Shielding vs. Exposing: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In this episode of Milk and Madness, we explore the delicate balance between shielding our children from life's harsh realities and teaching them resilience. We delve into how our parenting styles—attachment versus helicopter—shape our approaches to emotional transparency with our kids.

Nhi’s attachment parenting style focuses on creating a deep sense of security and trust, rather than completely shielding children from life’s challenges. In contrast, Dee’s helicopter style leans more towards protecting children by limiting their exposure to the harsher sides of life.

But how does this play out in our daily parenting? How do we build resilience in our kids while navigating the “ugly” parts of life? Are there things we’re intentionally keeping from them because we’re not ready for them to face those challenges yet?

We also discuss the importance of self-awareness, managing emotions, and modeling healthy emotional responses to help build empathy and emotional intelligence in our children.

00:00 Welcome to Milk and Madness

00:46 Parenting Styles: Attachment vs. Helicopter

03:15 Self-Awareness in Parenting

05:33 Emotional Honesty with Kids

09:18 Day-to-Day Parenting Challenges

10:36 Teaching Empathy and Understanding

16:13 Handling Public and School Situations

19:10 Teaching Kids to Calm Down

20:04 Balancing Different Personalities

20:47 The Struggle with People Pleasing

21:16 Volunteering and Overcommitment

25:33 Teaching Kids About Emotions

28:39 The Importance of Vulnerability

34:03 Life Lessons and Parenting Goals

36:48 Conclusion and Reflections

Related episodes:
Milk and Madness | The parenting style quiz: Unmasking our styles 🎭 (Ep. 10)

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With love, 

Nhi & Dee 

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