Parenting strong-willed kids can be exhausting—but it doesn’t have to be a constant battle. In this episode, Dr. Meg is joined by Kirk Martin, founder of Celebrate Calm and host of the Calm Parenting Podcast, to talk about how to handle big emotions—starting with your own. From defusing power struggles to managing anxiety and sibling fights, Kirk shares practical, often humorous strategies to help you stay calm, confident, and connected to your kids.

You Will Learn:

• Why your calm is more important than your child’s behavior
• How to avoid power struggles with strong-willed kids
• Simple ways to lower anxiety in your home
• The difference between teaching and controlling
• Creative solutions for homework, sibling fights, and more
• How humor and self-reflection can shift the parenting dynamic

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About Our Guest:

Kirk Martin is the founder of Celebrate Calm, a behavior training resource that has helped over 500,000 parents and teachers worldwide. He is also the host of the Calm Parenting Podcast. Known for his practical strategies and relatable humor, Kirk teaches families how to stop yelling, defuse defiance, and build stronger connections with their kids. 

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: Parenting strong-willed kids

00:27 – Meet Kirk Martin

01:37 – Why parental self-control matters most

02:50 – Strategies for managing defiance

06:42 – Creative homework solutions

09:48 – Handling sibling fights without yelling

14:16 – Reducing parental stress

17:47 – From controlling to teaching

18:52 – Dealing with tween attitude

21:00 – Understanding and easing anxiety in kids

27:35 – How humor builds connection                                                   

32:02 – Encouraging honest communication

34:32 – Final thoughts and resources

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