The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

Advice for Anxious Parents: What to Say Instead of "Are You Okay?"

The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

Show Notes

In this week’s The Parent Chat, clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Wendy Mogel joins Dylan Dreyer to make the case that our instinct to protect, schedule, and smooth everything over for our kids is actually making them more fragile — and what to do instead.

They get into the real stuff: why "teacup" kids break under the lightest pressure, how to tell if your child's fighting with siblings is normal or a problem, and why the working parent guilt about overscheduling is largely misplaced. Plus the two words Dr. Mogel says every parent should know — "wow" and "uffda" — and why Dylan's been using one of them her whole life without knowing what it meant.

And Dr. Mogel's parenting confession: she sent her sick daughter to ski school in Italy with a broken thermometer. The daughter ended up hallucinating that her fingers were chicken bones. She's never forgiven herself — even though her daughters call her a really good mom. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More from The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

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It’s 5:49 p.m. The kids are bouncing off the walls, nobody wants what’s on their plate, someone’s crying (maybe you), and you can feel the fuse burning down. Then it happens: you yell.

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As a bonus for The Parent Chat fans, we’re sharing the trailer for season 5 of Morrison Mysteries.

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When grandparents help raise your kids, how do you navigate the family dynamics and decide who makes the rules? On this episode of “The Parent Chat,” Dylan Dreyer opens up about having her mom, Linda, live with her and help care for her three boys. Then, in a rare on-camera appearance, Linda joins Dylan for an honest conversation about parenting styles, setting boundaries, family dinners and how their relationship has changed.

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In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer gets real about Halloween, from boo bags she didn't know existed until last year to costumes that change the week before (bacon is in, baseball is out). She opens up about the guilt of missing the school parade, the pressure to keep up, and why she's learned to lean in without going overboard. Plus content creator and Halloween superfan, Steffy Degreff, breaks down last minute costume saves, easy decorating ideas, and why "good enough" might be the best parenting advice of the season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 1, 2026

In this episode of The Parent Chat, we’re talking kids’ birthday parties. Birthday season at Dylan Dreyer's house means a constantly morphing cake order (Ninjago is out, football is in), a calendar full of other kids' parties, and a lingering question: are kids' birthday parties just another arena for competitive parenting? Dylan gets honest about why she'd happily skip the big party, and what to do about "no gifts, please" invitations, gift-opening that's become a pile of bags, and a December birthday two days before Christmas.

See all episodes →