Pretty Good Parents

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins share painful experiences as they discuss young children and violent behaviors. What should parents do to prevent these behaviors and when should they seek help for the biting child?

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins tackle colds that won't quit. Does it seem like your 18 month old has been sick with a runny nose the whole winter? Find out why. We talk about what really helps and what really doesn't.

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins explain normal sleep and then go on to explore parasomnias such as night terrors and how these are different from nightmares. We talk about how scary these awakenings can be for parents but not always for our kids.

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins finish their series on the senses by talking about baby's sense of smell and taste. We talk about maternal diet and how you can guide your baby to healthy eating.

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins continue to explore the development of a baby's senses. Today we examine the progression of touch from the first feelings pre-birth through the first few months of life. We talk about parenting as babies integrate the senses of sight, hearing, and touch and begin to experience their world.

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins explore the development of hearing. We talk about what a baby can hear and the wonder that happens when they recognize voices. We discuss the importance of catching early hearing problems.

Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack Hopkins' parenting podcasting begins with an exploration of a baby's senses from before birth through 6 months of age. We start with a discussion of how babies see the world, how sight develops, and what can go wrong. Most importantly, we find the joy in watching a child's vision of the world unfold.

When we became new parents over 20 years ago, we were already practicing pediatricians. Like a lot of new parents we hoped to be the perfect parents for our kids. We quickly found out that decisions are different and a lot harder when you have kids of your own. There were a lot of sleepless nights and many mistakes. Over twenty years later, we're just happy to be pretty good at parenting and we'd like to pass some of that knowledge on to you. Together we'll explore parenting challenges, learn about childhood development, and talk about medical conditions that worry every parent. At the same time we'll definitely touch on our own parenting mistakes and let everyone know that it is okay to just be pretty good at parenting.

Dr. Karen Hopkins and Dr. Jack Hopkins are both practicing pediatricians with Sisters of Mercy Health System and are in their 25th year. Dr. Karen practices in Richland, Missouri at Richland Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Dr. Jack practices in Lebanon, Missouri at Mercy Lebanon Pediatrics. They both completed their training at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Karen and Dr. Jack are the proud parents of Katie and James who have left the nest!