The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

In this episode, I break down the three core needs every child has to feel secure, confident, and connected with their parents: safety, respect, and connection. These are not soft ideas or permissive parenting. They are the foundation of authoritative parenting and the reason kids are more likely to listen, trust, and stay connected to us as they grow. In this episode, I discuss: Why safety, respect, and connection are the foundation of effective parenting The difference between authoritative and authoritarian parenting How emotional safety and predictability build trust Why routines matter more than many parents realize How to set boundaries while still respecting your child Consent, choices, and body autonomy across ages Respectful approaches to meals and picky eating Why public shaming damages confidence and trust The importance of apologizing and repairing Simple ways to build connection without needing more time How these principles reduce power struggles and anxiety Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the year wraps up, I’ve been looking back at some of my favorite chats from the shows I visited this season. New episodes return January 7. On this episode of the Elevated Thoughts podcast, I sat down with two thoughtful first-time dads to talk about the topics parents are wrestling with right now. We got into the messy middle of vaccine hesitancy, why so many families feel caught between loud opinions, and how I work through those conversations in my practice with honesty and calm. We also talked about what it’s really like to raise kids in an online world where everyone feels permission to comment on your choices. I shared my own experience as a pediatrician and mom. Why I struggled with decisions around my son’s early medical care, how I think about benefit and risk, and why empathy has to stay at the center of these discussions. We moved into milestones, feeding, toddler chaos, and the everyday pressure parents feel to get everything “right.” We discuss: My own experience with hesitancy after my son’s traumatic birth The rise of online misinformation and why parents feel so unsure What the vitamin K refusal trend is actually putting babies at risk for Government involvement in vaccines and where things get complicated The truth about financial incentives for pediatricians Milestones, late walking, and why parents shouldn’t blame themselves How humor and connection help parents through the daily grind Why dads’ voices matter in parenting spaces and how they shape the culture Elevated Thoughts is restoring positive discourse between right & left. Politics, history & culture. New episodes every Wednesday at 4PM EST For more visit www.elevatedthoughtspod.com Check out the original episode on Elevated Thoughts’ YouTube page: https://youtu.be/rvTp1cAsyLg 00:00 – Coming Up 00:55 – Why I re-aired this conversation 02:49 – Meet the hosts of Elevated Thoughts 03:34 – Why dads need parenting conversations too 04:32 – Why I started PedsDocTalk 06:28 – What parents are actually looking for 07:53 – Being both a pediatrician and a parent 08:49 – My own vaccine hesitation as a mom 11:27 – Why vaccine conversations became so charged 13:04 – How I talk about benefit vs risk 16:05 – Making informed choices without shaming 18:05 – Talking to vaccine hesitant families 21:10 – Why flexibility keeps families engaged in care 24:55 – Government, mandates, and public health 28:41 – Why the vitamin K shot matters 33:53 – How vaccine studies actually work 41:59 – Milestone anxiety and late walking 45:49 – Letting go of parental guilt 49:15 – What parenting is really about Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we talk about one of the most loaded parenting topics out there, baby sleep. Do babies need to be taught to sleep, or is sleep something you should just let happen? And if a family wants support, when does it actually make sense to work on sleep skills? I sit down with a pediatric sleep expert to unpack what sleep teaching really means, why there is no single right approach, and how families can make choices that fit their needs without guilt or pressure. We break down the idea that sleep is a learned habit, not a moral issue, and why both feeding to sleep and teaching independent sleep can be loving choices depending on the family. In this episode, we discuss: Why sleep does not have to be all or nothing The difference between newborn sleep shaping and independent sleep skills When families often decide sleep support feels helpful How feeding, timing, and consistency affect sleep What research shows about sleep teaching, stress, and attachment Why sleep regressions are about growth, not failure How better sleep can support parental mental health and reduce burnout How sleep habits connect to toddler behavior and boundaries later on Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we close out 2025 and step into a fresh year, I’ve been thinking back on some of the conversations I loved most from guest spots on other shows. New episodes pick back up on January 7. On this episode of The Dude Therapist, I joined Eli Weinstein for a conversation that moved through so many parts of real-life parenting — the worries, the humor, the triggers, and the growth that comes with raising kids. We talked about why parents get so locked into metrics, how to zoom out and see the whole child, and what it looks like to pause, observe, and guide instead of jumping in. I shared how becoming a mom shifted my own approach, from sleep to feeding to managing my triggers, and why self insight matters just as much as the strategies we offer our kids. It was an honest, grounded chat about raising kids while raising ourselves too.  We discuss: Why parents get stuck on numbers like weight percentiles and milestones. How giving kids space to try and struggle helps them grow. How boredom supports play and problem solving. How a parent’s own childhood shapes reactions and triggers. What healthy boundaries look like without shame or fear. How to handle online misinformation with calm and clarity. The importance of steady check-ins and flexible routines at home. Eli Weinstein, LCSW is a therapist, speaker, and creator of The Dude Therapist podcast. His work focuses on making mental health and relationship topics accessible, relatable, and grounded in real life. His upcoming book, From I Do to We Do (Wiley, March 2026), is a compassionate, practical guide for couples navigating the challenges of parenting while trying to stay connected as partners. Learn more about Eli and his work here: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com Pre-Order Eli’s Book:Connect With Eli: From I Do to We Do: Navigating Marriage Through Parenting Years Pre-order + freebies: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com/book Instagram: @eliweinstein_lcsw Podcast: The Dude Therapist 00:00 – Coming Up 01:24 – Re-air intro: why this episode is for overwhelmed parents 01:46 – Meet Eli Weinstein and why this conversation hits differently 04:01 – Dr. Mona’s parenting philosophy and lighthouse parenting 05:50 – Why sleep is foundational for kids and parents 07:03 – Teaching kids skills by stepping back 09:56 – Overparenting vs building independence 11:27 – What parents worry about too much 14:11 – Big picture growth vs number based parenting 15:41 – Milestones, timelines, and unnecessary panic 17:01 – Giving kids space to develop and problem solve 21:19 – Parenting as a professional vs parenting your own kids 23:32 – Breaking generational patterns in parenting 40:41 – Core takeaways for confident parenting Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever clean up the toys, turn around, and somehow the mess is worse? Or feel like you are the only one picking things up? In this Follow Up episode, Dr. Mona is joined by Tyler Moore, also known as Tidy Dad, to talk about how to involve kids in household routines in ways that actually work for real life. Not rewards. Not sticker charts. Just teamwork. They break down how chores build belonging, how to set developmentally appropriate expectations, and simple system changes that help kids help more, from tidying toys to getting out the door with less stress. If you are trying to declutter, simplify routines, or stop feeling like the household manager of everything, this episode is for you. We discuss: Why involving kids in routines builds belonging, not just responsibility How to think about chores as teamwork instead of punishment What kids can realistically help with at different ages Why breaking tasks into small steps reduces frustration for everyone How to set up your home so kids can help independently Simple system changes that make mornings and clean up easier Why resistance often means a skill is missing, not defiance Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this final episode of 2025, I’m sharing something deeply personal - my relationship with anger, where it came from, and how I’ve worked to change it. This is one of the most vulnerable solo episodes I’ve ever recorded, because anger is a feeling so many of us carry quietly, especially in parenthood. This episode is for the parent who feels ashamed after snapping. For the one who feels tense all the time. For the one who is scared they might repeat what they grew up with. Your anger does not make you a bad parent. It makes you human. And change is possible. I discuss: ✔️ How anger showed up in my early life and why it became my default response ✔️ The moment with our puppy that forced me to see my patterns clearly ✔️ How stress, trauma, and burnout can pull old reactions back to the surface ✔️ What I learned through coaching, therapy, and eventually EMDR ✔️ How this work changed my nervous system, my parenting, and my day-to-day mindset ✔️ The brain science behind anger and why your body reacts before your thoughts do ✔️ What often sits underneath explosive reactions ✔️ How your window of tolerance affects everything ✔️ The real tools I use when I feel overwhelmed ✔️ How I teach my kids that feelings are allowed, but hurtful behavior is not 00:00 Scary parents are scared parents01:10 Why anger shows up in parenting02:49 When anger becomes a problem, not a protector03:09 The moment I knew I had to change05:44 Trauma, motherhood, and why anger came back06:59 How therapy helped me find peace08:48 Fear, the nervous system, and the science of anger10:59 Breaking the cycle while raising kids12:14 Tools to handle anger in the moment14:13 Teaching kids that feelings are ok, harmful behavior is not17:03 Repair, progress, and modeling growth19:48 When to seek support and why it matters21:41 You are not broken, change is possible Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve ever spent the whole day dreaming about going to bed, only to climb under the covers and lie wide awake, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. I’m joined by sleep psychologist Dr. Shelby Harris to talk about the tired-but-wired cycle so many mothers fall into and why it’s more common than you think. We unpack the real reasons your brain won’t shut off at night, from revenge bedtime procrastination to the mental load that follows moms everywhere. Dr. Harris explains how habits, overstimulation, and our constant push to “catch up” all get in the way of rest, even when we’re desperate for it. And most importantly, she shares the science-backed strategies that actually work for an overwhelmed parent who needs sleep but can’t find the off switch. Whether you’re dealing with the occasional rough night or months of broken sleep, this conversation brings clarity, relief, and doable steps that don’t add more pressure to your already full plate. In This Episode, We Cover: ✔️ Why moms feel exhausted all day yet can’t fall asleep at night ✔️ The psychology behind “tired but wired” ✔️ Revenge bedtime procrastination and why it hits mothers so hard ✔️ How over-stimulation and unfinished to-dos keep your brain awake ✔️ Simple sleep hygiene habits that truly help ✔️ What to do when your phone is sabotaging your nights ✔️ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): who it helps and why ✔️ When to consider medication and what that process looks like ✔️ How our own sleep habits shape our kids’ sleep long term Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Flo Rosen, a retired pediatrician and grandmother behind the Ask Bubbie platform, shares insights from her 40 years in pediatrics. She highlights modern parents' strengths, like emotional connection and involved fatherhood, while addressing the stress of social media and economic pressures. Dr. Rosen emphasizes the importance of intuition, boundaries with grandparents, and navigating misinformation about vaccines. With a blend of old-school wisdom and modern challenges, she advocates for empathy and limits in effective parenting.

Power struggles feel like part of the toddler job description, but they don’t have to run the whole house. In this episode, I break down what’s really happening in those intense moments and how small shifts in tone, control, and connection can turn things around. This isn’t about “winning” a battle. It’s about helping your child feel capable while keeping your own sanity intact. We talk through the everyday situations that spark the most battles, why strong-willed kids push back as hard as they do, and how to meet them with calm authority instead of getting pulled into the chaos. You’ll learn how to give healthy control without giving up your boundaries, how to use your child’s growing cognitive skills, and how to de-escalate when emotions spill over on both sides. If you’re tired of standoffs at mealtime, bedtime, the bathroom, or anywhere in between, this episode will help you feel more steady, more clear, and less stuck in the tug-of-war. In This Episode, We Cover: ✔️ Why it takes two to have a power struggle ✔️ When to give control and when to step in ✔️ How to offer choices without losing structure ✔️ Simple scripts that shift the tone instantly ✔️ Using cognitive development to your advantage ✔️ Redirecting repetitive demands without escalating ✔️ How to recover when things go sideways ✔️ Playfulness as a tool for reducing tension Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it look like to raise kids who believe they belong in science, who feel confident speaking up, and who see women as leaders in fields that have long pushed them out? I first came across Emily Calandrelli’s work years ago on social media, and her mix of joy, honesty, and curiosity pulled me in immediately. Her voice reminded me that advocacy doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful and that our kids are always watching how we chase our own dreams. She is now one of my favorite examples of what it means to model confidence and curiosity for the next generation. On today’s episode, Emily and I talk about finding her way in a male-dominated STEM world, what she learned from losing her Netflix show, and how creating her own YouTube series changed everything. She also shares the story behind her viral TSA moment, how it sparked federal legislation, and what it meant to finally launch into space after dreaming about it for two decades. We discuss: ✔️ How representation in STEM shapes kids’ beliefs about what’s possible ✔️ Why speaking up matters, even when it’s uncomfortable ✔️ The pressure mothers face when they pursue big goals ✔️ What her spaceflight taught her about wonder and perspective ✔️ How parents can spark scientific thinking and curiosity at home To connect with Emily Calandrelli follow her on Instagram @thespacegal and check out all her resources at https://www.thespacegal.com/  00:00 Intro 00:51 Welcome + How Emily Sparked TSA Policy Change 01:50 Raising Confident Science-Loving Kids 03:22 Emily’s Path From MIT to TV 05:03 Breaking Into Science Media as a Woman 06:25 Losing a Netflix Show and Starting Over 09:30 Building Emily’s Science Lab on YouTube 11:22 Redefining Success Beyond Algorithms 14:44 Motherhood, Identity, and Letting Go of Guilt 18:36 The Spaceflight Story She Worked 20 Years For 22:31 How She Funded Her Own Ticket to Space 24:11 What Seeing Earth From Space Feels Like 25:00 The Gendered Backlash After Her Spaceflight 31:01 The TSA Incident That Went Viral 32:31 Turning Viral Attention Into Real Legislation 38:12 STEM Representation for Kids Today 43:13 How Parents Can Model Curiosity at Home 46:47 Why Meeting Girls in STEM Fuels Her Work 49:21 Closing Thoughts + Where to Find Emily Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices