From bad hair to failed friendships to terrible taste in music, there are some phases of our lives that, in hindsight, were just kind of the worst. Other eras we look back on fondly, whether it was because our social lives were dazzling or our fashion sense just worked. In today's More Than Mom episode Meagan and Sarah look back at our lives - both before motherhood, and also since becoming a mom - and declare our Bests and Worsts in style, culture, and friendships.

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Lindsey Hein is a lifelong runner with more than 16 marathons to her name, including several Boston Marathon finishes. She's also mom to four busy boys, ages two to eight, and host of a popular podcast for runners. In this month's Voices episode Lindsey chats with Meagan about training for races with four little kids, how her podcasting side hustle grew into a network of shows (including a parenting podcast!), and why she made the tough decision to have a prophylactic mastectomy after finding out she was positive for the BRCA 2 gene mutation when her oldest son was 16 months old.

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We've noticed something: the end of school and start of summer always makes it suddenly clear how dang much our kids have grown. They're smarter, they're taller, they're more capable, and all that means...it's time to level up! We think summer is a great time to teach new life skills, reset chores and responsibilities, and also grant expanded freedoms to growing kids. In Episode 315 Meagan and Sarah talk about summer resets generally, and Summer 2021 more specifically - what our kids are ready for, where they need some support in the independence department, and how we're planning on expanding their worlds this summer.

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Having a house rule gives parents a shorthand for handling the same small annoyance the same way, every time. Will it stop your kids from fighting over the coveted "fishy cup" or arguing over whose turn it is to set the table? It will not. But it WILL allow you to consistently apply the same judiciary process (and one that feels right to YOU) each time kids start to go at it, which can cut down on a lot of mental gymnastics for mom. The beauty of house rules is that they're born from necessity and are unique to each family, so in today's episode we're including smart ideas from dozens of our community members, all in the pursuit of House Rules For Sibling Harmony.

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So many firsts, so many outgrown outfits, so many unforgettable mom-moments, and so much MESS. Join Meagan and Sarah as we walk month-by-month through a baby's first year of life, sharing our personal memories as well as general thoughts on what makes each month unique. If you're beyond the infant years, we hope this will offer a little trip down your own nostalgic memory lane; if you're in the middle of baby-land, we hope you feel seen and validated.

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From swimsuits to fitness programs, nail polish to meal delivery, we admit: we're influenceable. But there's a lot to unpack about the concept of influencer marketing and influencer culture in general. In today's More Than Mom episode Meagan and Sarah talk about about the silly stuff (like the kind of ads the algorithm INSISTS on delivering us) and also the more substantial (like the ways in which we've been positively influenced by friends, both IRL and on the Internet).

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We’ve talked a lot about how little kids (and their parents) experienced schooling disruptions over the past year. But college students, their families, and their instructors also went through a major shift in how higher education is delivered and experienced. Today’s special bonus episode features a conversation with Hsiao-Yun Chu, Ph.D., a college professor, mom of two young children, and longtime listener of the podcast. She shares her thoughts with Sarah on how virtual learning and virtual teaching created some real positives in higher education this year, and even what she hopes will continue after the pandemic is behind us.

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Having a functional kitchen relies on a number of factors, many of which are outside our control (funny floor plans, small spaces, or that weird area between where the open dishwasher blocks off access to that one cabinet? yeah, things like that). But as moms of many kids who have occupied at least as many kitchens in our combined histories, we've also realized there are some things we can do to use the space we have in ways that helps us enjoy being in the kitchen more. Today's episode looks at what's currently frustrating us about kitchen storage and organization (as always, we love your solutions sent by email or as comments on our social pages!), and also what's working well.

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As this incredibly strange and stressful school year winds to a close, parents are looking ahead to next fall and wondering: Should I send my 5-year-old to kindergarten, or wait a year? Will my first grader remember how to make friends since she's been behind a screen all year? Will the struggle that was virtual learning mean my kid never learns to love school again? These are understandable worries, especially for those who are in the middle of their own first experience as school parents. This month's Voices interview guest is Kelly Hiltz, kindergarten teacher who has seen it all this year - remote, hybrid, in-person - and mom to two boys in preschool and early elementary. Sarah and Kelly address the concerns parents have about kindergarten specifically, COVID learning loss generally, and what a 2021-2022 school year might look like for families. We also touch on "red-shirting" younger kinders, how to know what decision is right for your child, and what specific things families can do this summer to best prepare incoming kindergarteners for the fall.

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If you have mixed feelings about Mother's Day, you're not alone. For some, it's a reminder of loss or grief, unmet expectations or missing people we love. For others, the social media buildup and commercialized clichés create expectations that can lead to disappointment. And even for those who don't completely dread Mother's Day, it can be hard to articulate what we really want to the ones who want to spoil us. In short: it's a lot. In this week's Episode 311, Meagan and Sarah validate why Mother's Day can be complicated, reflect on our own celebrations during different seasons of life, and offer ideas for how to celebrate in a way that feels right to you this year.

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