We love our children with big emotions, but sometimes our love isn’t enough to build their confidence, especially when their strong feelings confuse them so much.  As a child I had trouble believing in myself, and I’d like to share my experience with you – and why your children are likely better off than I was!  In this episode, you’ll hear: What I learned as a child with big emotions Two hard-to-hear things our children with big emotions often believe about themselves  How Long...

We know that consistency is really important for our children with big emotions. But sometimes it feels like we spend all of our time enforcing limits – at the expense of our relationship! How can we teach our kids to do the things they need to do without feeling helpless or like we’ll have to nag forever? In this episode, you’ll learn: How to outsmart kids’ “avoider brain”  How to find and address the real reasons for resistance  How to get to the point where you can nag less so...

Raising a child with big emotions can feel like a roller coaster some days. One moment they might be yelling at you to go away… and the next moment they’re angry that you did what they asked. What do we do when our child does something that seems illogical and nothing we do is helping? In this episode, you’ll learn: What’s underneath kids’ seemingly-illogical behavior  How to understand what’s going on inside our kids before addressing their (outer) behavior  How to make a plan for...

If you have a child who tends to have big emotions or reactions, you’ve probably tried many different things to reduce the drama in that moment. But you may not have found much success, so you’re dealing with the drama over and over (or you’re walking on eggshells to prevent their big reaction!).  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it’s so hard to shift things in the moment once a child is reactive  What to focus on as your child is having a big emotion so that the situation goes more...

Every day, I hear that children with big emotions are struggling -- not just with their emotions, but with their self-esteem. They don't understand or like themselves very much.  Every day, I hear that parents who are raising children with big emotions are struggling -- wanting to support their kids and foster self-esteem, but feeling helpless. They know they have to set limits and allow kids to be uncomfortable, but these things lead to big reactions and emotions ...and they don't know...

Every day, I hear that children with big emotions are struggling -- not just with their emotions, but with their self-esteem. They don't understand or like themselves very much.  Every day, I hear that parents who are raising children with big emotions are struggling -- wanting to support their kids and foster self-esteem, but feeling helpless. They know they have to set limits and allow kids to be uncomfortable, but these things lead to big reactions and emotions ...and they don't know...

You probably know from experience that the stronger our relationship with our kids, the more smoothly things go. But these days, when everyone is so busy, it can be challenging to find enough time to strengthen our relationships.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why a strong connection does make a positive difference in their behavior, moods, and attitudes A way to stop feeling guilty about how little time (or energy) you have to spend with them  Quick ideas for small “deposits” that...

Welcome to a bonus "Ask Me 3" episode with pediatric sleep consultant Bonnie Dimmick! Listen as I ask Bonnie 3 questions: 1. For families with toddlers, preschoolers or young kids that aren't sleeping independently, is it too late to help them learn?  2. How can I get my kids to stop stalling so much and all their curtain calls at bedtime? 3. All of a sudden my great sleeper refuses to fall asleep without me in the room and is waking up at night, what should I do? Listen as Bonnie...

Many of us have tried to teach our kids healthy coping strategies, but often they don’t use those strategies in the moment when they’re upset. And then we feel helpless when nothing we say or do seems to help them calm down!  In this episode, you’ll learn: An important reason that your child might not be using coping strategies What our kids need us to do in the moment when they’re in Yuck How we foster resilience and strengthen our relationship by giving our children what they...

When our kids have big feelings -- and even BIGGER reactions -- it can be a challenge to avoid getting sucked in. The good news is that even if they are being dramatic, complaining about little things, arguing with a sibling, or simply shutting down, it is possible to stay out of their Yuck and avoid making situations worse. In this episode, you’ll learn: What happens to our adult brains when our kids are stuck in Yuck Two steps we can take to parent from our values rather than...

Welcome to a bonus "Ask Me 3" episode with Mari Collins Harris!  Listen as I ask Mari the 3 questions: 1. How does Ketshop help teach kids personal responsibility?  2. How can Ketshop help reduce clutter in the home? 3. How does buyer's remorse help children to learn budgeting? Listen as Mari asks me the 3 questions: 1. Chores vs. Allowance: how do you give your kids money without spoiling them?  2. How can you teach your kids to be generous?  3. How can we encourage our kids to...

Homework can bring up lots of feelings in our kids with big emotions, including frustration, stress, and overwhelm. While we’d like our children to do homework without drama, what do we do when they won’t listen to logic or finish their work without fighting us every step of the way? In this episode, you’ll learn: Why our children struggle to complete their homework, even if they know how to do it  One tool that can help our children stay on task (without nagging or fighting) How...

We know that it’s ideal to handle difficult parenting situations with patience and respect. But often when we’re tired or frustrated, our Yuck gets the best of us and we say and do things that we regret. And then, of course, we feel awful. But mistakes don’t need to make us feel guilty… in fact, making them can be quite helpful.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it’s important to “mess up” as a parent  An effective way to repair a relationship after we do something that hurts our...

Welcome to a bonus "Ask Me 3" episode with Creativity Coach Beryl Young! Listen as I ask Beryl the 3 questions: 1. How did you personally discover the powerful connection between creativity and self-care, and what led you to become a self-care coach?  2. What are some common misconceptions or barriers people often face when it comes to integrating creativity into their self-care routine, and how do you help them overcome these challenges? 3. What advice do you give to those who...

Many kids with big emotions resist doing what we ask them to do. And it can be exhausting to deal with this resistance day after day. But if the strategies we’ve tried to use to address resistance don’t work, what can we do instead? In this case study episode, you’ll learn: What we need to know about resistance in order to address it effectively  What we’re unintentionally doing that contributes to kids’ resistance Two questions to ask yourself to help improve your influence with...

When they are feeling big emotions, different children may behave in very different ways. Some children become “strong-willed” when they’re upset – they become resistant to us or try to make things go their way. Others act more “sensitive” when they’re upset – they become hard on themselves when they think they haven’t done something the right way. Despite the fact that these behaviors seem so different, “strong-willed” and “sensitive” children actually have a lot in common.  In this...

Welcome to a bonus "Ask Me 3" episode with prenatal yoga teacher Deb Flashenberg! Listen as I ask Deb the 3 questions: 1. How does POSTnatal yoga benefit a new parent as oppose to just going back to their regular class?  2. What is one thing a new parent can do right away to help heal diastasis and help their pelvic floor? 3. What is your "go to" yoga pose to relieve upper back pain from breastfeeding? Listen as Deb asks me the 3 questions: 1. What are your suggestions for...

Raising a child with big emotions can be exhausting. Not only are we trying to manage their emotions, but we’re often dealing with the emotions of siblings, spouses, ourselves…and everything else we have going on in our lives!  However, it  is possible to be less drained by the emotions around us, and we don’t need to make others change for it to happen.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why trying to reduce others’ emotions is NOT the solution to feeling less exhausted A simple mindset...

We want our kids to use healthy coping skills when they are dealing with discomfort. But what do we do when they regularly “forget” or fall back on unhealthy strategies when they are disappointed or frustrated?  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why trying to make or convince children to use healthy coping skills doesn’t work  Why children genuinely struggle to use these skills, even when you’ve reminded them over and over What children really need in order to successfully (and...

Welcome to a bonus "Ask Me 3" episode with Certified High Performance Coach Julie Lowe. Listen as I ask Julie the 3 questions: 1. You're a high performance coach – what does it mean to live a high-performance lifestyle exactly? Can anyone adapt to it, or is it just for the super-organized amongst us?  2. In your book, A Few Good Habits, you talk about how relying on willpower and motivation alone can be misleading and set us up for failure. Why is that and what should we do instead?  ...

Children with big emotions often want to be in charge. They try to control the schedule, their siblings, and even us! But trying to take away control leads to power struggles… and giving them MORE control doesn’t lead to better behavior. The good news is that there is a way to motivate our children to be more flexible and responsible without taking away all of their control or giving them too much of it.  In this episode, you’ll learn: What leads to better behavior with kids who like to...

Many children with big emotions also experience symptoms of anxiety -- at school, at bedtime, even in relationships with friends and siblings. It can be challenging for us to help our child when they’re worried, especially when it seems like most strategies aren’t effective. How can we make things better in the moment when children are experiencing symptoms of anxiety? In this episode, you’ll learn: What’s going on in the brain during anxious moments What’s most effective to focus on...

Welcome to a bonus "Ask Me 3" episode with pediatric nurse practitioner and sleep consultant Kelsey Alford. Listen as I ask Kelsey the 3 questions: 1. How should you handle sleep regressions?  2. How to know when is the right time to make sleep changes ?  3. How do you stay kind and firm when you are exhausted? Listen as Kelsey asks me the 3 questions:  1. How do you deal with parent preferences?  2. How do you deal with transitions away from/stopping devices (especially over...

Of course we want to raise responsible, respectful children. But the strategies that we are most comfortable with – like punishments and rewards – don’t seem to be effective with our kids, especially those with big emotions! How can we teach children to do what they need to do when traditional strategies often lead to worse behavior, meltdowns, or unhealthy self-esteem? In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “traditional” ways of motivating better behavior aren’t effective for many children  ...

Many children with big emotions struggle to express what they need. Some tend to demand that things go their way…while others rarely stand up for themselves. How can we teach our children to ask for what they need without offending others or letting others walk all over them?  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why we need to identify what’s causing our children’s behavior before we try to change it The scientific reasons why a child might struggle to be assertive (and why our pushing...