Cooperative parenting may be the key to less stress and more connection in your home. In this fascinating episode, Dr. Elana sits down with New York Times bestselling author and NPR reporter Michaeleen Doucleff to explore what modern American parents can learn from traditional cultures around the world. Michaeleen shares how traveling to the Yucatán, the Arctic, and Tanzania transformed her parenting and helped her navigate power struggles with her strong-willed daughter. You’ll hear how simple shifts like reducing interference, encouraging autonomy, and inviting children into household tasks can completely change your dynamic.

From helping toddlers feel capable, to replacing arguments with confidence-building strategies, this episode is packed with refreshing wisdom and realistic ideas you can try today. Whether you're raising a toddler or a teenager, Michaeleen’s stories and research will help you feel more empowered and at ease in your parenting journey.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• How to raise cooperative children naturally

• Why toddlers are wired to be helpful

• The benefits of hands-off parenting

• Tips for raising confident and calm kids

• Global parenting wisdom for modern families

Show Notes:

• Follow @foodiescience on X

• Learn more about Michaeleen

• Click here to learn more about Dr. Elana Roumell’s Doctor Mom Membership, a membership designed for moms who want to be their child’s number one health advocate!

• Click here to learn more about Steph Greunke, RD’s Substack Mindset + Metabolism where women can learn how to nourish their bodies, hit their health and body composition goals, and become the most vibrant version of themselves.

• Listen to today’s episode on our website
  

Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD, is a global health correspondent for NPR’s Science Desk and the author of the New York Times bestseller Hunt, Gather, Parent. The book describes a way of raising kind and confident children, which moms and dads all over the world have turned to for millennia.

Doucleff has a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Berkeley, California, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Caltech.

For the past decade, Doucleff has reported on disease outbreaks and children’s health for NPR. Before that, Doucleff was an editor at the journal Cell, where she wrote about the science behind pop culture.

She lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter and German Shepherd, Savanna

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@stephgreunke

@drelanaroumell

Please remember that the views and ideas presented on this podcast are for informational purposes only. All information presented on this podcast is for informational purposes and not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a healthcare provider. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any diet, supplement regimen, or to determine the appropriateness of the information shared on this podcast, or if you have any questions regarding your treatment plan.

All-or-nothing thinking around food can leave women stuck in cycles of guilt, bingeing, and starting over every Monday. In this solo episode, registered dietitian Steph Greunke helps you break free from the diet rollercoaster and create a more grounded, sustainable relationship with food.

Steph explores how our mindset around nutrition impacts not only our own well-being but also the way we model healthy habits for our kids. You’ll walk away with compassionate tools, mindset shifts, and real-life strategies to approach eating from a place of nourishment—not shame. Whether you’ve struggled with emotional eating, inconsistent routines, or pressure to be “perfect,” this episode is your invitation to find more balance and joy with food.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• How the diet cycle works and how to fix it

• Reasons why we resort to this diet mentality

• Mindset tools for food freedom

• Creating nourishing routines that last

Show Notes:

• Click here to learn more about Dr. Elana Roumell’s Doctor Mom Membership, a membership designed for moms who want to be their child’s number one health advocate!

• Click here to learn more about Steph Greunke, RD’s Substack Mindset + Metabolism where women can learn how to nourish their bodies, hit their health and body composition goals, and become the most vibrant version of themselves.

• Listen to today’s episode on our website
  
  

This Episode’s Sponsors

Levels helps you see how food impacts your health with AI-powered food logging, habit tracking, and smarter insights. Add tools like continuous glucose monitors and lab tests for a complete picture of your health. If you’ve been curious about your own metabolic health, now’s the time to start! Levels is offering “Doctor Mom” listeners 2 free months of their annual membership—just head to levels.link/DOCTORMOM

INTRODUCE YOURSELF to Steph and Dr. Elana on Instagram. They can’t wait to meet you!

@stephgreunke

@drelanaroumell

Please remember that the views and ideas presented on this podcast are for informational purposes only. All information presented on this podcast is for informational purposes and not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a healthcare provider. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any diet, supplement regimen, or to determine the appropriateness of the information shared on this podcast, or if you have any questions regarding your treatment plan.

Fevers are one of the most common reasons parents panic, but they don’t have to be scary. In this solo teaching episode, Dr. Elana guides you through exactly what to do when your child has a fever. You’ll learn why fevers are a sign that the immune system is doing its job, how to know when to intervene and what symptoms to watch for at every age. Dr. Elana also shares the truth about febrile seizures, the difference between Tylenol and Motrin and her favorite natural remedies that often help avoid medication altogether. This episode is designed to help you feel calm, confident and prepared so that the next time a fever shows up, you’ll know exactly what to do!

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• Natural fever remedies for children

• When to use Tylenol versus Motrin

• What to do during febrile seizures

• Warning signs in babies and young children

• How to choose the best thermometer

Show Notes:

• Download Med School for Moms Free Fever Protocol

• Click here to learn more about Dr. Elana Roumell’s Doctor Mom Membership, a membership designed for moms who want to be their child’s number one health advocate!

• Click here to learn more about Steph Greunke, RD’s Substack Mindset + Metabolism where women can learn how to nourish their bodies, hit their health and body composition goals, and become the most vibrant version of themselves.

• Listen to today’s episode on our website

INTRODUCE YOURSELF to Steph and Dr. Elana on Instagram. They can’t wait to meet you!

@stephgreunke

@drelanaroumell

Please remember that the views and ideas presented on this podcast are for informational purposes only. All information presented on this podcast is for informational purposes and not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a healthcare provider. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any diet, supplement regimen, or to determine the appropriateness of the information shared on this podcast, or if you have any questions regarding your treatment plan.