E152: Validating Kids Emotions with Dr. Ariam Diaz Mathusek, Pediatrician & Obesity Medicine

Welcome to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! This week, I am joined by pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Ariam Diaz Mathusek, founder of Brightside Care in Mebane, North Carolina. In this episode, we talk about how to validate your child’s emotions without condoning bad behavior. Dr. Mathusek explains what emotional validation really means, why it matters so much for teens, and how to balance empathy with clear boundaries and consequences. We also share practical scripts parents can use in real-life situations—like breakups, curfew battles, and “you don’t understand me” moments. Tune in to learn how to build trust, connection, and resilience in your home while still keeping your limits firm.Dr. Ariam Diaz is a general pediatrician that has been in practice for over a decade. She has been involved in leadership opportunities at work but also in her community. Her passion about children well being has led her to discover how to help parents create a solid foundation in kids and teens by developing “good habits” that will help them thrive.00:00 Welcome and intro to Dr. Ariam01:53 Why validation matters for kids and parents03:27 What validation is (and what it’s not)05:38 How validation builds trust with teens07:16 Responding to “You don’t understand me”10:26 Balancing empathy and discipline13:09 Handling “over the top” emotions16:57 Validating while still enforcing consequences22:18 Simple validation phrases parents can use27:09 One small change to start today & wrap-upConnect with Dr. DiazFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/askdrdiaz/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside_care/Youtube:  @dr_diazmathusekmd Connect with Dr. RellerPodcast website: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerryrellermd/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClearwaterFamilyMedicineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearwaterfamilymedicine/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kerryrellermdClearwater Family Medicine and Allergy website: https://sites.google.com/view/clearwa...Podcast: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou...Subscribe to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Pandora.