Delight in Parenting with Dajana Yoakley

Have you ever snapped at your kid, walked away feeling ashamed, and thought, “I just need to be calmer. Why can’t I just be calm?” It’s completely normal to feel that way. The message we get everywhere in the peaceful parenting world is that calm is the goal — that if you could just regulate yourself, everything would go smoother. And while there’s real truth in that, I had a conversation recently...

Have you ever watched your child completely fall apart over something that seemed so small — and found yourself thinking, “What just happened? Why is this so intense every single time?” It’s completely normal to feel confused, exhausted, and honestly a little defeated when your child’s reactions feel so out of proportion to the moment. You’re doing your best, and yet you walk on eggshells through...

Why you keep reverting to the parenting you swore you’d never do Have you ever caught yourself responding to your child in a way that sounds exactly like your own parents — and immediately thought, “Where did that come from? That’s not who I want to be”? It’s completely normal to feel frustrated and confused by this. You’ve done the reading. You’ve listened to the podcasts. You genuinely want to r...

I want to tell you about a moment I remember so clearly from early in my own parenting journey. My son was melting down — fully, completely falling apart — over something that seemed so small to me. And everything in me just wanted it to stop. So I moved in with my most calm, firm mom voice: “Stop. Take a breath. You need to calm down right now.” And you know what happened? He got louder. More dys...

What if the meltdown isn’t the problem? What if the defiance… the pushback… the shutting down… is actually your child’s nervous system asking for help? Because for so many parents, it feels like this: → It starts small→ It escalates fast→ Suddenly you’re in a full meltdown or power struggle→ And nothing you try seems to work You explain. You stay calm. You set a consequence. …and somehow, it just...

Emilie Delworth, founder of The Peaceful Mother and a child development specialist with nearly two decades of experience working with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, shares practical, science-backed tools for understanding why your child struggles to calm down — and what they actually need from you in those hard moments. Understanding Why Your Child Can’t Calm Down Emilie explains that most o...

Sibling fights can feel endless. One minute your kids are laughing together. The next minute someone is screaming, someone is crying, and you’re being pulled in as the referee—again. Most parents assume sibling conflict is just something they have to survive until their kids grow up. But what if those daily sibling disagreements are actually one of the most powerful training grounds for your child...

Ever feel like you’re walking on eggshells with your teenager? You see them struggling, so you offer a perfectly reasonable solution—maybe a walk or some deep breathing—only to have them roll their eyes, snap at you, or retreat further into their room. I recently sat down with Sophia Vale Galano , a licensed clinical social worker and author of Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent’s Guide to Helping...

Ever notice how you can be reading all the parenting books, practicing mindfulness, doing everything “right”—and still find yourself yelling at your child over something that doesn’t even matter? I recently sat down with Clara Roulev, a certified peaceful parenting and mind-body coach, registered yoga teacher, and founder of Share Peace Parenting. Clara specializes in helping parents understand th...

Ever found yourself standing in the kitchen, spatula in hand, feeling like you’re about to lose it because your child just pushed away the dinner you spent an hour making... again? What if I told you that the stress you’re feeling at mealtimes isn’t really about the rejected broccoli—and there’s a way to transform your dinner table from a battlefield into a place of connection without giving up on...

Ever wondered why your teenager meticulously plans their gaming strategy for hours but melts down when asked to pack their backpack the night before school? What if I told you the disconnect isn’t about defiance or laziness—but about a fundamental mismatch between your expectations and their actual neurological wiring, and there’s a powerful framework for bridging this gap without sacrificing your...

Ever wondered why your teenager seems completely capable of planning an elaborate gaming strategy but can’t seem to organize their homework for the week? What if I told you that the disconnect isn’t about laziness or defiance—but about how their developing brain handles different types of motivation and executive function, and there are specific ways you can support them without taking over? I rec...

Ever wondered why back-to-school season feels emotionally overwhelming, even when you've checked all the boxes on your preparation list? What if I told you that your child's September meltdowns and resistance aren't about defiance or poor adjustment—but are actually their nervous system responding to a major life transition, and you might be unknowingly adding fuel to the fire? My guest, Elaine Ta...

Ever wondered why your child's explosive behavior keeps happening, even when you use all the "right" consequences and rewards? What if I told you that your child's meltdowns and resistance aren't about defiance or manipulation—but are actually their nervous system's way of saying "I don't feel safe right now"? My guest, Dr. Bethany Bilodeau, a behaviorist and sensory specialist who works at the in...

Ever wondered why you keep losing it with your kids, even though you know all the "right" things to do? What if I told you that the missing piece isn't another parenting technique—but how you treat yourself after those inevitable moments when you completely lose your cool? In this vulnerable solo episode, I share the story of one of my clients who had a complete meltdown with her elementary school...

Ever wondered why you keep exploding at your kids despite reading every parenting book and knowing exactly what you "should" do? What if I told you that if you're neurodivergent or raising neurodivergent kids, traditional parenting advice isn't just ineffective—it can actually make you feel more ashamed and overwhelmed because it ignores how differently your nervous system works? My guest, Lauren...

Ever wondered why your child's "difficult" behavior keeps happening over and over, no matter what consequences you try? What if I told you that your child's explosive meltdowns aren't actually about defiance or manipulation—but are their way of communicating that there's a problem they don't know how to solve? My guest, Kim Hopkins, completely shifted my understanding of children's challenging beh...

Ever wondered why your son seems to shut down emotionally right when you're trying to help him process his feelings? What if I told you that the cultural messages about masculinity start affecting our boys as early as age four or five—and that most parents are completely unaware of how deeply these harmful expectations have already taken root? My guest, Dr. Daniel Ellenberg, completely shifted my...

What if the secret to becoming a better parent isn't doing more for your kids—but doing something entirely for yourself? When Tatiana Goded talks about rediscovering forgotten dreams, she's not just speaking as a coach—she's speaking from the heart of someone who lived it. After finishing her PhD, the very next day she enrolled in a creative writing course. It was as if she was finally giving hers...

What if one simple shift could end the exhausting cycle of being your family's unpaid manager—while raising kids who actually want to help? I know you're tired. Not just physically tired from doing everything yourself, but emotionally exhausted from being the only one who notices the overflowing trash, the dirty dishes, the chaos that somehow becomes your responsibility to fix. You're tired of bei...

Ever wondered why your child seems to push your buttons at exactly the moments when you're least equipped to handle it? What if I told you that your child isn't actually "misbehaving" at all—they're showing you something much deeper? My guest, renowned child behavior expert Bryan Post, completely shifted my understanding of challenging child behavior during our conversation. As founder of the Post...

Ever found yourself knowing exactly how you want to respond to your child's behavior, only to have all that wisdom fly out the window when emotions run high? You're not alone. Dr. Alissa Jerud, clinical psychologist and author of "Emotion Savvy Parenting," knows this struggle intimately—both professionally and personally. In this transformative conversation, Dr. Jerud reveals why even the most wel...

In our latest podcast episode, "Building Bridges: Raising Emotionally Connected Boys," I tackle one of the most pressing challenges parents face today – how to reach our sons when they seem increasingly distant and disconnected. As a mom of three (including two boys), I've experienced firsthand the struggle to maintain connection with sons who are bombarded with confusing messages about masculinit...

Parenting Strong-Willed Children: Insights from Kirk Martin Kirk Martin, founder of CelebrateCalm.com and host of the Calm Parenting Podcast, offers transformative advice for parents of strong-willed children, drawing from 25 years of experience and working with over 1,500 challenging kids. Understanding Strong-Willed Children Martin explains that strong-willed children primarily feel misunderstoo...

Ever watched your son stuff down his tears with a forced "I'm fine" when you know he's struggling inside? When Ashanti Branch was growing up in Oakland with his single mom, he quickly learned that showing emotions wasn't acceptable unless they were funny or angry. "In my community, you're barely allowed to show any emotion," he shares in this eye-opening conversation. This emotional suppression le...