
Episode 19 - Parenting House of Horrors: Real Danger or Just Parent Fear?
The Only Adult In The RoomShow Notes
Is your parenting brain sounding the alarm over something truly dangerous, or just writing its own horror movie? Lindsay and Suzan are playing a game to find out! In this spooky season episode of The Only Adult in the Room, Lindsay puts Suzan through the Parenting House of Horrors. It’s a rapid-fire game of everyday scenarios like the toddler climbing the playground, the first sleepover, and the first time someone else drives your kid, and Suzan has to decide how scared a parent should really be (and defend her answer). From there, we get real about what’s underneath it all: How to tell helpful fear from unhelpful fear, and why “when everything is fear, nothing is fear” What kids learn when we say “don’t climb, I’m scared you’ll fall” and what to say instead (“I’m right here, baby, I believe you can do it”) Why it’s okay to tell your kids you’re a little nervous without handing them responsibility for your feelings Why dads can be tough and still talk about being scared too How to talk about safety with fact based conversations instead of vague scary ones, without raising an anxious kid Sleepover rules, first time parent mistakes, and why every “first” feels different with each child A simple tool for the next time fear hits: pause, check if it’s real danger, then talk it through with someone you trust No perfect parents here, just two people still figuring it out. Never fear, more episodes are on the way! Got a topic, question, or guest idea for us? Send us an email and let us know.
More from The Only Adult In The Room
An imaginary friend at the dinner table. A monster under the bed. A story so detailed you start wondering where it came from. Kids’ imaginations can keep parenting interesting—and sometimes a little spooky.
In this episode of The Only Adult in the Room, co-hosts Lindsay and Susan announce an exciting new sponsorship with the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida. They dive deep into a topic that almost every parent encounters: Parent Guilt—especially during back-to-school transitions and entering childcare.
In Episode 16 of the Only Adult in the Room podcast, Lindsay is joined by veteran educator, community advocate, and former high school dean Ty Steele. After more than a decade of teaching science, social studies, and psychology, Ty is shifting his career focus from older teens to early childhood education and VPK. In this episode, we explore why building positive learning habits in toddlers and young children is essential for long-term academic success, emotional intelligence, and behavior management. Ty shares key insights from his personal story growing up in Panama City, his time as a youth sports coach, and his experiences navigating student learning loss following Hurricane Michael and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Struggling with mixed emotions as your child reaches a major milestone? Hosts Lindsay and Suzan explore how parents process big transitions like back-to-school and college drop-offs—and how to navigate contrasting partner reactions without resentment. Learn 3 practical strategies to process parental grief, vulnerability, and imposter syndrome.
Lindsay and Suzan dive into key insights gathered from a survey of 83 local kindergarten teachers. Contrary to popular belief, educators prioritize social-emotional maturity and independence far above early literacy or math skills. They also outline five actionable, real-world strategies parents can practice at home to help their children thrive in the classroom: Rehearse Saying "No": Help your child handle small disappointments in a group environment so that hearing "no" doesn't trigger a meltdown. Embrace the Productive Struggle: Avoid stepping in too quickly; letting kids fail safely helps build resilience and prevents "learned helplessness". Run an "Independence Bootcamp": Practice basic self-care tasks—like zipping coats, opening lunch boxes, and managing bathroom needs—without adult assistance. Swap Screen Time for Active Engagement: Swap passive digital consumption for face-to-face conversation and open-ended questions to build real-world attention spans. Master Two-Step Directions: Build executive functioning by having your child listen to, process, and complete daily two-step tasks.