In this episode, we’ll explore why some families naturally fall into patterns of “recreational arguing,” what emotional needs this dynamic can meet, and how to find the right balance between healthy expression and emotional safety.

Have you ever looked down at your phone to find a flood of messages, ten, twenty, even thirty texts from your child all in a row? Sometimes it’s about something small, like wanting a snack or permission for a new game. Other times, it’s a full emotional storm, with your child texting in distress, upset, or desperate for reassurance. It can feel overwhelming. You’re torn between exhaustion and worry; afraid to miss an important message, but frustrated by the constant notifications. In this episode, we’ll unpack why kids do this, what emotional and neurological factors might be driving the behavior, and how to respond with calm, clarity, and love. You’ll learn practical ways to set healthy boundaries while helping your child build emotional regulation and resilience.

In this episode, I share practical ways to talk to your children about what’s happening in the world without increasing fear or confusion. You’ll learn how to help them process big emotions, what language to use based on their age, and how to model emotional regulation even when you don’t have all the answers.

Today, I’ll share practical ways to reinforce independence while staying calm and connected. You’ll learn how to support your child through the frustration without rescuing, and how to balance encouragement with connection so they gain skills and emotional resilience. Helping kids become more independent doesn’t just teach them to do things on their own, it teaches them that they can try, fail, and succeed while knowing you’re there to support them.

Watching your child be excluded, targeted, or hurt is devastating. You want to protect them, but you also don’t want to make things worse. In this episode, I’ll help you better understand what bullying is, and what it isn’t.

In this episode, we’ll explore how to guide your kids, and your whole family, in using venting as a healthy tool instead of a destructive habit. You’ll learn how to create safe, supportive “venting sessions,” what signs to watch for when things start going off track, and strategies to keep the focus on connection rather than conflict.

In this episode, I’ll share practical strategies to help you set expectations ahead of time, manage transitions during the day, and create a plan that supports both your gladiator and the rest of the family. Because yes, family trips don’t have to be a battle. With a few intentional steps, you can help your gladiator child feel more grounded while protecting the joy of the day for everyone.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through practical tips and insights to help your child ease into the school routine with less stress and more confidence

From preparing ahead of time and setting realistic expectations, to knowing when to step away and how to stay calm under pressure, Jennifer offers tools that will make family celebrations less stressful and more enjoyable.

If you’ve ever worried about what the future holds for your strong-willed child, this episode with my gladiator child, Olivia, will give you hope, perspective, and connection.

If you’ve ever worried about “too much screen time” but also want to strengthen your bond with your teen, this episode will give you a fresh perspective and practical tips to make texting work for your relationship instead of against it.

Every parent wants their child to feel confident, connected, and well-liked but social health isn’t just about having friends. It’s a protective factor that influences everything from mental health to academic success. Whether your child is struggling socially or is already a natural leader, this episode is packed with tools, scripts, and mindset shifts to help you parent with connection and raise a child who chooses authenticity over popularity. Let’s build the foundation for confident, emotionally resilient kids who lead with kindness.

In this week's episode replay, I’ll walk you through how to understand what’s really going on underneath that sibling resentment, how to use empathy and the CALM technique to shift the emotional dynamic, and most importantly, how to parent both kids through this without picking sides or reinforcing harmful patterns.

Today we’re revisiting the world of summer camp and looking at why it’s more than just fun in the sun and how it can be a life-changing experience for your child.

Whether your child loves ghost stories, creepy YouTube videos, or horror movies, this episode will help you decode the fascination and guide them with confidence, calm, and connection.

Whether your teen is turning into a night owl or just can’t get out of bed, this episode will give you tools and insight to respond with calm, connection, and clarity instead of chaos and conflict.

In this episode of Connected Parenting, we dive into a powerful visual and verbal tool that helps kids regulate their behavior and emotions called the "Stoplight Technique" (also known as Red Light, Green Light).

In this heartfelt replay, we say goodbye to the hectic pace of the school year and explore simple, intentional ways to make this summer feel calm, connected, and full of joy for the whole family.

Whether you’re parenting a “neuro-spicy” child or navigating your own ADHD challenges, this episode offers empathy, understanding, and a powerful toolkit to help you move forward with compassion and connection.

In this Q&A episode of the Connected Parenting Podcast, we explore two common challenges: helping an eight-year-old manage store meltdowns when told “no,” and navigating a teen’s refusal to join family weekends. While different in age and context, both questions highlight the importance of emotional regulation and parenting with empathy and calm authority. Tune in for practical strategies, mindset shifts, and supportive scripts to handle these tricky moments with confidence.

Whether your child is a toddler or a teen, this episode will give you practical and compassionate guidance on building independence in ways that feel safe and supportive for both of you.Tune in and rediscover the magic of letting go just enough to help your child grow.

If getting dressed feels like a daily disaster, this episode will help you bring more empathy, structure, and peace to your morning routine. Spoiler: It’s not about the outfit—it’s about connection.

Welcome back, connected parents! In this heartfelt episode of Connected Parenting, we’re diving into one of the most emotionally challenging moments many parents face; the shift that happens when your child starts to pull away and step into the world of adolescence.

If mornings, transitions, and deadlines feel like constant battles, this episode will help you understand the root cause—and guide you toward more peaceful, productive days.

If you’ve ever felt like your child gives their best to the world and their worst to you—this conversation will offer clarity, comfort, and actionable tools so you can navigate this tricky dynamic with confidence and connection.

Whether it’s adjusting to daylight saving time, the end of the school year, or just shifting from winter into warmer days, this episode will help you support your "neuro-spicy" child through it all with empathy, structure, and the CALM Connected Parenting method of connection.

In this week's episode I’ll help you understand the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack, what’s happening in the brain during these episodes, and most importantly, how to respond in a calm, supportive, and effective way.

Whether you're walking through grief right now or want to build the emotional resilience your child will one day need, this episode offers deep insights, practical strategies, and loving support for some of life’s hardest moments.

In today's episode, I will guide you through clear and relatable ways to help your child understand what’s happening in their brain during moments of anger, frustration, or overwhelm. I’ve also included special parts of this episode designed for your child to listen to directly, making it easier for them to grasp these concepts and feel understood.

In this episode, we’ll explore why some children react so strongly to failure, and more importantly, how we as parents can help them shift their perspective. You'll learn strategies to help your child develop stress tolerance, reframe failure as a stepping stone to success, and build the emotional resilience they need to thrive.Let’s turn failure into an opportunity for growth—together.

In this week's replay, we explore how to strengthen your child's courage muscle, especially for those who are naturally hesitant. You'll learn practical strategies to help them take small, meaningful risks that lead to greater confidence, joy, and resilience.

Welcome back, Connected Parents, to another episode of the Connected Parenting Podcast! Today, we're diving into another installment of our Q&A series, where I answer real parenting questions from our listeners.

I’ve had many requests from listeners asking for a refresher on the CALM Technique, and while I often direct people to earlier episodes, I think it’s time to go over it again. but this time with a focus on teenage boys.

In this episode, we’re flipping the script. We spend so much time worrying about our kids’ screen time, but what about our own? The truth is, our relationship with our devices is affecting our focus, emotional health, and ability to be present for our children. And let’s be real—our kids are watching. Have you ever tried to watch a show without checking your phone? Or read a book for more than five minutes before feeling the urge to scroll? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

eenagers have always been challenging to argue with. Conversations can escalate from zero to 100 in seconds, leaving you feeling completely disoriented.But in today’s digital world, there’s a new layer—the language of social media-driven psychology. Many teens are now using terms they’ve picked up online, like gaslighting, victim-playing, and toxic behavior, sometimes without fully understanding their meaning.While it’s great that mental health topics are more widely discussed, these concepts are often taken out of context and misapplied in everyday parent-teen interactions.So how do we navigate these conversations without making things worse?In this episode, we’ll dig into building connection, strengthening trust, and helping our teens develop a healthy understanding of the emotions and relationships in their lives.

If you’ve ever felt guilty about enforcing consequences or struggled to set limits that actually work, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn how to create a structured and supportive environment where your child can thrive.

In this week's episode I explore how vital it is to protect and prioritize this bond, emphasizing that a strong relationship between parents doesn’t just benefit you—it’s a gift to your children. Kids thrive when they see their parents working as a team, and how division or tension can create stress and confusion in the family dynamic.Listen in to learn practical strategies to reconnect, communicate effectively, and maintain a sense of partnership even during the busiest times.

In this episode, we explore how to navigate those lingering emotions and patterns that surface during family gatherings, especially as we enter a new year.

In today’s episode, we dive into the joys and challenges of the holiday season—especially when it comes to managing big emotions and behaviors in kids.

Some parents shy away from using rewards or positive consequences, fearing it might feel like bribery or paying their kids to behave. While overusing this method can backfire, when used thoughtfully, positive reinforcement can be a powerful way to encourage better behavior, build positive habits, and instill confidence in your child. Join me as we dig deeper into this often overlooked tool.

Learn how to decode the feelings behind your child’s outbursts, connect with them in the heat of the moment, and implement 10 actionable strategies to help them recognize and process their emotions.

In this week's episode of Connected Parenting, we are talking about a common parenting challenge: kids faking illnesses to avoid school or other commitments.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through practical strategies to establish meaningful, loving, and predictable consequences that help children understand the impact of their actions while maintaining a strong connection with you.

In this episode, I’ll share specific, playful strategies designed to calm and engage children who have these intense emotional needs. Through therapeutic play, we can offer them a safe way to discharge pent-up energy and reset their emotional state, creating moments of connection and calm that help them—and us—break out of negative cycles.

In this episode of Connected Parenting, we’re diving into a fundamental concept in effective parenting—self-regulation. Titled “Be That to See That,” this episode explores the critical role our own emotional regulation plays in helping our children manage their emotions and behaviors.

For most kids Halloween and the time leading up to it can be really fun and they love it. But for a lot of very sensitive children the feelings and reactions can be quite the opposite and extremely anxiety provoking.

In this episode of Connected Parenting, I dive into a concept I call emotional glare—a phenomenon that every parent of a strong-willed, reactive child has likely experienced. If you have a sassy, feisty, gladiator child who seems to be in constant conflict with the world, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

In this episode, I share personal stories and practical advice on how embracing connected parenting as a philosophy—not just a strategy—builds trust and stability within families. I also explain how the Calm Technique allows you to develop emotional capital, so even when things go off track (as they sometimes will), you can always find your way back to connection.

Whether you’re a parent who already practices attachment or someone who is interested in learning more, this episode with special guest Eli Harwood will give you insights into how to build stronger relationships and foster emotional security in your family. Tune in for an enlightening conversation that blends real-life experiences with actionable advice.

In this episode, we’ll explore how the RAS filters information and determines what we pay attention to, how it influences our reality, and more importantly unlock the secrets of this powerful brain system and learn strategies to make it a positive force in your parenting journey!