and Sarah talk about how we decided on names (and whether our partners agreed on our favorites!), what went into middle name decisions, and which names we left on the table. We also explore how our kids have grown into their names, including unexpected nicknames, trends we didn’t see coming, and more. Join us! This episode was recorded on May 22, 2020. A NOTE ON EPISOD...
May 26, 2020•1 hr 2 min
