#387: The Power of Failure and Quitting in Childhood Learning with Ana Fabrega
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Release Date: 11/04/2025
#411: Cold Wet Socks for Fevers, Coughs and Congestion with Dr. Elana Roumell
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Cold wet sock therapy sounds strange. But once you see why it works, you will want cotton socks and wool socks on standby every sick season! In this video, Dr. Elana breaks down exactly how cold wet sock therapy works, when to use it beyond fevers and how to do it step by step. This simple home remedy supports the immune system by increasing circulation throughout the body and it works for more than just fevers. Congestion, sore throats, headaches, coughs, sinus pressure and general sick day discomfort all respond to it too! The whole setup costs about $3 and takes three minutes, making it one...
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#410: Electrolytes for Kids: Do They Actually Need Them or Is Water Enough? with Steph Greunke, RD
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Most kids don't need a sports drink. They need more water. But there are real situations where electrolytes matter, and knowing the difference keeps you confident instead of second-guessing yourself at every practice. In this episode, Steph breaks down exactly what electrolytes are, when kids genuinely need them, and what to look for in cleaner options when a sports drink makes sense. She covers age-specific guidance from toddlers to teens, flags the ingredients to avoid in conventional brands, and shares three real food alternatives that actually work. Topics Covered In This...
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#409: Why Your Kid Has Seasonal Allergies Every Year And What To Do About It with Dr. Ana Maria Temple
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
If your child has seasonal allergies, eczema or recurring ear infections, this episode might change how you see all three. Dr. Elana sits down with holistic pediatrician Dr. Ana Maria Temple to unpack the root causes of kids' seasonal allergies and why they so often connect to eczema, asthma and food allergies (the 'allergic march' most pediatricians never mention). From diet and fiber to dust mites and when Zyrtec is actually fine to use. You will leave this episode with a real plan, not just a symptom list. Topics Covered In This Episode: Root causes of allergies Seasonal allergies and...
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#408: Iron Deficiency in Kids: The Silent Nutrient Gap with Steph Greunke, RD
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Before you spiral over that iron lab result, here's exactly what it means and how to help your child from both a conventional and integrative medicine perspective. In this episode, Steph breaks down iron deficiency in kids from every angle: why it happens, who is most at risk, how to treat it with conventional iron supplementation and how integrative medicine can help address the root cause. You'll walk away knowing which iron forms are easier on little stomachs, which foods actually raise iron levels and one surprising connection between low iron and ADHD symptoms that every mom needs to...
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#407: What Remedies Do You Give Your Kid First When They Get Sick? with Dr. Elana Roumell
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
If your child starts feeling off and your first thought is "what do I even reach for?" this episode was made for you. Dr. Elana breaks down one of the most practical frameworks she teaches inside the Doctor Mom Membership: the difference between general immune support and targeted natural therapies, and why understanding that one distinction will change how you stock your medicine cabinet forever. She shares her top three go-to general immune supplements for kids, including why timing and frequency matter more than most moms realize, and how layering general and targeted remedies is exactly...
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#406: How Two Busy Mom Practitioners Navigate Chaos, Balance and a Brand New Season with Dr. Elana Roumell and Steph Greunke, RD
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
After nearly a decade of podcasting, the Doctor Mom Podcast is back with a bold new format built around what busy moms actually need: shorter, more practical, pediatric-focused episodes that fit into your real life. Dr. Elana and Steph Greunke walk you through everything changing this season and why. Solo episodes are now 10 to 20 minutes, the podcast is live on YouTube, and the content is going deeper on the pediatric topics you care most about. Dr. Elana previews her upcoming solo topics including immune support strategies, the cold wet sock method for fevers, Tylenol alternatives, and...
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#405: How to Fuel a Healthy Pregnancy and Postpartum with Lily Nichols
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Moms deserve clear guidance that supports real nourishment through every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. In this episode, registered dietitian and bestselling author, Lily Nichols, shares the research that is reshaping modern prenatal nutrition, including updated protein needs, micronutrient gaps, concerns with fully plant based diets, the truth about weight gain guidelines and why real food foundations make such a difference. You’ll also hear about her personal journey navigating professional growth, boundaries and motherhood while staying grounded in science. This conversation will help...
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#404: Ending Mealtime Battles and Picky Eating with Jill Castle
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Feeding kids does not have to feel stressful or chaotic. With the right tools, it becomes an opportunity to strengthen connection, build autonomy and nourish your child with confidence. Childhood nutrition expert, Jill Castle, shares her love with limits approach, a simple and effective framework that helps parents reduce mealtime battles, create structure, support appetite awareness and raise kids who listen to their bodies. You’ll learn how often to feed, how to set boundaries gently, what feeding mistakes to avoid and how to support picky eaters with ease. This inspiring conversation will...
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#403: How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt with Melissa Urban
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable for many moms, especially when people-pleasing patterns are deeply ingrained. In this conversation, Melissa Urban, co-founder of Whole30 and author of The Book of Boundaries, breaks down why boundaries are essential for emotional health, strong relationships, and family wellbeing. We talk about unearned guilt, over-explaining, people pleasing, and how past experiences shape our ability to speak up. Melissa shares practical scripts, real life examples, and simple frameworks to help moms communicate clearly with partners, in laws, coworkers, and even...
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#402: Asking the Right Questions to Create an Aligned Life with Jenna Kutcher
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive Parent
Living in alignment often begins with slowing down enough to tell yourself the truth about where you actually are. In this honest and grounding conversation, Jenna Kutcher shares what it really looks like to move away from hustle culture, reconnect with your identity, and build belief through small daily habits that quietly change everything. We talk about motherhood, body image after baby, health journeys rooted in self-trust, and why lasting change comes from tiny actions that stack over time. Jenna also opens up about loss, waiting seasons, visualization, and how learning to listen inward...
info_outlineRethinking childhood education is more important than ever. In this inspiring episode, educator Ana Fabrega shares why traditional schooling is outdated and how parents can nurture creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills at home. She explains how systems like Synthesis are changing the future of learning through games and simulations, why failure is one of the most important gifts we can give our kids, and how parents can support curiosity outside of the classroom. You’ll walk away with practical tips for fostering independence, cultivating a love of reading, and encouraging kids to embrace both grit and quitting when needed. This conversation will leave you empowered with fresh strategies to raise confident, adaptable learners who thrive in and out of school
Topics Covered In This Episode:
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Alternative education and learning models for kids
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Teaching children problem solving and critical thinking
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How failure builds resilience and confidence
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Supporting creativity and unstructured play at home
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When to encourage grit and when to allow quitting
Show Notes:
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Receive 10% off of Synthesis Tutor Plans, use code ‘DRMOM’
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‘X’ @anafabrega11 on ‘X’
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Follow @/msfab_learninglab on Instagram
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Buy The Learning Game: Teaching Kids to Think for Themselves, Embrace Challenge, and Love Learning
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Click here to learn more about Dr. Elana Roumell’s Doctor Mom Membership, a membership designed for moms who want to be their child’s number one health advocate!
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Click here to learn more about Steph Greunke, RD’s online nutrition program and community, Postpartum Reset, an intimate private community and online roadmap for any mama (or mama-to-be) who feels stuck, alone, and depleted and wants to learn how to thrive in motherhood
Ana Lorena Fábrega is an author, edupreneur, and Chief Evangelist at Synthesis. Growing up, she attended ten schools in seven different countries. She then earned her BS in Childhood Education and Special Education from New York University and taught elementary school in New York, Boston, and Panama. Today, Ana Lorena writes online to over 200,000 readers about the promise of alternative education.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF to Steph and Dr. Elana on Instagram. They can’t wait to meet you!
Please remember that the views and ideas presented on this podcast are for informational purposes only. All information presented on this podcast is for informational purposes and not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a healthcare provider. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any diet, supplement regimen, or to determine the appropriateness of the information shared on this podcast, or if you have any questions regarding your treatment plan.