Always Here Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: Our Most Embarrassing Mom Fails, Parenting Hacks, and Frida Mom Scandal
Hosts: Abby Howard & Abby Howard (with Addie)
Date: February 27, 2026
Always Here shares real, honest, and funny relationship moments between sister-in-laws Abby & Abby—exploring the hope and the hard of parenting and life, always with heart and humor.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode is a spirited blend of personal storytelling, parenting blunders, updates from the hosts’ lives, and a thoughtful group discussion on the controversial Frida Mom marketing scandal. The hosts and their guest Addie candidly share their most embarrassing "mom fails," practical parenting hacks, and crowd-sourced stories from listeners. The trio also dives into a book club segment and answers listener voicemails, rounding out the conversation with warmth, vulnerability, and plenty of laughs.

EPISODE STRUCTURE & TIMESTAMPS

1. Life Updates & Birthday Fun (02:12–11:02)
2. Discussion: Frida Mom Scandal (11:03–19:33)
3. Mom Fails—Listener Submissions & Host Stories (21:32–42:34)
4. Parenting Hacks & Approaches (45:02–66:14)
5. Listener Voicemails—Q&A (71:18–77:10)
6. Recipe & Book Club Corner (77:11–91:46)

1. LIFE UPDATES & PERSONAL STORIES

[02:12–11:02]

• Addie’s Birthday & First as a Mom:
  • Addie turns 25, celebrates her first birthday as a mom, and recounts a fun recording day that included an impromptu lie detector session.
  • Memorable moment: “We brought a lie detector in.”—Abby H. [02:47]
• Generational Reflections:
  • Hosts discuss feeling the age gap with people in their early 20s, interaction differences with high school/middle schoolers, and parenting as they approach their late 20s.
• Marriage Conference Takeaways:
  • The Howards attended a marriage conference focusing on budgeting and conflict resolution.
  • Key communication tool: “The story I’m choosing to tell myself is…”—Abby H. [05:29]
  • This phrasing helps partners communicate unmet needs without jumping to negative conclusions.
• Sick Day as a Mom:
  • Abigail describes a “sick day” involving showering both herself and her horse-sized dog Lewis, which leads to stories about family dog grooming mishaps.
• DIY Home Projects:
  • Shout out to Caleb for working long hours, then coming home to fix the disposal, ceiling fan, and sink—“He’s been on a tear.” [09:53]

2. THE FRIDA MOM SCANDAL

[11:03–19:33]

• Scandal Recap & Brand Background:
  • Frida Mom, a popular baby/maternal products company, is under fire for what many perceive as highly sexualized product marketing and inappropriate social media captions.
  • “Their marketing and their branding on their packaging is very sexual.”—Abigail [12:03]
• Notable Example:
  • A 2020 “rectal thermometer” Instagram post: “The closest your husband will ever get to a threesome.” [12:59] “That’s crazy.”—Abby H.
• Mixed Reactions:
  • Hosts admit they hadn’t previously noticed the sexual branding—“We’re so tired. Who’s looking?”—Abby H. [12:16]
  • The line between bold/cheeky humor and inappropriate marketing—especially with children’s products—is debated.
  • “I just feel like it’s kind of tone deaf.”—Abigail [15:05]
• Comparisons & Ethics:
  • Reference to the Balenciaga scandal: using sexual/controversial themes in campaigns involving kids is a red line.
  • On “canceling” Frida: “If there’s two products … I’ll go with the other brand.”—Abigail [15:25]
  • “I would still give them an opportunity to apologize.”—Abigail [19:20]
• Ethical Marketing Takeaway:
  • The hosts value forgiveness and accountability: “Calling out a company when they have crossed the line is good to point them back.” [19:16]

3. MOM FAILS: EMBARRASSING PARENTING GONE HUMOROUS

[21:32–42:34]

Listener Submissions

• Clipping the binky to the baby’s skin.
• Regretting the purchase of iPads for young kids.
• Feeding a 9-month-old cayenne pepper to “get him used to spice,” resulting in trauma.
  • “Chili powder would have been like still kind of spicy…”—Abby H. [23:26]
• Baby eating an entire tub of margarine while mom showered—bad diaper aftermath.
• Hiding toddler candy and mom eating it!
• Dropping a phone on the baby’s head during 3am feeds
  • “Really? I feel like I probably have, too.”—Abby H. [25:38]
• Toddler sucked on a cricket for an hour—leg flew out after cough.
• Breastfeeding a blanket instead of the baby out of sleep deprivation.
• Toilet brush in mouth—AND it was the previous owner’s toilet brush.
• Cutting baby’s finger instead of nail; mom (an actual nurse) passes out.
• Forgetting diaper before bed: “We didn’t realize until I woke up to feed her at 2am and couldn’t figure out why she was so happy.”

Hosts’ Own Fails

• Dog-Related Mishap: CJ plays with dog’s pee stream (“hot”)—Abigail [31:47]
• Sleeping in Vomit: Kid quietly pukes in crib and sleeps in it all night—Abby H. [32:36]
• Tunnel Slide Disaster: Cheering CJ down a three-story aluminum slide only to see him tumble (“washing machine style”) through the windows—Abigail [34:47]
• Nerf Gun Accident: Accidentally shoots Griffin in the face with a loaded Nerf gun while teaching him—Abby H. [37:05]
• Falling out of Bed—Multiple Stories:
  • Falling hard onto tile after transitioning from crib-to-bed.
  • Waking up under a bed frame during a trip.
• Ink on White Leather Car Seats: Letting toddlers play in the unstrapped car, only to find blue ink pen everywhere—Abby H. [42:20]
• Bottle Nipple Mix-ups:
  • Seven-month-old using a newborn nipple = 40-minute feeds (fail)
  • Addie gives only fast-flow nipples from the start.

"If we can’t laugh about some of this stuff, we’re gone." —Abby Howard [21:44]

"No one’s a perfect parent." —Abby Howard [21:55]

4. PARENTING HACKS, HONEST TIPS & STRATEGIES

[45:02–66:14]

• Family Motto:
  • The Howards use a concise family motto (“Howards are patient, generous, and kind”) to reinforce values and address misbehavior.
  • “Having that family motto... is just a really good thing.” —Abby H. [47:48]
• Prompt the Response You Want:
  • Abigail has CJ repeat expectations back and answer “yes, ma’am”—improves compliance and makes expectations clear. [49:26]
• Lunch Hack—Don’t Do Lunch:
  • Don’t stress about a formal lunch for toddlers; opt for grazing/snack lunches, which kids eat better anyway.
  • “Three meals a day is crazy… So this is my advice to you. Just don’t do lunch!” —Abby H. [52:53]
• Breakfast “Pre-Snack” Hack: Give toddlers a protein snack during morning nursing to tide them over for the main breakfast.
• Consequences & Resolution:
  • Ask: Why are you taking a break? What will you do differently? What should you do now?
    Fosters self-reflection rather than just punishment.
• Clear Expectations with “If-Then” Charts:
  • Visual charts make logical consequences easier and more predictable for both kids and co-parents.
• Flexible Sleep Environments:
  • Don’t create an overly perfect sleep setting unless needed—teach kids to be flexible.
  • “Don’t start strict… just let your kids…” —Abigail [61:23]
• “Car Shoes” Tip:
  • Keep a pair of shoes (and socks!) in the car—no more missing shoes at daycare or the park.
• Binky Removal via Fictional Character:
  • Use Santa, the tooth fairy, or the Easter bunny as the “binky taker”—removes the “bad guy” role from parents.
• Catching Kids Doing Well:
  • Praise good behavior lavishly.
  • “Praise the crap out of what they do right!” —Abby H. [69:03]
• Screen Time Boundaries:
  • TV/screens only on weekends—sets expectations and reduces weekday requests.

5. LISTENER Q&A

[71:18–77:10]

• What’s the best part of Arizona life?
  • Sunshine, endless outdoor activities, and major sports/entertainment options for families.
• Seasons taken for granted:
  • Abby H. wants to relive carefree, responsibility-free childhood where “food was always there.”
  • Abigail reminisces on the newlywed/Covid period as special, precious time together.
  • Both emphasize gratitude for friendships and upbringing.

6. RECIPE & BOOK CLUB CORNER

[77:11–91:46]

Recipes This Week

• Abby H.: Shrimp tacos—Buy shrimp from Costco or Sam’s, use flexible seasoning, top with favorite salsa and raw tortillas.
• Abigail: Hearty cabbage soup—Warm, comforting, full of veggies, add chicken as desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Book Club Discussion:

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

• Ratings: 3–5 stars. (Mixed reactions—entertaining but “too many lunatics,” confusing plot, abrupt twists.)
• “There wasn’t one sane character.” —Abby H. [91:52]
• “I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very entertaining.” —Abigail [87:25]
• Fun Fact: Author Alice Feeney has a personal signature: missing a finger, which features in her books’ plot lines.

Next Book Pick:

• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (GMA Book Club pick, women in space, historical fiction vibes)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “The story I’m choosing to tell myself is…”
  —Abby H. on conflict resolution [05:29]
• “Three meals a day is crazy. Don’t do lunch.”
  —Abby H. [52:53]
• “If we can’t laugh about some of this stuff, we’re gone.”
  —Abby H. [21:44]
• “Calling out a company when they have crossed the line and taken it too far, it’s good to point them back.”
  —Abigail [19:16]
• “Praise the crap out of what they do right!”
  —Abby H. [69:03]
• "Binky: Not because he now hates Christmas and Santa.”
  —Abby H. [65:29]

TONE & TAKEAWAYS

• Deeply honest, silly, and supportive—hosts are never afraid to get real about failure or joy.
• Zero judgment; continual encouragement for all parents and spouses.
• Open-minded about controversial issues; prefer accountability and learning over cancel culture.
• Parenting hacks are practical, not preachy ("No judgment, you live and you learn").
• Humor and humility throughout, especially about their own blunders.

For New Listeners

If you want to laugh, commiserate, and leave feeling less alone in the mess and magic of motherhood, Always Here is an open, supportive corner of the internet. Abby & Abby invite you to bring your own stories—failures, wins, parenting hacks, and book club reactions are always welcome.