Fresh Take: Fortesa Latifi on the Truth About Kids in Influencer Families
17/04/2026 | 43 min
What happens when childhood becomes content? Journalist Fortesa Latifi, author of the new book LIKE, FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, discusses the rise of influencer families and the growing world of kid influencers. We explore how parenting content has evolved from "mommy blogs" to today’s visual and monetized social media landscape, where children are often at the center of viral content.
Fortesa explains why family vlogging is so compelling, and the powerful parasocial relationships audiences form with influencer families. She also breaks down the ethical gray areas of sharing kids online, including issues of privacy, consent, and the long-term digital footprint created for children who cannot fully understand or agree to their online presence.
Fortesa discusses the role of viewers in driving demand for this content and the emerging legal efforts to regulate earnings and protect influencer kids. She offers a nuanced look at family vlogging, encouraging parents and audiences alike to think more critically about what it means to share children’s lives online.
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Little-Known Parenting Milestones
15/04/2026 | 44 min
What are the parenting milestones no one tells you about—but that completely change your daily life? We asked our listeners about the little wins of parenting that make a huge difference in reducing the day-to-day chaos, from kids pouring their own cereal to finally being able to leave them home alone.
Listen to our interview with Christina Martin here
Subscribe to our YouTube channel!
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
DEEP DIVE: Meg Zucker on Empowering Kids with Differences and Disabilities
13/04/2026 | 30 min
This Deep Dive series is about embracing the joys and acknowledging the challenges that come with raising kids with differences and disabilities.
How do we celebrate and encourage kids with disabilities and differences, without letting our fears and preconceptions dictate what we think they can do?
How do parents of kids with less understanding of differences and disabilities allow for children's natural curiosity?
Meg Zucker, author of the book Born Extraordinary: Empowering Children with Differences & Disabilities, was born with a genetic condition called ectrodactyly. She is also the mother of three children, two of whom share this difference.
Meg is also the founder and president of Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It, a non-profit with the mission of advancing understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect for people's differences.
In this episode Meg and Amy discuss:
"Disability" versus "difference," and how people choose the words that feel right for them
How Meg's experience growing up different made her parenting kids with differences a little easier—though maybe not as much as someone outside that experience might expect
the well-meaning "thrusting of help" that we might reconsider
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Preparing Our Kids (and Ourselves) as They Leave the Nest, with Christina Geist
10/04/2026 | 41 min
As kids prepare to leave home for college, we tend to wonder: have we taught them everything they need to know? Christina Geist—author of Before You Fly Away: Life Lessons from Home—shares how this transition can feel like a “parental report card.”
Christina's late-night reflections and “mini panic moments" as her child prepared to leave for college became a collection of concise life lessons meant to guide her child toward independence. But the process also turned out to provide a way for Christina to process her own fears and hopes.
Parents often harbor fear that things won’t go perfectly once kids leave home. Christina acknowledges that college—and life—will include mistakes, loneliness, and challenges.
But those “blind spots” are actually essential. Growth happens when kids figure things out on their own, whether it’s resolving roommate conflicts or navigating new responsibilities.
As Christina puts it: “Figure it out. You’re 100% capable.”
Here's where you can find Christina:
www.christinageist.com
Buy BEFORE YOU FLY AWAY: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9798881612023
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why We Avoid Uncertainty (And How That Gets In Our Way)
08/04/2026 | 41 min
Why do we cling to what’s familiar—even when it’s not working? In this episode we explore why humans are wired to avoid uncertainty, and how that shapes our decisions and our parenting.
We discuss the Ellsberg Paradox, which explains why we often choose “the devil we know” over potentially better—but unknown—options. Whether it’s staying in a situation that no longer serves us, avoiding difficult conversations, or overthinking every possible outcome, our brains are constantly trying to reduce uncertainty—even at a cost.
We discuss how the brain’s fear center (the amygdala) reacts more strongly to ambiguity than to actual risk, triggering stress responses like anxiety, overthinking, and catastrophizing. This helps explain why uncertainty can feel so overwhelming—even when nothing is actually wrong.
We discuss Dr. Rue Wilson's notion of “toxic time travel" and how our search for reassurance pulls us out of the present into either mentally replaying the past or imagining worst-case futures, keeping us stuck in cycles of worry.
We also explore how this shows up in parenting. Kids who resist new situations, struggle with transitions, or seem overly anxious may not be reacting to real danger—but to uncertainty itself. Understanding this can help us respond with more empathy and curiosity rather than frustration.
Finally, we share practical strategies for managing uncertainty—for ourselves and our kids:
Separating real risk from fear of the unknown
Using curiosity instead of rumination
Reality-checking anxious thoughts
Focusing on what’s within our control
Grounding ourselves in the present moment
Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
ambiguity aversion
Tara Cousineau for Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Coping with Uncertainty
Lauren Arcuri for the American Physiological Society: The Brain's Response to Uncertainty and Ambiguity
Gretchen Rubin: How to Make Tough Decisions: Choose the Bigger Life
Dorie Clark on Instagram: Your Brain Is Lying to You About Risk
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Acerca de What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
When you're a parent, every day brings a "fresh hell" to deal with. In other words, there's always something. Think of us as your funny mom friends who are here to remind you: you're not alone, and it won't always be this hard.
We're Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, both busy moms of three kids, but with completely different parenting styles. Margaret is a laid-back to the max; Amy never met a spreadsheet or an organizational system she didn't like.
In each episode of "What Fresh Hell" we offer lots of laughs, but also practical advice, parenting strategies, and tips to empower you in your role as a mom. We explore self-help techniques, as well as ways to prioritize your own needs, combat stress, and despite the invisible workload we all deal with, find joy amidst the chaos of motherhood.
If you've ever wondered "why is my kid..." then one of us has probably been there, and we're here to tell you what we've learned along the way.
We unpack the behaviors and developmental stages of toddlers, tweens, and teenagers, providing insights into their actions and equipping you with effective parenting strategies.
We offer our best parenting tips and skills we've learned. We debate the techniques and studies that are everywhere for parents these days, and get to the bottom of what works best to raise happy, healthy, fairly well-behaved kids, while fostering a positive parent-child relationship.
If you're the default parent in your household, whether you're a busy mom juggling multiple pickups and dropoffs, or a first-time parent seeking guidance, this podcast is your trusted resource. Join our community of supportive mom friends laughing in the face of motherhood!
whatfreshhellpodcast.com
Escucha What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms, Papá luchón y muchos más podcasts de todo el mundo con la aplicación de radio.net
México