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in Episodes on December 1, 2015 by The Mom Hour

Moms Deserve A Magical Holiday, Too: Episode 30



“Simplify” has become one of the buzziest holiday buzzwords over the last decade, and today Meagan and Sarah are unpacking what that really means in their homes. Whether you really do want to scale back this season or whether, like us, you’re just out to maximize magic and minimize stress, we hope you’ll join us for Episode 30!

Sponsor Spotlight

FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCING ALCOHOL RESPONSIBILITY (RESPONSIBILITY.ORG) LOGO

We are thrilled to welcome back Responsibility.org  as our sponsor!

Check out their website, or search the #HolidayResponsibly hashtag on Twitter to see some of the great research and resources designed to help you make responsible choices when it comes to alcohol this holiday season.

Moms Deserve a MAGICAL Holiday, TOO. (1)

 

Links we mentioned (or should have!) in Episode 30

  • Be The Best Parent You Can Be – FREE online parenting video series beginning this week!
  • 5 reasons I’m not simplifying Christmas this year (updated) – Laura Vanderkam
  • Holiday Episodes of The Home Hour
    • Create a Calmer Holiday with Doña Bumgarner (Episode 44)
    • Saving Money at the Holidays with Amy Clark of MomAdvice.com (Episode 9)
    • Simplifying the holidays with Tsh Oxenreider of Simple Mom (Episode 7)
    • Low-Stress Traditions with Sarah Powers (the first time we ever recorded together! Episode 14)
    • Christmas at Home with Meagan & Sarah (last year’s holiday chat – Episode 46)
    • Living Well on Less with Amy Suardi of Frugal Mama (Episode 5)
    • Blogging and Life with Rebecca Woolf of Girl’s Gone Child (Episode 16)
  • Essays and posts we’ve written on creating holiday joy and enjoying the season
    • Holidays, The Easy Way (a four-part series on The Happiest Home)
    • Why Holiday Traditions Aren’t Mom’s Responsibility (Sarah for The Huffington Post)
    • Believing in Santa, for now (Meagan for The Washington Post)
    • The Reason For The Season? Joy. (Meagan for The Happiest Home)

Happy December, friends! How will you be enjoying the season this year?

Related

Filed Under: Episodes Tagged With: Christmas, holidays & celebrations, self

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« Raising Siblings Who Like Each Other: Episode 29
Meagan & Sarah’s December Favorites To Watch / Listen / Read: Episode 31 »

Comments

  1. T says

    December 2, 2015 at 9:59 am

    I have the same issue with wrapping gifts. Spatial reasoning…? Interesting concept. I hadn’t thought of that before – but that might explain my challenge. Great episode ladies!

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      December 7, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      Thanks, T! Glad to know we’re not alone… 😉

      Reply
  2. Erin Allee says

    December 6, 2015 at 5:17 pm

    Meagan and Sarah,
    I want you to know that I love listening to The Mom Hour. I’m the mom of two small children so in Sarah I relate to someone who is in the same parenting stage and with Meagan I’m able to see where I’m going to on this journey. Both of your perspectives are so important to surviving the day to day struggles of raising small children while also keeping the bigger picture in mind. I want to thank you for your thoughtful commentary on so many pertinent parenting topics, for calling it like it is and for encouraging all Moms to cut themselves a break. I can honestly say you have made parenting a bit easier and enjoyable for me.
    Erin Allee
    Fellow hater of fun 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      December 7, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      Erin, this makes us so happy! Thank you for taking the time to comment, and for listening. xo

      Reply
  3. Nicole says

    May 24, 2016 at 5:31 pm

    Christmas gives me the hives. I love it, but I don’t like doing all the work to “make” Christmas. My husband is not into it.

    I have in years past only put up half of the tree (just leaving out the bottom section of the fake tree). I only make the cookies I like. My son is now into the tree, so last year he put it up (with a little help and supervision). I only cook one meal on Christmas Day. We have breakfast for dinner in Christmas Eve with paper plates.

    I only did the bare minimum last year to make me feel Christmasy, and it was FINE.

    Reply

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Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is stil Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is still going strong after eight years, 644 episodes, and more than 15 Million listens! Click the subscribe links in our bio or ask your smart speaker to "play the latest episode of The Mom Hour podcast".

New episodes release every Tuesday and alternating Sundays all year round. Our archives have conversations about every stage of parenting from before-baby through launching young adults - and every aspect of motherhood, too.

#podcast #podcastformoms #mompodcast #parentingpodcast #mommypodcast #mamapodcast #womenpodcasters #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #themomhour #motherhood
Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podv Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podversary? Birthcast? No matter how you slice it, The Mom Hour turns EIGHT years old on March 19!

Want to totally make our day? Leave a comment that tells us - in life milestones - how long you've been listening (i.e., "the baby I was pregnant with when I found you guys is now in kindergarten" OR "I have a middle schooler who was in preschool when I started listening" OR "I was on leave with my first when I discovered the podcast; now I have four kids!")

We appreciate this community so much - and we're not slowing down! Thanks for being here, friends. Talk to you Tuesday!

-M &S
Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor ro Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor roundup, where we thank our partners and remind you of their great deals. For our unique promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. Remember, when you check out our sponsors and use our links + codes, it helps support our show. Thank you!

We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW partner:
💰 @fearlessfinance ($50 off your 1st meeting!)

And welcome back . . .
⭐ @everyplate (meal kits for just $1.49 per meal!) 
⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @caraway_home (10% off cookware!)
⭐ @caredotcom (local, background-checked care!) 
⭐ @prepdish (2 weeks of free meal plans!)
⭐ @minted (art, bags, gifts & more!)
⭐ @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
⭐ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
⭐ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on comfy shoes!)
It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans comi It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans coming up for Spring Break, but we know that every single year, just as many families aren't going anywhere - and that's OK, too!

This week on the blog @emilyeroark offers suggestions for mixing up your same ol' same ol' when kids are off for Spring Break. Check out the post by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#stayathomemom #springbreakathome #staycationideas #stayathomeparent #toddlermom #preschoolmom #momofthree #springbreak2023 #spring #springbreakathome #kidsactivities
New episode! Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, rea New episode!

Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, really.) And board games (maybe?). What's fun for our families right now looks quite different than it did years ago, so today Meagan and Sarah revisit an oft-discussed hot topic on The Mom Hour: family "fun." We share several ideas for ACTUALLY FUN family activities that work for our current seasons, as well as some gripes about things that feel like they should be fun but aren't. Join us!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! It isn't always easy to appreciate t New episode!

It isn't always easy to appreciate the mundane tasks of our daily lives, or to see the glass half-full when something goes awry. Inspired by yet another social media trend that had us scratching our heads at first (and then reflecting in spite of our forty-something selves), today Meagan and Sarah talk about situations from our own lives where we romanticized the hard stuff to get by.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you g If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you give them a theme? On the blog this week @hopefulsmiles makes a case for themed Easter baskets helping to simplify shopping, avoid clutter, and stay on budget.

Check out Sandy’s ideas for themed Easter baskets by clicking this image at the link in our bio - she's got over 35 different gift ideas listed!

#easter2023 #easterbasketfillers #eastergiftideas #themedeasterbasket #giftsfortoddlers #giftsforpreschoolers #giftsfortweens #giftsforkids #eastergiftguide #eastertips #easterwithkids
"As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports co "As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports coaching resume for years," writes @twinningtheweekend on the blog this week, "You just didn’t know it."

🥎  Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
⚽  Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
🏀  You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
🏐  Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
🥎  You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
⚽  You are not easily intimated…hello science projects and fractions. 
🏀  You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
🏐  Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
🥎  You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
⚽  Multitasking? That’s your specialty. 

Raise your hand if you've coached a youth sports team as a mom! And click this image at the link in our bio to read Jennifer's tips for making it less time-consuming and stressful than you might think!

#youthsports #sportsmom #littleleague #littleleaguemom #girlsinsports #littleleaguemom #soccermom #baseballmom #coachmom
New episode! Worrying as a mom is a universal exp New episode!

Worrying as a mom is a universal experience (and, spoiler alert: it never REALLY goes away). Today Meagan and Sarah look back over the years on the worries that surface most often in our community. Going by the questions we get from listeners, moms worry a lot about safety (our kids', our own, the state of the world); and we also worry about WORRY (are we worried about the "right" things? is our worry creating anxiety in our kids?). Join us as we revisit these questions and more with that well-worn reminder: it's (probably) all going to be okay.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is abou This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is about worry. The worries we have in common, the ones that start to interfere with our daily lives and need addressing, the really specific ones and the more general and exisential ones. One thing we both know about worries is that silence fuels their festering.

If you're worried about something right now, feel free to share. Maybe someone else can offer a "oh, me too!" or send a virtual hug. Maybe you can do the same for someone else. And if your worries feel too tender to share specifically, feel free to just drop a 🙋‍♀️ and know you're not alone.
One productivity trap I (Sarah) fall into is to ge One productivity trap I (Sarah) fall into is to get big bursts of task-energy and work way ahead on "adulting" stuff…and then to mentally check out for a few weeks. This was really coming back to bite me when it came to things related to the kids and school, so I thought I’d share the small tweak that helped me stress less in the lead-up to big events.

Take a big school trip, for example (see also: competition / tournament / fundraiser / bar mitzvah: anything that sits weeks to months out on the calendar, that involves a lot of smaller tasks, and that will get extra-demanding in the final lead-up). I used to spend a ton of time and energy as soon as the Big Thing was announced – printing packing lists, inputting details into my calendar, reading all communications thoroughly, etc. – and it felt great: Look at me! Working so far ahead!

Then I STILL found myself scrambling as Big Event got closer because I’d forget to check BACK in with those lists and instructions. I’d assumed a kind of mental complacency originating from that first eager dive into the details. Often there were new instructions or updates, plus tasks that were objectively too far out to take care of during my initial power-session would later sneak up on me and send me scrambling.

What I do NOW is to set a recurring reminder for myself once a week to check in with Big Event stuff. When it appears on my Todoist “Today” page, it’s always kind of a surprise. Oh right! That thing IS getting closer! The check-in means I review any recent communications and add more granular tasks to my list with specific deadlines attached to them (ask neighbor to borrow duffle; sign release form; etc.).

It’s completely changed the way I feel as Big Events get closer. Do we still scramble? 100%. But I don’t feel as gobsmacked by the reality-check that there’s still more to do when I felt as though I’d already done it all.

Are you curious about how I use Todoist to reduce overwhelm? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.

And if you’ve been meaning to try Todoist Pro, you’re in luck! Click this image at the link in our bio to get 2 months of PRO for free!

#affiliate #todoistpartner
It’s normal to feel worried as a mom. It’s unp It’s normal to feel worried as a mom. It’s unpleasant for sure, and when worries go unchecked they can dominate your life in ways that are worth addressing. But even when you’re not clinically anxious, freaking out or fixating on something having to do with your child is a universal experience.

In our “Things We Shouldn’t Have Freaked Out About” series, we look at motherhood worries with the benefit of hindsight. We share what we fretted over, how it turned out, and whether we might have been able to dial back the worry and enjoyed the journey a bit more.

If you haven't listened to these episodes already and you're feeling worried right now, we highly recommend queuing them up. We've been there, and it mostly turned out okay. Plus, next week on the podcast we're talking more about the things moms worry about - some of the universal themes that come up again and again in our community. 

Click this image the link in our bio and you can see all five of these TWSHFOA (how’s that for an acronym!) episodes on one handy page. Or just search "freak out" in the episode list wherever you get your podcasts.
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looking for something?

Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is stil Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is still going strong after eight years, 644 episodes, and more than 15 Million listens! Click the subscribe links in our bio or ask your smart speaker to "play the latest episode of The Mom Hour podcast".

New episodes release every Tuesday and alternating Sundays all year round. Our archives have conversations about every stage of parenting from before-baby through launching young adults - and every aspect of motherhood, too.

#podcast #podcastformoms #mompodcast #parentingpodcast #mommypodcast #mamapodcast #womenpodcasters #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #themomhour #motherhood
Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podv Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podversary? Birthcast? No matter how you slice it, The Mom Hour turns EIGHT years old on March 19!

Want to totally make our day? Leave a comment that tells us - in life milestones - how long you've been listening (i.e., "the baby I was pregnant with when I found you guys is now in kindergarten" OR "I have a middle schooler who was in preschool when I started listening" OR "I was on leave with my first when I discovered the podcast; now I have four kids!")

We appreciate this community so much - and we're not slowing down! Thanks for being here, friends. Talk to you Tuesday!

-M &S
Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor ro Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor roundup, where we thank our partners and remind you of their great deals. For our unique promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. Remember, when you check out our sponsors and use our links + codes, it helps support our show. Thank you!

We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW partner:
💰 @fearlessfinance ($50 off your 1st meeting!)

And welcome back . . .
⭐ @everyplate (meal kits for just $1.49 per meal!) 
⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @caraway_home (10% off cookware!)
⭐ @caredotcom (local, background-checked care!) 
⭐ @prepdish (2 weeks of free meal plans!)
⭐ @minted (art, bags, gifts & more!)
⭐ @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
⭐ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
⭐ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on comfy shoes!)
It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans comi It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans coming up for Spring Break, but we know that every single year, just as many families aren't going anywhere - and that's OK, too!

This week on the blog @emilyeroark offers suggestions for mixing up your same ol' same ol' when kids are off for Spring Break. Check out the post by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#stayathomemom #springbreakathome #staycationideas #stayathomeparent #toddlermom #preschoolmom #momofthree #springbreak2023 #spring #springbreakathome #kidsactivities
New episode! Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, rea New episode!

Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, really.) And board games (maybe?). What's fun for our families right now looks quite different than it did years ago, so today Meagan and Sarah revisit an oft-discussed hot topic on The Mom Hour: family "fun." We share several ideas for ACTUALLY FUN family activities that work for our current seasons, as well as some gripes about things that feel like they should be fun but aren't. Join us!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! It isn't always easy to appreciate t New episode!

It isn't always easy to appreciate the mundane tasks of our daily lives, or to see the glass half-full when something goes awry. Inspired by yet another social media trend that had us scratching our heads at first (and then reflecting in spite of our forty-something selves), today Meagan and Sarah talk about situations from our own lives where we romanticized the hard stuff to get by.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you g If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you give them a theme? On the blog this week @hopefulsmiles makes a case for themed Easter baskets helping to simplify shopping, avoid clutter, and stay on budget.

Check out Sandy’s ideas for themed Easter baskets by clicking this image at the link in our bio - she's got over 35 different gift ideas listed!

#easter2023 #easterbasketfillers #eastergiftideas #themedeasterbasket #giftsfortoddlers #giftsforpreschoolers #giftsfortweens #giftsforkids #eastergiftguide #eastertips #easterwithkids
"As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports co "As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports coaching resume for years," writes @twinningtheweekend on the blog this week, "You just didn’t know it."

🥎  Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
⚽  Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
🏀  You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
🏐  Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
🥎  You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
⚽  You are not easily intimated…hello science projects and fractions. 
🏀  You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
🏐  Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
🥎  You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
⚽  Multitasking? That’s your specialty. 

Raise your hand if you've coached a youth sports team as a mom! And click this image at the link in our bio to read Jennifer's tips for making it less time-consuming and stressful than you might think!

#youthsports #sportsmom #littleleague #littleleaguemom #girlsinsports #littleleaguemom #soccermom #baseballmom #coachmom
New episode! Worrying as a mom is a universal exp New episode!

Worrying as a mom is a universal experience (and, spoiler alert: it never REALLY goes away). Today Meagan and Sarah look back over the years on the worries that surface most often in our community. Going by the questions we get from listeners, moms worry a lot about safety (our kids', our own, the state of the world); and we also worry about WORRY (are we worried about the "right" things? is our worry creating anxiety in our kids?). Join us as we revisit these questions and more with that well-worn reminder: it's (probably) all going to be okay.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is abou This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is about worry. The worries we have in common, the ones that start to interfere with our daily lives and need addressing, the really specific ones and the more general and exisential ones. One thing we both know about worries is that silence fuels their festering.

If you're worried about something right now, feel free to share. Maybe someone else can offer a "oh, me too!" or send a virtual hug. Maybe you can do the same for someone else. And if your worries feel too tender to share specifically, feel free to just drop a 🙋‍♀️ and know you're not alone.

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