aParently! A Podcast for Parents

Sometimes our kids say things that hit harder than we want to admit. Not because they're true. Because they touch a wound that's already there. In this episode of *Raising Kids Through Hurt*, I share a personal story about a painful job rejection, a heated argument with my son, and the moment he accidentally found the exact place I was already hurting. We'll talk about: • Why parents get hurt by t...

Why do some kids become fascinated with dark things? Whether it's Five Nights at Freddy's, horror stories, creepy drawings, monsters, or conversations about death, many parents find themselves wondering: Should I be worried? In this episode of Raising Kids Through Hurt, Shawn Hopkins shares his experience as a foster and adoptive parent navigating his son's fascination with FNAF and explores a dif...

When we become foster or adoptive parents, many of us carry expectations we don't even realize are there. We think love will be enough. We think stability will heal things faster than it does. We think we're prepared. And then reality arrives. In this deeply personal episode of *Raising Kids Through Hurt*, I share some of the hidden pain foster and adoptive parents carry but rarely talk about open...

Sometimes the hardest part of parenting isn't stepping in. It's stepping back. In this episode of *aParently! A Podcast for Parents*, Shawn explores the tension many foster, adoptive, kinship, and biological parents face as their children seek more independence. Through two personal stories—one involving his younger son wanting ownership of his education and another involving his adult son navigat...

What do we teach our kids to do when they're hurt? Drawing from his own experiences as a foster and adoptive parent, Shawn shares stories about bedtime conversations, unanswered questions, childhood hurts that linger, and the delicate balance between respecting a child's pace and helping them learn they don't have to carry pain alone. This isn't an episode with easy answers. It's an honest convers...

Many foster and adoptive parents have experienced it. Things seem to be going well, and suddenly your child starts an argument, rejects help, pushes boundaries, or creates conflict that doesn't seem to make sense. It's easy to take these moments personally. It's easy to wonder why a child would push away the very people who are trying to love them. In this episode of Raising Kids Through Hurt, Sha...

When Anger and Revenge Become a Child's Way to Feel Safe In this first episode of Raising Kids Through Hurt, I share a personal experience from my own home and a lesson I'm still learning as a foster and adoptive dad. After one of my sons said things that were difficult to hear, I found myself wrestling with questions many parents ask: Was this disrespect? Did he mean it? Should there be consequen...

What do you do when your child seems older than their age? In this episode of aParently! A Podcast for Parents, Shawn talks with dad Brad Sparks about raising a daughter who is emotionally mature, independent, and eager to take on the world, sometimes faster than childhood naturally moves. Together they explore the tension between respecting a child's capability and protecting their right to still...

In this episode of aParently! A Podcast for Parents, Shawn shares a deeply personal moment from his journey as a foster and adoptive parent. After years of being a foster parent, legal guardian, and custodial parent, he officially became Juan's legal father. What he imagined would be a joyful, celebratory milestone turned out to be far more complicated. This episode explores the quiet realities of...

What is neurodivergence, really, and how do we parent well when a child’s brain works differently? In this episode of aParently! A Conversation Between Parents, parent coach Shawn Hopkins talks with Mandy Casteel-Denney, founder of Blue Tulip Inclusive Education, educator, parent coach, and mom of two neurodivergent kids. Shawn comes in with honest curiosity and a desire to learn, and Mandy brings...

When we imagine parenting kids who struggle the way we once did, it is easy to assume our experience will automatically create connection. That if we say the right words, share the right insight, or remind them that we have been there, they will feel understood. But it does not always work that way. In this episode of aParently! A Podcast for Parents, Shawn reflects on what it is really like to pa...

aParently! A Conversation With Ashley Little In this episode, Shawn Hopkins sits down with Ashley Little, a parent coach and single mom to a seven year old boy, for an honest and grounding conversation about shame, repair, self talk, and what it takes to parent with intention when you are doing it mostly on your own. Ashley shares how struggling with her reactions as a parent led her to parent coa...

aParently! A Conversation Between Parents with Vivian Miller In this episode, I sit down with Vivian Miller, a single mom to an eleven year old son who is very lucky to have her in his corner. Vivian shares honestly about navigating separation, domestic violence, supervised visits, and the long journey of repairing connection with her son. She also talks about living with complex PTSD and how that...

This week on aParently! A Conversation Between Parents, I’m sitting down with Alex Reynolds, a married father of two great boys, Jonny (11) and Thomas (8). Alex has been a steady and thoughtful member of my Dads Group for the past year and a half. He is also the founder of Charming Quail Design, where he creates jewelry that celebrates what you nerd out about with a timeless elegance that will mak...

Parent Pause: When You Don't Want to Be Around Your Kids: Come Back to the Room In this short episode, Shawn talks honestly about a feeling many parents have but rarely say out loud: sometimes you just don’t want to be around your kids. Not because you don’t love them, but because you’re overwhelmed, tired, or stretched thin. Shawn shares what helps him come back to the room instead of getting los...

Parent Pause: Confidence, Not Arrogance In this quick Parent Pause, Shawn breaks down the difference between raising a confident child and an arrogant one—and why kids often confuse the two. You’ll learn how to validate effort without inflating ego, how to teach a growth mindset through simple questions, and how everyday encouragement shapes a child’s self-image. A short, practical reminder that c...

Take It Away, Parents: Raising Kids Who Know Their Worth — The Takeaway Episode In this wrap up to the Raising Kids Who Know Their Worth series, Coach Shawn pulls together the most practical tips from every episode into one easy listen. You will get clear, real world ways to build self respect at home through everyday moments. From how you correct without shame, to helping your child say no with c...

aParently! A Podcast for Parents Series: Raising Kids Who Know Their Worth — Episode 5 Navigating Self-Respect in a Sexualized World Our kids are surrounded by pressure — from social media, marketing, and even school hallways — to believe their worth comes from looks, attention, and popularity. In this episode, Shawn Hopkins shares how parents can help kids understand the difference between attent...

Episode 4: Respecting Your Kids’ Thoughts and Feelings Season 2: Raising Kids Who Know Their Worth Every parent knows the frustration: one child shuts down and won’t share a thing, while another talks through every feeling on repeat. Both can leave you wondering how to actually help. In this episode, Shawn Hopkins, parent coach and foster/adoptive dad, explores why kids process emotions so differe...

Respect Starts at Home: Teach Your Child Body Respect & Consent (From first talks to tough moments) In our series Raising Kids Who Know Their Worth, this episode brings worth into the body. We open with Juan’s joyful “I love my body” moment, then get practical: simple house rules kids can use today (you are the boss of your body, permission is required, swimsuit areas are off limits, knock and wai...

When “No” Is Exactly What You Want to Hear from Your Kid** This is Episode 2 in the series *Raising Kids Who Know Their Worth*. Last week, we talked about *Respect Starts with Worth, Not Shame*. This week, we’re exploring why a child’s “no” can be one of the most important things you’ll ever hear — and how respecting that no, in safe situations, builds confidence, boundaries, and trust. Shawn Hopk...

Episode 1: Respect Starts With Worth, Not Shame In this kickoff episode of One Respectful Act a Week, Shawn Hopkins shares a deeply personal story about how his own understanding of worth was shaped—and how it shows up in his parenting today. We’re diving into the truth that self-respect doesn’t come from obedience, shame, or behavior control—it comes from knowing you matter. You’ll learn one powe...

We want to raise kids who feel safe talking to us—but real listening takes more than good intentions. It takes presence, practice, and the humility to pause our advice and simply be there. In this episode, certified parent coach Shawn Hopkins shares why listening is one of the most powerful tools in parenting, how to recognize moments that matter, and what it looks like to build trust through sile...

Ever look at your child and think, “You’re amazing—how do you not see it?” In this episode, we dive into that frustrating, tender gap between how we see our kids and how they see themselves. We’ll talk about what real confidence looks like (and what it doesn’t), why some kids struggle to believe in their own value, and how you can help build lasting, grounded confidence in your child. You’ll walk...

There are parenting moments that knock the wind out of you—and being cursed at by your kid might top the list. Whether they say “F-you” outright or invent their own version, the sting is real. In this episode, Shawn breaks down what to do in that moment—and what to do after. You’ll learn how to respond without escalating, how to uncover the emotion beneath the outburst, and why your calm presence...