Parenting Great Kids With Dr. Meg Meeker

It’s really difficult for kids dealing with the isolation and limits of the COVID-19 pandemic, and these things can cause issues with the head and the heart connecting like they should in even the strongest of kids. It takes a deep understanding of how the brain and the heart work together and experience with difficult mental health issues to help you and your kids explore your own stories and deal with life’s challenges. That’s why in today’s episode, Dr. Meeker talks with Drs. David and Donna Lane, award-winning authors, professors, and Christian counselors. Their passion in life is to help others build a deep, meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ, and their work and writings are all there to help move people in that direction. Give this episode a listen and get ready to help your kids with mental health strategies for this COVID-19 generation! Also, do you have a question for Dr. Meeker? If so, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is answered in an

With all the messages from the media thrown at girls these days, it’s no wonder that worry and anxiety in adolescent girls is on the rise. When you combine social media running the next teen’s “highlight reel” with pressure to achieve more in school due to standardized testing or parental pressure, it’s a recipe for increased feelings of being overwhelmed and thoughts of suicide. All these things (and more) have put pressure on teens, especially young girls, that previous generations never had to deal with. So, as a parent, what can you do to help your daughter deal with all these things in a healthy way? Listen to this episode, and you’ll be in a much better place to deal with those things! Dr. Meeker sits down for a great conversation with Sissy Goff, Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, TN. She’s also a sought after speaker and author of 12 books including Raising Worry-Free Girls and Braver, Stronger, Smarter. Their conversation could have stretched on

Today’s media loves to try and make men out to be generally irrelevant and idiotic. What they overlook is the importance of a father figure, whether biological or just a friend. That’s why Father’s Day is so special to Dr. Meg, and on this day she wants you fathers to feel how important you actually are to the people in your lives. Television shows, social media memes, and perceptions in general work to break fathers down and make them feel insignificant, but Dr. Meg wants to give you advice and encouragement instead. Fathers, listen in as Dr. Meeker speaks words of life into you as you navigate the world of raising great kids! Do you have a question for Dr. Meg? If you have a question you want Dr. Meeker to answer, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured! WELCOME Dr. Meg introduces today’s special episodes honoring dads! MEG’S FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL (PART 1) Dr. Meg speaks life and truth to the dads in this special episode dedicated to

The stress and pressure of raising kids can make you question whether you are messing your kids up or setting them up for success when they “leave the nest”. Do you constantly ask yourself if your kids future is going to be everything it should be for them? If you can relate to either of these things, this episode is for you. Dr. Meg talks with the Money Saving Mom, Crystal Paine. Crystal is best-known for her blog and her podcast, The Crystal Paine Show, as well as being an author of several great books. In this conversation, Crystal shares the story of writing her latest book, Love Centered Parenting: The No-fail Guide to Launching Your Kids, and the struggles she and her husband went through with one of their children’s anxiety problems that showed itself through bullying. What Crystal has learned through this journey can help you in any stage of your parenting journey, and this episode is full of encouragement to help you along the way. Also, do you have a question for Dr. Meeker? If so, email them to ask

Mornings around the house can be a bit of chaos. As a parent, do you give instructions like, “brush your teeth” or “load your backpack” only to have your kids not listen and disobey? Do you find yourself threatening to ground your teen or count to three repeatedly to your five-year-old? If this sounds like you, then you are going to love this episode. Dr. Meeker talks you through five secrets to help you know what to do when this happens and she teaches you how to speak in a way that makes your kids listen the first time, all without tantrums, fighting, back-talk, and screaming. This is an episode that every parent can learn from as they go about raising great kids! Do you have a question for Dr. Meg? If you have a question you want Dr. Meeker to answer, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured! WELCOME Dr. Meg introduces today’s episode to help you know what to do when no stops working. WHAT TO DO WHEN NO STOPS WORKING (PART 1) Dr. Meg s

Mother’s Day is a special day where we get to honor our mothers. It’s also a day that can evoke a wide variety of emotions. Some people are blessed to be able to call their mother and talk to her on the phone, some are experiencing their first Mother’s Day without their moms, and others desperately want to become a mother but haven’t been able to yet. In any of those situations, it can be tough to be a mother in the midst of all the emotions all at once. That’s why Dr. Meg wanted to take some time to devote to the special mothers that listen to this podcast. She shares words of encouragement as well as ways to make this season special regardless of what you are dealing with as a mom. Mothers, let America’s Mom speak words of life into you as you navigate the world of raising great kids! Do you have a question for Dr. Meg? If you have a question you want Dr. Meeker to answer, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured! WELCOME Dr. Meg introduces

As a parent, does your day look something like getting up later than you should, rushing around to get ready, going from activity to activity, throw in some homework, mix a little staying up late to watch the latest TV show, and then get up the next morning to do it all over again? This can lead to burnout for you and your kids, and it happens quicker than you can imagine! Do you wish there was something that could bring some order to your mind in the midst of all the crazy? That’s where mindfulness based stress reduction (MBST) can really bring about some change in your daily routine. Just a few minutes a day of calm, directed thought, and you’ll start to see a difference. Because all of us can use mindfulness, Dr. Meg talks with wellness consultant and mindfulness based stress reduction teacher, Wendy Weckstein. Wendy is a Physical Therapist, Wellness Consultant, and a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher for Adults through Brown University as well as certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction fo

Sometimes, as a parent, it’s tempting to throw around the letters A-D-H-D without a proper diagnosis. Just because your kid seems to be hyperactive or make impulsive decisions does not necessarily mean that he/she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. A lot of times young children have a difficult time focusing on single tasks or sitting still for long periods of time even without ADHD, but these could be indicators of something more. If you have questions, always talk to your doctor. In this second of the two-part series, Dr. Meg guides you through some common treatments and next steps if you or your kid is diagnosed with ADHD. The information Dr. Meg brings in this series can bring about some really beneficial changes in your family! Do you have a question for Dr. Meeker? If so, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured! WELCOME Dr. Meg starts today’s episode by introducing the completion of the two part series around ADHD an

Sometimes, as a parent, it’s tempting to throw around the letters A-D-H-D without a proper diagnosis. Just because your kid seems to be hyperactive or make impulsive decisions does not necessarily mean that he/she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. A lot of times young children have a difficult time focusing on single tasks or sitting still for long periods of time even without ADHD, but these could be indicators of something more. If you have questions, always talk to your doctor. In this first of a two-part series, Dr. Meg guides you through some common questions a parent may have and tips for talking to your doctor if you think your kid may be dealing with ADHD issues. In the next part, Dr. Meeker talks about treatments for ADHD. The information Dr. Meg brings in this series can bring about some really beneficial changes in your family! Do you have a question for Dr. Meeker? If so, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured!

Years ago, gender dysphoria (severe discomfort in one’s biological sex) was exceedingly rare. Typically less than .01% of the population identified as having gender dysphoria, and they were almost exclusively males who emerged in early childhood. Recently, whole groups of female friends in all ages of school are coming out as “transgender”. Parents of these girls are finding that their daughters are watching “hip trans” YouTube stars, talking to doctors about getting prescriptions for puberty blockers that cause permanent infertility, and some going as far as undergoing medically unnecessary double mastectomies. To help parents understand what may be going on in the minds of daughters, Dr. Meg talks with the author of the book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, Abigail Shrier. Abigail is a writer for the Wall Street Journal. She is a graduate of Columbia College, where she received the Euretta J. Kellett Fellowship; the University of Oxford; and Yale Law School. This conversati

Sometimes your little ones throw tantrums, but wouldn’t it be nice to make them less frequent or easier to diffuse? As a parent, it’s easy to feel like you can’t ever figure out what is upsetting your child and everything you try seems to make things worse. A lot of the tantrums that happen are the result of the children’s inability to communicate with mommy or daddy. Teaching your children sign language can help in a big way! It’s also proven that your child learning sign language can improve brain development on top of aiding in communication. Elise Tate has written a wonderful book, Sign Me Up For A Happy Home, to help you kick-start that journey to clear communication with your child. Elise is the mother of two bi-racial children, known for her DIY tips and tricks, a frugal couponing pro, and wife of NFL wide receiver Golden Tate. She joins Dr. Meeker in this episode as they continue their conversation about the benefits of sign language in a parent-child relationship, and she shares some amazing stories

Sometimes your little ones throw tantrums, but wouldn’t it be nice to make them less frequent or easier to diffuse? As a parent, it’s easy to feel like you can’t ever figure out what is upsetting your child and everything you try seems to make things worse. A lot of the tantrums that happen are the result of the children’s inability to communicate with mommy or daddy. Teaching your children sign language can help in a big way! It’s also proven that your child learning sign language can improve brain development on top of aiding in communication. Elise Tate has written a wonderful book, Sign Me Up For A Happy Home, to help you kick-start that journey to clear communication with your child. Elise is the mother of two bi-racial children, known for her DIY tips and tricks, a frugal couponing pro, and wife of NFL wide receiver Golden Tate. She joins Dr. Meeker in this episode (and the next) as they talk about the benefits of sign language in a parent-child relationship, and she shares some amazing stories about ho

Having confidence that you can achieve your goals is an important characteristic that will take you to the places you want your life to go. But, where does this confidence start? How do you become and adult has built a foundation on character, integrity, and courage? How can you build these things in your kids? These questions and more are the kinds of things that Dr. Meg learns from her conversation with Mark Timm and his book, Mentor To Millions. Mark is a serial entrepreneur, a business leader, a professional speaker, and an author. He has learned from his many business endeavors that the same things that make a business successful can translate into success in the home. Also, when you know how to be a goal-setting, big-thinking parent, your kids learn that, too! There’s no better way to show your kids how to have character, integrity, and courage than to have those characteristics yourself! You can do it, and Dr. Meg and Mark Timm are here to help! Do you have a question for Dr. Meeker? If so, email them

One of Dr. Meg’s favorite things is to answer questions from you, the listener. This is a special episode of the “Parenting Great Kids” podcast as Dr. Meg devotes the entire episode to doing just that, helping you make sense of roadblocks we all encounter as parents. Listen in as “America’s Mom” helps you navigate many situations with your kids that can often be tricky. Do you have a question for Dr. Meg? If you have a question you want Dr. Meeker to answer, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured! WELCOME Dr. Meg talks about how much she enjoys answering listener questions and that she decided to devote an entire episode to doing just that! This is another installment of the “Ask Dr. Meg” episodes, and she covers lots of topics. ASK DR. MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meg answers listener questions for the entire episode today to give you advice for dealing with many issues parents face when raising great kids! Have a question not addressed in this ep

Life is busy, very busy. In the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, you can lose sight of what’s important. Engagement in extracurricular activities is at an all-time high, and burnout seems to rise daily. There was a time when we danced through our days with childlike wonder, in awe of the experience of the moment and excited for the promise of tomorrow. In his new book IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy, John O’Leary invites readers to return to the joy of navigating life like a child and identify the five senses that children innately possess. In this episode, Dr. Meg talks with John about his book and what exactly those “five senses” are and how you can return to them. John is a survivor of a fire that burned 100% of his body, and he was given only a 1% chance of surviving. He has turned this story into the foundation of his first book On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life, and he also speaks at conferences and events around the country.

There’s a common philosophy among parents that says, “I just want my kids to be happy!” On the surface, that sounds well and good, but when you dig deeper, you see that happiness is temporary, and chasing it will ultimately lead to disappointment. On the other hand, joy isn’t as fickle as happiness. Joy gives you a deep sense of satisfaction that is greater than happiness. When you have joy underlying your heart, when you experience pain and trouble there is still a sense that in the end, all will be well. In this episode, Dr. Meg talks with Shaunti Feldhahn, author of the book Find Joy: A Devotional Journey to Unshakable Wonder in an Uncertain World. In this devotional guide, Shaunti helps the readers understand that joy is a gift from God, and it’s something your great kids can experience when you teach them that joy is an intentional choice that will transform their hearts. This is a conversation that you just don’t want to miss! If you have any questions for Dr. Meeker, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.co

As we enter the season traditionally centered around kids getting gifts, it can be hard to help them remember that it’s better to give than to receive. For kids, this can be a hard concept to grasp. In light of this, Dr. Meg spends most of this episode giving you practical advice on how to teach your kids to be givers. Teaching them to have giving hearts teaches them about the value of other people being equal to their value, and it also helps get rid of any sense of entitlement. Dr. Meeker also talks to her friend Jonathan Wicksall about his organization NeedU.org where you can set up giving opportunities for people you know who are in need. Do you have a question for Dr. Meg to answer in an upcoming social question episode? If so, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to see if your question is featured! WELCOME Dr. Meg starts this episode by introducing this special episode around the idea of giving and how it makes your kids happier in the long term. She also talks about

Being a father in this day in time can be filled with distractions, stress, and seemingly impossible to overcome issues with your kids. Pair that with society using fathers as the butt of every joke on television and advertisements giving you every reason to ignore your family and invest in temporary excitement, and you have a toxic recipe for failure as a father. In comes The Good Dad Project founder Larry Hagner. He’s got no accolades behind his name, he’s got no special degrees, he’s a normal dad just like you. He started a simple movement called The Good Dad Project that has turned into a strong community of fathers who all share the same set of values in raising children and loving their wives. That’s why Dr. Meg couldn’t wait to have him as a guest on today’s episode. They talk about all kinds of things that will help you be a better father and husband. Be sure to listen to this episode with a notebook, you don’t want to miss this one! Do you have a question for Dr. Meg to answer in an upcoming social q

Child sexual abuse comes in many forms and from many different directions. It can be difficult to spot and identify, but it’s critical to know the signs to look for as well as what you can do to prevent it in your children, or really any child in your life. Dr. Meeker gives you part two of two in this incredible conversation with Shelaine Maxfield and Chris Yadon. Shelaine is the founder of the Younique Foundation, and Chris is the executive director and spokesperson for the foundation. Together they have a compelling conversation with Dr. Meg about how hope and healing are possible for victims of childhood sexual abuse. They also give great information about how you can teach your children how to avoid “tricky people” and things you as a parent can look for to spot abusive situations in your children. This is an interview that you just cannot miss! Do you have a question for Dr. Meg to answer in an upcoming social question episode? If so, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to

Child sexual abuse comes in many forms and from many different directions. It can be difficult to spot and identify, but it’s critical to know the signs to look for as well as what you can do to prevent it in your children, or really any child in your life. Dr. Meeker gives you part one of two in this incredible conversation with Shelaine Maxfield and Chris Yadon. Shelaine is the founder of the Younique Foundation, and Chris is the executive director and spokesperson for the foundation. Together they have a compelling conversation with Dr. Meg about how hope and healing are possible for victims of childhood sexual abuse. They also give great information about how you can teach your children how to avoid “tricky people” and things you as a parent can look for to spot abusive situations in your children. This is an interview that you just cannot miss! Do you have a question for Dr. Meg to answer in an upcoming social question episode? If so, email them to askmeg@megmeekermd.com and listen to future episodes to