Boundaries aren’t punishments — they’re love in action.

 In this episode of Raising EQ, we explore how healthy boundaries in parenting actually strengthen your connection with your child and support the development of emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-regulation.

We break down the difference between punishments and boundaries, why boundaries feel so hard for many modern parents, and how to set limits with empathy instead of shame. 

You’ll hear research-backed insights — from Dr. Daniel Siegel and recent studies on child development — that show why consistent, compassionate boundaries are one of the strongest predictors of a child’s long-term success and wellbeing.

If you’ve ever struggled with setting limits, feared being “too hard,” or felt guilty enforcing rules, this episode will help you reframe boundaries as an act of deep love and emotional leadership.

✨Parenting is hard, but you don't have to do it alone! Join the Raising EQ Community and subscribe so you never miss an episode.✨

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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This week on Raising EQ, we’re talking about one of the most powerful truths in parenting: our childhoods come with us.

The way we were comforted (or not), the messages we received about emotions, and the love—or lack of it—we experienced all shape how we show up for our own kids.

In this episode, Dr. Holly Symons dives into the idea of “ghosts in the nursery,” a concept introduced by child psychoanalyst Selma Fraiberg, who showed how unhealed parts of our past can quietly influence our parenting.But here’s the hope: awareness changes everything.

 When we understand why we react, we create space to respond differently—to parent the child in front of us instead of the one inside us still needing healing. 💫

We’ll explore:🌱How your past shapes emotional triggers
🌱Why self-awareness is key to breaking intergenerational cycles
🌱Simple ways to reflect, repair, and reconnect
🌱And how healing yourself directly raises your child’s emotional intelligence

Because when you parent with awareness, you’re not just raising EQ in your children—you’re raising it in yourself. 💛

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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Working motherhood isn’t just about managing time — it’s about managing emotions. In this episode of Raising EQ, Dr. Holly sits down with Femke, founder of Merry Go Round, a baby gear rental business built by a mom who knows the juggling act all too well.

Together, they unpack the emotional highs and lows of being a working mother — from burnout and guilt to balance and purpose. They talk about what emotional intelligence looks like in the middle of chaos, how entrepreneurship can be both freeing and exhausting, and why grace might be more important than balance.

Along the way, they weave in real-world stats that paint a striking picture:

* 68% of working mothers report feeling stressed frequently.

*42% experience burnout “often or always.”
And only 38% of workplaces offer adequate parental mental health support.

But amidst the challenges, they find hope — in connection, creativity, and self-awareness. This episode is a love letter to every mother doing her best to build a meaningful life while keeping her emotional health in focus.

Key themes:
💫  Emotional health and EQ for working moms
💫  Motherhood and entrepreneurship
💫  Coping with guilt, burnout, and perfectionism
💫  The power of community and self-compassion

The truth is, balance isn’t a destination — it’s an emotional practice. And every working mom is already doing better than she thinks. Look at the Tada moments rather than the to-do list!

If you want more information about Femke and Merry Go Round you can find her on Instagram: @merrygoroundclub or her website

🎧 Tune in, take notes, and keep raising emotional intelligence — one small moment at a time.

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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Every parent wants their child to be strong, confident, and able to handle life’s ups and downs — but resilience isn’t about “toughing it out.” It’s about learning to feel, adapt, and move through. 

In this episode of Raising EQ, host Dr. Holly Symons breaks down what emotional intelligence looks like in kids and how it becomes the foundation for resilience. You’ll learn four simple tools to help your child identify emotions, manage stress, and grow through challenges — all backed by recent research from Harvard, Yale, and the American Psychological Association.

Whether you’re navigating toddler emotional outbursts or teen tension, this episode will help you turn emotional chaos into calm connection — and raise kids who don’t just survive life’s challenges, but thrive through them.

✨ Listen now to start raising your child’s EQ — and their resilience.

Halloween can be full of excitement… and anxiety. Many children feel uneasy or frightened by costumes, masks, and the unexpected surprises that come with spooky season. In this episode of Raising EQ, Dr. Holly breaks down what’s really happening beneath that fear — from developmental stages and sensory sensitivities to uncertainty and loss of control. And yes, this fear can happen for older children too (not just the little ones). 

Drawing on child psychology research and practical emotional intelligence strategies, you’ll learn:

👻Why up to 5% of children experience specific phobias (like fear of costumes or masks)

🫶How to validate your child’s emotions without reinforcing fear

🫶Simple, gentle tools — from “dress-up at home” exposure games to calm-down routines — that help kids feel safe and empowered

🫶Ways to model calm and build emotional resilience through play and empathy

By the end, you’ll have a step-by-step approach to turn Halloween from a night of fright into a night of connection and self-efficacy.

🎧 Tune in, take notes, and keep raising emotional intelligence — one small moment at a time.

Download your FREE Resource here.

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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In this heartfelt episode of Raising EQ, Dr. Holly Symons explores how our inner dialogue — the way we speak to ourselves — quietly shapes our children’s emotional world.

We often think kids internalize what we say to them, but research shows they also absorb what we say about ourselves. From small sighs of frustration to moments of harsh self-criticism, our children are watching — and learning how to treat themselves.
You’ll learn:🌱Why kids reflect our emotional patterns (and what that means for their confidence and resilience)
🌱The link between self-criticism, anxious parenting, and secure attachment
🌱A simple daily tool — Reframe Your Brain— to transform your self-talk into a powerful model of self-compassion

With science-backed insights and relatable storytelling, this 10-minute episode is a reminder that the way you talk to yourself becomes the way your child talks to themselves.

Don't forget to share how this idea comes to life in your house!

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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In this episode of Raising EQ, Dr. Holly explores how parents can use their family values to nurture emotional intelligence and guide positive behavior.
 
Creating a family values visual, chart, jar, or other creative showcase will positively reinforce behaviors aligned with your values— without constant correction or conflict.

You’ll learn how values act as a bridge between emotions and actions, helping kids understand why they feel what they feel and how to respond in ways that reflect your family's values. 
Create a visual values chart, Jar, or Piece of Art that fits your family’s unique culture.

Use values language and reinforce positive behavior by naming and celebrating lived values. You will also build emotional vocabulary, empathy, and connection. Intrinsic motivation grows as you have a shared family goal and each work hard to reach it.  

By the end, you’ll see how anchoring your parenting in shared values helps children not only behave better — but feel better, think more clearly, and grow into emotionally intelligent, grounded young people.

** If you use stars, etc, as a reward system to start, the idea is to support your child in gaining an understanding of the shared goal and how to get there. Therefore, you cannot take away stars already given, and eventually, they will not need stars to show how you reach the goal. You can always be working toward a positive goal together as a family, which is why your "rewards" are family-based time together, adventures to celebrate your hard work. Not toys or treats or extrinsic rewards. Start with an attainable goal and continue to reach for bigger and bigger goals. **

Don't forget to share how this idea comes to life in your house!

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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Ruptures in connection with our kids are inevitable — we lose our patience, misunderstand their needs, or get caught up in our own stress. But according to leading psychologists, what matters most is not avoiding these ruptures, but repairing them.

In this episode, Dr. Holly Symons takes you inside the science and practice of repair from the lens of emotional intelligence and attachment theory. We’ll unpack insights from Dr. Dan Siegel, who emphasizes the mantra “repair, repair, repair,” and explore Ed Tronick’s groundbreaking Still Face Experiment, which vividly demonstrates both the fragility and resilience of early relational bonds.

You’ll learn why consistent repair strengthens secure attachment, how it lays the foundation for emotional intelligence, and the practical steps parents can take to reconnect meaningfully after moments of disconnection. Rather than striving for perfection, this conversation reminds us that the real growth happens in the repair, where children learn empathy, regulation, and trust.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or simply curious about human connection, this episode offers both scientific grounding and practical wisdom for building healthier, more resilient relationships with children.

The Whole Brain Child By Dr. Dan Siegel

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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What if the fastest way to grow as a parent was also the scariest — asking for feedback? In this episode, we dive into the power of self-awareness and why it matters so much when raising kids, but especially teenagers. Drawing on research from Dr. Tasha Eurich and Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, we unpack the difference between internal and external self-awareness, the blind spots that trip parents up, and how kids mirror our emotional regulation.

You’ll walk away with:

 🌱 A clear understanding of why feedback matters in parenting.

🌱 Five practical steps to ask for and receive feedback without defensiveness.

🌱 A simple weekly challenge to put self-awareness into actionBy modeling openness and curiosity, you’re not just growing yourself—you’re teaching your kids one of the most important emotional skills for life.

Download your Free Resource here.

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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Conflict is an inevitable part of parenting—but it doesn’t have to divide us. In this episode of Raising EQ, we dive into why conflict matters, how emotional intelligence shapes the way we respond, and the powerful lessons kids learn when they see healthy conflict resolution in action.
You’ll discover:💫Why conflict can actually strengthen family bonds
💫The four pillars of emotional intelligence every parent can practice
💫Practical tools to calm big emotions (yours and your child’s)
💫How to move from power struggles to collaboration
💫The importance of repairing after conflict

By the end, you’ll have a simple challenge to put these tools into practice at home. Because every conflict is a chance—not just to solve a problem, but to build resilience, empathy, and connection with your kids.

You can find out more about Dr. Holly and Raising EQ on her website.

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