The Parent Chat with Dylan Dreyer

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 comme...

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

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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 @dyla...

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...

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 simp...

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...

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.

Ho...

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.

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Dylan Dreyer sits down with TODAY Show colleague and chief consumer correspondent Vicky Nguyen — two working moms raising three kids who grew up in very different worlds but landed in the same place as parents. Vicky, who came to the US as a refugee from Vietnam at age two, opens up about the strict, authoritarian upbringing she's deliberately doing differently while also finding ways to bring a little of that grit back into her daughters' lives. They talk about keeping communication open with teenagers, why Vicky deliberately keeps friction in her kids' lives to build resilience, and the social me...

Tig Notaro, comedian, writer, actress, and mom of twin nine-year-old boys, sits down with Dylan Dreyer to talk about the viral moment her sons discovered she was gay and the decision to cut back on touring so she could be more present at home. She opens up about being the "not favorite" parent for years, how her wife Stephanie quietly transformed the way she disciplines, and why she never read a parenting book before her boys arrived. Plus, the words her stepfather said to her that she's never forgotten, and the field trip story that genuinely made her emotional...

Dylan Dreyer sits down with Dave Ogleton — aka @FitDadCEO — the TikTok and Instagram dad who's turned the chaos of raising six kids into hilarious, relatable parenting content. Together, they get into the parent you swore you'd be before having kids versus the parent you actually are: the rules you said you'd never break, the battles you get stuck fighting even when you don't care who wins, and the dinner table struggles over your kids immediately rejecting whatever you put in front of them.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our...

Dylan Dreyer sits down with Amanda Hirsch — host of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast and mom of two boys — for a conversation about the fear nobody warned you about before becoming a mom. Not the diaper fear, the "what if I lose myself entirely and only care about snack schedules forever" fear. Amanda gets honest about how she nearly talked herself out of motherhood, the checklist she made before taking the leap, and what actually happened to her career once she had kids. Plus: parenting confessions, spicy takes, and a deeply spiritual conversation about why kids need wate...

In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with model and entrepreneur Ashley Graham for an honest, hilarious conversation about what it's really like to raise three boys. Both boy moms get honest about the everyday chaos and the real work behind raising kind, emotionally intelligent men. From teaching manners and talking through big feelings, to modeling the behavior they want to see in the world, these two are thinking about the long game. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn't just surviving the chaos — it's changing the next generation.

Ho...

In this week’s episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer shares how she first realized Calvin's nightly stomachaches weren't always physical, and what happened when she finally reached out to therapists Sissy Goff and David Thomas for help. The authors of Capable and co-hosts of Raising Boys and Girls break down the anxiety epidemic hitting kids earlier than ever: what the warning signs actually look like, why boys need to move before they can breathe through it, and how a calm down corner changed everything for Calvin. They also tackle the harder stuff — co-parenting after divorce, the "Parent Trap" phen...

What does modern parenting look like when both parents are living their lives online?

In this week’s The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with Bachelor alum Nick Viall and his wife Natalie Joy — surgical tech turned influencer, hosts of The Viall Files and Netflix's Age of Attraction — as they navigate life as parents to two-year-old River and twins on the way.

They get real about screen time when your job is the screen, why Nick thinks being a girl dad is actually easier than he expected, and what it means to hand kids a phon...

In this week’s The Parent Chat, clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Wendy Mogel joins Dylan Dreyer to make the case that our instinct to protect, schedule, and smooth everything over for our kids is actually making them more fragile — and what to do instead. They get into the real stuff: why "teacup" kids break under the lightest pressure, how to tell if your child's fighting with siblings is normal or a problem, and why the working parent guilt about overscheduling is largely misplaced. Plus the two words Dr. Mogel says every parent should know — "wow" and "uffda" — and why Dyla...

Ready to take a deep breath and find some inspiration? A brand-new season of Making Space with Hoda Kotb is officially here. Every Wednesday, Hoda sits down for open, soul stirring conversations with people who have walked through fire and come out stronger. This season, she’s diving into what it really means to pivot, heal, and find your purpose. Expect raw, real-life wisdom on navigating big transitions and the unexpected moments of grace that connect us all.

Featuring incredible guests like Mariska Hargitay, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Mark Nepo, Esther Perel, Laverne Cox, and many more.

To f...

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 https://pcm.adswizz.com for informatio...

In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with Nanny Connie — baby nurse to over 257 families including Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Jessica Biel — for a refreshingly honest conversation about how raising a child takes a village and why trying to do it all alone is the biggest mistake new parents make. Plus Nanny Connie's mantra that cuts through every parenting trend: the baby is the book. And her reminder that stars — they really are just like us. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

A brand-new season of Open Book with Jenna is here!  

Join Jenna Bush Hager every Thursday as she sits down with some of today's most beloved authors and storytellers for conversations about the books everyone is talking about. This season, we'll explore the hottest reads of the summer, the creative process behind unforgettable stories, the genres readers can't get enough of, and the movie and TV adaptations bringing favorite characters to life.

Featuring guests like Emily Henry, Kennedy Ryan, Carley Fortune, Shelby Van Pelt, Virginia Evans, Hannah Berner and many more. swap.fm/l/obwjdfd

In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with Neha Ruch, author of The Power Pause, for an honest conversation about what it really means to step back from your career for your kids, and how to do it without losing your sense of self.

They dig into the questions parents actually wrestle with: How do you know if pausing is right for you? What do you do with yourself when the external metrics of success disappear? And if you can't pause — what then?

Plus: why your career has zero impact on yo...

On this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with Modern Family's Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell — real-life parents of five teenagers — for an honest conversation about what happens when your kids stop needing you quite so much. They get into the questions parents of older kids are really asking: How do you keep the conversation going when your teenager shuts down? What do you do when you're 95% invisible and just waiting for that 5% moment? And how do you co-parent well after divorce when you're still figuring it all out? Plus Ty's trick for talking to teenagers without acci...

Dylan sits down with Kristin and Deena of Big Little Feelings to break down what's actually happening in your kid's brain during a meltdown, why reasoning with them in the moment never works, and what to actually do instead — whether your kid is a hitter, a scratcher, or a full public meltdown machine. Plus: what to do when you're the one about to lose it at 8pm and nobody is brushing their teeth, why forced sharing might be setting your kids up to fail, and the parenting confession neither of them is proud of. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. Se...

Clinical psychologist and The Conscious Parent author Dr. Shefali joins Dylan to unpack the childhood patterns most parents are silently passing down to their kids without realizing it. Are you the fixer who does everything so no one suffers? The fighter who learned to blow up from watching your own parents? Or the freezer who shuts down when the overwhelm gets to be too much? Dr. Shefali gets honest about her own cycles too — including the moment her daughter called her out mid-conversation for shaming her instead of just saying no. Plus: why over-apologizing might be doing more harm than go...

Ever Googled your child's symptoms at 2 a.m. and ended up more anxious than when you started? You're not alone — and Brown University economist and author Emily Oster has made it her mission to replace parenting panic with actual data. In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with Oster to tackle the questions that keep parents up at night: How much screen time is really too much? What do you do about a picky eater? Does it actually matter if your child sleeps in your own bed? And what does the evidence really say about breastfeeding, dr...

Tig Notaro, comedian, writer, actress, and mom of twin nine-year-old boys, sits down with Dylan Dreyer to talk about the viral moment her sons discovered she was gay and the decision to cut back on touring so she could be more present at home. She opens up about being the "not favorite" parent for years, how her wife Stephanie quietly transformed the way she disciplines, and why she never read a parenting book before her boys arrived. Plus, the words her stepfather said to her that she's never forgotten, and the field trip story that genuinely made her emotional. Follow...

Dylan Dreyer sits down with Amanda Hirsch — host of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast and mom of two boys — for a conversation about the fear nobody warned you about before becoming a mom. Not the diaper fear, the "what if I lose myself entirely and only care about snack schedules forever" fear. Amanda gets honest about how she nearly talked herself out of motherhood, the checklist she made before taking the leap, and what actually happened to her career once she had kids. Plus: parenting confessions, spicy takes, and a deeply spiritual conversation about why kids need water the...

Follow us on Instagram for more parenting content! The TODAY Parents team is @todayparents, and Dylan is @dylandreyernbc.

Vicky is @vickynguyentv. Her memoir is called 'Boat Baby', if you want to read more about her and her parents' harrowing journey from Vietnam, and her childhood and life in the US.

See you next week!

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Dylan Dreyer sits down with Dave Ogleton — aka @FitDadCEO — the TikTok and Instagram dad who's turned the chaos of raising six kids into hilarious, relatable parenting content. Together, they get into the parent you swore you'd be before having kids versus the parent you actually are: the rules you said you'd never break, the battles you get stuck fighting even when you don't care who wins, and the dinner table struggles over your kids immediately rejecting whatever you put in front of them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use...

In this episode of The Parent Chat, Dylan Dreyer sits down with model and entrepreneur Ashley Graham for an honest, hilarious conversation about what it's really like to raise three boys. Both boy moms get honest about the everyday chaos and the real work behind raising kind, emotionally intelligent men. From teaching manners and talking through big feelings, to modeling the behavior they want to see in the world, these two are thinking about the long game. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn't just surviving the chaos — it's changing the next generation.

You kn...

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.

You...

You know her as TODAY’s candid third hour host. But Dylan Dreyer is also a mom of 3 boys in New York City, trying to figure out the big stuff: how to raise kind, confident, resilient kids and keep her sanity along the way. And like every parent, sometimes she needs…HELP! On The Parent Chat, Dylan calls in reinforcements – from parenting experts with big advice to fellow working moms that can help all parents feel less alone. Because parenting doesn’t come with a manual, but it can come with a group chat. 

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