Many kids with big emotions have big reactions when things don’t go their way. They may yell, slam doors, roll their eyes, or even say disrespectful things when they are upset. And while it’s natural for parents to think that our children are choosing to be rude or defiant, something else is actually happening instead.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• What's going on in the brain that explains why Yuck behaviors are not a conscious choice

• Why this is NOT an excuse for negative behavior

• How kids can learn to handle their “Yuck Urge”… and how this builds their confidence rather than eroding it

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FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve Other free resources

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You’ve heard how important it is to have a strong connection with your children. But when we are raising kids who are anxious or sensitive, sometimes our attempts to connect with them are more about fixing a problem than about making a genuine connection… and they feel that! The good news is, one little change can improve your influence and help your child handle their uncomfortable moments with less stress (for them) and less exhaustion (for you).

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• What genuine connection looks like and sounds like

• How this strong parent-child connection SAVES you energy 

• A simple metaphor to help you remember how to make this type of connection in the moment

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FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve Other free resources

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A new school year can bring excitement, but for kids with big emotions, it may also bring worry, “what if” questions, and knots in the stomach. As parents, we want to jump in with reassurances, solutions, or distractions, but those attempts -- which are actually signs of our anxiety -- often increase our kids’ Yuck. Fortunately, a simple strategy can help us center ourselves so we can support our children more effectively. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Why we need to regulate ourselves before we try to help our kids 

• Simple actions we can take reduce their anxiety (and our discomfort with their discomfort)

• What our children need in order to handle their transition to school with confidence, even when we’re not there to help

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FREE RESOURCE: "Discomfort is not dangerous" printable

FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve

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Let’s be honest: Raising a child with big emotions can take a lot of energy. Dealing with resistance, dramatic reactions, and everything else in your life can be exhausting, so it’s natural to lose your patience (and, unfortunately, your influence). This episode shares a specific strategy to stay calm and keep your influence… even when it’s taking longer for your children’s behavior to improve than you’d like. 

 In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• The 3 main reasons kids don’t do what we ask

• Why we tend to lose our cool when there is a setback in our child’s progress

• A simple technique to help you stay calm and supportive rather than resentful of your child’s behavior 

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Resources to support you as you're raising children with big emotions

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Having a strong relationship with our kids is a huge priority for many of us. So when we’re setting limits or addressing our kids’ big emotions, we usually approach them in a nice (or what we think is “respectful”) way. Unfortunately, many kids won’t listen – or feel confident – when we’re being so nice. So how can we raise kids who follow limits and can handle hard feelings… without ruining our relationship? 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• What it really means to “respect” your children 

• One question you can ask yourself when you’re struggling to influence your children 

• What simple quality leads to long-term security and healthier self-esteem for your kids (and less guilt for you)

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Resources to support you as you're raising children with big emotions

Work with Rachel

Often when our kids refuse to do what we ask, it can seem like they are being deliberately defiant or strong-willed. But often in these situations, our kids are having a hard time with something beyond their control…and our frustration with them only makes things worse. Fortunately, when you take a closer look at what is really going on for a “strong-willed” child, you can see what they really need in order to feel and act more positively. 

In this episode, we’ll look at several real-life situations from the dual perspectives of a child and parent. You’ll learn: 

• Why children with big emotions display more “strong-willed” behavior

• What’s really happen when a child is acting resistant or defiant 

• How we can can spend less energy addressing this behavior and expand their ability to handle things not going their way in the future 

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FREE RESOURCE: Know what to do when YOUR child displays strong-willed behavior

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It’s natural to want to help a child when you see that they’re upset. But sometimes our attempts to soothe their big feelings and calm them down actually makes things worse, leaving us feeling confused and helpless. Ironically, doing less in those situations – not saying much! – actually does more to make the situation better. 

 In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• What happens when we do and don’t try to make our child feel better 

• How to handle a child who questions why we’re not doing more 

• How this simple strategy sets kids up to be more resilient in the long run

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FREE RESOURCE: How to help someone when they're "in Yuck" (on the Yuck Curve)

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This week, I’m doing something a little different: Instead of picking the topic myself, I’m answering parents’ questions.

These questions demonstrate challenges that many of us face behind closed doors — and I’m sharing practical ways to handle them with more confidence and calm.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• How to respond to two specific situations as a connected and confident Leader Parent 

• What to do when children respond negatively to positive feedback

• Why kids with big emotions frequently complain of being bored but resist any suggestion you make 

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FREE RESOURCE: How to raise children with big emotions with HEALTHY SELF ESTEEM

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When we’re raising children with big emotions, it can be exhausting trying to handle their behavior, moods, and attitudes along with everything else on our to-do list. Sometimes we lose our cool and say things that we regret… Other times, we find ourselves being too permissive just to avoid a meltdown. However, one simple phrase can help you find a consistent balance and become a more powerful positive influence, even in the hard moments!

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• How to balance connection and confidence, so your kids want to follow your lead

• How to use this phrase in a variety of situations (with real-life examples)

• The long-term effects of this approach, including how it affects them and how it affects you! 

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FREE RESOURCE: How to raise children with big emotions with HEALTHY SELF ESTEEM

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The Leadership Parenting Academy and Success Lab

When we’re raising kids with big emotions, we often learn how to navigate their behavior, moods, and attitudes to avoid meltdowns and dramatic moments. But sometimes, even when we’re doing everything “right,” our children’s behavior can throw us a curveball --  crying for seemingly no reason, refusing to do something they wanted to do, or getting disproportionately angry over a small inconvenience. These situations can leave us frustrated, confused, and powerless to help.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• What we need to understand about our kids’ confusing behavior 

• Why specific reactions often make them more upset

• How to spend less energy addressing frustrating and confusing behavior 

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FREE EVENT: "The Negativity Reset" for a more positive summer (no live participation required)

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The Leadership Parenting Academy and Success Lab