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, “Why is the disconnection so painful?” Parents must realize that if they are experiencing pain from the estranged relationship, then their adult child is more than likely feeling pain from the estrangement as well. No matter their age, every child craves their parent’s approval, attention and love. So regardless of how a parent may feel, it is vitally important that they do what they can in moving towards reconciliation - for their own benefit in reconnecting, but even more importantly, for the well-being of their adult child. Reconciliation is absolutely do-able. Yet, although the process of reconciliation is simple, walking it out may be one of the hardest things a parent may ever have to do. Dr. Meg shares why, and provides thought-provoking keys and necessary action steps, along with powerful insights as to why it is the parent who must begin the reconciliation process. BREAK MEG (PART 2) What happens if your adult child refuses your attempts of reaching out to them? What is the underlying factor motivating them to do so? They may test you, to see how long you will keep reaching out. How should a parent handle a response of defensiveness, anger or a barrage of painful words? Discover one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make when trying to reconcile with their estranged child, and how to avoid it. IN CLOSING Dr. Meeker does a quick recap of the 4 keys a parent needs to apply in the process of reconnecting with their adult child. The process is simple, yet hard; but totally worth it! FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 152, Reconnecting with Your Adult Child, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach more than SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Dr. Meg’s parenting resources and tools are available at www.meekerparenting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the breast. Newborns need to be cognizant from an early age that they are being put in their crib after breast-feeding, and aware that you will be walking out of the room as they fall asleep. BREAK MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meg and Dr. Hamilton continue their candid conversation on the best ways to get babies of any age to sleep through the night. FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 151, Secrets to Training Your Baby to Sleep, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach more than SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Dr. Meg’s parenting resources and tools are available at www.meekerparenting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 help set listeners on a course to enjoying a wonderful Christmas season. BREAK MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meeker dives a bit deeper to discuss topics such as handling family differences, conversations to steer clear from, and avoiding or responding to offense. Learn to deal with the people and situations that hit a nerve in you by anticipating problems and preparing in advance to positively handle any conflicts that may arise. FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 150, Enjoying the Holidays, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach more than SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Dr. Meg’s parenting resources and tools are available at www.meekerparenting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meg jumps right in by discussing the importance of getting adequate sleep – and how parents can sleep-train their baby from an early age to sleep through the night – not only for their baby’s sake, but also for their own. BREAK MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meg shares her expertise, wisdom and insight on the benefits and how-to’s of sleep training your baby to sleep through the night. FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 149, How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night in 7 Days or Less, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach more than SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Dr. Meg’s parenting resources and tools are available at www.meekerparenting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 more than SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Dr. Meg’s parenting resources and tools are available at www.meekerparenting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 experience as their bodies grow and change. WELCOME Dr. Meg discusses how her goal with each podcast is to help encourage, teach and coach listeners to be the parent that they want to be. She interviews child and adolescent experts so parents can understand why their kids do what they do, and learn how to best respond to their children. Dr. Meg plugs the 3 Points to Ponder found at the end of each episode.. takeaways that parents can start using right away. She encourages listeners to subscribe to the podcast and shares the platforms wh ere the Parenting Great Kids podcast can be found. Lastly, Dr. Meg promotes her subscription-based Parenting Great Kids private online community, explaining what it offers and encouraging parents to sign up at www.meekerparenting.com.. MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meg shares a candid and informative message with parents on talking to their kids about puberty. BREAK MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meg continues to share a candid and informative message with parents on talking to their kids about puberty. FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 147, Talking to Your Kids About Puberty, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach more than SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Dr. Meg’s parenting resources and tools are available at www.meekerparenting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 use technology to empower people to fight human trafficking, joins Dr. Meeker in this sobering discussion about the realities of child sex trafficking and the grooming process that recruiters routinely use. WELCOME Dr. Meg welcomes guest Roger Martin to this PGK episode. A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meeker and Roger Martin have an honest and sobering conversation about the dangers of child sex trafficking and how children and teens are being lured in through their social media activity. BREAK A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meeker and Roger Martin continue their honest and sobering conversation about the dangers of child sex trafficking and how children and teens are being lured in through their social media activity. IN CLOSING Dr. Meg and Roger talk about Radlee(TM), an AI technology powered mobile app aimed at helping parents understand their own child's sex trafficking risk profile on Instagram (soon available on TikTok). Visit GetRadlee.com to learn more, or download it from the Apple App Store. Parents can also stream the documentary, “Stolen”, which Roger created in connection with NBC. Available on Peacock, NBC’s streaming app, the documentary allows parents to see real-life examples of predatory approaches, what types of social media posts attract predators, and more. To connect with and learn more about Roger’s non-profit organization, Humans Against Trafficking, visit www.humansagainsttrafficking.org FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 146, CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING & THE SOCIAL MEDIA GROOMING PROCESS, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach over SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 resource as they become the parent that they themselves want to be. Dr. Meg interviews child and adolescent experts to help parents understand their children and why they do what they do, as well as provide tools to help grow them into great kids. If there is a topic that a listener would like discussed, Dr. Meg encourages them to contact her with the request. Dr. Meg also promotes her “3 Points to Ponder” - helpful information that listeners can put to use right away. Dr. Meeker encourages listeners to subscribe to Parenting Great Kids and shares the platforms where the podcast can be found. Lastly, Dr. Meg plugs the Parenting Great Kids Interactive Online Community, found at www.meekerparenting.com. A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meeker tackles the issue of temper tantrums, the subject of her brand-new course, “How to Stop Temper Tantrums in Your Child.” In this episode, Dr. Meg primarily focuses on temper tantrums in younger children, ages 4 and under. BREAK A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meeker continues discussing the issue of temper tantrums, the subject of her brand-new course, “How to Stop Temper Tantrums in Your Child.” In this episode, Dr. Meg primarily focuses on temper tantrums in younger children, ages 4 and under. IN CLOSING Dr. Meg closes this episode by stating that sometimes she likes to veer away from interviewing wonderful guests and instead concentrate on one topic that she can work through with her listeners. Dr. Meg recommended that listeners visit her website, www.meekerparenting.com, where many resources are readily available. FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 145, STOPPING YOUR CHILD’S TEMPER TANTRUMS, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach over SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Be sure to check out Dr. Meeker's Parenting Great Kids Community. In the PGK Community, she has a library of digital courses you can learn from, on-demand. These courses are only available to members of the community. She regularly answers burning questions parents have, gives video teachings on specific topics, goes LIVE inside this community, and gives you the encouragement you need. Go to Meeker Parenting dot com for more information about how you can join the Parenting Great Kids Community, now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 as Peter shares with Dr. Meg how he went from being a homeless street kid to a thriving entrepreneur and foster parent -- all because a caring stranger took notice of him, called him by name, fed him, gave him the chance to attend school, and ultimately changed the trajectory of his life. Peter refuses to allow bitterness to keep him from a bright future. He has been given much, and wants to give back much in return. In Peter’s own words, “I can not change the past, but I can change tomorrow.” His goal is to bring love and acceptance to foster children in the very same way that he himself received it. Every parent -- biological, foster or adoptive -- will benefit greatly from this powerful conversation by learning how to show their children that they are valued, seen, loved and known. WELCOME A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 1) Dr. Meg welcomes guest Peter Mutabazi, a surviving street kid, foster dad, single father, entrepreneur, and founder of Now I Am Known, a grassroots coalition focused on adoption and foster care. BREAK A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 2) Dr. Meg continues her conversation with guest Peter Mutabazi, a surviving street kid, foster dad, single father, entrepreneur, and founder of Now I Am Known, a grassroots coalition focused on adoption and foster care. IN CLOSING Dr. Meg ended the conversation by saying she would like to have Peter back on the show, and asked how listeners can connect with him to find out more about his initiative and the work that he is doing (website: www.nowiamknown.com; Facebook: Peter Mutabazi; Instagram: @fosterdadflipper). FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 144, NOW I AM KNOWN, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach over SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, and Instagram @MegMeekerMD. Check out what’s new at meekerparenting.com, and while you are there subscribe to the Parenting Great Kids Community, where you’ll have access to all of Dr. Meg’s parenting courses, her Ask Dr. Meg video library, and new features we'll be rolling out soon. Also, in this community you’ll get a lot of support from parents just like you! Go to Meeker Parenting dot com for more information. Don’t forget to share the podcast with other parents, subscribe so you won’t miss anything, and give us a review so we know how we’re doing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 should be cherished and cared for. Dr. Meg gives helpful insight and information to equip parents to tackle this difficult subject with their kids. WELCOME Dr. Meg begins this episode by letting you, her listener, know that the PGK podcast is for your benefit - to help you understand why your kids do what they do, so that you can be the parent you want to be. No topic is off-limits, so if there is a subject that you would like discussed, let her know! Dr. Meg also teases her points to ponder - take-aways that can be put into practice right away. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast! And take advantage of additional parenting resources by joining the PGK Community at meekerparenting.com! A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 1) In this frank and honest discussion, Dr. Meg doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to talking about sex with our kids -- she shares startling statistics of STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) in our children.. the impact of which goes far beyond the physical consequences. Dr. Meg shines a light on the behaviors and emotions of kids when involved in teenage sex, and explains why depression is so often linked to our kids’ sexual activity. The bottom line? Sex is not for kids. It takes guts to parent against today’s current culture, to train kids to delay sexual activity. Dr. Meeker equips and encourages parents to raise their children above the toxicity and sexualization of the culture, which will profoundly impact decades of their lives. BREAK A CONVERSATION WITH DR MEG (PART 2) In this frank and honest discussion, Dr. Meg doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to talking about sex with our kids -- she shares startling statistics of STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) in our children.. the impact of which goes far beyond the physical consequences. Dr. Meg shines a light on the behaviors and emotions of kids when involved in teenage sex, and explains why depression is so often linked to our kids’ sexual activity. The bottom line? Sex is not for kids. It takes guts to parent against today’s current culture, to train kids to delay sexual activity. Dr. Meeker equips and encourages parents to raise their children above the toxicity and sexualization of the culture, which will profoundly impact decades of their lives. IN CLOSING Check out Dr. Meg’s brand-new parenting course: “HOW TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX” at www.meekerparenting.com. And while you’re there, check out the private, subscription-based PGK Online Community where you’ll find parenting support and additional resources and tools from Dr. Meg!! FROM THE PRODUCER Thanks for listening to Episode 143, WHY YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX & HOW TO DO IT, and for helping Dr. Meg’s parenting revolution reach over SIX MILLION downloads! Subscribe, rate, and leave a review for us on iTunes! Get Social with Dr. Meg on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @MegMeekerMD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices