The Mom Hour

Have you ever fantasized about attending a camp-like environment for grown-ups? Much about the classic summer camp experience is appealing to us (though not EVERYTHING–we could certainly do without the bugs), and the idea of simply showing up for a perfectly curated experience without any responsibility, or planning, sounds AMAZING. Listen to this fun More Than Mom to hear all of our must-have activities (like food and wine tastings, yoga, personal style consults and more!), things that would be a hard no (like swimming in the gross, murky lake or participating in corny, guided crafts) and our daydreams about creating a Mom Hour Retreat (maybe someday?)! Join us!

LINKS MENTIONED:

• Do you have a fun idea for a Mom Hour Retreat? Share it with us–we’d love to hear from you!
• You might also like this episode: More Than Mom: Meagan And Sarah Get Stranded On A Deserted Island
• 9 Perfect Strangers on Hulu is a worthwhile show to watch to give you that fantasy camp feel, it just turns a bit dark.
• Here are a few camp-like environments we shared in this episode:
• Chico Hot Springs in Montana
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Massachusetts 
• Esalen Lodge in Big Sur, California, for an off-the-grid experience

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Among parents, technology and screen time can be a loaded topic. How much is too much? Is that movie too mature? And what’s the best age for a first phone? In today’s episode, Meagan and Sarah share the role technology played in our families when kids were little, and reflect on how things changed as they grew. We discuss the tech parenting choices we still stand behind today, and with hindsight, what we could have done differently. Join us!

LINKS MENTIONED:

• If you have topic suggestions for this Glad I Did / Wish I’d Done series, email us!
• If you enjoyed this episode check out Episode 359, Glad I Did / Wish I’d Done: Summer Planning
• Meagan mentioned past show sponsor Gryphon, is a mesh wifi router system that was created by parents who wanted a better way to control their families’ internet. 
• Check out our Family Travel Hub
• The blog post Making A Case For Video Games pairs nicely with this 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.

There are big benefits to getting kids outside as much as possible. But as a mom to young kids, it can feel intimidating to curate the perfect outside experience for them (and you)! In this Voices episode, Meagan chats with regular contributors Jayme Sherrod and Jennifer Carroll about ways to weave nature into your family’s routine. Both Jennifer and Jayme love the outdoors, but their approaches to getting outside with young kids are very different; listen to get their best tips and must-have gear for successful outdoor family adventures. Whether you are looking for encouragement to take baby steps to get kids outside regularly or some inspiration to try bigger adventures, you’ll love this conversation. Enjoy! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

• The Seek App identifies wildlife, plants and fungi so you can learn about the organisms all around you.
• Merlin Birding App helps you identify birds
• These Battery-Operated Spray Fans keep Meagan and her kids cool in the heat.
• Last Child In the Woods by Richard Louv is a good read according to Meagan.
• Jennifer recommends the Coleman Dark Room Tent to make it extra dark for little kids with bedtimes.
• Arrive Outdoors is the camping gear rental website Meagan mentioned.
• Trekking Poles are great to provide stability for moms carrying littles on a hike.
• This Hiking Carrier is perfect to carry kids on long hikes.
• That time when Meagan owned a camper.
• Check out some of Jennifer’s blog posts featuring the outdoors:
• Five Tips for Water Safety This Summer
• Gift Guide For The Outdoor Adventuring Family 
• Car camping with kids
• Fun episodes that pair well with this one:
• Meagan Goes Camping and Sarah Has Questions
• Camping With Kids (And Other Outdoor Adventures)
• Getting Outside With Kids: Episode 204
• Follow Jennifer Carroll on Instagram
• Follow Jayme Sherrod on Instagram

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It’s the last day of May, which means that for many families it’s time to stow away backpacks, say ‘see ya later’ to early morning alarms, and settle in for a more laid-back (or at least DIFFERENT) routine. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah tap into the wisdom of our community and share your simple summer rituals and traditions for filling summer calendars with fun – without totally throwing structure out the window. Enjoy this mashup of sweet, family rituals along with clever house rules to help you prepare for summer days ahead!

LINKS MENTIONED:

• The Facebook Mom Hour Listener Community Thread that inspired episode 367
• The Mom Hour Family Travel Hub is a great place to go for all things travel related like must-have travel gear, water safety tips, keeping kids entertained in the car, and much more! 
• Past episodes that pair well with Episode 367
• A Summertime Chores, Life Skills & Freedoms Reset
• Preparing Kids (And Ourselves!) For Summer Independence
• Glad I Did / Wish I’d Done: Summer Planning
• (Realistic) Summer Schedule Intentions

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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.

Looking back at old photos is a quick way to feel ALL the feels: everything from “I can’t believe they were ever that little” to “What was I thinking with that haircut?” to “Oh riiiiiiiight, that was one exhausting season of life.” Looking back is also a great reminder of the value in documenting everyday life – whether we share it publicly or keep it tucked away for our future selves. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah take a stroll down motherhood memory lane as we look back at one day (May 24) in our motherhood lives over several years. Spoiler Alert—our kids are cute, we’ve had many life changes over the past ten years and Meagan will forever be paranoid about applying sunscreen (sorry Owen!). Enjoy!

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Products. Just because. Yay! Meagan and Sarah pop into your Sunday feed with a light and fluffy chat about the products we are loving lately. From linen pants to fizzy beverage makers, pens for lefties and Very Many Opinions About Mugs, we cover our latest can’t-live-without products in this fun More Than Mom episode. Join us!

LINKS MENTIONED:

• The Essential Calendar is perfect to help you get organized this summer (that’s our affiliate link – and you can see what the calendar looks like here)
• Did you snag The Mom Hour mug from our merch shop yet?
• Sarah’s loving the everyday mugs from this Etsy shop (the Powers family has the ones labeled “mug,” which are quiet large, and the ones labeled “medium mug,” which are smaller)
• Sarah bought Meagan this insulated mug for Christmas last year
• Sarah’s Hydroflask Coffee Mug is the 12oz version seen on this page, and the replacement lids are also listed on the same page. We think the new colors and the 6oz version are both adorable.
• Megan is loving the loose leaf teas from Good Medicine Tea, Justea, and Modestine Tea
• Sarah enjoys the Ooly Seriously Fine Felt-Tip Markers and Stabilo Point 88 Fineliners for calendar color coding and such
• These pens are perfect for lefties
• Meagan’s fav pen for everyday writing is the Pilot Precise V7 rt (affiliate link)
• Meagan is loving her Sparkel which makes anything fizzy!  
• Osea’s anti-aging body balm is a staple for Meagan
• This Flamingo lotion (affiliate link) smells like a hotel that brings back happy memories for Meagan.
• Sarah’s loving Thrive Cosmetics’ overnight sensation brightening sleep mask
• Thrive is a sponsor of The Mom Hour, but this mention was totally un-sponsored. If you do decide to shop Thrive, be sure to use our special URL thrivecausemetics.com/themomhour for 15% off your first purchase!
• Meagan uses her Infuse mop (affiliate link) from Casabella on the regular + her trusty old Libman and sometimes this Libman (affiliate link) too
• Sarah and Meagan both purchased the cabo linen wide-leg pants from Athleta 
• Sarah chatted about these high-waisted crop linen-blend pants from Old Navy

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Between the raging hormones, sleep deprivation, and overstimulation that occurs on the daily, it’s no wonder most moms feel a little “off” for a few weeks after delivery. But how do we know when the baby blues develop into something more? In this episode, Sarah chats with contributors Emily Roark and Kia Hammond, who share their personal postpartum mental health journeys, including how they recognized signs of postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, when and how they got help, and which coping strategies worked best. We also get into preparing for mental health support during subsequent pregnancies, how the COVID upended mitigation strategies for pandemic babies, and more. We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation. 

LINKS MENTIONED:

If you’re struggling, you can speak to someone right now about how you’re feeling by reaching out to Postpartum Support International’s HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773. If you ever feel like you might harm yourself or your baby, text HOME to the National Crisis Text Line at 741741 for immediate support. You can also find a trained provider on their website here.

• Sarah interviewed Kate Rope in Voices 26 to talk about her journey through postpartum anxiety, and how moms can support each other during new motherhood. 
• Kate Rope wrote Strong as a Mother: How to Be Happy, Healthy and (Most Importantly) Sane From Pregnancy to Parenthood: The Only Guide to Taking Care of YOU! (affiliate link), a book we highly recommend
• Kate Rope also wrote an article with more about Why new moms have scary thoughts about their babies
• Kia and Emily were also featured in our episodes Pandemic Babies And The Moms Who Love Them, Part 1 and Part 2. 
• Meagan interviewed Monique Dozier in Black Motherhood & Mental Health: Voices 69
• You can hear more from Kia in a conversation with Meagan about Preparing Kids (Of All Ages) For A New Baby: Voices 67 
• Follow @kiamhammond and @Emilyeroark on Instagram 
• Emily found the book The Postnatal Depletion Cure (affiliate link) by Oscar Serrallach very helpful throughout her postpartum journey
• Emily and Kia recommend the following instagram accounts @biglittlefeelings, @pedsdoctalk, @psychedmommy, and @happyasamother. 
• Kia recommends the book Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers (affiliate link)

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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.

Performances. Plays. Graduations. The lusty month of May is upon us as we ditch our well-oiled, calendar-planning systems and enter our end-of-school-year survival mode. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah share strategies for tackling the extra-ness of this season (like death by a thousand emails), setting intentions for the next few weeks and the many lessons May tries to teach us year after year (maybe someday we will learn?). Enjoy this May madness roundup as you dream of the peaceful, calm days of summer ahead (Ha, wouldn’t that be great!). 

LINKS MENTIONED:

• Talking About Our Own Kids. Or Not: Episode 364 pairs well with this episode. 
• For more May madness, check out our Playlist: May Survival Guide for School Parents

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As moms, we are our kids’ biggest fans. But when it comes to deciding when, how and what to share about them with others, the struggle is real. In today’s episode, Meagan and Sarah discuss how talking about our own kids in a public forum gets tricky as they get older (think bigger kids, bigger problems) – and not just for the reasons you might think. Join us for a real conversation about navigating the ever-changing seasons of motherhood and how we think you can be honest and authentic without sharing *everything* going on inside your four walls. We wrap up with some updates on our specific kids (all eight!). Enjoy!

LINKS MENTIONED:

• Meagan interviewed Will in Real Talk About High School (With A Real Teen!): Voices 71
• You might also like this episode where we talk about “Sharenting”
• Here’s a link to additional episodes featuring conversations about our specific eight kids

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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.

Moms are savvy consumers, conscientious home managers, and discerning decision-makers. So why are we so often the target of hyper-generalized and cringey marketing efforts? In today’s More Than Mom episode – airing on Mother’s Day! – Meagan and Sarah keep it light (and a bit snarky ?) as we vent about the sloppy intent, terrible puns and ridiculous stereotypes advertisers use to market to us moms. Join us!

LINKS MENTIONED:

• We’d love to hear your thoughts around opting out of Mother’s Day messaging. Have you ever found that to be helpful? Let us know in the comments below or on this episode’s Instagram post!
• Here’s the Mother’s Day Ad Spend Data Meagan referenced
• Meagan’s podcast, Mother Of Reinvention, recently featured an interview with Katie Keating about marketing to – and by – midlife women
• Fancy, a NYC advertising agency, surveyed 500 women over 40 about their feelings concerning advertising and marketing and highlighted their findings in this post.

MORE HELPFUL LINKS:

• Visit our website
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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.