People tell me ‘oh, you’re in it’ or ‘don’t worry, it gets better,’ but as a mom of a two-year-old and a six-month-old, I’m like: ‘Okay, but…WHEN? When does that actually happen?” Good question. When DOES parenting start to get a little easier? Today Meagan and Sarah try our best to get specific with the above question, posed by Sarah Limberg from our contributor team. We chat about specific parenting milestones that felt like leveling-up when we were in the trenches, and offer hope and realism ...
Oct 17, 2023•49 min
Getting kids to do chores, pick up after themselves, and help around the house is not for the faint of heart. Meagan and Sarah are decades into parenting and can still settle in for a vent-session about dirty socks left on the floor. But we’ve acquired a little bit of wisdom along the way too, and today we’re here to smooth the path for moms who want to feel less frustrated when it comes to kids and chores. Join us! HELPFUL LINKS: Sarah mentioned hearing Wendy Mogel talk about high-achieving kid...
Oct 10, 2023•59 min
Candy. Late bedtimes. Costumes. Halloween is a holiday that can easily throw kids’ schedules and moms’ sanity way off. Today’s episode is full of practical halloween parenting tips, including house rules for costume buying, trick-or-treating, candy consuming, and much more. Plus, Meagan and Sarah reminisce about 2021 Halloween v. today. Enjoy! HELPFUL LINKS: Check out all our episodes and blog posts about Halloween Meagan’s essay “Yes, That Might Be My Teen At Your Door on Halloween” Most of the...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr
As busy moms and business owners we’re often on the go – and, cliché as it is, almost always with a beverage in hand! In part two of our conversation about kitchen gadgets and gear, Meagan and Sarah go deep into all of the beverage products that keep our drinks hot, cold, room-temp, fizzy, cute, and spill-proof. We also get into kitchen-adjacent gear that helps us clean and organize the space where we feed our families. Enjoy! HELPFUL LINKS: Kitchen Gadgets & Gear Part 1: Episode 431 Episode...
Sep 26, 2023•45 min
Kids are back in school and we’re back in our kitchens with a bit more pep in our steps – so let’s chat about gadets and gear! Join Meagan and Sarah today to hear about the Porch Microwave, the Mercedes-Benz of Coffee Grinders, how our partners’ personalities lead us to unwanted kitchen appliances, and more. We share our current favorite kitchen tools for food prep and cooking – with more to come next week, too. Join us! HELPFUL LINKS: Episodes that pair well with this one: Kitchen Storage &...
Sep 19, 2023•47 min
Big transitions in family structure are never easy. When it comes to blending families, introducing a new romantic partner as a single parent, or stepping into step-parenting, there’s so much to think about. Today Meagan gets candid about her current blended family situation, following her wedding this summer and the integration of their families into a shared home. Sarah has lots of questions as Meagan shares what’s going well, a few tension points, what she would do differently, and how it’s g...
Sep 12, 2023•48 min
Are you a “Today’s The Day!” type, or do you prefer to ease gently into a new adventure, challenge, or season? Whether you get excited to dive into a slew of new initiatives with the turning over of that shiny, crisp edge of a calendar page (like Sarah!), or really prefer to transition on your own internal timeline (like Meagan!), this episode is for you. Join us as we explore the many upsides to a soft start (in motherhood, business, health, and more) in an effort to take the pressure off moms ...
Sep 05, 2023•56 min
Meagan and Sarah had fun-filled travel in August before saying goodbye to summer. The Powers family traveled to the East Coast for a week of multigenerational state-hopping served with a side of bug bites and butt bruises! And Meagan officially opened a bookstore in Manistique, MI, right after surviving a 20-mile hike with her siblings and their spouses. Now we’re back, shifting from summer-mom to school-year-mom, and sharing our “laundry basket of hopes and aspirations for Fall 2023” with all o...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Sarah stopped dyeing her hair and growing out her natural grays last fall – almost a year ago – and Meagan is contemplating a new style! Today Meagan asks Sarah ALL the gray grow-out questions to catch up on the progress, and talks about why she might be ready for a new look herself. We also share some hair wins and hair woes from this season of life, and how it’s different from early motherhood. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah has been enjoying Prose for her shampoo and conditioner. Meagan boug...
Aug 22, 2023•50 min
Lizzie will have all three kids in full-time school for the first time and wonders how her identity as a stay-at-home mom will shift. Shelby, mom of three, is sending her oldest to kindergarten and struggles with the idea that the bell schedule and school calendar may dominate her family’s life. Helena’s 8-year-old has sensory issues and they battle over brushing hair and getting dressed; with the school year approaching, Helena looks for a happy medium between allowing her kid autonomy over how...
Aug 15, 2023•50 min
Stephanie worries she didn’t “do enough” for her children this summer by way of plans, vacations, and educational activities. Sara asks if we have rituals for ourSELVES to mark the back-to-school season, and Caitlyn needs tips for encouraging a painfully shy kid to walk in the preschool door. Kaylee wonders how to transition from opting out of homework in the younger grades to helping an older elementary student learn to prioritize it. Finally, Melanie asks how to politely decline an invite to a...
Aug 08, 2023•50 min
We’re Baaaack! It’s been about a month since you’ve heard from present-day Meagan and Sarah and we have lots to share. Find out where we’ve traveled this summer (so far), how Sarah has done some outdoor adventuring in spite of herself, what the status of Meagan’s small town bookstore venture is, and what else we have planned before the new school year begins. Join us for a friendly catch-up episode! LINKS MENTIONED: Meagan started off the summer getting hitched! If you missed it, we discuss it i...
Aug 01, 2023•52 min
News flash: even if it looks like other parents have all their you-know-what together when you feel like you don’t, that’s almost never the case. We’re all flying blind most of the time – and better off when we acknowledge it! In today’s episode, a response to Tuesday’s classic replay, regular contributors Katherine and Lisa discuss how no two children are the same and how they’ve accepting that it’s OKAY to parent each child differently has made life easier. Enjoy! I f you haven’t already liste...
Jul 28, 2023•22 min
Sometimes, you just need to hear that it’s all going to be OK. That you’re not alone. That what you’re doing matters. In this classic replay of Episode 100 from 2017, Meagan and Sarah offer some of our most oft-repeated pieces of advice and encouragement – because no matter where you are in your parenting journey, it never hurts to be reminded that you’re doing a good job. Join us! All month long we’re bringing back some beloved episodes from the early years of The Mom Hour – with fresh bonus co...
Jul 25, 2023•37 min
Taking walks, eating healthy and staying hydrated are just a few small things that can help save your sanity while coping with sleep deprivation. And while it sounds simple, it’s easier said than done. In today’s episode, regular contributors Kia and Emily discuss how they survive the long nights, early mornings and short stretches of sleep that are so common during the early stages of motherhood. Enjoy! If you haven’t already listened to Tuesday’s episode , we recommend starting there before hi...
Jul 21, 2023•38 min
Not sleeping? You’re not alone. In today’s replay of 2017’s classic episode on sleep deprivation, Meagan and Sarah offer helpful tips for making it through the day when your nights are long and, uh, eventful . Whether you have a new baby, a kid with bad dreams, or a struggle with insomnia yourself, we’re here to help. (If we could bring coffee, we’d do that too.) Enjoy! All month long we’re bringing back some beloved episodes from the early years of The Mom Hour – with fresh bonus conversations ...
Jul 18, 2023•51 min
When they’re tiny, babies and toddlers need us so much that “spending time” together is mostly about fulfilling their needs. But as kids get older and more independent, how do we prioritize time together in a way that naturally suits each kid’s (and each mom’s) personality and needs? In today’s episode, regular contributors Joanna and Joanne discuss how they approach one-on-one time with their kids (spoiler alert–it can be super simple) and how sometimes, WE can be our biggest road blocks to mak...
Jul 14, 2023•40 min
If the idea of “special time” feels impossible, impractical, and a little bit guilt-laden, you’re not alone. Spending one-on-one time with your kids is both valuable AND wildly difficult, and as moms of many kids, Meagan and Sarah are here to unpack why. In this classic replay of Episode 86 from 2017, we share why a good-enough approach to quality one-on-one time has helped our own relationships with our kids, and how (like, literally, HOW) we manage to make it work. Join us! All month long we’r...
Jul 11, 2023•44 min
The school art is coming in from every direction. The hand-me-down clothing complicates wardrobe systems. And the overwhelming gift-giving throws toy organization out of whack. In today’s episode, regular contributors Jayme and Jennifer speak to their tips and tricks for managing all of the clutter in the house that comes with having young children. Plus, an update on Marie Kondo’s status of a tidy home with children–and how we feel about it! If you haven’t already listened to Tuesday’s episode ...
Jul 07, 2023•36 min
Goody bag treasures, generous grandparent gifts in every shade of plastic, and inexplicably precious (to someone) “junk” – it’s the stuff of motherhood! In this replay of Episode 35, Meagan and Sarah share our strategies for minimizing the intake of “all the stuff,” ideas for reasonable purging, and how to organize the things you decide to keep. Enjoy! All month long we’re bringing back some beloved episodes from the early years of The Mom Hour – with fresh bonus conversations dropping every Fri...
Jul 04, 2023•48 min
July on The Mom Hour will look a bit different – and we’re excited to tell you about it. Meagan and Sarah pop in to share what’s ahead this month. Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: We talked more about our decision to take a break from new episodes in Episode 423 Sarah made this playlist of #ClassicTMH episodes from 2016-2017 Follow Meagan on Instagram Read Meagan on Substack Visit Meagan’s website to learn more about REINVENT (a community for midlife moms, with a retreat coming up in October 2023!) Fol...
Jul 01, 2023•7 min
When it comes to teenagers, how much do WE (as parents) matter? According to guest, parents matter A LOT (just maybe not in the way we might think). In this special bonus interview, Meagan talks with Dr. Ken Ginsburg, a professor of pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, on the importance of parents in teens’ lives. He shares how it is important to let your child make mistakes, how to be vulnerable and open about mistakes we make as parents, and to give them the space they need to le...
Jun 30, 2023•24 min
Taking a break” sounds simple, but for many moms (and people) it just isn’t. Who steps in to relieve mom when she needs a break from being everybody’s go-to? Is all the prep and planning needed to take a break even WORTH it? And does returning from a break automatically mean coming back to piles of stuff that didn’t get done while we were away? Join us as we discuss how declaring breaks of all different kinds can be useful AND why taking breaks feels hard, too. Plus, we share some data from our ...
Jun 27, 2023•58 min
As Meagan settles into her newlywed home in a house her husband designed and built for himself, questions abound. And on the West Coast, Sarah is still perplexed by some of her home’s original design (or 90s remodel) quirks. Join us as we discuss home quirks of the past and present–everything from beautiful built-ins made for square, deep tv’s from the 90’s (and collections of DVDs) to bathroom windows that leave very little to neighbors’ imagination. Enjoy! LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah mentioned the ...
Jun 25, 2023•59 min
From when and where popsicles may be eaten to what chores must be done before screen time, summer gives many of us a near-blank slate on which to write some new house rules. Join Meagan and Sarah as we highlight our community’s summer house rules for screens and snacking, water fun and bedtimes, neighborhood play and quiet time. Not much of a “rules mom”? That works, too – and we discuss why! Join us! LINKS MENTIONED: Here’s a link to the Facebook thread where you all provided your House Rules f...
Jun 20, 2023•53 min
It’s no secret that teenagers have BIG feelings. And it can be tricky navigating this stage of parenting without taking on their emotions as our own OR downplaying them so that we feel more comfortable. In this special bonus episode Meagan talks with Dr. Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist and New York Times best-selling author, about how we can support our kids’ development during the teen years (and how to manage our own big feelings about their emotions!). Enjoy! Links Mentioned: Dr. Lisa Damo...
Jun 16, 2023•23 min
While darling flower girls and wee ring bearers are undeniably cute, parenting kids who are part of a wedding ceremony can be stressful. Even when kids are merely AT a wedding (versus IN it), all kinds of tricky situations crop up. Join Meagan and Sarah as we share stories from our own experiences as moms…with kids… at weddings. From breastfeeding in bridesmaid dresses to preschoolers throwing down during family photos, we’ve racked up a few harrowing tales to tell – and we also have thoughts on...
Jun 13, 2023•45 min
Meagan got married! On a raft! Today we talk all about it (and more)! Meagan shares the details of her Memorial Day wedding in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including how Sarah came to the rescue (from thousands of miles away) with one of the most important details. Plus, we reminisce about planning our weddings, and share what we love the most (and least) when attending others’ nuptials. Enjoy! HELPFUL LINKS: Meagan got married at Palms Book State Park in the UP. On a cool raft! Sarah record...
Jun 11, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Come run errands with Meagan and Sarah! Errands are an essential part of mom-life–but the running of them looks very different depending on where you live and your season of life. Today we chat about our preferences and personality quirks when it comes to errands, which ones we like and which ones we avoid, and how we make running around town more enjoyable. Join us as we romanticize (mostly) and vent (a little) about errands! LINKS MENTIONED: Sarah mentioned the episode Mom Than Mom: Romanticiz...
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr
Being a mom in 2023 means having a device connecting you to the world, wherever you go. It isn’t all bad or all good – but it does impact our parenting lives at every turn. Join Kia and Jayme, moms of kids ages toddler to teen, as they chat about the good, the bad, and the ugly of being constantly connected – plus offer some tech-positive suggestions for managing smartphone use when things start to feel out of balance. Enjoy! The Mom Hour Voices is a special series on The Mom Hour, showcasing di...
Jun 02, 2023•52 min
