The Mom Hour

Latest Episodes:

Raising Readers & Our Favorite Holiday Books: Episode 186 Dec 11, 2018

Show notes

We love books, and we hope our kids grow up to love them too…but how do we get there? Meagan and Sarah break down the ways we encourage literacy and a love of reading in our homes–without piling on the pressure. We talk about reading aloud, reading for homework, encouraging reluctant readers, and modeling a book-loving life as adults. PLUS Katie Addiss joins Sarah for a fun segment all about holiday picture books! We share some favorites for babies through big kids–just in time for the coziest reading season!

LINKS MENTIONED:

Sarah and Katie’s full list of holiday books is here
Meagan’s appearance on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast: RAR #34: Reading Aloud around a Traditional School Schedule, and RAR host Sarah Mackenzie’s appearance on Meagan’s podcast The Home Hour in 2014
Magazines Sarah loves include ASK and Muse from Cricket Media, Highlights High Five, and National Geographic Kids
Sarah loves the book lists at What Do We Do All Day?, and specifically mentioned these three in her segment with Katie:
Timeless Christmas Books
New Christmas Picture Books
Christmas Chapter Book Read Alouds for Families
Meagan mentioned these books (affiliate links):
Krampus: The Devil of Christmas
The Night Before Christmas – Illustrated by Arthur Rackham
A Christmas Carol
Other episodes you might enjoy:
Raising Lifelong Learners (Ep95)
Bedtime Routines At Every Age (Ep80)
Finding Kids’ Media That Isn’t Terrible (Ep46)

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Loving The Holidays As A Divorced Mom, Single Mom, Or Blended Family: 2018 Holiday Special #3 Dec 07, 2018

Show notes

Most families are touched by divorce in some way, and the holidays can bring up all kinds of questions and challenges for single or re-coupled parents, children of divorced parents (including adult children), and blended families. As Meagan enters her third holiday season post-separation, Sarah picks her brain about everything from the practical logistics of sharing the holidays with an ex, to the emotional landscape of the holidays as a divorced mom. PLUS we welcome the wise and witty voices of Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks and Spawned with Kristen and Liz. Listen for their advice, as well as a couple of listener questions, during the episode.

LINKS MENTIONED:

Last year Meagan talked about changing traditions mid-divorce (Episode 128)
Don’t forget to check out Cool Mom Picks and the Spawned podcast, and thanks to Kristen and Liz for contributing to today’s show!

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Road Trips & Air Travel With Babies, Toddlers, & Littles: Episode 185 Dec 04, 2018

Show notes

Buckle up, mamas. We’re getting into the details of air travel AND car trips with babies, toddlers, and little kids. Meagan’s the expert on road trips, and Sarah has flown a ton with tiny kids. If you’ve ever wondered whether to buy an airplane seat for a one-year-old, how to plan stops on an 8-hour car ride, or what to pack in your carry-on, this episode is for you. Join us!

PLUS Alison Thompson joins Sarah to share her baby #2 birth story and an update on the first two months of adjusting to life as a family of four. They reveal the baby’s name, discuss how big sister Claire is adjusting, and talk about a scary hospitalization that all turned out okay.

LINKS MENTIONED:

Other episodes on kids and travel that you might have missed:
Travel With Kids (Or, How To Enjoy Your Own Vacation)
Smart Tech & Family Travel
Over The River & Through The Woods (Holiday Travel & Visiting Family)
Send in your holiday-themed listener questions! Email an audio file to hello@themomhour.com, or head to speakpipe.com/themomhour to record there

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December Intentions For Busy Moms: 2018 Holiday Special #2 Nov 30, 2018

Show notes

This year’s December doesn’t have to be like last year. Join Meagan and Sarah as we set intentions for the busy holiday month ahead, everything from little ways to find joy in the messes to bigger stuff about changing traditions. It’s another Holiday Bonus episode of The Mom Hour!

LINKS MENTIONED:

All our holiday episodes of The Mom Hour are on this page

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Change Is The Only Constant: Episode 184 Nov 27, 2018

Show notes

At twenty-one and ten years into motherhood respectively, Meagan and Sarah have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to parenting trends. In Episode 184 we talk about the things that have changed since we became moms–from the superficial stuff like trends in baby gear to the more significant ways that the digital age has shaped parenting culture over the years. PLUS, Sarah’s mom offers insight from the perspective of someone who has been a parent for nearly (but not yet) forty years. Join us!

LINKS MENTIONED:

“Mommy Needs Wine” and Other Problematic Mom-Tropes (Episode 183)
Meagan talked about Aidan Donnelly Rowley’s blog posts on the dry life, which we discussed in more detail last week
more in this cute video
Check out SpanglerScienceClub.com and use promo code MOMHOUR to save $10 on a 3-month subscription (more in this cute video)

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Kids & Gift Lists: 2018 Holiday Special #1 Nov 23, 2018

Show notes

Our kids have made their holiday wish lists, and we’re popping into your podcast feed on Black Friday to chat about them! Join Meagan and Sarah as we review our own kids’ Christmas lists, what we have our eyes on as we kick off holiday shopping season, plus the ways we get around those “ain’t never gonna happen” wishes that kids love to put on their lists. Enjoy!

LINKS MENTIONED:

Sarah’s 10-year-old is interested in this 3D pen from Mindware.com
Meagan’s 9-year-old has asked for a subscription to ScrawlrBox
Our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide includes 3 bonus podcast episodes and a whole bunch of great links–it’s all organized for you on this page
All of our holiday-related podcast content is on this page

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“Mommy Needs Wine” & Other Problematic Mom-Tropes: Episode 183 Nov 20, 2018

Show notes

Meagan and Sarah both enjoy wine and cocktails, but coincidentally we both scaled back our drinking recently and have observations to share. We’re also wary of the pervasive “mommy needs a drink” trope and the way meme culture in general aims for cheap laughs with potentially harmful side-effects. Today’s episode gets into the gray area between carefree happy hour and full-blown addiction, and we talk honestly about the places alcohol and motherhood overlap.

LINKS MENTIONED:

Sunday’s More Than Mom epsiode
Aidan Donnelly Rowley and her blog posts on the dry life, her regular Instagram feed (which Sarah loves), her @drybeclub community, and her podcast EDIT
Parenting With a Buzz: When Does Alcohol as Self-Care Become a Problem? (Kristen Mascia for Parents)
How Mommy Drinking Culture Has Normalized Alcoholism For Women In America (Sarah Cottrell for Babble)
#Winemom culture is about SO much more than wine—and we need to talk about it (Emily Glover for Mother.ly)

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More Than Mom: Cheers! Nov 18, 2018

Show notes

Heading into a holiday week, Meagan and Sarah are feeling festive and talking about our favorite adult beverages. We also talk about rituals and routines involving our favorite drinks, hangover cures, holiday drinking and more. Join us!

Note: We know that alcohol is a tricky topic for a lot of people, and in this episode you’ll hear some honest thoughts about responsible–and irresponsible–consumption. This episode, intended to be light and fluffy, will be followed by a discussion on Tuesday’s show about the darker side of “Mommy Wine Culture” and other complicated pieces of this puzzle.

LINKS MENTIONED:

More Than Mom: Beverages!

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Holiday Travel & Visiting Relatives: Episode 182 Nov 13, 2018

Show notes

Whether it’s across town for dinner or cross-country for a week, visiting family comes with challenges–especially at the holidays. There are relationship dynamics to consider, plus germs, traditions, sleep schedules, and a lot of public parenting. In Episode 182, Meagan and Sarah sit down for a thoughtful discussion on how to make family visits and holiday travel less stressful for you and your family. Join us!

LINKS MENTIONED:

All our holiday-related podcast episodes are on this page
You might also like the episodes we’ve done on dealing with criticism and things to remember when you feel criticized
We’ve also done episodes on traveling with kids and smart tech and family travel
Meagan mentioned our episode on greed and gratitude
Want to send in a question for our holiday-themed listener questions episode? Email us at hello@themomhour.com!

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More Than Mom: Clutter Nov 11, 2018

Show notes

Cupboards, cabinets, closets, and drawers: Meagan and Sarah are opening up and confessing what’s working and what isn’t when it comes to clutter and our homes. Join us for another fun More Than Mom episode of The Mom Hour!

LINKS MENTIONED:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Condo
Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff, by Dana K. White of A Slob Comes Clean
Stuff, Junk and Things, Episode 35, in which we discuss kid-related clutter
Our laundry episode, and our dishes episode

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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