Times of change can be difficult for children with big emotions. You may notice that during these times children are more irritable, more sad, or more demanding. But often our attempts to reassure them and help them through transitions aren’t effective. In this episode, you’ll learn the reason why transitions are hard for kids with big emotions, two simple Long Game strategies to support children through changes, and what you can do to foster long-term resilience.

So many of us spend a lot of energy trying to make our kids act and feel better. Even though it would seem that these are “long game” strategies because we’re hoping to create a better future for them, they’re actually “band aid parenting” strategies that ultimately exhaust us and negatively affect our relationship. In this episode, you’ll learn why we need to stop trying to “fix” our children, what we can do instead, and why this does NOT mean that they’ll become less responsible or more entitled.

Most of us disagree and argue with our spouse. It’s natural! But is it better for parents to argue behind closed doors so we don’t burden our children with our arguments? In this episode, you’ll learn why arguing with a spouse in front of children can be helpful, what factors need to be considered for healthy and productive arguments, and how the Long Game Method can help kids handle the discomfort that they may feel when parents (or other adults) argue.

Sometimes, even when our kids appear to be doing well, they still tell us about the negative things they’ve experienced – at a birthday party, the ice cream flavor was wrong; at a soccer game they won, the coach didn’t compliment them enough. It can be frustrating and worrisome when our kids always focus on things that don’t go well. Not only is it difficult to be around now, but we may also fear that if that’s how they view life, they will always be unhappy. In this episode, you’ll learn why people with big emotions tend to notice the negative first, what to do instead of forcing kids to see the “bright side,” and how the Long Game Method can help kids think more flexibly and see situations differently.

Let’s be honest -- raising a child with big emotions is not easy. (In fact, it can feel exhausting.) In this episode, you’ll learn one simple shift that will reduce the amount of energy you need when you’re addressing your child’s big emotions. This shift can also improve your relationship with your children and how they feel about themselves! 

If you are raising a child with big emotions, you know how upset they can get when things don’t go their way. Their lack of flexibility may impact many areas of our lives – from mealtimes to sibling interactions to vacations and other family activities. In this episode, you’ll learn why children with big emotions insist things go their way (it’s not just that they’re selfish!), what they need in order to be more flexible, and how the Long Game Method can help you work with your child’s brain instead of against it.

When we recognize our children’s big behaviors and emotions as a struggle rather than something to be punished, other people may tell us we’re being “too soft” or “too easy” on them. They may say we just need to be firmer and not let them get away with their behavior. So what do we do when we don’t necessarily want to heed others' advice… but it doesn’t stop coming? In this episode, you’ll learn how to handle invasive parenting advice (without questioning yourself!).

It can be incredibly frustrating when our big-emotion children refuse to use their coping skills in heated situations. And when we remind them to use these strategies, they often just get more upset! What can we do in those moments to get them to calm down? In this episode, you’ll learn why children are unlikely to use coping strategies when you remind them to, and what we can do instead to de-escalate these situations.

Taking kids with big emotions on vacation often comes with challenges -- and those challenges can affect everyone in the family. In this episode, you’ll learn why vacations can be tough for children with big emotions, how to plan ahead to make sure that you meet their needs (and yours!), and what to do when things don’t go the way you anticipated.

It can be so frustrating when we do something fun for our children -- take them somewhere, play a game with them -- and then when we ask them to do what they have to do -- brush their teeth, go to bed -- they don’t listen! Shouldn’t doing things for our kids make it more likely that they’ll do what we ask? In this episode, you’ll learn why “deposits” don’t always improve behavior (and may actually make it worse) and what your children really need in those situations in order to behave better.