New parents are Googling “Are baby vaccines safe?” and the answers can feel like a shouting match. Board-certified pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin breaks down the entire childhood schedule, from the vitamin K shot to MMR, using clear risk-vs-benefit data that busy moms and dads can trust.

Get her free, research-backed vaccine guide → https://pedsdoctalk.com/vaccine-guide

You’ll also hear why COVID shook public confidence and how to separate peer-reviewed facts from Instagram fear-bait.

But shots are only one piece of the puzzle. We dive into late walking, milestone anxiety, and the real-world feeding challenges that every toddler parent faces—puffs, purées, and all. Dr. Mona explains why development is a marathon, not a sprint, and shares the exact red-flag signs that mean it’s time to call your pediatrician. Along the way, Cooper and Mike admit their own parenting fails so you don’t feel alone.

Finally, we zoom out to modern fatherhood. Millennial dads are more hands-on than ever, yet work-from-home life piles on new pressures. You’ll pick up quick wins for splitting bedtime duties, using humor to defuse tantrums, and choosing presence over perfection. Whether you came for vaccine facts or sanity-saving hacks, this episode delivers science, empathy, and zero fluff.

📖 Find more from Dr. Mona here → https://www.instagram.com/pedsdoctalk/ and https://pedsdoctalk.com/

🛍️ Support Elevated Thoughts by shopping our affiliate link! https://www.amazon.com/shop/broopersimms

🧠 Find more from us → http://www.ElevatedThoughtsPod.com

We are also on YouTube and Apple Podcasts!

🎧 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@ElevatedThoughtsPod

🎙️ Apple Pods → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevated-thoughts/id1736414535

💬 What do you think? Comment below!

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00:00 Intro – why dads need straight answers

02:50 Dr. Mona’s journey & Peds Doc Talk origin

05:30 Vaccine hesitancy: centuries in the making

09:55 How COVID rewired public trust

14:45 Empathy hacks for hard vaccine talks

18:10 “I’m not anti-anything—I’m just scared”

21:20 Government vs. parents: who sets the schedule?

25:40 Vitamin K myths & brain-bleed ER stories

31:00 How vaccine trials actually work

38:40 Milestones: when to worry, when to chill

46:05 Feeding battles, baby-led weaning, protein myths

52:45 The new role of dads in child health

59:00 Debunking viral parenting myths

1:03:00 Key takeaways & where to follow Dr. Mona

Gen Z spends more than seven hours a day on screens yet reports the highest loneliness ever recorded—fully one-quarter of young American men say they feel isolated every day. Award-winning civics teacher Jeremy S. Adams, author of Lessons of Liberty and the bestseller Hollowed Out, joins Elevated Thoughts to unpack why perpetual connection breeds emptiness and how schools, families, and faith communities can fight back.

Jeremy recounts classroom moments that shocked even him: seniors admitting “we cheat on everything,” AI tools ghost-writing homework, and attention spans that vanish after 90 seconds. Hosts Cooper Simmons and Mike Marro grill him on Gallup’s new loneliness data, TikTok’s looming U.S. ban, and whether radical individualism has turned freedom into misery. They also debate real-world fixes—from reviving family dinners to mandatory civic service—and why Jeremy still sees a path to purpose for the “hollowed-out” generation.

Parents, teachers, and students: this hour delivers blunt stats, vivid stories, and a hopeful blueprint to refill Gen Z’s civic and emotional tank.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week & smash the like if you enjoyed this video.

📖 Get our guest's book → https://a.co/d/7vVSrK6🛍️ Support Elevated Thoughts by shopping our affiliate link! https://www.amazon.com/shop/broopersimms🧠 Find more from us → http://www.ElevatedThoughtsPod.comWe are also on YouTube and Apple Podcasts!🎧 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@ElevatedThoughtsPod🎙️ Apple Pods → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevated-thoughts/id1736414535💬 Please drop a comment: What’s the ONE habit Gen Z must change first?

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00:00 Introduction to Hollowed Out and Its Themes

01:34 The Impact of Technology on Gen Z

07:30 Liberty vs. Licentiousness in Modern Society

10:41 The Unhappiness of Today's Youth

12:17 Civic Engagement vs. Political Distraction

18:35 The Loss of Meaningful Connections

22:19 Awareness of Technology's Impact on Youth

29:38 The Role of Teachers in Society

34:03 Navigating Political Discourse in Education

36:58 The Evolution of Social Gatherings

39:26 Generational Shifts in Attention and Engagement

40:38 The Political Divide: Gender and Ideology

44:05 The Changing Landscape of Political Identity

49:52 The Complexity of Trump and Conservatism

55:59 The Resilience of American Political Culture

Brad Polumbo joins us to break down today’s political discourse, right-wing media shifts, and cancel culture in the Trump era. We explore how social media accelerates public opinion swings, why checks and balances matter more than ever, and what independent media can do to keep both sides honest.Brad explains how Trump narrowed the “big tent” of conservatism, the internal GOP fights over fiscal responsibility, omnibus bills, and proposed age limit reforms. They also dive into immigration policy, focusing on due process versus national security. Plus, Brad shares audience engagement trends—rising social division and heated gender identity debates reshaping online communities.🔑 Key Topics:• Political discourse & media polarization• Cancel culture’s impact on debate• Evolution of right-wing media in the Trump era• GOP fiscal battles, omnibus bills, age limit reforms• Immigration policy & due process• Social division & gender identity trends👉 Like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Elevated Thoughts. #BradPolumbo #ElevatedThoughts #MediaPolarization #CancelCulture #Conservatism00:00 Restoring Productive Discourse03:42 The Evolution of Right-Wing Media07:28 Navigating the New Independent Media Landscape09:37 The Pendulum of Political Discourse12:53 Checks and Balances in a Polarized Era17:14 Legislating for Possibilities vs. Realities22:01 The Role of Due Process in Immigration Policy28:12 Defining Modern Conservatism30:46 The Evolution of Conservatism33:06 Deficits and Spending: A Conservative Dilemma36:29 The Internal Struggle of the Republican Party39:58 The Omnibus Bill Crisis41:51 Age Limits in Politics: A Necessary Reform50:15 Engaging with the Audience: A Two-Way Conversation𝕏 Follow Brad on X → https://x.com/brad_polumbo🛍️ Support Elevated Thoughts by shopping our affiliate link! https://www.amazon.com/shop/broopersimms🧠 Find more from us → http://www.ElevatedThoughtsPod.comWe are also on YouTube and Apple Podcasts!🎧 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@ElevatedThoughtsPod🎙️ Apple Pods → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevated-thoughts/id1736414535💬 What do you think? Comment below!