Paging Dr. Dad

Dr. Connor Kriz and Dr. Jeremy Veenema

Our kids don’t come with a manual but we are are pediatricians, and dads, here to walk alongside you on the journey of raising your kids! Have a question you'd like the doctors to answer on an episode? Send your “pages” to pagingdoctordad.thepodcast@gmail.com.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    The Back-to-School Reset: Sleep, Screens, Big Feelings and More

    Kids are back to school this week and the start of a new school year can bring excitement, nerves and a whole lot of changes for the whole family. In this episode of Paging Dr. Dad, Dr. Connor Kriz and Dr. Jeremy Veenema are joined by Jenny Wassink, a mom and nurse at Alger Pediatrics, to talk about how families can make the transition back to school a little smoother. They talk about everything from getting kids back into a sleep routine and helping them transition and decompress after a long school day to navigating screen time, big feelings, friendship challenges and bullying. Jenny also explains what a patient centered medical home looks like in practice and how families can use their pediatrician office as a resource throughout the school year. Plus, the dads share some tips and insights they’ve learned from their own kids, including why sometimes the best thing you can do after school is give everyone a little space to unwind. Some takeaways Give kids a chance to decompress. After a full day of school, kids may need some time to move, play, eat a snack and simply be themselves before tackling homework or talking about their day.Practice before problems happen. Whether it's starting school, dealing with a difficult classmate or setting a boundary with a friend, rehearsing possible scenarios through play or conversation can give kids tools they can draw on later.You don't always have to fix it. Sometimes kids need a safe person who will listen rather than immediately solve the problem for them.And remember: you're not doing this alone. Your child's teachers, pediatrician and other trusted adults can all be part of the team helping your child navigate the school year.Guest Jenny Wassink is a pediatric nurse and mom who has worked in pediatrics for 14 years, including time at Children's National in Washington, D.C., and in a NICU in Wisconsin. She has been a nurse at Alger Pediatrics for five years, where she works in phone triage and helps lead the practice's patient-centered medical home. Have a question you'd like the doctors to answer on a future episode? Send your “pages” to pagingdoctordad.thepodcast@gmail.com.

About

Our kids don’t come with a manual but we are are pediatricians, and dads, here to walk alongside you on the journey of raising your kids! Have a question you'd like the doctors to answer on an episode? Send your “pages” to pagingdoctordad.thepodcast@gmail.com.