RAR #102: What Kids Really Need (and Want), with Dr. Meg Meeker
When I talk to and meet with other moms, I get a sense that we all want the same thing. We all long to connect with our kids.
And, of course, we also want to stay connected – even in the teen years.
Well, today’s guest knows all about that, and she’s here to give us some tips and tricks to be the kinds of parents our kids really need (and want). It’s a whole lot simpler than many of us make it.
Dr. Meg Meeker is a pediatrician, parenting expert, bestselling author, podcaster, and maybe most importantly–a mom.
I hope this podcast episode is wind in your parenting sails.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- how our kids’ identities are really shaped (it’s probably not the way you think it is)
- what our kids want from us more than anything else
- how to make the time we spend with our kids count
Click the play button below:
Listener Guide
Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast:
- 1:48 Dr. Meg Meeker is here!
- 3:25 What kids really want
- 8:00 The impact of a peaceful and happy parent
- 10:00 Competition kills joy
- 14:32 Connection, Community and Confidence
- 18:09 Time and attention – how to make it count
- 24:26 The most powerful tool we have …
- 27:53 The Runaway Bunny (and our teens!)
- 31:07 Let the kids speak
Links from this episode:
- Dr. Meg Meeker’s site
- Parenting Great Kids Podcast
- Get RAR Premium
Quotes to Remember:
“A child’s identity is shaped by spending face-to-face time with mom or dad, by scouring our faces for clues about what we think about them, and what we believe about them. That’s why this one-on-one time has to happen in the same room, with eye-contact. I love the reading aloud that you’re talking about because all this happens while someone’s reading aloud.”
“I think it’s really important to do a lot of self-talk and say, ‘You know what? At the end of the day I’m going to pick out three things that I did really well as a mom, or tried really hard to do, and I’m give myself a pat on the back, and I’m not going to compare myself to how my friends are doing it.’”
“Your child doesn’t want to be a performer for you, your child just wants you to enjoy being with them.”
Books from this episode:
(All links are affiliate links.)
This podcast was wonderful! Thank you, Dr. Meeker, for your practical and encouraging advice. I’m definitely feeling more confident about my kids and my job in mothering them. God bless you.
As a relatively new listener, during the summer break I was looking forward to having the podcast start again – although I kept myself busy listening to many of the fantastic ones in the archives :) I must say, I LOVED this one with Dr Meg Meeker, which was a bit different from a lot of the others that focus more on books for children (at least the ones I’ve listened to so far). Now I love listening to Dr Meeker’s podcast too!
pure brilliance. I always experience a bit of sadness when I hear advice like this because my children are already adults. I would love a do-over so I could correct my mistakes. Fortunately we have a wonderful rapport with our children, mostly by the grace of God redeeming our blunders and lots of open conversation with forgiving spirits. So I do the next best thing- pass on this wisdom to all my parents of children I tutor in reading/writing!
Really enjoyed this podcast. I will have to read her books now. I would love your suggestions for audiobooks that are inspirational in nature for children. Such as ones that relate to entrepreneurship, finding a passion, preparing for the future, money smarts that are on a child’s level. Good mentors. Get them thinking outside the box, if you know what I mean. We listen to a lot of fiction, but I would like to change it up every now and then with audiobooks that motivate and inspire.
Oh, so good. My older son will be turning 13 in two months. He’s a high-functioning autist, so reading my face for clues about my mood or what I think about him has always been challenging for him. He has learned to ask me when he can’t tell, so we really rely on words and touch. I am excited about his teenage years (maybe I’m naive?) because we do communicate so well and he genuinely values the level of trust he has earned. I have noted this episode in my journal if I need to come back to it down the road. Thanks so much!
This episode hit home so much!! Exactly what I needed to hear to make some changes! Thank you!
Great podcast topic. This was so encouraging and yet a great reminder about what our kids really want. Passing this episode onto a few friends.
This is 30 minutes of pure gold. I am a homeschooling mama to 7 and still fresh to parenting teenagers. This podcast brought tears and encouragement and hope. I have never downloaded transcripts from any podcast but quickly did so, so that I could take notes and really think about the wisdom presented here.
Abundant thank you’s Sarah and Dr. Meeker for this fantastic podcast!!
I love this! As a seventeen-year-old, I STILL (mostly unconsciously) depend quite a bit on my mom’s mood to shape how I feel about myself and the world at any given time. Actually…she probably has no idea. Anyway, I agree 100% with Dr. Meeker. One of the best things my mom has done for me–besides reading aloud, of course!–is to focus on my CHARACTER, not just my accomplishments. She was happy when I got a good score on a test a few weeks ago, but if I had worked just as hard and gotten a lower score she wouldn’t be less happy about it.
Thank you Sarah and Dr. Meeker! (and Mom!)
I love this, Manda! ❤️
Thank you! And also thank you for the many books my siblings and I have read because of your recommendations!