Calm Parenting Podcast

"This is dumb." "You can't make me." "I'm not doing that!" When your strong-willed child spits out immediate pushback, your natural instinct is to correct their attitude and nip the disrespect in the bud. But reacting to that first emotional reaction is the reason families get stuck in endless power struggles. I want to show you a counter-intuitive strategy that works much be...

It’s so hard raising a strong-willed child! Traditional parenting truths like being consistent don’t work with this child. You’re clear with expectations, your child pushes back, and you’re left wondering, “Do I double down right now, or do I let this go?” Then you’ll second guess yourself or be judged. I want to show you how to confidently choose when to be wise, no...

Your child is visibly struggling with something they care about. You step in to help make it easier, and instead of saying "thank you," they explode. Suddenly, you're locked in a massive fight—feeling angry, unappreciated, and deeply resentful. Listen and walk away with exact scripts and real-life action steps to get your kids to actually listen and change—without th...

Do you ever feel helpless when your child is melting down? Of course. Your child likely feels helpless as well. In this very personal and powerful episode, I give you the exact script I used to diffuse these situations…and respond the way I wish my parents had treated me.

P.S. Want to have dozens of scripts like this for every tough situation? Get the Calm...

Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children...