In this episode, I’m talking about something that’s taken over modern parenting—the obsession with validating everything our kids do. Somewhere along the way, we started thinking we had to be front-row cheerleaders for every kick, drawing, or math problem. But here’s the truth: that constant validation actually chips away at your child’s confidence. I share stories from my own time coaching baseball (yes, me!) and explain why kids are better without us hovering. We’ll talk about how overpraise leads to fragile self-esteem, how to shift from “good job” to meaningful feedback, and why letting your kids handle discomfort builds resilience that lasts a lifetime

Timestamps:

00:00 — The “mom on her phone” parenting guilt trend
02:15 — Why constant validation hurts kids’ confidence
05:30 — Coaching baseball and what kids do better without parents watching
07:00 — Why kids need freedom to deal with discomfort and conflict
09:30 — Praise effort, not outcome — the “good job” trap
11:00 — What to say instead of “I’m so proud of you”
13:00 — How to help kids process accomplishments through storytelling
15:30 — The danger of “you made me happy” parenting language
17:00 — Teaching kids emotional boundaries — your feelings aren’t theirs
18:00 — How to raise confident, grounded kids without overpraise
19:00 — Final thoughts: you don’t have to validate everything they do

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