Calm Parenting Podcast

Why You Do NOT Want Kids to Be Immediately Obedient: Raising Fearless Leaders, Not Fearful Robots. #636

Do you ever feel like you are doing something wrong because your strong-willed child doesn’t readily comply? Do you ever feel caught in the middle playing peacekeeper bet

Why “Name It To Tame It” & Punching Pillows Don’t Work For Intense Kids #635

Deep breathing, punching pillows and “naming the emotion” sound great on paper—until you try them with an intense child. These traditional calming tools can actually back

There Is Hope For Your ADHD Neurodivergent Child Who Can’t Focus (& 10 Ways to Stop Homework Battles) #634

Do you have a child who would rather argue for 2 hours over homework rather than complete it in 20 minutes?! Those of us with ADHD or neurodivergent brains learn in diffe

Q&A With Casey: How Do You Repair Feeling Like “The Bad Kid”? #633

Casey shares his first memory of feeling strong-willed and getting judged for it in school…and why it sticks with him to this day. He gives in-depth insight into how to r

Why Kids Choose the Harder Path & Procrastinate: 10 Secrets to Stop Power Struggles #632

It would be so much easier if your kids would simply do things your way, but they won’t. They will procrastinate and create unnecessary stress. They will purposefully cho

Disciplining & Loving Kids When They REALLY Mess Up : A Guide to Tough Talks & Tough Love #631

You and I have impulsive, emotional kids who are prone to sneaking screens or food at night and experimenting with porn, drinking, vaping, and drugs. They may steal your

Child Goes From 0-60 Emotionally? Lies When Confronted? 10 Quick Phrases to Calm Any Situation. #630

It’s easy to escalate situations. I want to make it easy to diffuse tense situations with intense kids. Even when they argue like attorneys, try to push your buttons, are

Why More Rigid Child Can’t Lose Games, Can Boss Siblings, Must Prove Their Point? #629

Why does losing a game trigger a massive meltdown? The same reason your kids boss siblings, obsess over fairness and have to prove their point, wear the same clothes and

Scripts to Set Effective Boundaries With Critical Parents & In-Laws #628

Your primary responsibility is to the family you created, not the family you came from. But standing your ground can feel scary with an intimidating, critical, or manipul

“Your Boots Are Dumb & My Friend’s Mom is Better!” Turning Ugly Moments into Bonding Memories #627

"Your boots are dumb and I don’t even like them!" "My friend’s Mom buys her better things." Ouch. Is this really what you envisioned when you decided to have kids? Whethe

Why Natural Consequences Backfire With Strong-Willed Children (And What Works) #626

Our kids often see your boundaries and consequences as a challenge to overcome, not as something to avoid! They won’t give in…and neither should you. But this can lead to

Expect Big Battles From Morning to Midnight: Here’s Your 5-Step Game Plan #625

Morning grumbling. After-school complaints. Grocery store meltdowns over cookies. Sibling fights while you’re trying to cook dinner, all while your spouse gets increasing

Why Do I Have to Do This?" How to Motivate the Child Who Questions Everything #624

Do you have a child who pushes your buttons, avoids hard tasks, and always asks "Why?" instead of just doing what you ask? It’s exhausting! It's easy to label them as laz

Q&A With Casey #1: Mistaking Intensity for Unhappiness, Feeling Like A Bad Kid & More #623

What is it like to grow up as an intense, strong-willed child—and how does that intensity follow you into adulthood and marriage? In this special Q&A episode with my son,

Let's Make Discipline Easy Without Being Authoritarian or Permissive #622

What works with most kids backfires with our kids! So how can we discipline without being authoritarian or permissive? How can we go beyond consequences that don't work t

Adoption #2: Kids Who Never Seem Full or Happy, Unhealthy Attachments, Separation & Sleep Issues #621

In this special episode, I address these specific issues from parents of adopted kids:  Our son will attach himself to anyone who gives him positive or negative attention

Dreading Calls from School? The Ultimate Back-to-School Behavior Guide #620

There is nothing worse than the pit in your stomach when you see the school's number on your phone. If your child struggles with following directions, transitions, impuls

"I'm Not Going!" 5 Ways to Overcome School Refusal & Separation Anxiety #619

You know those morning meltdowns and battles are coming! What specific words and actions work when you have a child who struggles with separation anxiety, doesn’t like an

Do Adopted Kids Struggle More? Part #1 #618

Parents often believe if you adopt a child from birth and provide a loving home, that will mitigate most issues. It doesn’t usually work that way. There is no judgment he

The Meltdown That Changed Me Forever (And 2 Phrases You Must Use To Teach Instead of Punish). #617

This is the day I realized I was so consumed with how my son’s attitude made me feel, that I wasn’t actually helping him. I needed him to behave... so I could behave. In