When your child is angry, it can trigger something deep inside of you. You might want to defend yourself, shut it down, or react quickly. In this episode, I walk you through how to respond in those heated moments using evidence-based parenting strategies that protect your relationship instead of escalating the conflict. I also explain how to calm a child down when angry while staying calm and confident, even when the words coming at you feel sharp.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why it is developmentally normal when your child is angry, and what anger is actually communicating

• Exactly how to respond when your child is angry without invalidating their emotions

• The difference between allowing anger and allowing disrespect

• Practical steps for how to calm a child down when angry without losing your authority

• How to stay calm and confident so you can model emotional regulation

• How these strategies reflect true evidence-based parenting and build long-term emotional skills

Learning how to respond when your child is angry is one of the most powerful shifts you can make. When you approach these moments with evidence-based parenting, and practice staying calm and confident, you teach your child exactly how to calm a child down when angry in healthy ways for the rest of their life.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Episode 37: Teaching Kids Emotions and Identifying Feelings for Fewer Blow Ups

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Watching your teen experience their first heartbreak can feel absolutely gut-wrenching as a parent. You want to fix it. You want to make the pain disappear. And at the same time, you may be flooded with memories of your own teenage breakup experiences that still live in your nervous system. In this episode, we talk about how to show up in a way that actually supports healing instead of creating more distance.

I’m joined by teen mental health specialist Charity Chaffee to talk honestly about why a first heartbreak hits teens so hard, why a teenage breakup can feel world-ending, and how parents can support teen mental health without minimizing feelings or becoming overinvolved. This conversation is all about learning how to stay connected through pain, using validating emotions as the foundation for trust and emotional safety.

In this episode, we cover

• Why a first heartbreak is developmentally intense and why teens experience a teenage breakup differently than adults

• How to support teen mental health without rushing the healing process or trying to fix the pain

• The difference between dismissing feelings and validating emotions in a way that builds long-term resilience

• Common parenting reactions that unintentionally make a teenage breakup harder to process

• How validating emotions helps teens feel safe opening up instead of shutting down

• What parents can model to support teen mental health after a first heartbreak

If your teen is struggling after a teenage breakup, this episode will help you understand what they actually need from you and how validating emotions can strengthen your relationship during one of the most vulnerable moments of adolescence. Supporting teen mental health through a first heartbreak is not about fixing the pain. It is about staying present, steady, and emotionally available when it matters most.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Read the full show notes HERE!

Episode 13: How to Help an Angry Child Calm Down Without Losing Your Cool: The Key to Connection Before Correction

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Play dates are supposed to be fun, but so many parents tell me the same thing: play dates are stressful. You worry about how your child will act, whether they’ll feel left out, or if things might go sideways in front of another parent. In this episode, I wanted to give you concrete tools to help play dates feel calmer, smoother, and actually enjoyable for everyone involved.

I’m joined by Maria Hammond, Ph.D., a specialist in communication development and parent-child relationships. Maria runs social skills groups for young children and brings a thoughtful, practical lens to helping kids build social skills through everyday interactions. Together, we talk about why successful play doesn’t mean perfection and how small shifts in preparation can make a big difference.

In this episode, we cover:

1. Why play dates are stressful for both kids and parents, and how anxiety can shape expectations
2. How to build social skills by planning play dates witha clear structure and realistic goals
3. Why going into a play date with a “mission” helps kids feel more confident and engaged in successful play
4. How environment and expectations impact successful play, especially for shy or sensitive kids
5. When and why it’s better to leave a play date while it’s still going well
6. How parents can support build social skills without hovering or overcorrecting

If play dates have ever left you feeling tense, discouraged, or unsure of what went wrong, this conversation will help you reframe what success really looks like. With guidance from Maria Hammond, Ph.D., you’ll walk away with practical strategies to support successful play, reduce stress, and help your child build social skills in a way that feels manageable and developmentally appropriate.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Listen to Episode 16: How to Stop Meltdowns Before They Start By Managing Expectations and Parenting Without Power Struggles

Read the full show notes HERE!

LET'S CONNECT:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

Calm and Connected Program

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Love having expert tips you can actually use? Join our newsletter and get a beautifully designed PDF of each episode’s top 3 takeaways—delivered straight to your inbox...