Show Notes
Send us Fan Mail Most parents seem to get hit with this at some point in our parenting journey. It can start at around 6-7 months and usually goes away gradually throughout early childhood. But… sometimes we’re just put to the test with separation issues and we wish someone would let us know what’s normal, what’s extreme and give us some ideas about what to do. In this podcast we have Jessica O’Connor, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist to help step us through ideas ...
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Send us Fan Mail Do you solve every problem for your kid because it’s faster? Finding the lost shoe, giving the answer to the math problem, settling the friend drama. It works in the moment. But every time we jump in, we may be quietly telling our kids, “I don’t think you’ve got this.” In this quick episode, learn why kids build real confidence by solving problems themselves, even small ones, and how to go from fixer to coach with four simple steps you can use in real time, even when you’re t...
Send us Fan Mail We break down how anxiety shows up in elementary age kids and why it often looks like stomach aches, avoidance, and anger instead of “I’m worried.” We share five practical tools we use at home to help kids face fears in small steps while we stay calm and steady. • anxiety signs in kids that look like behavior problems • common patterns to watch for such as reassurance seeking and physical complaints • validating feelings without feeding the fear • naming the worry to create d...
Send us Fan Mail Your kid keeps doing the same thing over and over and you can’t find a consequence that fits. There’s no natural fallout for whining, talking back, sibling fighting, ignoring screen time limits, or “forgetting” something that forces you into an extra trip across town, so you end up stuck between yelling, taking away the iPad, or giving in just to make it stop. Learn about a technique called energy drain. We talk through the core idea that parents have a limited bucket of ene...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we cover: Why whining is a communication issue, not a behavior problemHow whining looks different in toddlers vs. older kidsCommon parenting responses that accidentally reinforce whiningSimple, effective strategies like:Naming the whining and teaching an “asking voice”Knowing when to wait it out (without engaging)Addressing hunger, fatigue, and overwhelm before whining startsWhat to expect when whining gets worse before it gets better—and how to stay consiste...
Send us Fan Mail Parenting Decoded welcomes McCall Gordon to tackle one of parenting’s toughest questions: Why won’t my kid sleep? Her book is aimed at parents of "livewires" — kids who are more alert, intense, and emotionally reactive than average, making traditional sleep advice ineffective. McCall explains that temperament plays a huge role in sleep struggles — some kids just have a harder time winding down. These children are perceptive, persistent, and often lack typical “sleepy cues” li...