Positive Parenting Strategies From A Nine-Year-Old

Loving your child and still feeling annoyed, resentful, or even relieved when they finally fall asleep is a lot more common than most parents admit. Today we’re putting words to that quiet, heavy experience and offering a path out that doesn’t involve shaming yourself into “trying harder.” If you’ve been telling yourself you just need more patience, I want to challenge that assumption and give you a better target to aim for. We dig into a practical mindset shift for ove...

If you're the kind of parents seeking tools that help you really dig into deep, intentional growth with your child, this is the episode for you. Your kid doesn’t need another lecture (they’ll likely forget by dinner). They need images they can carry into the next hard moment, and nature is full of them. Today we’re joined by Amber Vilhauer, who co-wrote What Nature Teaches Us with her nine-year-old son, Clay, after turning hiking trails into a living classroom. What Nature Teache...

If you’ve ever wondered how to get kids to listen without yelling, threats, or constant power struggles, this episode offers a different way to think about discipline. We’re talking about “raising the adult, not just managing the child” — and why focusing too heavily on instant obedience can sometimes build dependence instead of confidence, resilience, and independence. As parents, it’s easy to get stuck asking, “How do I make my child listen?” or “What consequence will stop this behavior?” B...

Today we’re unpacking three common parenting patterns that can unintentionally chip away at child self-esteem and confidence, even in homes filled with warmth and good intentions. First, we get specific about compliments and why outcome-based praise (“you’re so smart,” “you’re naturally talented,” “you’re beautiful”) can create a fixed mindset. When kids believe their abilities are set, challenges like school struggles, friendship drama, or new environments can feel like proof they’re “not g...

Your strong-willed child is not “too much,” but the daily arguments can absolutely wear you down. If you’ve ever wished for headphones to stay calm, duct tape to stop the backtalk, or a remote to fast-forward the meltdown, you’re going to feel seen here. I’m Flora McCormick, licensed therapist and parenting coach, and I’m sharing three practical tools that help us keep boundaries without wrecking the relationship. We start with the “headphones of Zen,” which is really a mindset shift:...