Reasons My Kid is Crying author Greg Pembroke is the featured guest in this episode is all about meltdowns – something all parents have to deal with, and usually when it’s least convenient.

I ask Greg how pictures of his children went worldwide in a week, leading to an appearance on Good Morning America and a book deal. We’ll find out what toddler meltdown took place on opposite sides of the planet at the exact same time, and Greg will share what happened when one of his toddler’s famous meltdowns was recognized at Disney World.

Links and Items Mentioned in this Episode:

• ReasonsMySonisCrying.com
• Get the book Reasons My Kid is Crying (Amazon affiliate link)

ParentNormal Questions Answered in this Episode:

• My baby has so many meltdowns for no reason it feels like my baby is just playing a terrible joke on me. My baby can’t be as seriously upset as she acts during these meltdowns, can she?
• What is the threshold of disaster for Sam from Quantum Leap to materialize and handle this meltdown for me?
• When my 3 year old has a meltdown in public, I don’t want to give into her demands. But I just have to make the meltdown stop, so I cave before it can get worse and bother any more people. Is that a smart idea?
• I don’t think there’s anything I can do to stop my toddler from having meltdowns every day. It makes me want to give up, which makes me wonder what a world ruled by toddlers who always got what they wanted would look like. What do you think?

ParentNormal News Headlines:

A mom and dad are being hailed as customers of the year in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The distinguished parents received a standing ovation last night as they escorted their crying toddler out of a popular dinner time location.

The applause and standing ovation was a significant shift from the boos and evil eyes everyone had been giving the parents while their toddler attempted to break the record for longest scream, a failed effort despite countless attempts. The parent’s picture can now be seen on the restaurant’s wall of fame – with a note underneath that says, “Do not serve.”

Meanwhile, in Rutland, Vermont, a wedding had to be put on hold after an audience member became so emotional that the bride and groom couldn’t hear themselves speaking. The scene was particularly unusual because the emotional audience member didn’t even know the bride or the groom.

It was a 3-year-old who witnesses say really wanted a teddy bear that was accidently left in the minivan because the 3-year-old’s family was running late and had to hurry in.

Fortunately, after only a one hour delay, the parents of the 3-year-old were able to carry out their tearful boy with the help of several family members. During the delay, the preacher officiating the wedding led a prayer circle to pray for all parents. A special offering after the service also helped raised more than $1,000 to go towards babysitters.

And in tech news: Car manufacturers are developing a new car alarm that will replace the traditional siren with the sound of a screaming toddler. The alarm’s designers believe the sound of a screaming toddler will be much more effective at getting the attention of everyone within a mile of a car-theft and it will have the additional benefit of being so bothersome that thieves will run away before completing their theft.

About Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast

Since this episode was originally released, the show has evolved into Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast. It’s a show that’s for imperfect parents by imperfect parents. Hosted by humorist and imperfect parent of three Chris Cate, every episode breaks down a topic that causes parents to break down, such as putting kids to bed, potty training, the terrible twos, homework, clothing, discipline, cleaning up, cooking for kids, and so on….

By the end of each topic breakdown, parents will hopefully realize they aren’t alone in their struggles and that the craziness all parents go through is actually quite funny when it’s looked at in the right light. After all, the mission of the show is to help parents laugh when they want to cry.

Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.

Connect with The ParentNormal on Social Media

Connect with all things ParentNormal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Links to popular episodes of Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast

• Dad Stereotypes versus Reality with Simon Holland
• Raising Teen Boys with Sarcastic Mommy Lisa Munn
• Toddler Dangers: How to keep toddlers from injuring themselves and you (with Clint Edwards)
• Clingy Kids with Rachel Sobel
• Tooth Fairy Duty with Julie Burton
• The Mess Kids Make with Lauren Lodder

Comedian Nate Bargatze is the featured guest in this podcast episode about birth plans. I ask Nate why he and his wife’s birth plan included traveling from their New York home to Tennessee. We also learn who won the bet about whether Nate would cut his baby’s umbilical cord and find out why parenthood has him walking into doors.

Links and Items Mentioned in this Episode:

• Nate Bargatze’s Website
• Full Time Magic

ParentNormal Questions Answered in this Episode:

• Should I get an epidural?
• How do you know when it’s time to go to the hospital?
• What 10 things should be on a father’s birth plan?

And in the ParentNormal News:

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, an expectant mother is being accused of planning the death of her husband. According to a birth plan she provided the hospital, the instructions include killing her husband if he even thinks about making a sexual joke during the delivery. Friends of the mother say, she knows her husband won’t be able to resist making such a poorly-timed joke, which is why his safety is believed to be in such Jeopardy.

And in Bristol, England, a mother has included soft music, low-level lighting, massage therapy, medicine and a whirlpool bath on her birth plan. The list has her husband concerned she may be trying to have an affair with the doctor. But the mother insists that she is just terrified of the birthing process and wants to relax. When she requested a specific doctor to deliver her baby for her, she meant that she really wants somebody to deliver the baby for her. But unfortunately, doctors insist it is far too late in the process for a surrogate mother.

Meanwhile, a new study reveals that 98 percent of birth plans fail to inform nurses that they will be in awkward birth photos that will be shared on Facebook. The study, conducted by the Water Cooler in the Hospital Cafeteria, found that nearly every photo taken in a delivery room includes a blinking nurse in the background who is too busy doing their job to get out of the picture. In response to the study, nurses just want to know why out of the thousands pictures taken in the delivery room that the pictures posted on Facebook always make them look so awkward.

And finally, a new mother in Bend, Oregon who requested a mirror to watch the birth of her baby says that the mirror spoke to her. She says, during the delivery, the mirror mirror said the unfairest of them all is that men don’t have to go through childbirth.

About Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast

Since this episode was originally released, the show has evolved into Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast. It’s a show that’s for imperfect parents by imperfect parents. Hosted by humorist and imperfect parent of three Chris Cate, every episode breaks down a topic that causes parents to break down, such as putting kids to bed, potty training, the terrible twos, homework, clothing, discipline, cleaning up, cooking for kids, and so on….

By the end of each topic breakdown, parents will hopefully realize they aren’t alone in their struggles and that the craziness all parents go through is actually quite funny when it’s looked at in the right light. After all, the mission of the show is to help parents laugh when they want to cry.

Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.

Connect with The ParentNormal on Social Media

Connect with all things ParentNormal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Links to popular episodes of Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast

• Dad Stereotypes versus Reality with Simon Holland
• Raising Teen Boys with Sarcastic Mommy Lisa Munn
• Toddler Dangers: How to keep toddlers from injuring themselves and you (with Clint Edwards)
• Clingy Kids with Rachel Sobel
• Tooth Fairy Duty with Julie Burton
• The Mess Kids Make with Lauren Lodder

Best-selling musician Laurie Berkner, who you’ve probably seen on Nick Jr. singing and playing guitar, is the featured guest in this episode. I ask her what makes a great children’s song. We’ll also talk about how becoming a mother influenced her songwriting and how she keeps the attention of an audience full of excited children for an entire show.

Links and Items Mentioned in this Episode:

• Laurie Berkner’s Website
• Laurie Berkner’s Favorite Classic Kids’ Songs

ParentNormal Questions Answered in this Episode:

• When my toddler is in a public place and is dancing like nobody’s watching, am I wrong to be jealous of how much more liberated he is than me?
• At what point do I tell my 5 year old that he is just banging things and not playing music?
• I’ve been singing the same children’s songs for decades, but I still don’t know all of the words. When my kids want me to sing with them, what should I do?
• I want to teach my toddler music, but he doesn’t want to use any of the instruments we’ve bought him. Can you give me a list of 10 alternatives to instruments that my toddler could use to play music?

And in the ParentNormal News:

A new study released today finds that 9 out of 10 parents would rather be on London Bridge than riding on the bus described in the song ‘Wheels on the Bus.” Participants in the study believed they were much more likely to survive falling into the River Thames than spending two minutes on a bus going vroom, vroom, vroom all through the town with people bouncing up and down, wipers swishing, horn beeping and babies crying. When asked if there was anything that could change their mind, the most common response was – no, but somebody should still install seatbelts on that bus.

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, New York, there is a Clash in the punk rock community following a decision by several punk rock club owners to promote children’s music at their clubs. The decision was made when the punk rock club owners, who are all dads now, were at a playdate and realized that none of them can tolerate the music coming from stuffed animals. And when one of them mentioned that they sounded just like their own dads talking about punk rock music, they came to the conclusion that nothing is more punk rock than music parents hate, which meant nothing is more punk rock than music coming from the bellies of stuffed animals.

“This is anarchy,” said one punk rock fan who hates the trend. “Exactly.” responded one of the club owners. And in an emotional moment between punk rock father and punk rock baby daughter, the daughter’s hair was shaped into a Mohawk using baby shampoo.

Meanwhile, in Budapest, Hungary, authorities are still searching for This Old Man after accusations that he has been playing knick knack on thumbs, shoes, knees, doors, hives, sticks and more. Police are unsure whether this is breaking any laws, but it is believed to be at a minimum – disturbing the peace. Police expect This Old Man will come rolling home soon, where they will be waiting to question him.

And finally, in tech news, a new jukebox is being developed for children. The jukebox will have 500 buttons for children to push, but developers say the primary selling point for kids is that every button plays the exact same song – because the only thing children love more than pushing buttons is listening to the exact same song again and again and again and again and again and again. No word yet on whether the jukebox will randomly play a song in the middle of the night.

About Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast

Since this episode was originally released, the show has evolved into Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast. It’s a show that’s for imperfect parents by imperfect parents. Hosted by humorist and imperfect parent of three Chris Cate, every episode breaks down a topic that causes parents to break down, such as putting kids to bed, potty training, the terrible twos, homework, clothing, discipline, cleaning up, cooking for kids, and so on….

By the end of each topic breakdown, parents will hopefully realize they aren’t alone in their struggles and that the craziness all parents go through is actually quite funny when it’s looked at in the right light. After all, the mission of the show is to help parents laugh when they want to cry.

Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.

Connect with The ParentNormal on Social Media

Connect with all things ParentNormal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Links to popular episodes of Breaking Down Parenting: A ParentNormal Podcast

• Dad Stereotypes versus Reality with Simon Holland
• Raising Teen Boys with Sarcastic Mommy Lisa Munn
• Toddler Dangers: How to keep toddlers from injuring themselves and you (with Clint Edwards)
• Clingy Kids with Rachel Sobel
• Tooth Fairy Duty with Julie Burton
• The Mess Kids Make with Lauren Lodder