The Whole Parent Podcast

What if the biggest threat to your child's development isn't screen time, social media, or even the dangers we're constantly trying to protect them from? What if it's the fact that we're not letting them do anything on their own? Today, I'm joined by Lenore Skenazy , founder of the Free-Range Kids movement, president of Let Grow, and the woman once labeled "Ameri...

Want to know if your kid is an HSK? TAKE THE QUIZ 👇 https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/66676edb5288b4a99ab96f52 Have you ever watched your child completely fall apart over something that seemed incredibly small? You said "maybe" instead of "yes." Their teacher corrected a spelling mistake. Plans changed. And suddenly, you're dealing with a full-blown meltdown. It's tempt...

“You know how to do this, so why can’t you just do it?” That sentence haunts a lot of ADHD kids and the parents who are trying their best. I sit down with Kim and Penn Holderness, award-winning creators and bestselling authors, to name what’s actually missing: executive function, working memory, and the brutal reality that starting can be the hardest step. We get practical fast. We talk why chores...

What do you do when your five-year-old won’t stop hitting? Your three-year-old keeps biting? Or your older kid has discovered that getting their younger sibling in trouble is apparently the funniest thing on earth? For episode 100, I’m doing something different. I’m bringing you directly into one of my live Parent Lab group coaching calls: real parents, real problems, and my real-time answers. We...

Today on the Whole Parent Podcast we bring back friend of the show Dr. Shafali to talk about about why she wrote Raising Conscious Sons and Raising Conscious Daughters right now and why the parenting crisis is being intensified by algorithms that target kids at the level of biology.  CLICK HERE to get Raising Conscious Sons CLICK HERE to get Raising Conscious Daughters We break down what boys and...

Watching your kid learn to ride a bike can feel weirdly intense. It looks like a simple childhood skill, but it pokes at something bigger: our fear of seeing our kids struggle, our urge to step in, and the thin line between support and rescue. I sit down with Ryan McFarland, founder of Strider Bikes , to talk about why this milestone is so emotional and why it can shape a child’s confidence far be...

Denmark shows up near the top of the Happiness Index year after year, yet it is not topping every academic ranking or outspending everyone else. So what is going on? We talk with author, speaker, and cultural researcher Jessica Joelle Alexander about the Danish Way of Parenting and why Danish children are so often described as secure, resilient, and genuinely happy. We dig into the simplest but mo...

This conversation on honest motherhood explains why so many parents feel like they’re disappearing—and what actually helps. If you’ve ever snapped at your kids, felt crushed by the mental load, or wondered why parenting feels so much harder than everyone else makes it look, this episode with Libby Ward (Diary of an Honest Mom) will hit deeply. We talk about people-pleasing, perfectionism, emotiona...

In this conversation, parenting coach Mary Van Geffen explains why “spicy kids” don’t respond to traditional discipline—and what actually helps instead. If your child refuses to listen, melts down over small things, pushes back on everything, or seems emotionally intense all day long, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening beneath the behavior. We talk about emotional regula...

In this Father’s Day conversation, we unpack the hidden mental health struggles of modern fatherhood, from postpartum anxiety in dads to feeling isolated, shut out, or unsure how to bond with your baby. If you’ve ever felt like parenting changed your identity, strained your relationship, or left you quietly struggling while everyone focused on the baby, this episode will hit home. Jon sits down wi...

Toddler emotional regulation feels impossible some days—especially when your child melts down over socks, refuses to listen, or completely falls apart at bedtime. In this conversation with Mama Nous, we talk about why music can calm tantrums, reduce power struggles, and actually help kids build confidence and resilience in everyday moments. If you’ve ever wondered how to help your toddler cooperat...

In this conversation with Dr. Ross Greene, we unpack why so many kids struggle with frustration, big emotions, and power struggles… and why the usual parenting advice often makes things worse. If you’ve ever wondered why your child explodes over small things, refuses to cooperate, or seems overwhelmed by everyday expectations, this episode will completely shift how you see challenging behavior. We...

In this conversation with Dr. Peter Gray, we unpack what may actually be driving the mental health crisis in kids—and why so many parents still feel overwhelmed trying to help. If you’ve ever wondered whether technology is really the problem, why your child seems more stressed than you remember being as a kid, or how modern parenting and schooling may be affecting emotional regulation, independenc...

A viral clip says that telling your older child to “help your sister” damages both kids. I get why that message spreads fast, especially if you grew up as the oldest and felt like too much landed on your shoulders. But developmental psychology is more nuanced than a scroll-stopping soundbite, and mixing up parentification with age-appropriate help can leave parents stuck and anxious about every re...

Toddler parenting feels hardest when your child won’t listen, melts down over everything, or you’re running on empty trying to stay calm through the chaos. In this Mother’s Day conversation with Emily Vondy, we talk honestly about what parenting little kids actually feels like—and why so many overwhelmed parents feel both exhausted and deeply grateful at the same time. From toddler tantrums and em...

If your toddler refuses to listen, has big meltdowns after screens, or seems obsessed with “just one more,” this video will help you understand what’s really going on beneath the behavior. We break down how dopamine drives your child’s need for more—not because they love it, but because their brain is being pulled into a loop. You’ll learn how this affects emotional regulation, why transitions fee...

Homeschool vs traditional school: a former principal explains what helps kids learn (and what gets in the way). If your child is melting down after school, refusing to listen, or suddenly “shutting down” around learning, this conversation will likely hit close to home. We unpack what’s really happening beneath behaviors like school resistance, emotional outbursts, and loss of motivation—and how fa...

Why some kids stop asking questions (and what to do at home to protect their curiosity). If your child seems disengaged, says “I’m not good at this,” or melts down over learning, it’s easy to assume it’s about attention, behavior, or motivation. But often, what looks like defiance or lack of focus is actually a loss of curiosity. In this video, we break down what’s happening in your child’s brain...

If you feel overwhelmed, snap more than you want to, or keep repeating parenting patterns you swore you’d break… this will explain why (and what to do instead). Most parenting advice focuses on what to do when your toddler refuses to listen, has meltdowns, or pushes every limit. But what if the real challenge isn’t just their behavior, it’s what gets activated in you? In this conversation, we unpa...

Why kids stop listening to parents (and how to rebuild connection without power struggles or punishment). If your child suddenly seems more influenced by friends, more sensitive to what others think, or harder to reach at home, you’re not imagining it. This video breaks down what’s actually happening beneath the surface when kids become more peer-focused, why it can lead to emotional instability,...

If you feel stuck in tantrums, power struggles, or constant “do this / don’t do that”… this shifts how you see it completely Most parenting advice focuses on fixing behavior, timeouts, consequences, sticker charts, but what if that’s the very thing keeping you stuck? In this conversation, we unpack why common tools like rewards and punishments often lead to more resistance, more meltdowns, and les...

If your child jumps from toy to toy, asks for screens, or says “I’m bored” all day, this might be the real reason If your toddler or preschooler seems overwhelmed, constantly switching activities, refusing to play independently, or needing you to step in all the time, it’s easy to assume they need more stimulation. But often, the opposite is true. Too many toys can lead to shorter attention spans,...

When to step in vs. hold back, so you don’t accidentally raise a more anxious, less capable kid If your toddler is constantly climbing, jumping, or doing things that make your heart race, this video will help you understand what’s actually happening and what to do about it. We’re talking about risky play: why kids need it, how it builds real confidence (not just reassurance), and how overprotectin...

If your child resists helping, makes a bigger mess, or melts down during cleanup—this changes how you’ll see it. If you’ve ever thought “it’s just faster if I do it myself,” you’re not alone. When your toddler refuses to listen, turns simple tasks into chaos, or has a meltdown over cleaning up, it can feel pointless to even try. But what looks like small, frustrating moments—spilled food, ignored...

Jess and Jon talk about tae kwon do, obedience, and navigating different cultural values with kids Send us Fan Mail Support the show If parenting has felt hard lately… you don’t have to figure it out alone. Inside The Parent Lab , I’ll help you understand what’s actually going on underneath your child’s behavior — and give you simple, in-the-moment tools that actually work in real life. You’ll get...