Show Notes
Are you trusting your mom gut or Googling yourself into anxiety? In this episode, pediatrician Dr. Laura Bleekrode shares wisdom from nearly 40 years of experience to help moms cut through the noise and parent with confidence. We talk about how social media and constant information can erode your instincts and how to get back to trusting yourself. You’ll be reminded that you know your child better than anyone and that matters! Episode Recap: Dr. Bleekrode is a mom of 8 who owns a pediatric practice and has been practicing medicine for 36 years (1:11) How does Dr. Bleekrode “do it all”? (4:36) What are you seeing in today’s families that moms didn’t face 20 years ago? (6:15) Our “social networks” used to be personal (6:30) God gave mom’s intuition for a reason! (8:53) What symptoms require immediate medical or psychological attention? (12:13) My toddler is not sleeping for hours at a time, multiple times a month (15:55) What does a healthy sleep routine look like for a toddler? (20:06) Have you noticed parents trying to control all outcomes for their children? (27:20) How does your faith shape the way you counsel your patients? (28:13)
Scripture: Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
Discussion Questions: When you feel anxious about your child, where do you tend to turn first; your friends, your instincts, or Google? Can you think of a time your “mom gut” was right? What helped you trust it (or ignore it)? What outside influences (social media, advice, comparison) tend to shake your confidence as a mom? How can you create stronger, real-life support systems instead of relying on online answers? What is one area where you can release perfection and trust God more in your parenting this week?
Resources: Become a WT+ Insider today! boaw.mom/insider Pick up Karen’s Prayer Journal in the BOAW Store
Want More of This Conversation? WT+ Insiders will hear Dr. Bleekrode share 4 things she wishes all her patients knew! Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.
More from Wire Talk with Karen Stubbs
What if making life easier for our kids is actually making it harder for them to grow up? Counselor David Thomas joins Karen and Emily to explain why struggle is GOOD for our kids and how doing hard things builds confidence and capability. Listen in and you’ll be challenged to resist the urge to rescue your kids and give them room to grow! Episode Recap: The pace of life has drastically changed in the last 30 years (3:00) Capability and confidence are built in the struggle to do hard things (7:15) We put too much emphasis on happiness (10:57) Why David intentionally signed his son up for a losing team one season (14:31) Narrating our own capability helps kids learn what it looks like in the real world (17:33) How can parents re-train their brains to allow more struggle in their kids’ lives? (24:47) A challenge for moms of boys! (30:30)
What if one of the best things we can do for our kids is let them struggle? Mom of eight and founder of The Exchange, Elizabeth Pehrson, joins Karen and Emily to talk about parenting for the long game. If you have a hard time watching your child fail, forget, or face the consequences of their choices, this conversation is for you! We hope it will encourage you to loosen your grip and trust God with the outcome. Episode Recap: Your job as a parent is to make sure they don’t need you - the hardest part is accepting your success (4:26) Long game parenting asks, “Who do I want my child to be at 25, 35, 45?” (6:45) How do we get more comfortable with watching our kids struggle? (9:37) Allowing them to experience natural consequences is loving (12:02) Practical examples of starting out small with independence (16:00) Trusting the Lord is the foundation of success in parenting (19:29) You are preparing them for leaving you (22:00)
Parenting a neurodivergent child can feel lonely, especially when the people around you don’t understand what everyday life looks like. Counselor Dr. Chinwé Williams joins Karen and Emily to unpack neurodivergence, executive functioning, and the important difference between “won’t” and “can’t.” Whether you’re raising a neurodivergent child or want to better understand a friend who is, this conversation will help you respond with more empathy and grace. Episode Recap: What does neurodivergent mean and who falls under that umbrella? (2:56) How do I know if it’s an actual skill deficit or simply a will deficit?’ (4:41) What is executive functioning and how do I know if my kid struggles with it? (7:53) Don’t get into unnecessary power struggles (13:08) How do we advocate for our child without removing all obstacles for them? (14:50)
Big emotions can leave even the most confident mom wondering, Is this normal… or should I be concerned? Counselor Dr. Chinwé Williams joins Karen and Emily to explain what’s happening in our kids’ brains when they completely lose it and how we can partner with them to teach coping skills so they can move toward handling hard emotions on their own. Episode Recap: Are kids struggling with mental health more these days or are we just better at recognizing it? (2:32) As young as age 5, kids are struggling with ‘task persistence’ (4:41) Anxiety is a sign - it’s not the enemy (8:54) Understanding the upstairs vs. downstairs brain (15:48) How do we help our child via co-regulation? (20:04) Where’s the line between attachment science and gentle parenting? (22:50)
Working moms carry a lot, and sometimes we make the load even heavier by carrying things God never asked us to! Erin Mashaw joins Karen and Emily to talk about mom guilt, comparison, and that nagging feeling that you’re always disappointing someone.If you’re constantly wondering whether you’re doing enough at work or at home, we hope this conversation will help you put down some of that weight!