What if we told you that forcing kids to “be friends” is doing more harm than good? In this episode, Instructor Mike breaks down why preschool friendships should be treated more like speed dating than marriage — flexible, short-term, and emotionally honest.

You’ll learn why telling children to “be nice” and “like everybody” teaches them to perform emotions rather than regulate them. Instead, Mike offers a developmentally sound approach that respects emotional boundaries, nurtures resilience, and builds real emotional intelligence from the start.

If you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver who’s tired of feel-good but developmentally false advice, this episode is for you. Let’s stop scripting feelings — and start raising emotionally healthy kids.

Preschoolers aren’t just cute—they’re complex. In this powerful episode of Family Matters with Instructor Mike, we break down the most common behavioral and emotional challenges in children ages 3 to 5—like lying, sibling jealousy, impulse control, and social regression—and pair each with the specific parenting skill required to solve it.

Inside this episode:

• The brain science behind preschool behavior

• Real-world skill gaps and the consequences of parenting unprepared

• Where to go to learn each of these developmentally essential skills

Preschool isn’t just playtime—it’s the blueprint stage for emotional literacy, moral identity, and lifelong learning habits. Don’t just supervise this season. Train for it.

Because love is not enough. Skill is what makes it safe.

Why do some families make you feel guilty for keeping your peace?

Why does it feel like you have to share your wounds just to be seen as real?

In this episode of Family Matters with Instructor Mike, we dive deep into the hidden cultural dynamic of toxic collectivism — when families confuse emotional exposure with relational loyalty. We explore how children are often trained to overshare, overexplain, and overperform just to earn trust or maintain belonging.

Backed by developmental science from Erik Erikson, Lev Vygotsky, and Bessel van der Kolk, this episode unpacks:

• How “performing your pain” begins in early childhood

• The difference between transparency and emotional control

• Why private speech and emotional boundaries matter

• How trauma can be passed down as a requirement, not just a memory

You’ll walk away with language, clarity, and the permission to protect your story, especially in families that pressure you to bleed for validation.

Because in healthy families, you don’t have to explain your peace to be believed.