PedsDocTalk Wrapped: 2025 Edition

If this year had a soundtrack, it would be loud, joyful, a little chaotic, and full of proud tears. So let’s look back at what we built together.

These numbers are big, but the part that matters most is what they say about you. You showed up. You asked honest questions. You challenged old stories. You found the confidence you didn’t always have. That is the real win.

Stay connected with me

Did you know PedsDocTalk with Dr. Mona is on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube? If you want to follow along on your favorite platform, you can find me here:

A Moment I Still Think About

When I hit 1,000 Instagram followers, I remember exactly where I was. Gaurav and I were in Sedona. I had just started the account, posted something simple, and overnight it went mini viral. I woke up to 1,000. I was overwhelmed. I felt this rush of wow, people are actually listening.

That feeling hasn’t gone anywhere. Even now, at almost 1.5 million, the gratitude is the same.

The biggest success this year isn’t the numbers. It’s knowing that you feel better in your parenting. That you feel steadier, clearer, and more confident. That gives me so much purpose in my career. More than anything I achieved this year, that is the part that matters most to me.

The Humans Behind PedsDocTalk

None of this happens alone. PDT runs on heart, science, and a team you may not always see.

• Halie, who brings this newsletter to your inbox and keeps the website steady.

• Kathryn, who edits my social videos and helps support the community in the comments.

• Chelsea, my research partner who helps shape YouTube ideas into clear, accurate guidance.

• Grace, the steady hand behind all podcast and YouTube editing and production.

They are the quiet rhythm that keeps this community moving with clarity and care.

A Moment That Showed Who This Community Really Is

Earlier this year, during the government shutdown when SNAP benefits and paychecks halted, thousands of families were suddenly unsure how they would feed their children or keep the lights on. What started as a quick $500 Venmo to one parent in need turned into something I will never forget.

This community rallied and raised $45,500. Every dollar going directly toward groceries, medical needs, housing support, and the essentials that help families feel safe.

You proved that compassion still exists. What may have felt small to you meant everything to a parent on the other side of that message. As a pediatrician, I see every day how food insecurity affects children, their focus, their growth, their sense of stability. What you did mattered deeply.

If you want to see where PDT showed up this year, you can check out everywhere PDT was featured.

And if you're looking to bring Dr. Mona to your next event or conference, you can reach out anytime.

What’s Coming Next

I will still be creating content for this newsletter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and the podcast. And I want to hear from you. If you have ideas, questions, or a video or post you want me to respond to, you can submit it right here in this email community.

And in case you missed it, I also stepped into a new role as Chief Medical Officer at Poppins, a parent-centered pediatric offering that blends clinical care with the kind of support I’ve been giving you online for years. If you want to follow along, you can find us at @heypoppins.

If you live in Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas, New York, or Pennsylvania, you may even get me on a virtual visit. It’s been one of my favorite parts of this new chapter.

What This Growth Really Means

A bigger community isn’t about reach. It’s about impact. It means more parents feeling steady in moments that used to shake them. It means raising kids with connection, respect, and safety. It means we are building a quiet revolution of PDT caregivers who show up for their kids and themselves with clarity instead of fear.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for your trust. Thank you for letting me be part of your days, even if it’s five minutes in a waiting room or during nap time.

Here’s to another year of growing in all the right ways.

On The Podcast

In this final episode of 2025, I’m sharing something deeply personal – my relationship with anger, where it came from, and how I’ve worked to change it. This is one of the most vulnerable solo episodes I’ve ever recorded, because anger is a feeling so many of us carry quietly, especially in parenthood.

This episode is for the parent who feels ashamed after snapping. For the one who feels tense all the time. For the one who is scared they might repeat what they grew up with. Your anger does not make you a bad parent. It makes you human. And change is possible.

If you’ve ever spent the whole day dreaming about going to bed, only to climb under the covers and lie wide awake, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. I’m joined by sleep psychologist Dr. Shelby Harris to talk about the tired-but-wired cycle so many mothers fall into and why it’s more common than you think.

We unpack the real reasons your brain won’t shut off at night, from revenge bedtime procrastination to the mental load that follows moms everywhere. Dr. Harris explains how habits, overstimulation, and our constant push to “catch up” all get in the way of rest, even when we’re desperate for it. And most importantly, she shares the science-backed strategies that actually work for an overwhelmed parent who needs sleep but can’t find the off switch.

Whether you’re dealing with the occasional rough night or months of broken sleep, this conversation brings clarity, relief, and doable steps that don’t add more pressure to your already full plate.

On YouTube

In this holiday edition of my popular “Say This, Not That” series from Instagram and Tik Tok, I’m breaking down the family comments that land harder on kids than we realize, from body talk to food rules to those forced hug moments. You’ll get simple swaps that support self-worth, keep boundaries steady, and protect connection, all rooted in child development science. If you want tools you can use at the dinner table tonight, this one is for you.

Ask Dr. Mona

An opportunity for YOU to ask Dr. Mona your parenting questions!

Dr. Mona will answer these questions in a future Sunday Morning Q&A email. Chances are if you have a parenting concern or question, another parent can relate. So let's figure this out together!