You've tried everything but bedtime is still hard: Try Tiny Experiments!

Send us Fan MailWhat if, instead of asking children why they did something, we helped them make sense of what happened through storytelling? In this episode, I speak with Dr. Elizabeth Roberts, Licensed School Psychologist about how storytelling can help children identify their emotions, understand their reactions, and develop emotional regulation skills. We discuss how parents and teachers can use this simple approach to move beyond correcting behaviour and help children learn from their experiences.In this episode, we discuss:How storytelling helps children understand the emotions behind their behaviour.Why asking "Why did you do that?" doesn't always lead to meaningful reflection.How to help children identify an emotion, understand its urge, and make a different choice.How to validate children's feelings while still setting boundaries.How parents and teachers can use storytelling to support their own emotional awareness.Follow Dr. Roberts on Instagram and download her FREE Emotional Storytelling Scrips in her bio https://www.instagram.com/drelizabethroberts/A recommended book:Raising An Emotionally Intelligent ChildSupport the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailMany of us have absorbed the message that emotions matter, then ended up stuck in the moment, rescuing, fixing, and working hard to keep our kids happy. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Siggie, author of the new book You Are the Parent, about the missing piece: recognizing and validating a child’s feelings without letting those feelings run the household.We talk about why overparenting leaves parents exhausted and kids more anxious, and why looking inward at your own triggers matters so much. We also get into how a child’s temperament (feisty, flexible, or fearful) changes the way you need to show up, and how to turn disagreements with your co-parent into conversations. Along the way, we tackle rudeness, morning power struggles, and why “your power is in your restraint.” In this episode:Validation, not accommodation: all emotions are okay, but not all behaviors are, and kids build resilience when we let them struggle safely with us beside them as their coach.Know your child: the “easy” child may just be agreeable by nature, the feisty child isn’t flawed, and comparing or questioning a child’s shyness or fear can backfire.Rudeness and power struggles: correct the trigger underneath the behavior, skip the long “because” speeches, and stay on task with a brief, calm “I hear you, now let’s go.”Pause and try again: slowing down helps us respond instead of react, and “let’s try that again” works for parents and kids alike.About our guestDr. Siggie is a parenting expert with over 1.6 million followers on Instagram and the author of You Are the Parent. She offers courses for parents of younger and older children, plus courses on siblings and anxiety, and a library of downloadable tips and tools.LinksYou Are the Parent by Dr. Siggie US link: hereDr. Siggie’s website: hereDr. Siggie’s Instagram: hereJoin the Reflective Parenting Podcast Book Club to learn about her book all month: hereSupport the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailHave you tried everything to make bedtime easier, yet it still ends in frustration? Or do you find yourself snapping at your child and wondering why the same patterns keep repeating?In this episode, I explore ideas from Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff and how we can apply them to parenting. Instead of searching for one perfect solution, I share how collecting simple “field notes” can help us understand the many factors influencing our child's behaviour, including our own stress, energy, and connection at home.In this episode, I explore:Why parenting struggles rarely have one quick fix.How our stress and emotional capacity influence our reactions.How to collect field notes to recognize patterns.How tiny experiments can help us try small changes without expecting perfection.A reflection to try: Choose one recurring parenting struggle and observe what happens before, during, and after it. What patterns do you notice? What is one small thing you could experiment with?Support the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailHi Reflective Parents,In today's episode, we chat about The Tripartite Model of Parental Socialization! Yes, that's nerd talk for "How do kids learn to regulate/cope with emotions?"This is important for all of us to learn because has a significant impact on our children's behaviour, our stress, their success in school and in building friendships and even their future well-being. Learn how to create the best home environment that lowers your stress, teaches your child how to cope with emotions and supports healthier behaviour from all members of your family! Don't miss my 8-week program starting October 27th! We meet every Tuesday at 12pm ET or 8pm ET (join with your partner at no extra cost!)https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/Past episodes you might enjoy:Supporting a child's emotional development through play with Tina Payne BrysonUnderstanding a child's emotional development with Amanda Sheffield MorisBlog post on curiousneuron.comSupport the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailAs parents, we often step in to help our children because we love them and want to make life easier for them. However, when we constantly solve their problems, prevent frustration, or take over tasks they could learn to manage, we may unintentionally limit their opportunities to develop emotional regulation, resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence.In this episode, I explore the research on over-parenting, Jessica Lahey's book The Gift of Failure,  and reflect on why allowing children to experience uncomfortable emotions, make mistakes, and face appropriate consequences is an important part of their development. Three reflections to consider:Is this truly a problem my child cannot handle, or a problem they are learning how to handle? What is happening inside me that makes me want to step in right now? What is the smallest amount of support I can offer my child that still lets them do the next part? The goal isn't to let our children fail at everything. It's to create opportunities for them to struggle, learn, recover, and discover that they are capable of handling life's challenges.**Join our book below to discuss this week's topics in school-aged children and get some tips!Sources:The Gift of Failure by Jessica LaheyPodcast episode with Jessica LaheyScience Article: Childhood self-regulation as a mechanism through which early overcontrolling parenting is associated with adjustment in preadolescenceCurious Neuron blogpost: Doing too much for our kids is having a negative impact on their developmentSupport the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailI'm joined by occupational therapist and author Laura Petix to celebrate the launch of her new book, The Sensory Code. Laura shares the moment she took her own daughter to the ER because of daily meltdowns, and how that experience shaped her work with parents.In this episode, we talk about:The difference between a tantrum and a meltdown, and why length and recovery time matterWhy gentle parenting still matters even when it doesn't stop the meltdownThe eight sensory systems, including interoception, and why hunger or worry can trigger a "zero to 100" reactionLaura's "zoom in, zoom out" tool for finding the patterns behind a behaviorHow to talk to your child about an ADHD diagnosis without making it feel like something is wrongWhy a diagnosis explains behavior but doesn't excuse itHow to help siblings feel seen, and my wish list for schoolsWhy we need accommodations too, as parentsResources:Get The Sensory Code: [Canada link] | [US link]Join our book club, where we'll be discussing Laura's book all week: [link]Support the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailAs parents, many of us want our children to do well in school, but what if one of the most important skills they need is not memorizing information, but learning how to question it?In this episode, you and I reflect on what it means to raise critical thinkers in a world filled with headlines, social media experts, AI-generated information, and endless opinions. Together, we explore how curiosity, thoughtful questions, and open conversations at home can help our children learn not just what to think, but how to think.Drawing from Julie Bogart’s book Raising Critical Thinkers (the book I will discuss inside the book club this week) and the research of Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, in today's podcast episode, we will reflect on:• Why curiosity may be one of the most important skills we can protect in our children• How emotions, beliefs, and experiences shape the way we understand information• Simple questions parents can ask to help children think more deeply• How family conversations and respectful debates strengthen reasoning skills• Why education is not only about learning facts, but about helping children become thoughtful, reflective human beings• How we can model curiosity and critical thinking in our own everyday livesYou do not need to know all the answers to help your child become a critical thinker. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pause, get curious together, and ask: Who says this? How do we know? What else could be true?I hope this episode gives you a moment to reflect, learn, and continue growing alongside your child.Listen to my conversation with Julie here:https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reflective-parenting-podcast-by-curious-neuron/id1440533170?i=1000561516016Support the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailI'm back with part two of the conversation sparked by my episode with Georgiana but this time digging into one of the most misunderstood words in parenting: discipline.Pulling from Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson's No-Drama Discipline, I challenge how most of us were taught to think about the word — punishment, stopping a behavior that's annoying us — versus what actually works: discipline as teaching.I share a moment from my son's soccer practice that stopped me in my tracks: a dad switching to Italian mid-practice to threaten his seven-year-old with "wait until we get home." It's the kind of moment most of us have been in, on one side or the other and I use it to ask a harder question: is that discipline, or something else?I also walk through a study most parents haven't heard of, showing that verbal abuse — yelling, threats, name-calling, belittling — can impact a child's development as significantly as physical discipline. Lastly, I introduce a simple framework — the aggressive tiger, the passive mouse, and the assertive owl — to help you recognize your own voice in the heat of the moment.This episode isn't about guilt. It's an invitation to notice, reflect, and start showing your kids what accountability looks like... starting with yourself.The 3 Reflections I ShareDoes my child still feel loved when I'm disciplining them  (or when I'm angry)?Do I hold myself accountable for my own behavior in moments of discipline?What could my child have said or done differently? — the accountability question, turned outward, once everyone's calm.Support the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I sit down with Georgianna Karamitos — a lawyer, educator, trauma-informed conflict resolution practitioner, and children's book author — to unpack the real difference between discipline and punishment. We dig into why repeating yourself doesn't work until a child feels heard, how power struggles hijack parent-child relationships, why "relational safety" is the missing piece in most conflict, and what the neuroscience actually says about spanking and harsh discipline. If you are a parent stuck in the loop of "I've said this ten times and nothing changes" then this episode is for you!Resources:Book: No Drama Discipline by Dan Siegal Study: Spanking and Child Outcomes: Old Controversies and New Meta-AnalysesGuest Links: https://margueritebooks.ca/Support the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

Send us Fan MailHi Reflective Parents, Ever feel stuck arguing about the same thing over and over with your partner? In this episode, I break down a key concept from the Gottmans' book Fight Right: that perpetual conflict often hides a deeper "dream" underneath it, and naming that dream can turn conflict into a chance for real intimacy. I also reflect on what this means for parenting from bedtime battles to unrealistic expectations and how getting curious with your child, the same way you would with a partner, can change everything.Come reflect with me!Learn more from the Gottman Institute: https://www.gottman.com/Support the showJoin the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-clubWatch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19sGrab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/