The Child Repair Guide with Dr. Steve Silvestro
In The Child Repair Guide, pediatrician and dad Dr. Steve Silvestro brings the wisdom and insights of the world's best childhood health and wellness experts directly to parents in one trusted source--to give parents the best tools to raise happy, healthy, balanced families.
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Can Kids Get the COVID Vaccine & Flu Shot at the Same Time?
10/21/2021
Can Kids Get the COVID Vaccine & Flu Shot at the Same Time?
Plenty of parents jumped for joy on October 7th when Pfizer asked the FDA to grant Emergency Use Authorization to give its COVID-19 vaccine to kids aged 5–11. While the official EUA approval hasn't yet been announced, the timing of when kids can potentially get the vaccine has led many parent to wonder whether the COVID vaccine can be given with the flu shot, or if some sort of spacing is needed. In this episode, I break down a recent study that gives us the answer! Important links: SHARE this episode as an article and a podcast: SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel: FOLLOW me on Instagram: REGISTER for my Mindfulness for Parents Online Course at BUY my "Love Is Bigger" t-shirt
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How To Get Kids To Sleep On Time—At Any Age!
06/22/2021
How To Get Kids To Sleep On Time—At Any Age!
People seem to think that sleep problems are only for babies. The moment you bring your newborn home, people start asking "How much sleep are you getting?"—and the question is more annoying than the lack of sleep! No one asks you that once you have a toddler or your kid's in school—and yet kids at these ages are often just as difficult to get to bed when they're supposed to. Enter: My 6 tips for getting kids to bed on time. This is an episode I've been asked to record for years, and I'm glad to be getting it out to you now—because we all need the sleep! You can share the article & audio version of this episode by sharing this link: A few items mentioned in this episode (purchasing through these links helps support The Child Repair Guide): The The My somewhat famous & well-loved
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Your COVID Vaccine PB&J Questions Answered!
04/20/2021
Your COVID Vaccine PB&J Questions Answered!
As part of the huge response to the last episode (thank you!) in which I broke down the new CDC guidelines on how vaccinated and unvaccinated people can mix, I received dozens of emails and Instgram messages from people asking questions about how the PB&J Method applies to their family's particular situation. Many of those questions had common themes—and I bet those themes are questions you might have, as well. In this episode, I present the latest data to answer those questions & help you navigate this new world where some people (adults!) are vaccinated and others (kids!) are not. You can SHARE the article version of this episode here: You can BUY your own "Love Is Bigger" t-shirt or tote HERE:
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What happens when parents are vaccinated and kids are not?
03/29/2021
What happens when parents are vaccinated and kids are not?
Now that the COVID vaccine rollout is well under way around the world—and the light at the end of the tunnel is within grasp!—we're still left with one wrinkle: How to handle gathering with family & friends when some people have gotten the vaccine and some haven't? This is especially important for families, as kids aren't likely to be able to get the vaccine until this fall or even this winter. I break down the CDC's guidelines, PLUS give you a super-simple way you can figure out what's safest for every possible situation: The Peanut Butter & Jelly Method. Hear me out on this—it'll make total sense! You can share this episode as both a podcast and and article by sharing this link: ***And for listeners of the podcast, a special coupon to take 20% off my Mindfulness for Parents Online Course! Use the coupon code PODCAST and sign up at
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Listener Favorite - The One Mistake Every Parent Makes (Including Me!)
03/01/2021
Listener Favorite - The One Mistake Every Parent Makes (Including Me!)
I can't believe it, but The Child Repair Guide is celebrating a HUGE milestone! And to celebrate, I've dug deep into the archives to share a topic that I know impacts almost every family. I've said before that my job as a pediatrician & host of this podcast is to not just make all the parenting missteps myself, but to research the solutions & share what I find with you. Well, this one is a prime example! If this episode strikes a chord with you, take a screenshot of your podcast player as you listen, post it to your Instagram story & tag me ! You can share this episode by sharing the link Hey, I designed a t-shirt! Get your 'Love Is Bigger' t-shirt !
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Do Schools Spread COVID? Here's What We Currently Know
02/10/2021
Do Schools Spread COVID? Here's What We Currently Know
With many areas approaching the dates and metrics they've set for reopening school—or back at school already—the question of schools' role in COVID spread has weighed heavily on many parents' minds. Well, it turns out that 50% of kids in the U.S. have been at school in-person, in one form or another, since the fall—and the data is in. I take a look at what we currently know, trying to tackle what has become an emotional topic for many, and shed some light on what we know works—and exactly what doesn't. You can share this episode as both a podcast AND an article by sharing this link: Find me on Instagram and on YouTube at
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How Parents Can Better Manage Stress & Recover from Trauma - with Dr. Elizabeth Stanley
01/18/2021
How Parents Can Better Manage Stress & Recover from Trauma - with Dr. Elizabeth Stanley
It goes without saying that the ability to manage stress and recover from trauma would certainly come in handy these days. For parents, these skills of mental resilience are important even in “normal times,” as our kids learn how to handle challenges and stress by watching what we do in front of them. And yet the very act of being a parent—dealing with tantrums, poor sleep, questions about behavior and big decisions to make—is stressful in and of itself. How can parents learn to manage stress in a healthy way that’s also good for their kids? My guest in this episode has an answer. Elizabeth Stanley, PhD is Associate Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University, a military veteran, author, and the creator of Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training. And in her most recent book, , Dr. Stanley outlines a powerful approach to help you cope with stress, become less driven by compulsions and emotions, recover from trauma, and enhance your resilience so you can live a truly whole life once more. This is so useful for all of us as parents—especially right now—and arming our kids with these skills would be like giving them superpowers. You can learn more about Dr. Stanley & her Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training—and see if you can take it for free—by visiting
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What Should Your Family's 2021 Priorities Be?
12/29/2020
What Should Your Family's 2021 Priorities Be?
We are finally here—the end of 2020 & the start of 2021! But the truth is, we can’t walk into 2021 hoping to reset the clock back to what life was like in 2019. This year changed us—and we need to let its lessons sink in and choose how we want to use them to direct us as we move forward. This episode explores how you can honestly assess what was good and bad, positive and painful for your family this year—and how to sort out new priorities for your family in the year ahead. TAKE $25 OFF the Mindfulness for Parents Online Course with the code NEWYEAR—sign up at and start your year off on the best foot possible! If this episode resonates with you, SHARE it by sharing the link
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Everything Parents Need to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine
12/16/2020
Everything Parents Need to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine
This is a super-special & super-exciting episode! At long last, vaccines against COVID-19 are being rolled out and administered. Parents have been asking me a host of questions, and I'm answering as many as I can right here. This episode goes over everything we currently know about how this vaccine's new approach works, its effectiveness and safety, plus the little we know about it for kids and pregnant or breastfeeding moms. Take a screenshot of your podcast player, post it to Instagram, and tag me ! You can share this episode by sharing the link Start the new year with the right mindset - Register for my Mindfulness for Parents Online Course !
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Raising Cross-Cultural Kids: Identity & Resilience - with Dr. Anisha Abraham
11/30/2020
Raising Cross-Cultural Kids: Identity & Resilience - with Dr. Anisha Abraham
Perhaps the greatest challenge we all face as we grow up is finding our identity—figuring out who we are and who we want to become. It’s no easy task—some of us adults (maybe even most of us?) are still trying to figure this out. But the challenge is even greater for cross-cultural kids & teens. Whether they’ve lived in several cultural environments, have parents whose cultures are different from that of where they live, or have multiple cultural backgrounds in their families—cross-cultural kids & teens have a wealth of ingredients mixed in together to create the recipe of who they are. Their challenge is to figure out what that recipe becomes—and it’s the challenge of their parents to sort out how and how much to help them along the way. My guest today is Dr. Anisha Abraham. As a physician, educator, and parent, Anisha helps teens to discover their strengths, focus on their wellbeing, and successfully navigate a changing world. In this conversation, we talk about tips from her new book, Raising Global Teens: Parenting in the 21st Century. Get Dr. Abraham's book, Raising Global Teens: Parenting in the 21st Century . Share this episode by sharing the link
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How Should Your Family Handle the COVID Holidays?
11/10/2020
How Should Your Family Handle the COVID Holidays?
This holiday season, everyone is asking the same questions: “Can we find a way to get together with family? What if we all get tested first? Do we risk it?” COVID is destined to throw a massive wrench in what is often a time of gathering together. In this episode, I break down the risks + lay out some points to consider if you aim to make your family events safer. Think of this episode as the “sex ed” of COVID holidays—I’d rather you didn’t do it at all, but since you might anyway, here’s how to potentially lower your risk! You can find the shareable article version of this episode at **This episode is sponsored by . Happyly was created to help every parent feel like a super parent, with inspiration for activities and curated adventures near home or on the go. Take the pressure out of planning family adventures & download the today.
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Parenting Manners During COVID & Beyond - with Sarah Davis & Evie Granville
10/26/2020
Parenting Manners During COVID & Beyond - with Sarah Davis & Evie Granville
It goes without saying that COVID has turned everything we know on its head. This is equally true for almost all things parenting. Things we used to take for granted—like scheduling a playdate in a park or seeing family—now take on extra layers of awkwardness and caution. Is the other family on the same page precaution-wise as you? How to handle the requests from Grandma to come visit when you know Grandma thinks differently about what is & isn't safe? Sarah Davis & Evie Granville are here with tips for handling all the awkward & uncomfortable situations of our brand new world. Their new book, , is packed with useful insights into modern parenting etiquette—and in this super-entertaining episode, they apply their approach to answer the questions we've all been asking. Find all the shownotes for this episode . And get a copy of Evie & Sarah's book . **This episode is sponsored by . Happyly was created to help every parent feel like a super parent, with inspiration for activities and curated adventures near home or on the go. Take the pressure out of planning family adventures & download the today.
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Sugarproof Your Kids - with Dr. Michael Goran & Dr. Emily Ventura
10/12/2020
Sugarproof Your Kids - with Dr. Michael Goran & Dr. Emily Ventura
Hey, we’re all trying to do our best when feeding our kids healthy food. And what might be your best effort right now may not be your best effort at some other time, or the same as someone else’s best effort—and that’s okay. But what isn’t fair is when the cards are stacked against you—when things that have been marketed to us as “food” are really causing harm to us and to our kids. The biggest, most prolific culprit? Sugar. It’s everywhere—but it’s not just in the places you’d expect. In the last several decades, sugar has silently found its way into so many foods we eat, many of which would surprise you. In fact, I recently shared a video on Instagram highlighting a fruit and chia cup that had 14 grams of sugar ADDED to the natural sugar already in the fruit. Nowadays, sugar is added to yogurt, tomato sauce, even the bread you use to make your kids’ sandwiches. And this invasion of sugar into everything we eat isn’t without consequence. We see its effects in everything from the obesity epidemic to kids’ mood, behavior, and brain function. We’re even seeing problems like fatty liver disease pop up in children. But there is hope. In their new book, , Dr. Michael Goran and Dr. Emily Ventura paint not only the intimidating sugar-laden landscape of modern American diets, but also simple steps you can put into action with your family right now. In this enlightening conversation, Drs. Goran and Ventura show you how to “Sugarproof” your kids. **This episode is sponsored by . Happyly was created to help every parent feel like a super parent, with inspiration for activities and curated adventures near home or on the go. Take the pressure out of planning family adventures & download the today. **Get your own "Happy Little Trees" Broccoli t-shirt -- available in adult, kids, and baby sizes!
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Developing Healthy Eating Habits at Any Age - with @kids.eat.in.color's Jennifer Anderson
09/28/2020
Developing Healthy Eating Habits at Any Age - with @kids.eat.in.color's Jennifer Anderson
When a pediatric dietician has over 1 Million followers on Instagram, you know she's got amazing tips. Jennifer Anderson is the brilliant mind behind , the wildly successful Instagram through which she helps families around the world develop healthy eating habits in their kids without battles. And as you'll see in this interview, she's the real deal. We cover everything from picky eating and "one-bite rules," to kids who won’t sit still for a meal, snacking tips and concerns, how to get them to eat a variety, and how to talk about nutrition in a way that doesn’t develop problems later. This episode is packed with useful tips & insights, and I'm so excited to share it with you! **This episode is sponsored by . Happyly was created to help every parent feel like a super parent, with inspiration for activities and curated adventures near home or on the go. Take the pressure out of planning family adventures & download the today. **Get your own "Happy Little Trees" Broccoli t-shirt -- available in adult, kids, and baby sizes!
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These Are the COVID Stats to Use to "Open Up" Your Family
09/14/2020
These Are the COVID Stats to Use to "Open Up" Your Family
We’re about nine months into this pandemic—do you feel like you have a handle on how to tell if it’s getting better or worse? Do you have a sense of how to know when it’s OK for your family to “open up“ and start doing some things you’ve been holding back on? If your answer either of those questions is “no,” you’re not alone. Absolutely. Not. Alone. A huge part of the problem for the average person trying to tease out useful information is that it’s challenging to figure out exactly what information is indeed useful. There are a dozen different types of statistics discussed in the news or online dashboards, let alone different ways to measure them and different ways the numbers are spun depending on who’s doing the talking. So in this episode, I’m here to simplify this for you. If you find this episode helpful, take a screenshot of your podcast player as you listen, post it to your Instagram Story, and TAG ME . You can find the shareable article version of this episode at
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How to Help Kids Develop Social Skills at Home - with Monica Silvestro
08/31/2020
How to Help Kids Develop Social Skills at Home - with Monica Silvestro
One of the biggest questions I’ve been asked lately is how to help young kids develop social skills—whether it’s because their preschools are currently closed, or their parents just want to make sure their kids thrive. It's a valid concern—but also one that you can learn to address right at home. I sat down with the wonderful Monica Silvestro—yup, the Monica Silvestro of fame & my favorite person of all-time—to discuss all her best tips for how parents can help their kids learn necessary social skills at home. See, Monica is an early childhood educator—and a well-loved one at that. She began her career in health communication, developing curricula for kids and teens to best learn about health and nutrition. She then segued into working directly on nutrition counseling, before combining many of her skills to transition into early childhood education. Monica shares some excellent tips that every parent can use at home—no matter the age of your kids. Follow Monica on Instagram Find me on Instagram Watch 10-Minute Preschool . Take my Mindfulness for Parents Online Course at your own pace .
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Online Learning Is Inevitable This Fall - Here's Why & What You Need To Do To Prepare
08/17/2020
Online Learning Is Inevitable This Fall - Here's Why & What You Need To Do To Prepare
There's been a great debate these past few months about whether and how to send kids back to school. But something's been missing from the conversation—the fact that most kids will experience online learning at some point this fall/winter no matter what, whether for a semester, a month, or just a few weeks. In this episode, I lay out why that's the case—PLUS tips from online learning expert Zoie Hoffman to help you make online learning most effective for your kids. Thanks as always for your support! SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel . WATCH my 2-minute video on "How To Get Kids To Stop Touching Their Masks" . GRAB my "Love Is Bigger" T-shirt . Find more about Zoie Hoffman . Be Well & Have Fun!
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Don’t Wish The Days Away—Yes, Even These Ones
08/03/2020
Don’t Wish The Days Away—Yes, Even These Ones
If you’ve felt like these past few months have both dragged on and flown past at the same time, you’re not alone. We’re all waiting with bated breath... “I can’t wait until this is over.” But what does it do to us—as individuals? as a society?—when we “can’t wait” for a whole year to go by? What happens to life in the meantime? This episode tackles this question & presents a philosophy I've been trying to live by—and have been trying to instill in my kids—these last several months. __ Share this episode with the link: drstevesilvestro.com/119 Check out my 'Love Is Bigger' t-shirt Sign sup for the Mindfulness for Parents Online Course and use the code 99OFF for $99 off the regular price.
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Working from Home with Kids Around (and Surviving!) - with Dr. Andrea Bonior
07/20/2020
Working from Home with Kids Around (and Surviving!) - with Dr. Andrea Bonior
We all have multiple roles to play—but none of us expected to have to play them all at the same time, all day long. These last several months, many parents have had to fill the roles of parent, educator, and teleworker with few, if any, clear boundaries between them. The result? The nagging feeling that you're failing at every single one of those jobs. If this sounds like you, you're not alone—and as Dr. Andrea Bonior discusses in this insightful & fun interview, you're not doomed to feel this way forever. In fact, there are clear, simple steps you can take to feel more confident as you juggle all of these responsibilities at once. Dr. Andrea Bonior is a best-selling author, speaker, professor, and licensed clinical psychologist. She's the winner of a 2020 national Excellence in Teaching Award from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and author of three books—including her latest, . This is Dr. Bonior's second appearance on The Child Repair Guide and I walk away with a plan to put into action every time I talk to her. If you've struggled to feel successful at all the roles you play these last few months (and haven't we all!), you need to hear this conversation. You can share this episode on social media by sharing the link Limited Time: Take $99 off my Mindfulness for Parents Online Course by using the coupon code 99OFF - register at
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Is Daycare Safe During COVID-19?
07/07/2020
Is Daycare Safe During COVID-19?
The most common answer pediatricians have been asked by parents of young kids is: "Is it safe to send my child to daycare right now?" The best, most honest answer we currently have? Probably. Maybe. We think. In this episode, I outline everything we currently know so you can make the best decision for your family. *You can share this episode by sharing the link: *Find all '10-Miute Preschool' videos PLUS my video explaining PPE to kids at *And the coupon to get the $149 Mindfulness for Parents Online Course for only $20 expires July 31st. Use the code TWENTY20 and sign up here:
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The Tool That's Keeping My Family Positive
06/18/2020
The Tool That's Keeping My Family Positive
We're halfway into 2020 & it's clear that we could all use a glimmer of hope right now. This is a tool that I've mentioned before, but that has taken on even more importance for my family right now. My hope is that it can help yours, too. You can find the article version of this episode at I've also extended the discount for my Mindfulness for Parents Online Course through July -- take the $149 course for only $20 by using the code 'TWENTY20'. Learn more .
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We Get To Carry Each Other
06/12/2020
We Get To Carry Each Other
Like much of the country, I’ve been thinking a lot about inequality and bigotry of late, trying to put so many feelings into coherent thoughts. And as I do, the memory of one impactful experience from when I was 19 keeps coming back to me... You can find the article version of this episode at The moral arc of the universe bends toward justice—but we have to be the ones who bend it.
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Decoding Boys - with Dr. Cara Natterson
05/14/2020
Decoding Boys - with Dr. Cara Natterson
The task of parenting a modern day boy is daunting. It's as if teenage boys and those who raise them are in an Indiana Jones movie, dodging blades and poisonous darts flying past them at every turn. And the snake-filled pit, of course, is the constant barrage of headlines showing masculinity gone wrong. So how do we crack the code of raising boys—and do so right at a time when they typically start growing quiet? That’s the focus of —the newest book from Cara Natterson, MD. You might remember Dr. Natterson from our episode together on “” (and if you haven’t listened to that, you should—it’s a fan-favorite!). Dr. Natterson is a superstar pediatrician who wears many hats, but its her work as caretaker of the modern iteration of and her book —that makes her the go-to expert on helping families ride the ups and downs of puberty. In our conversation, she lays out the secrets you can use to crack the code of raising sons.
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Helping Kids Cope in Difficult Times - with Robin Brannan
05/01/2020
Helping Kids Cope in Difficult Times - with Robin Brannan
"Fear and what you do with it are two separate things." I love this quote from Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, especially right now. What we and our kids do with big emotions can have more of an impact on our lives than feeling the emotions themselves. In this episode, Robin Brannan, founder of Better Together Family Therapy, shares tips to help kids cope in difficult times. You just might find that many of these tips helpful for yourself, too! And on another note: If you or someone you know has a preschooler, be sure to check out 10-Minute Preschool, a new video series featuring the one and only Monica Silvestro! Monica takes the magic of her preschool classroom and brings it to your preschooler in fun, educational videos that are 10 minutes or less. Check them all out here, with more to come:
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Update from the Front Lines of COVID-19 - with ER Physician Michael Daignault
04/18/2020
Update from the Front Lines of COVID-19 - with ER Physician Michael Daignault
When I last spoke with Dr. Michael Daignault 6 weeks ago, the COVID-19 storm was approaching. Now that we're in the thick of it, he and I catch up to discuss what it's been like on the front lines in the Emergency Department. We also dispel some rumors you may have heard about treatment & prevention, discuss what's necessary to "open the country," and silver linings in this new normal. Find video of our conversation at You can help! Go to and learn how to sponsor meals delivered from your local restaurants to your community hospital.
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Home Teaching & Helping Kids Thrive During COVID-19 - with Dr. Anisha Abraham
03/30/2020
Home Teaching & Helping Kids Thrive During COVID-19 - with Dr. Anisha Abraham
We're in a new normal—and with no clear end in sight. And as frustrating or anxiety-provoking as it may be, there is one indisputable fact about our current situation: We and our children will grow as people because of it. So how do we ensure that growth and development are the best they can be? How do we help our kids thrive during COVID-19? Having lived in Hong Kong and currently living in the Netherlands, Dr. Anisha Abraham has seen friends and coworkers manage parenting in a pandemic for months now—and she shares the lessons they've learned in our conversation on The Child Repair Guide Podcast. Dr. Anisha Abraham is a pediatrician and teen health specialist based in Amsterdam, Netherlands and on faculty at both the University of Amsterdam and Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. She works with teens, parents, and educators globally, using her 25 years of experience as a clinician, researcher, speaker, and health educator. Her book Raising Global Teens: Parenting in the 21st Century will be released this autumn in local bookstores and on . Listen as we discuss everything from home learning to how to help kids thrive in the midst of social distancing and pandemic.
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Tips for Kids' & Teens' Mental Health During Coronavirus
03/23/2020
Tips for Kids' & Teens' Mental Health During Coronavirus
So I’m the pediatrician who wrote that discouraging playdates during the coronavirus pandemic. And while I’m glad the message got out—over 2 million people read that article—it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write. Why? Because even though I know that such extreme social distancing is absolutely necessary to slow the spread of this sneaky virus, I also know that isolating ourselves from each other can have a massive toll on mental health. And I’ve seen that toll already. As I write this now, schools in my area have been closed for only a week, and yet my pediatric office has been flooded with calls from parents worried that their kids are becoming depressed. The risk for anxiety and depression amongst our kids and teens—and amongst ourselves—is real, and that risk will be compounded as the need for physical distancing inevitably stretches to several weeks more. So these are my recommendations for parents to help bolster the mental health of their kids and teens in the midst of this pandemic. You may find them helpful for yourself, as well.
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SPECIAL - Coronavirus and Your Family: What Parents Need to Know - with Dr. Michael Daignault
03/04/2020
SPECIAL - Coronavirus and Your Family: What Parents Need to Know - with Dr. Michael Daignault
There's a flood of information about the COVID-19 coronavirus out there, and it can be challenging to tease out what it really means for you and your kids. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Michael Daignault—an emergency medicine physician with a global health background who's been on top of providing info & guidance on coronavirus these last several weeks—and we break down everything parents need to know about the coronavirus outbreak. We cover: What coronavirus is & why COVID-19 is such a big deal What's making this spread more than SARS & MERS Symptoms of coronavirus in your family What makes COVID-19 so deadly The current situation with children and coronavirus Recommendations to keep your family healthy The right way to wash hands Thoughts on your family's travel plans -- keep or cancel? Likely, best-, and worse-case scenarios of the coronavirus outbreak How should you prepare for coronavirus? Surgical masks vs. N95 masks -- whether they work & who should wear them Will disinfectants work against COVID-19? Current progress on treatments & vaccines for coronavirus SHARE this episode by sharing the link WATCH video of our conversation at FOLLOW Dr. Michael Daignault on Instagram at FOLLOW me on Instagram at
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Saving Your Child from Ostrich Attacks & Finding the Humor in Parenting - with James Breakwell
02/19/2020
Saving Your Child from Ostrich Attacks & Finding the Humor in Parenting - with James Breakwell
Comedian Ray Romano once noted that "having children is like living in a frat house — nobody sleeps, everything's broken, and there’s a lot of throwing up." As just about everyone listening to this right now knows, being a parent is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. Sure, it’s also the most wonderful, joyous, meaningful thing you’ll ever do—but it’s no cakewalk. That’s why it really is so important to be able to look at the craziness of raising kids—yes, including the vomit everywhere—and somehow find the humor in it all. That’s the superpower of my guest today, James Breakwell. James is a professional comedy writer and self-described “amateur parent” of four girls, aged 8 and under. His parenting humor twitter account boasts over 1 million followers. Because of the way the social media world works, you may or may not recognize that account name, but I guarantee you’ve seen his writings if you’re on social media. James’s online writing, most commonly taking the form of conversations between himself and one of his kids, deftly brings to life the innocence and absurdity of living in a house with tiny people whose understanding of the world is tenuous at best. But he does it in a way that I really appreciate and that makes him stand out from so many other parenting humorists—by respecting and marveling at his kids along the way. He is the author of three books, including , , and his newest book—. This was a conversation that I really think you’re going to enjoy. If you do, and you want to share this episode by sharing the link , neither James nor I will be offended!
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Inspiring Kids to Change the World - with Katie Bowers, Managing Director of The Harry Potter Alliance.mp3
01/13/2020
Inspiring Kids to Change the World - with Katie Bowers, Managing Director of The Harry Potter Alliance.mp3
I’d say that anyone who’s paid attention to the news in the last few years, has been on social media—or has just conversed with other human beings—has probably gotten the sense now and then that the world seems on edge. Still, many of us parents can get so inspired by our own kids that we get the sense that they’re going to change the world—or at least their own corner of it. And a lot of kids might feel like they want to do exactly that. But how to start? How to take the desire to do good and turn it into something real, something that can truly help people? That’s the aim of my guest in this episode and the amazing organization she manages. I got to geek out a bit in this conversation because Katie Bowers is the managing director of the Harry Potter Alliance. No, it’s not some sort of group where people talk about how awesome Harry Potter is. No, the HPA takes the passion that fans of Harry Potter and other books and movies have, and helps them turn that passion into action. As Katie says in our conversation: “When people truly become passionate about a book or a character, it’s because they see themselves in that hero.” And the HPA has turned fans’ passion into amazing results. With hundreds of thousands of members spanning 35 countries and six continents, the HPA has helped kids and adults create meaningful change around the world. They’re pretty freaking awesome if you ask me! In our conversation, we talk about: The work of the HPA and how they “turn fans into heroes” Why Harry Potter and other fictional characters inspire fans to make social change How to decide what to do if you know you want to do something, but don’t know what or how The power of “unironic enthusiasm”—the best way to foster your child’s eagerness to help How to help your kids develop leadership qualities needed to bring about change Why it’s okay to be Neville Longbottom instead of Harry or Hermione Specific projects for preschoolers vs. elementary school aged kids vs. high schoolers Tips for when your child’s project fails The importance of building a good team around you How to help kids handle the risks of the spotlight when they stand up for what they believe Why kids might have a better opportunity to build bridges with those with opposing viewpoints than adults How to teach kids to handle tough conversations with friends and loved ones with opposing views And the value of “time, patience, love, and a willingness to keep at it.” Guys, I got fired up by this conversation—it’s a great launchpad for you and your kids to make the world a better place. If you get inspired by this episode, please take a screenshot of your podcast app as you listen, post it to your Instagram Story, and tag me @zendocsteve. You can also share this episode on Facebook and elsewhere by sharing the link
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