The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

Last week, we talked about what to feed our kids. This week, Dylan Dreyer gets into the how: getting food on the table when every night is packed, the kids have opinions and you’re already thinking about tomorrow’s lunch. Dylan reads your best tips from the comments and makes a Crock-Pot confession she can’t believe she’s sharing. Then she’s joined by Rachel Mansfield, cookbook author, mom of three boys and frequent TODAY guest. Rachel shares how she plans the week, packs lunches, handles snacks and feeds kids who are running out the door to practice. How do you get dinner on the table on a busy night? Tell us in the comments. Missed part one? Watch it first to hear pediatric dietitian Malina Malkani on picky eating, snacks and dessert. Follow The Parent Chat @todayparents and @dylandreyernbc. Email us at [email protected]. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pork tenderloin is on the menu, and nobody’s happy about it. On this episode of “The Parent Chat,” Dylan Dreyer sits down with her boys to plan the week’s meals, and the “too much meat” protests start immediately. Most parents know the scene: kids who declare they hate dinner before taking a bite, a flood of snack requests the moment they walk through the door after school, and a dessert bribe that never fails. Dylan wants to know whether she’s getting any of it right. So she calls in Malina Malkani, a pediatric dietitian and mother of three, for the first of a two-part special. They dig into why picky eating is so common, what actually helps kids try new foods, and how to handle snacks and dessert without turning dinner into a nightly standoff. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. If that’s your house most nights, you’re in good company. On this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer takes on the end-of-day meltdown, the parent kind. Is it normal to lose it? Why does it always seem to happen at the same time of day? And is all that yelling actually hurting your kids? Joining her is psychiatrist, author and NBC News commentator Dr. Saumya Dave, who explains what’s really happening when parents hit their breaking point, the early warning signs to watch for, and how to repair things after you’ve said something you wish you could take back. Hit play before tonight’s witching hour. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a bonus for The Parent Chat fans, we’re sharing the trailer for season 5 of Morrison Mysteries.  Enter the shadowy world of Edgar Allan Poe, brought to life by the unmistakable voice of Dateline’s Keith Morrison. In Season 5 of Morrison Mysteries, experience the mystery and madness of Poe's haunting classics, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat and The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Just search “Morrison Mysteries” to follow now or click here: swap.fm/l/mmdfd Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Do you have grandparents or other family members helping you raise your kids? Tell us in the comments how you make it work! Follow The Parent Chat @todayparents and @dylandreyernbc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

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. Whether you're hosting, RSVP-ing late, or wondering what to bring, the takeaway is simple: make the day about the kid, not the Instagram. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fall means one thing for busy parents: sign-ups, schedules, and a whole lot of chaos. In this new season of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer welcomes viewers into her home to talk about the reality of juggling three kids' fall sports - baseball, soccer, flag football, and everything in between. Dylan gets honest about her own hitting slump in an adult softball league (and the irony of her 9-year-old son coaching her the same way she coaches him), plus her go-to hacks for surviving the sidelines, from the toiletry-bag snack organizer to knowing when to pull out the umbrella. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Parent Chat, Erin Andrews sits down with Dylan Dreyer for a conversation as raw and real as it gets — from her long journey to motherhood through IVF and surrogacy to the messy, beautiful reality of raising a toddler while working one of the most demanding jobs in sports broadcasting. Erin opens up about mom guilt, the pressure to pretend you have it all together, and why she made a promise to herself to just be honest with people. Because as both women agree — putting that wall up all the time is exhausting. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week’s The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with her real-life friend — The Office star Brian Baumgartner — for a conversation about how hard it is to make friends as an adult, let alone find another family your whole family actually likes. They tell the full story of how they met, why their kids clicked instantly despite boys-vs-girls dinner table teasing, and what it actually takes to make family vacations work — including the ski trip where Brian's booming voice reduced Dylan’s son Ollie to tears. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.