The Child Repair Guide with Dr. Steve Silvestro

You may or may not recognize Amy Morin’s name, but I guarantee that you’ve read her work. Her mega-viral article on 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do has been viewed and shared millions of times and has likely rolled across your Facebook feed several times in the past couple of years. The universal truths and power of that article led to Amy’s first bestselling book, a TED talk, and more — and now she’s brought her unique wisdom to the world of parenting with her new book, 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do: Raising Self-Assured Children and Training Their Brains for a Life of Happiness, Meaning, and Success. This is one of my all-time favorite interviews, and I guarantee that you’ll walk away from this one with several new insights into how to best raise your family.   This episode first appeared at www.drstevesilvestro.com/50

This is an outstanding episode that every parent needs to hear!  I got the chance to talk with one of the nation's leading experts on race, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, about how to discuss the topic of race with kids. Dr. Tatum is an author of three critically-acclaimed books on race, including Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race. She's also the former president of Spelman College and has been fostering conversations about race for her entire career. We dive into so much in this conversation, including why it's so hard for parents to talk about race with kids; how our early experiences with race shape our judgements; how to use every day moments as teaching points; how to talk to kids about social injustice; and so much more. This is one you've GOT to hear! Let me know on Facebook what you think! 

We advertise breastfeeding as if it's easy, with moms and babies figuring it out as naturally as breathing air. We lie. Sure, it does come very easily to some moms. And even those who have challenges early on can often get to a point where breastfeeding is natural and simple. But for most women, nursing a baby presents a host of questions and challenges -- some when you're first starting out, and others popping up as time goes on. In fact, this is a special episode because I crowdsourced questions from followers of my Facebook page, and you responded in force -- with tons of questions and stories of your nursing triumphs and challenges. My guest in this episode is the outstanding Dr. Gabriela Maradiaga Panayotti. She is the medical director of the Duke Children's Healthy Lifestyle Clinic, a former medical director of the Duke Regional Newborn Nursery, and helps lead the Breastfeeding Task Force for Duke Children's Primary Care. You submitted so many questions, we're going to have a Part Two to this episode soon. In this Part One, we cover tons of breastfeeding topics, including: What you can do before the baby comes to get a head start on successful nursing What to expect in the first few weeks of nursing a baby Signs of a good latch & how to get it Pain -- what's normal and what's not Emotional changes while nursing Tongue ties How to tell if your baby is getting enough Supply issues -- both undersupply and oversupply What to do when your baby starts sleeping through the night How to build up your supply if it starts to decrease Medications & nursing Transitioning back to work Weaning ...and a whole lot more! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and let me know what you think about my conversation with Dr. Gabriela Maradiaga Panayotti -- and send in any questions you want to see in Part Two!

Back before you had kids, the idea of changing the clocks and getting an extra hour of sleep sounded great. But now that there are little people involved, arbitrarily changing your family's schedule sounds like a nightmare.  Use these simple tips to help your child adjust to Daylight Saving Time--whether it's the Spring or the Fall--and ensure that everyone gets the sleep they need!

In this episode, I interview pediatric dentist Dr. Heather Solander and get the scoop on everything to do with keeping your kids' teeth healthy.  She answers questions about: When to start brushing Tips for getting a reluctant toddler to let you brush How old your child should be before she brushes her own teeth The issue of fluoride toxicity in kids The safety of X-rays How to choose a dentist What to do if you think your dentist is too quick to do procedures The different types of sedation dentists use for procedures and how they might affect your kids and a whole lot more! SHARE this episode and learn more at www.drstevesilvestro.com/dentist And, as always, subscribe & please leave a review!

First few weeks of school, kids come home and they're a mess. Are you experiencing this?  Well, you're not alone.  In this episode, I talk about what's going on, why this is a common occurrence, and what you can do about it.

When you’re expecting another baby, the initial excitement can soon give way to a wave of worrying thoughts:   “I hope I can love this new baby as much as I love my first.”  “Will I end up loving my first any less?” And, of course: “We’re good now—are we screwing things up by bringing someone else into the mix?”   As a result, there’s a lot of emotional weight riding on the first meeting between your older child and the new baby, as well as on those early weeks at home.   Following these tips can prepare your child for the new baby and help to make the introduction of the new sibling go as smoothly as possible.   This post was first published at www.drstevesilvestro.com/44, and is sponsored by Audible -- get your free audiobook and 30-day free membership at www.drstevesilvestro.com/audible 

We often tell kids to "think before you speak." But what does that really mean? What should they think? In this episode, we cover 3 simple questions you can teach your kids to think before they speak -- hopefully putting a dent in any sibling bickering at home, while also teaching your kids an important interpersonal skill to have as they grow. This episode was first published at www.drstevesilvestro.com/43, and is brought to you by Audible. Get your free 30 day trial of Audible PLUS a free audiobook you can keep by clicking here: drstevesilvestro.com/audible

Taking out a splinter -- easy for some, intimidating for others, and rarely a fun experience for kids. This episode gives you the low-down on the best way to remove splinters from your kids, plus some more...unconventional...methods you can try if your kids simply won't let you get close with a pair of tweezers. Plus, learn when a splinter--yes, a splinter--might need to be evaluated by a doctor. *This episode is brought to you by my favorite tool for surviving long car trips with the kids--Audible. Listening to audiobooks on car rides with the kids is a great way to hold out on giving the iPad or the phone, plus it's a great way to bond as a family. Get a free 30-day trial, PLUS a free audiobook that you can keep forever, by visiting www.drstevesilvestro.com/audible This episode first appeared at www.drstevesilvestro.com/42 

We can all agree that raising kids who value being kind to others is important -- both for our families and for the world around us. But how to do it? In this episode, I share a simple, yet fun, technique you can use to raise kind kids. We've seen the impact of this tool in my own family since we started using it a few years ago, and I'm sure you'll find it helpful, too. You can share this episode as both a podcast and an article to read by sharing the link www.drstevesilvestro.com/41 SUBSCRIBE on iTunes and LEAVE A REVIEW! Be well & have fun!