Penny Noyce, MD
Dr. Noyce is a mother of five, an internal medicine specialist, the author of the preteen novel Lost in Lexicon, and an internal medicine specialist in Weston, MA.
How many children do you have? I have five children.
What’s your specialty? Internal medicine
What’s your favorite parenting tip? Treat your children with respect, and ask them to treat you with respect also. For example, I really like tickling my kids, but when they say “stop,” I stop immediately.
What has surprised you most about parenting? How much closer it has brought me to my husband. He’s a great father.
How do you get your kids to eat healthy food? I don’t think my children ate well. Two of them are now vegetarians, but they made that decision on their own. My one son used to call vegetables vegeterribles. I don’t think there’s anything to be gained from fighting about food. I don’t push too hard and just hope for the best.
How do you work exercise into your family’s life? We like to spend time outside. Sometimes when our kids were little, we set up obstacles course in the yard. They loved that. We used to go on hikes and carry our kids in backpacks. They also rode in a little buggy we pulled behind our bikes. Now we play tennis and basketball together.
How do you recharge your batteries? I go for walks, and I read a lot. I also enjoy low-key dinners with friends.
Dr. Noyce’s Q&As
My baby is starting to eat solid food, but oh what a mess. How did you cope with this?