Ask Mom Parenting with Sue Donnellan

Why do adult children cut off contact with their parents, and how can parents rebuild communication before or after estrangement happens? In this episode, I deep dive into why adult children cut off parents and explain how what looks like a sudden decision is often a long process of emotional distance. I walk through the difference between authority and influence, how defensiveness damages connect...

What surprising emotional sign indicates an immediate suicide risk in teenagers? In this episode, we're diving into the new and groundbreaking Harvard-led research that changes how parents should watch for adolescent suicide risk signs. I explain why sudden agitation, restless energy, and intense outbursts (rather than just quiet sadness) can be a critical short-term warning signal during a me...

How do I get my teenager to talk to me without pushing them away? In this episode, I unravel the real reasons behind teen distance, from biological brain shifts to the way we react as parents. I share practical ways to reconnect, including ditching the dramatic sit-downs, choosing more casual settings, and prioritizing truth over immediate correction. We’ll look at how small shifts in communicatio...

Can I repair my relationship with my child after losing my temper and yelling? If you’ve ever lost your temper, yelled at your kids, and immediately wondered, Did I just damage my relationship with my child? this episode is for you. I’m breaking down what to do after you yell at your child, how to apologize without over-explaining or making excuses, and why the way you handle the moments after you...

Is your kid good with money, or just good at getting money from you? In this episode, we dive into the right way to give kids money and the crucial lessons about value that most kids never learn. From turning back rubs into earning opportunities, to the ever-changing going rate for picking up dog poop, to using Whole Foods cookies to teach spontaneity and generosity, I’m sharing practical ways to...

What if the key to motivating your child is to stop trying to motivate them? The reality is that motivation grows when kids learn one simple truth: What I do now affects what I get later. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on why trying to manufacture ambition in your kids will drive you crazy, and how shifting the structure around them puts responsibility squarely in their hands. I am shari...

"Good judgment doesn't suddenly appear when they turn 18. It has to be built in with small everyday moments long before the stakes become higher." In this episode, we talk about how to raise kids who can think critically, pause, and make wise choices in a fast-paced, soundbite-driven world. With stories like my son's sudden college decision over a diner breakfast and real talk about social media a...

"Nice and safe aren't always the same thing." In this episode, I pull back the curtain on the realities of child safety, moving far beyond the outdated "stranger danger" speech. With the insight I gained from serving on a state grand jury for child sexual assault cases and what I've learned professionally about secrecy, grooming behaviors, and peer pressure, we're b...

One hard moment doesn't define you as a parent, but burnout can make it feel that way. Have you ever gone to bed after a tough day with your kids and wondered if you're doing any of this right? In this episode, I'm talking about the moments that make so many parents question themselves, like the bedtime battles, the meltdowns, the yelling, the exhaustion, and the guilt that follows. Wh...

When co-parenting, you can't control the other parent...but you can protect your child from getting caught in the middle!   Co-parenting can feel exhausting when you're trying to navigate different parenting styles, unresolved emotions, schedule changes, and the constant worry about how it all affects your child. In this episode, I'm sharing a different way to approach co-parenting whe...

If modern parenting feels exhausting, overwhelming, or way more complicated than it needs to be, this conversation will feel like a deep breath. In this episode, I sit down with Joy Alfred Brand for an honest conversation about gentle parenting, military family life, raising independent kids, and what it really means to lead at home without trying to control every move your child makes. We talk ab...

What if your ADHD child doesn't need more reminders, but a better system? Your child knows where the shoes go. They know the backpack needs to make it to school. And yet somehow, every morning still feels like a scavenger hunt mixed with a power struggle. In this episode, I’m talking about one of the biggest mindset shifts parents can make when it comes to ADHD: stopping the cycle of constant...

Parenting a strong-willed kid as a people-pleaser can lead to constant power struggles... but it doesn't have to be that way! If you’ve spent your life trying to keep the peace, avoid conflict, or make everyone happy, raising a strong-willed child can feel exhausting and confusing. In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest parenting patterns I see: people-pleasing parents unintenti...

Most high-performing parents approach parenting the same way they approach everything else in life… and it often backfires! If you’re used to leading, achieving, and getting results, it can feel confusing and frustrating when those same skills don’t seem to work at home. In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest parenting disconnects I see: relying on authority and control instead of b...

Most parents react to tantrums and bad behavior the same way, and it often backfires!   If your child’s meltdowns all start to look the same, it’s easy to feel stuck, frustrated, and unsure what to do next. In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest parenting mistakes I see: treating tantrums and bad behavior like they’re the same thing. They may look similar on the outside, but they ne...

Are you accidentally fueling sibling fights without even realizing it? In this episode, we expose how well-meaning parents can unknowingly assign roles like “the victim” and “the instigator,” trapping siblings in cycles of fighting and tattling that just repeat, day after day. I share the story of how my own attempt to referee a sibling crisis backfired, along with the strategy that finally brough...

Is your child’s attitude really about disrespect, or is it a signal you’re missing? In this episode, we dive deep into those familiar moments when simple requests turn into power struggles, and explain the difference between compliance and genuine respect. With relatable stories and actionable mindset and method shifts, we break down how to sidestep attitude, foster cooperation, and build a lastin...

What do you do when your child tells you something… you can’t explain? In this episode of Ask Mom Parenting, Sue dives into the magical, mysterious, and sometimes unsettling world of parenting intuitive, energy-sensitive kids. Sharing personal stories, Sue reveals the realities of validation, boundaries, and agency when your child experiences things others might dismiss.   Sue unpacks how to respo...

What happens when you have less rules in your home? Learn the missing piece that creates real cooperation from your kids and reduces daily power struggles. In this episode, Sue is joined by Lauren, a mom of four navigating dinnertime chaos, rule overload, and common child behavior challenges many parents face. Together, they discuss what happens when kids meet a house full of rules, why power stru...

Is every parenting decision starting to feel like a test you can’t study for? Modern parenthood brings a barrage of choices and the relentless pressure to get every single one right. In this episode, Sue dives into decision fatigue: that overwhelming mental exhaustion from juggling the nonstop micro and macro choices of raising kids today. From the tidal wave of advice on social media to the naggi...

Is ignoring bullying really a strategy, or are we just hoping the pain goes away? In this episode, Sue goes where most parenting conversations don’t: the realities of bullying, why telling kids to “just ignore it” isn’t enough, and how to prepare your child to handle cruelty with practical tools, empathy, and grounded confidence. With honest stories (including a karate-chop moment from Sue’s past)...

Are you exhausted from explaining, negotiating, and validating, and still wondering why your kids won’t listen? Gentle parenting promised us peaceful homes and emotionally intelligent kids, but what many parents discovered instead is burnout, buyer’s remorse, and a house full of power struggles. In this season two kick-off, Sue and Randee get real about the downsides of gentle parenting, what actu...

Get Kids to Listen Without Yelling, Threats, or Repeating Yourself Welcome to Season 2 of the Ask Mom Parenting podcast! The Ask Mom Parenting Podcast is a reset for overwhelmed parents tired of reacting, over-explaining, and managing emotions all day. Hosted by parenting strategist, author, mom of four, and reformed yeller Sue Donnellan, this show challenges conventional advice and replaces it wi...

The Parenting Mindset Shift That Stops Holiday Tantrums, Complaining & Teen Resistance If the holidays feel less like a celebration and more like forced customer service without a coffee break, this episode is for you! Hit play for practical strategies to manage tantrums, whining, meltdowns, tween and teen resistance, overstimulation, and screen battles around the holidays. It all starts with...

Practical Ways to Teach Kids Genuine Gratitude Every Day Most parents try to teach gratitude by reminding kids to “say thank you.” But real gratitude isn’t a script. It’s a feeling. And the reason many kids don’t show it has nothing to do with entitlement and everything to do with emotional overwhelm, development, and the ability to receive. In this episode, we’ll uncover why forced “thank yous” b...