Ever wondered why your kid will chat absolute waffle to their mates but gives you the emotional equivalent of a grunt?
Yeah. Same.
This episode dives into how to actually get your kids and teens talking — honestly, openly, and without the whole “parent vs child showdown”.
We’re flipping the script today:
Not “how to talk so they’ll listen”…
But how to listen so they’ll talk.
In this episode I cover:
✨ Why lecturing shuts them down (and why listening opens them up)
✨ What “autonomy-supportive” parenting actually looks like (don’t panic, no fairy-godmother energy required)
✨ The seatbelt sentence that saves every heated conversation
✨ The 6 questions that work like psychology cheat codes
✨ How to talk to your kid about risky behaviour (like trying a cigarette) without them wanting to crawl into a hole
✨ How YOUR emotional regulation sets the tone for theirs
✨ Why this whole approach actually works according to research, not Instagram memes
It’s calm, it’s honest, it’s sweary, and it’s the episode I wish parents had when we were teens doing dumb shit ourselves.
📚 Research Moments (for the nerds or the nosy)
These support everything I talk about today — honesty, autonomy, emotional safety, and why your tone matters more than your punishment.
📄 Patreon Bonus
AHHHHH! - shock, she isn't on the ball! - if you want the download before I get Patreon up to speed, EMAIL ME!!
💌 Come Say Hi
Instagram: @the_off_script_parent_podcast
Email: [email protected]
Be kind to yourself and your kids — neither of you asked to be here and it’s wild out there.
Much love, Mother Dearest xxx