Ep. 280: Let Go to Lead Better: How Biblical Wisdom Can Ease Parenting Anxiety

Parenting Great Kids with Dr. Meg Meeker

Dr. Meg Meeker

Kids & Family, Education, Parenting, Self-improvement

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Is your parenting stress spilling over into your child's life? You're not alone—and you're not powerless. In this episode, Mark Gerson, author of God Was Right, shares how biblical wisdom—paired with modern psychology—can radically shift the way we understand independence, fear, and success in parenting. We cover: The connection between parental stress and children's anxiety How ancient stories like Isaac’s birth and Joseph’s rise can transform your parenting style The myth of “stranger danger” and how it fuels fear-based parenting Why celebrating your child's independence can relieve your stress How trusting God’s plan reduces anxiety and promotes joyful parenting Mark helps us reframe stress, fear, and control through a lens of faith, confidence, and wisdom—so we can raise kids who thrive, not just survive. 🎉 Join Our New Parenting Community — FREE! Get access to webinars, mini-courses, exclusive content, a private forum to connect with other parents, and so much more. Start parenting with more confidence and real support: 👉 ⁠meekerparenting.com Our Guest: Mark Gerson is a graduate of Williams College and Yale Law School, and the author of several books on intellectual history, education, and biblical wisdom, including God Was Right: How Modern Social Science Proves the Torah Is True. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, Commentary, and USA Today, covering topics from Frank Sinatra to the story of Jonah. He lives in New York City with his wife, Rabbi Erica Gerson, and their four children. Sponsored by: Hungryroot – 40% off + a free item in every box at ⁠hungryroot.com/drmeg⁠ (code DRMEG) Acorns – Start investing with spare change: ⁠acorns.com/drmeg⁠ Acorns Early – Teach your kids about money: ⁠acornsearly.com/drmeg⁠ WHO SMARTED? – A podcast that makes kids laugh while they learn. Search “WHO SMARTED?” wherever you get your podcasts. KiwiCo – $15 off your Summer Adventure Series at ⁠kiwico.com/DRMEG⁠ Børn Shoes – Crafted for all-day support, top-quality style, and made to move with you. Get 15% off plus free shipping with code DRMEG at ⁠BornShoes.com⁠ – comfort never looked so good. Summer Bridge Workbooks with IXL – Keep your kids learning and loving it this summer at ⁠summerbrains.com/DRMEG⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	on today's episode of parenting great kids so if parents realize that the increasing independence of
0:06.8	their child was something to be celebrated something to be recognized something to be amplified
0:11.3	they'd experience a lot less stress and their child will grow up to be a lot more independent and healthy
0:16.4	so if we flip that around and say we don't want our kids to be independent, we hover,
0:24.7	we helicopter, what do we do that's the opposite of encouraging independence?
0:32.1	This is parenting great kids with Dr. Meg Meeker.
0:35.4	41% of parents feel so stressed they can't function. And 48% say their
0:42.7	stress is completely overwhelming. That's half of the parents in the U.S. Joining me today is Mark
0:50.2	Gerson. In his latest book, he explores how timeless wisdom from the Bible, now backed by
0:56.2	modern science, can help parents raise more confident, resilient kids. Mark, I'm so excited to have
1:04.2	you on today. I look forward to this discussion. Thank you. You know, I see what the
1:09.6	Surgeon General is talking about. I've practiced medicine for over 30 years and seen a lot of kids. And I'm definitely seeing a rise in anxiety in kids. And I believe a lot of it's directly related to the rise in anxiety and stress of their parents. I don't want to put a guilt trip on parents, but my point is, parents,
1:29.4	we need to do something to just decrease the amount of stress in your life. So let's start
1:35.9	with that, looking at parental stress. You know, as we talked about, or as I cited,
1:41.5	the recent studies indicate that a lot of parents experience
1:44.8	overwhelming stress. So where is this coming from? And what are the primary contributors to the
1:53.4	stress? Well, what a great question, Meg. Now, so my book, it's called God Was Right. And what it does is it explores what the Bible says about a subject and then what modern science says, and they always validate.
2:07.7	Modern science has validated the Bible, and your question is asked and answered, like all questions, in the Bible.
2:14.9	And so why are parents experiencing so much stress? I think one of the causes is right
2:21.5	here in Genesis 21. So Genesis 21 describes Abraham and Sarah and their son, Isaac. And 216,
2:33.2	the child, Isaac, grew up and was weaned. So weaning, of course,
2:38.4	is a great moment of independence. The child no longer needs to be attached to his mother all the
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