Parenting Great Kids With Dr. Meg Meeker

We raise our children with the hope of enjoying a unique closeness and intimacy with them all the years of their lives. From the moment they are born, we pour our hearts and souls into them. And as they mature, they have a clear realization that they are fully dependent on us. These two factors draw us together, forming a strong bond. When that bond breaks, the pain burrows deep. The part a parent plays in reconciling with their adult child isn’t for the faint of heart! But parents.. don’t give up! In this episode, Dr. Meeker offers parents a chance to take an honest look at themselves. While providing the difficult keys that parents need to apply to themselves, Dr. Meg also infuses some much-needed “light at the end of the tunnel” hope in the midst of the storm. Keys: 1.) Acquire humility 2.) Take the first step 3.) Assume all responsibility 4.) Be willing to forgive, without requiring forgiveness from your child WELCOME MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meeker jumps right in by answering the question, “Wh

Babies need to be taught human traits early on, and one trait is that humans aren’t created to be nocturnal. Nighttime is for sleeping, and sleep is a learned phenomenon. Most adults don’t wake up and eat in the middle of the night. In the same way, babies don’t (typically) need to eat during the night either. The sooner parents train them not to do so, the sooner everyone will get a better night’s sleep! Join Dr. Meg and sleep expert Dr. Bob Hamilton as he shares multiple proven ways to get your baby to sleep through the night. This will be a win-win for everyone! MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meeker and Dr. Hamilton share different scenarios on training babies at different ages (newborn - 24 mo) to sleep through the night. If babies sleep less during the day, they will sleep more deeply at night. Also, establishing and sticking to a consistent bedtime routine is key to your baby (and you!) getting a healthy amount of sleep each night. It’s best if breast-feeding mothers don’t allow their baby to fall asleep at th

The time between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years is meant to be enjoyed, a time of fun and anticipation, of giving and receiving, and looking forward to spending time with family and friends. Yet for many, the holidays bring a tremendous amount of stress. Are there expectations and images in your mind of how the holidays are supposed to look? Maybe you are trying to live up to the expectations of others. There may be family divisions, or perhaps a family member whom you would prefer not to be around. We invite you to slow down, and take a deep breath; maybe take another deep breath. Tune into this helpful (and hope-filled) episode as Dr. Meg shares effective ways to minimize holiday stress. Remove the pressures, allow yourself to relax, and enjoy the holidays! WELCOME MEG (PART 1) Offering listeners practical and effective ways to minimize holiday stress, Dr. Meg discusses how the stress that we feel can often be self-inflicted. She provides a list of 3 things that can be done upfront, to hel

Chances are, if your baby hasn’t been sleeping through the night, your heart may have skipped a beat with hope and anticipation as you read the title of this week’s episode. It may seem like your baby will never sleep through the night, however it is possible to sleep-train your baby to do so. Babies need a good sleep rhythm, and so do parents. Lack of sleep is one of the biggest factors keeping parents from parenting well. If we could parent from a rested state, we would parent so much better than we do from a place of fatigue. When babies sleep through the night, parents too can get proper rest, and as a result can experience more positive moods and have more patience and energy to spend with their children. Join Dr. Meeker as she shares how you can train your baby to sleep through the night in less than a week! The rewards will be amazing! WELCOME Dr. Meeker welcomes listeners to the podcast and introduces the topic of the episode: How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night in 7 Days or Less.

Is your child a picky eater? Does he or she suffer from childhood obesity or perhaps a chronic disease resulting from unhealthy eating? If so, you are not alone! Health Journalist and “Food Issues” podcast host Julie Revelant joins Dr. Meeker in discussing these important issues. Be armed with proven tips that can help you train your child to become a healthier eater. As you make wiser food choices yourself, and model better eating habits, your children will be encouraged to do the same, resulting in positive improvements in overall health. WELCOME Dr. Meeker welcomes guest Julie Revelant to the Parenting Great Kids podcast. MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meg and Julie Revelant discuss some of the biggest eating issues that parents encounter with their kids. BREAK MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meg and Julie Revelant continue their conversation about kids and healthy eating. FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 148, Kids and Healthy Eating, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach mor

One of the most common questions that Dr. Meg Meeker gets asked in her pediatric office is, “How do I talk to my kids about puberty?” In this episode, Dr. Meg addresses that very question. Don’t be taken by surprise when the subject of puberty comes up with your kids! Listen in as Dr. Meg discusses the 5 stages of puberty, for both girls and boys. You’ll be equipped to anticipate (and answer) some of the questions that your children will have about their changing bodies. In addition, Dr. Meeker doesn’t shy away from some of the harder-to-talk-about subjects that kids need to be informed of, such as menstruation, wet dreams, and body boundaries. Your child needs positive reassurance from you, their parent, that their body is amazing and wonderful, and that the changes they are experiencing are normal, and nothing to be ashamed of. This candid and informative message from “America’s Mom” will help equip and empower you to confidently share with your kids about puberty, and the changes that they can expect to ex

DESCRIPTION Child sex trafficking doesn’t only happen overseas. About 80% of the kids being trafficked are U.S. citizens - born and raised in the United States - kids from all walks of life, all neighborhoods, all backgrounds. And they are not being abducted, they are being lured, manipulated and groomed on social media. Since about 2015, more than half of the kids being trafficked in the United States are recruited off of social media, and the #1 place they are being recruited from is Instagram. Sex trafficking is a difficult topic for parents to talk about, and is probably one of the worst experiences that one could ever have or imagine. It is critically important to be aware of the trafficking dangers all around, especially on social media, and to know the most common methods being used to lure kids in. Parents, you can help guard your kids against online sex trafficking predators and recruiters. Listen closely as Roger Martin, the founder of Humans Against Trafficking, a non-profit whose mission is to us

Just about everyone has witnessed a child having a temper tantrum. For parents, their child’s temper tantrums can be overwhelming, often resulting in frustration or anger, and even embarrassment, especially if a tantrum occurs in public. Temper tantrums are such a common issue with kids, and a problem for parents that Dr. Meg wanted to tackle the issue head-on. Join Dr. Meg as she dives into the topic of her brand-new course, “How to Stop Temper Tantrums in Your Child.” Addressing questions such as, Do kids have temper tantrums on purpose? What is actually happening in the minds and emotions of children leading up to and during a temper tantrum? How do I handle my strong-willed child? and more, Dr. Meg shares expert insight into this very common occurrence in children, offering helpful tips parents can use to teach their kids to identify their feelings and better express their emotions. WELCOME Dr. Meg welcomes listeners by reminding them that the Parenting Great Kids podcast is just for them, a helpful

Imagine not being given a name until you were two years old. Imagine living in constant fear of your father, whom you knew might literally kill you at any moment, for any reason. Imagine becoming a street kid at the tender age of four, after running away from your abusive home life. Imagine having to steal scraps of food, and no one knowing your name. How does one survive such a childhood? This is the extraordinary story of Peter Mutabazi, a surviving street kid who didn’t even think about the future beyond where his next meal would come from, yet eventually became an entrepreneur and the founder of Now I Am Known, a grassroots coalition focused on adoption and foster care. A single dad, Peter has fostered many children in his home through the years. He understands what it’s like to have no father in his life, to be abused, to have no food.. he knows what it means to be neglected. With this personal experience, it’s easy for Peter to relate to foster children, and to help them through their trauma. Listen in

DESCRIPTION Kids are exposed to sex today as never before. Social media, the internet, movies, television and music videos typically portray sex in a crass and shameful manner. Our kids desperately need to understand that sex is amazing, it’s wonderful, and something they will enjoy for decades to come.. when done in the right context and timing. Your child not only needs to hear about sex from you, he/she actually wants to hear about sex from you. They want to know what you think about them and sex. You are the one who can present sexual information to them in a positive way. You can empower them to postpone their sexual debut as long as possible, and in doing so, decrease the number of potential sex partners that they will have. As parents, we must be the ones to give the initial talk, and subsequent talks, about sex with our kids. Today’s sexualization of our kids has taught them that sex is dark and twisted, but as parents we need to teach them just the opposite -- that sex is a wonderful gift that shoul

DESCRIPTION The role of a father is vitally important. There is a place inside of every child that desperately wants and needs their father’s affirmation, acceptance and love. Yet many families have suffered generations of dysfunctional behavior, leaving those core needs (from father to child) unmet. Fathers in general don’t believe they are doing a good job with their kids -- they struggle to love their kids because they weren’t shown love by their own father. They don’t know how to bless their children because they never received a father’s blessing themselves. Research shows that disappointment in children due to a father’s absence, disinterest, mistreatment or abuse will often lead to a rejection of God, our heavenly Father. Alex and Stephen Kendrick share with Dr. Meeker how we typically get our first concept of what God is like from our earthly father. If a dad is loving and present in a child’s life, it’s easy for them to see God that way. If he is distant, absent or abusive, children will often view

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

Isolation, loneliness, and depression are all things that young adults have become more familiar with during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a parent, you have a window into what your kids are dealing with that no one else has. You can see when these things are affecting your kids, and you also have the best opportunity to help them through these tough times. Dr. Meeker talks with Dr. Claire Nicogossian in this episode, and Dr. Nicogossian gives you practical things to do and signs to look for to help your young adults deal with the pandemic stress. Dr. Nicogossian is clinician working in a private practice, and she is passionate about helping adolescents, adults, and seniors. She has received extensive training in cognitive-behavioral, client-centered and solutions-focused theory and therapy. Her main focuses are on mindfulness, self-care, and well-being. This conversation will give you great advise on how to help young adults deal with the impact of pandemic stress. Dr. Nicogossian is the author of the book Mama,

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