Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled

Does This Stuff Actually Work? Parents Write Back

In this episode, Janet shares updates from parents whose concerns she has addressed in recent episodes — one about a preschooler’s escalating meltdowns at drop-off; anoth

Connecting with Kids Shouldn't Be a Performance

A parent writes that her mother is constantly asking her bright 17-month-old to perform and grows frustrated when he doesn’t oblige. The truth is, we often think connecti

Don’t Let School Be the End of Play

When school starts, our children’s days can quickly fill with classes, activities, homework, and screens, crowding out opportunities that are critical to their developmen

End of the Day Crazies With Kids

Many of us imagine late afternoons or evenings with our children as the perfect time to wind down and connect after a busy day. Unfortunately, this is often precisely whe

The Counterintuitive Fix for Meltdowns at Drop-Off (and Other Hard Feelings) 

A four-year-old melting down at school drop-off... A 21-month-old who's started pulling her own hair when she's frustrated or overwhelmed... Two very different situations

Handling Our Kids' Explosive Anger (with Loryn Brantz)

What do we do when our child erupts into a full-blown tantrum—suddenly becoming what author Loryn Brantz calls a "spicy nugget"? The award-winning author and illustrator

My Toddler Is Scared of Everything

A two-and-a-half-year-old has become increasingly anxious and fearful. She often becomes overwhelmed but can't explain what's wrong beyond saying she's scared, and she wa

Your Toddler Isn’t Listening. Here’s Why.

How frustrating is it when our kids won't listen! A parent describes her exhausting visit to a relative's house that wasn't baby-proofed. Her 15-month old son became fixa

The Scary Things Kids Need to Tell Us

A parent is shaken when her five-year-old begins talking about death and saying she wants to die. Is this a warning sign? Shouldn't she be alarmed? Janet explains why the

Painfully Shy in Public, Spirited at Home (What's Up with That?)

A parent describes her 3.5-year-old as fun, loud, and opinionated at home, but "painfully shy in every other social setting," even with relatives and peers she knows well

Can We Overcome Our Upbringing?

A mother fears she's repeating the negative patterns that shaped her childhood and wonders if it's already too late to change. She writes that her mother used “guilt trip

A Child's Rocky Transition (Why It Means She's Doing Her Job)

A two-year-old's adjustment to a small in-home childcare setting isn't going well. She cries through much of day, flits from activity to activity, and seeks constant vali

Gentle Parenting is Failing Parents. Here's Why.

What if the parenting approach that's supposed to make family life easier is actually making it harder? Many parents are discovering that what they thought was "gentle pa

Being Authentic When It Feels Mean

Can we be authentic with our kids without making them feel rejected? Is it wrong to find their behavior so annoying at times? A parent worries that saying "I don't want a

When Daily Tasks Turn Into Daily Battles: Transitions, Conflict, and Real Connection

A parent writes that her 5-year-old consistently resists getting dressed, brushing her hair, bathing, or brushing her teeth. "What starts as a simple transition can turn

Peer Play. Using Our Power to Help Kids Thrive Socially

A 4-year-old struggles when friends won't follow her rules of play. A 3-year-old is reserved around other people. Another preschooler is routinely excluded from a group o

How to Stop Kids from Interrupting

A parent wonders if it’s respectful—or even reasonable—to expect to sometimes have an adult conversation with her partner over dinner when their three-year-old constantly

The Answer to Hitting

A parent writes that she's struggling with her nearly 2.5-year old's hitting. Her toddler also talks a lot about pushing and hitting her friends "almost as if it's a joke

Dealing with Judgmental Comments About Our Parenting

A parent is concerned about the negative, judgmental comments her parents and in-laws make about her children’s behavior and their parenting. She writes that she and her

Potty Learning: How and Why to Let Children Lead the Way

While every child will eventually and inevitably learn to use the potty, the process can be stressful, frustrating, and often counterproductive for both the child and car