Phil Boucher

London

Morning Staff Editor at People Magazine

Morning Staff Editor for https://t.co/JDy6VOZZVH (USA). DMs open for tips and news.

Articles

Should Parents Just Say Yes? Why Boundaries Matter More Than Ever

2 weeks ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

A fellow pediatrician recently went a bit viral for suggesting that the best parenting approach is to simply say yes to your child’s requests. It’s an idea that resonates because, let’s face it… saying yes can be a shortcut to peace in the moment. No tantrums, no power struggles, no exhausted battles of wills. I think this advice misses the mark in a big way.
pregnancy and measles

2 weeks ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

Watch and share this video where I talk through the risk of measles in the midst of pregnancy. Protecting life of infants and mom includes preventing vaccine-preventable illnesses. Please consider sharing with someone if you think it would help them navigate these times. Share
Brand New Baby Prep - All The Weird (but normal) stuff newborns do

3 weeks ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

“Let’s just google it” You get home from the hospital with your newborn…and a BUNCH of things they never told you start popping up. Sneezing…all the time. Hiccups…holy moly. This weird rash…what’s going on here? Parents have LOADS of questions…and it can be confusing/terrifying when you first get home. You’re exhausted. And you have this whole new person who’s completely reliant on you for everything. And baby keeps doing all these things you weren’t expecting.
We Need to Stop Waiting to Diagnose Asthma in Preschoolers

3 weeks ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

Let’s talk about something I see all the time in clinic: preschoolers with wheezing, coughing, or breathing issues that just keep getting brushed off. Sometimes they’re told it’s just “reactive airway disease.” Sometimes they get an albuterol inhaler and no follow-up. Sometimes they’re told, “We can’t diagnose asthma until age six.”None of that is true. In fact, it’s outdated, and honestly? Harmful.
What I’m Reading Right Now

1 month ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

Warning: I don’t like talking about myself much and feel like this post feels a bit braggy. I’ve almost deleted the whole thing several times before sending…but I’m telling myself it’s worth sharing because it might be of interest or spark an idea in you…please try not to read it as though I’m telling you how to do your life…this is just what we do and it works for us!Also, this is a cross post. I rarely do this but I actually have 2 substacks.
New Consumer Reports on Infant Formula

1 month ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

Concerning report on lead, arsenic, PFAS, BPA, and acrylamide found in *some* infant formulas. Majority were just fine. Locally, I see a ton of kids on alimentum & nutramigen who are put on them for fussiness and left on them for the rest of their months on formula, often 8+ months!I’m stuck at home today because of the winter weather—classic Nebraska. It was 82 degrees two days ago, and now we’re in a blizzard warning. But let’s talk about something important.
WFH Day - Ask Me Anything!

1 month ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

(Excuse my very dirty windshield…but i snapped this picture yesterday to capture the temperature.)They say Americans spend about 40 hours a year talking about the weather but honestly I think most midwesterners can accomplish that in a week. Monday? 82 degrees. Tuesday? 74 degrees. This picture was taken just after getting an announcement that schools would be closed due to *winter weather* on Wednesday - high winds and 4-7 inches of snow.
dear parents, lower your expectations

1 month ago | dearparents.substack.com | Phil Boucher

I talk with parents A LOT about behavioral concerns they face. One of the benefits of modern living is that pediatricians have more time to dive deep into parenting concerns because we aren’t constantly trying to keep kids from dying from scary bacterial infections. Previous generations of pediatricians spent many late nights losing sleep over the child with bacterial meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia…we just don’t see those issues at anywhere near the frequency we used to.
Oil Tanker and Cargo Ship Reportedly on Fire, Crews Abandoned Ship Following Collision at Sea: Reports

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Phil Boucher

Search queryOil Tanker and Cargo Ship Reportedly on Fire, Crews Abandoned Ship Following Collision at Sea: ReportsAuthorities in the U.K. are coordinating an emergency response in the North Sea near East Yorkshire, EnglandMon, March 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM UTC A lifeboat from the Royal National Lifeboat InstitutionAn oil tanker and a cargo ship are reportedly on fire following a collision in the North Sea off the coast of East Yorkshire, England.
Oil Tanker and Cargo Ship Reportedly on Fire, Crews Abandoned Ship Following Collision at Sea: Reports

1 month ago | people.com | Phil Boucher

Authorities in the U.K. are coordinating an emergency response in the North Sea near East Yorkshire, England A lifeboat from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Photo: John Giles/PA Wire An oil tanker and a cargo ship are reportedly on fire following a collision in the North Sea off the coast of East Yorkshire, England. The U.K. coastguard is currently coordinating a rescue operation amid reports that crew members have abandoned ship, according to the BBC and Sky News.