pedsdoctalk

02/05/2026

Stitch with on TIkTok

If your baby sounds like they escaped Jurassic Park, don’t panic. They are not backtracking to prehistoric days. That screeching is actually part of normal development.

This phase can feel chaotic, especially when it kicks in the second you try to talk to another adult and they look at your baby like, “Was that a bird or…?” But what looks like noise is actually early communication doing important work.
Before words ever appear, babies build language through pre-verbal skills. These are the foundation of speech, not extras.

Pre-verbal skills include:
✔️ Back and forth interaction, learning that communication goes both ways
✔️ Joint attention, noticing something and checking to see if you noticed too
✔️ Cause and effect, realizing their voice gets a response
✔️ Intentional communication, using sounds on purpose instead of at random
✔️ Sound exploration, figuring out what their mouth and breath can do

This is why talking back, pausing, and responding like it’s a real conversation matters so much. You are teaching conversation long before your baby has words.

In a previous podcast episode, I sat down with Melissa Minney, speech language pathologist and mom behind Raising Little Talkers. We talk about what pre-verbal skills are, how early they show up, how parents can support them, what to watch for, and how gestures and language work together.
If this phase has you wondering what’s normal and what actually helps, this episode will give you clarity. Check out the comments for a link!

Share this with a parent currently living with a baby pterodactyl, or follow for more evidence-based parenting support.

Does your baby screech most when you’re on the phone or talking to another adult?

02/05/2026

Stitch with:

Hand, Foot, and Mouth: the daycare disease no one asked for but most kids (and some unlucky adults 😩) eventually get.
And yes, your child can absolutely catch it without ever setting foot in a daycare. IYKYK.
🤒 Painful mouth sores
🍑 A “diaper rash” that turns out to be viral
🙅‍♀️ Zero interest in drinking because everything hurts
👀 And just when you think you're in the clear—nails start peeling weeks later (totally normal, by the way)

For kids struggling to eat or drink, you can try cold snacks, pain relief like Motrin or Tylenol, and for kids over 1, some clinicians recommend a DIY version of magic mouthwash (equal parts Benadryl and Maalox, dabbed on with a cotton swab). Always check with your pediatrician first!(More on this in my YouTube video).

As for going back to school or daycare? The rule of thumb is:
✅ Fever-free for 24 hours without meds
✅ Acting like their usual self
🚫 No open, weeping sores (wait until they scab over)

If HFM has already made its way through your house, or you're just trying to mentally prepare, I’ve got you.
👇 For a deeper dive on what to expect, what actually helps, and what you don’t need to stress about, check out my YouTube video on Hand, Foot, and Mouth (plus other common childhood illnesses) over on the PedsDocTalk channel (linked in the comments below).

💬 Has HFM made its way through your household yet? Who had it the worst: your kid or you? (Asking for solidarity.)

📲 Follow pedsdoctalk for more real-talk pediatric tips, the ones they don’t warn you about in baby books.

02/05/2026

Stitch with: on IG

Gentle parenting isn’t the problem - it’s how it’s often misunderstood.

When done right, gentle parenting isn’t about giving in or avoiding boundaries. It’s part of a bigger, research-backed approach called authoritative parenting- warmth and structure, connection and follow-through.

Authoritative parents don’t lead with fear or control, but they also don’t hand the reins to their child’s emotions. They hold steady: calm, consistent, and clear.
That balance helps raise kids who feel safe and capable - kids who can name their feelings but also move through them.

The internet loves labels: gentle, tiger, conscious, free-range, “F around and find out.” But beneath the buzzwords, decades of research point to one style that helps kids thrive - authoritative parenting.
That’s what I break down in my new YouTube video - how this style actually looks in real life, how it compares to other approaches, and why it’s still considered the “gold standard” in child development.

Head to the PedsDocTalk YouTube channel to watch the full breakdown, and subscribe while you’re there for more grounded, evidence-based parenting guidance that actually works. I'll put the link in the comments.

Which side do you find harder to hold in the moment — warmth or structure?

02/04/2026

When healthcare turns into a campaign soundbite, kids are the ones who carry the risk.
And honestly, I am tired of hearing, “It’s my kid, why does it matter to anyone else if they’re vaccinated?”

It matters because kids do not live in bubbles. They share classrooms, daycares, playgrounds, buses, and birthday parties. They go home to newborn siblings, pregnant parents, grandparents, and family members with medical conditions that limit protection. Individual choices do not stay individual in shared spaces.

Vaccine mandates are often framed as government overreach or a threat to parental choice. That framing leaves out why they existed in the first place.

Mandates were created because voluntary systems consistently leave gaps. Not because parents do not care, but because access, follow-through, time, cost, and misinformation all shape real life decisions. When vaccination rates drop, we do not see abstract consequences. We see measles return. We see whooping cough surge. We see babies too young to be protected end up hospitalized.

You can value parental decision-making and still understand why baseline protections exist. Those ideas can sit side by side.

If you want a clear breakdown of the childhood vaccine schedule, what each vaccine protects against, common side effects, and answers to 30+ questions parents ask me every week, check out the comments for a link to my always-free vaccine guide.

If this helped clarify the why behind vaccine policies, share it or follow for calm, evidence-based parenting and child health conversations.

What are your thoughts on vaccine mandates?

02/04/2026

Stitch with: 90skid4lyfe & motherhood.cass on TikTok
Parenting in 2026 can feel like you are being graded at all times.

Every choice feels loaded. How much freedom is too much. Which activity matters most. Whether one wrong move will set your child back forever. When there is constant advice, comparison, and commentary, it is easy to slip into hovering, not because you want control, but because you want certainty.

In today's podcast episode "Parenting Like It’s 1996 in a 2026 World", I talk about how modern parenting quietly trained us to believe there is a correct way to raise a child, and if we just work harder, monitor more, and plan better, we can avoid mistakes. But kids do not build confidence by being managed. They build it in small moments of trust. Walking a little farther ahead. Ordering their own food. Sitting in boredom long enough to figure out what to do next.

Parenting felt different in the 90s not because parents cared less, but because kids were given more space to practice being capable. When we shift from perfection to values, parenting gets lighter, and kids grow stronger in the process.

Download and listen today wherever you access podcast (linked in comments) or watch the full episode on the PedsDocTalk YouTube channel.

What do YOU think makes parenting now harder than it was in the 90s?

02/04/2026

Parenting today feels heavier than it used to, and it’s not because parents care less or kids are harder. It’s because the noise is louder.

In this solo episode, I reflect on how parenting has shifted since the 90s, and not always in ways that help families feel steadier. This isn’t about going backward or rejecting what we’ve learned about emotions and development. It’s about blending what we know now with what used to work well - giving kids more space, time, and trust to grow.

I talk about how constant comparison, endless advice, overscheduling, and screens have quietly pushed parenting toward fear and control, leaving parents exhausted and kids overwhelmed. And I share why parenting feels lighter when it’s guided by values instead of perfection.

In this episode, I discuss:
• How independence is built through small, age-appropriate freedoms
• Why bullying feels heavier now and how home can stay a safe place
• How overscheduling crowds out confidence, creativity, and rest
• Why boredom isn’t a problem, it’s a skill
• A values-based approach to screens
• Why errands, car rides, and everyday moments matter more than we think
• Why doing less can help both kids and parents thrive

If parenting has started to feel like constant managing instead of guiding, this episode offers a chance to zoom out and reset.

🎧 I’ll put the link to the full episode in the comments.

02/04/2026

No strict screen time rules?
That probably made you pause.

The AAP just released updated guidance on kids and screens, and what stood out to me wasn’t a new limit or number. It was the shift in how we’re being asked to think about screen use altogether.

Instead of treating screen time as a simple willpower or “good parenting” issue, this guidance zooms out. It looks at development, caregiver stress, how apps are designed to keep kids hooked, and the reality of modern family life.

And honestly? That framing matters.

In this piece, I break down what the AAP actually said, why focusing only on minutes misses the point, how screens and big emotions get tangled together, and what’s more helpful to focus on instead.

If screen time has been a source of stress, guilt, or constant second-guessing in your home, this one may feel like a breath of fresh air.

Read it here ⬇️
https://newsletter.pedsdoctalk.com/p/no-more-screen-time-rules-read-on-for-why-i-like-this-idea

Curious where you land right now, do screens feel manageable in your house, or like the hardest boundary to hold?

A closer look at the AAP’s updated screen time guidance, including why it moves beyond strict limits, what actually matters for kids’ development, and how to ease screen-time guilt.

02/04/2026

HPV doesn’t care who your child is today.
It’s about protecting their future.

The HPV vaccine isn’t just about cervical cancer. It helps prevent cancers of the throat, a**s, v***a, p***s, and more. It’s one of the most studied vaccines we have, and yet it continues to be misrepresented in viral videos like this one.

You may have heard claims like:
💬 “It wasn’t tested properly.”
📊 “The trials showed more deaths than the cancer does.”
💉 “It causes more harm than good.”

These statements aren’t just misleading. They’re flat-out wrong.
As a pediatrician and a mom, I understand why this kind of content makes parents pause. But I’ve also seen what HPV-related cancers look like years down the line, and prevention matters.

That’s why I created a detailed YouTube video breaking this down calmly and clearly, what the vaccine insert actually says, how the trials were designed, and what we’ve seen in real-world data after millions of doses.

👇 I’ll put the YouTube link in the comments so you can watch when you’re ready and feel informed, not overwhelmed.

💬 Has something you’ve heard about the HPV vaccine ever made you hesitate? Let’s talk about it. Clear information builds confidence.

📲 Follow pedsdoctalk for science-backed, no-fear guidance you can trust.

02/04/2026

Video credit:

I really needed this from Happiness Project.

As a pediatrician and health educator, it’s hard not to follow the news cycle. I want to stay informed—for the families I serve and the parents I support.

But lately, if I’m being honest, it’s brought more stress than clarity.
More worry than peace.
And sometimes... I forget to breathe.

Maybe you're feeling that too.

Maybe it's the weight of the world, or maybe it’s something personal you're carrying quietly.

Either way, this is your reminder:
✨ You deserve a breath. A real one. A slow one. A grounding one.

Star breathing is one of my favorite tools for when my body feels tense and my mind won’t settle.
Trace the points of the star.
Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.
Repeat until your shoulders drop just a little. Until your chest feels a little lighter.
I do this before bed and it really helps as part of a bedtime routine.

You don’t need an hour of stillness. Just a few seconds of presence.
Save this for the next time you need it.
And if it helped you-share it with someone else who might need the reminder too.

02/03/2026

Stitch with: Parenting Playbook

Michelle Obama saying “we’re not friends with our kids” makes people flinch, but the discomfort is the point.
Because parenting is not about being liked in the moment LIKE A FRIEND. It is about being steady when your child is still borrowing your nervous system, your judgment, and your limits.

One of the fastest ways to create power struggles is unclear rules.
When kids sense that limits shift based on mood, approval, or whether we want to stay on their good side, their brain does what it is wired to do, it tests. Not because they are manipulative, but because uncertainty feels unsafe.
When being liked becomes the goal, rules start to bend. And once rules bend, kids push harder.

And there's another cost we do not talk about enough- if kids learn that adults smooth things over to keep the peace, they also learn that honesty is flexible. Over time, that can turn into telling parents what they want to hear instead of what is actually true, especially as kids get older.
Clear limits do not damage trust. Inconsistent ones do.

Kids trust adults who mean what they say, say what they mean, and can hold a boundary without withdrawing warmth.
That is not harsh parenting. That is predictable parenting.

If this reframed something for you, follow pedsdoctalk or share with a parent who is trying to hold boundaries without guilt. And if you want thoughtful parenting, child health, and development insights in your inbox, join my biweekly newsletter. It's linked in the comments below.

Question for you: what boundary has been hardest to hold, even though you know it matters?

02/03/2026

Watching this stage of toddlerhood still blows my mind.

As a pediatrician and a mom who loves child development, I still think in months until about 30 months old, because in these early years, development can shift dramatically from one month to the next. Language explodes. Independence shows up loudly. Emotions get bigger. Personalities really start to shine.

Seeing how much changes in just a year never gets old for me. I get to witness it while seeing patients, but there is something extra special about seeing it unfold day by day in your own child. The tiny progressions, the sudden leaps, the moments where you pause and think, wow, you are really becoming you.

It truly feels like the best of both worlds, being able to understand the science of development and live it in real time as a parent.

And I’m grateful for this community too, many of you have been here watching these seasons alongside us, and that means more than you know. 💛

02/03/2026

Social media is loud when it comes to parenting opinions, and one myth that keeps resurfacing is that daycare is harmful. Let’s put that to rest.

Quality daycare and group childcare can be incredibly supportive for kids. They offer socialization, routine, exposure to new environments, and caring adults outside the home. That matters.

Yes, transitions can be emotional. Tears at drop-off or pick-up are common, especially early on. Children are most regulated with their primary caregivers, so separations and reunions can bring up big feelings. That doesn’t mean daycare is unsafe or damaging. It means your child feels connected to you. With consistency and time, most kids adjust and those moments ease.

What we need to normalize is this: families use daycare for many reasons. Work, finances, mental health, rest, community. There should be no shame in using your village, whatever that village looks like.

Those viral videos showing kids crying at pick-up often miss the full picture. Many of those same children were happily playing minutes before. Crying at reunion is emotion, not evidence of trauma. Separation does not equal insecure attachment, especially in loving, responsive, well-run childcare settings.

Daycare is not inherently harmful. Shaming families for how they care for their children is.

If you want help choosing a childcare facility, knowing when a switch might help, or navigating a nanny search, I have a free downloadable guide on my website. I’ll put the link in the comments.

Have you ever felt judged for using daycare? How did your child adjust, and what helped you feel confident in your choice?