The Whole Parent Podcast

Subscribe on Substack to support the show! Buy Punishment-Free Parenting (Jon's book) now In today’s episode, Jon returns to the show’s original format—raw, unscripted, brain-based parenting questions—this time focused entirely on sibling dynamics . If you have more than one child (or plan to), this might be one of the most clarifying episodes you ever listen to. Inside this episode: Why kids...

If your mornings feel like a daily emotional avalanche, lost shoes, floppy limbs, scratchy socks, MELTDOWNS, you’re not alone. In this episode, Jon goes back to the original Whole Parent format and answers real listener questions about morning routines, meltdowns, and the brain science behind why kids fall apart at the exact same time every day . Instead of asking “What am I doing wrong?”, we flip...

It all started with a gold star. A single shining sticker on a kindergarten chart that—without me realizing it—began rewiring my understanding of love, worth, and motivation. In this episode of The Whole Parent Podcast , we dive into the hidden cost of praise—why “good job” might be doing more harm than good, and how something as innocent as a sticker chart can turn play into performance. Drawing...

A grainy home video from 1993 opens a door many parents avoid: the thin line where love and control blur. From that single forced smile, we follow the thread into cognitive dissonance, exploring why we promise ourselves we won’t yell and still end up yelling, and why small justifications feel so necessary when our identity as a “good parent” is on the line. Leon Festinger’s doomsday research gives...

This is one of my shorter mini-episodes where I read this weeks Substack article.  We answer here the simple and yet extremely common question "What are we supposed to do when our kid hits us or someone else?"  If you would like to support my work consider subscribing on Substack for $5 per month. It is the best way to support my work and keep the podcast episodes coming! Send us Fan Mai...

Stories aren’t just how we pass time—they’re how we pass on what it means to be human. We sit down with librarian and children’s literature expert Betsy Bird to unpack why reading aloud is more than a bedtime ritual. It’s brain food during the fastest phase of neural growth; a daily practice that builds language, attention, and the social skill that holds every relationship together: empathy. We d...

My oldest son couldn’t read at seven. And me? I was writing a parenting book for a major publisher. Being asked to speak to thousands of parents. Teaching emotional development, brain-based learning, and motivation. The irony wasn’t lost on me. In this episode, I tells the vulnerable and surprising story of how we stopped trying to teach how to read, and started teaching why to read instead. What...

Key Links: 📖 Get My Book: Punishment-Free Parenting: The Brain-Based Way to Raise Kids Without Raising Your Voice – Available Now 📖 Get Alfie Kohn's Books: Unconditional Parenting   and Punished By Rewards   📝 Join My Email List for exclusive insights, parenting tips, and updates – Sign Up Here Episode Description: What if the very thing we’ve been striving for as parents—obedience—wasn’t...

IT'S HERE!  Get Punishment-Free Parenting on Audiobook  Why does it feel like one partner carries the weight of managing the home and kids while the other thinks everything is equal? If you've ever felt exhausted by the invisible labor of parenting—or if you've ever felt like nothing you do measures up to your partner’s expectations—this episode is for you. In this episode of The Wh...

Get your own copy of the audiobook HERE What do we do when we mess up as parents? In this Episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, I read a long section from the Chapter on Repair from my brand new book Punishment-Free Parenting: The Brain-Based Way to Raise Kids Without Raising Your Voice. Every parent has moments they wish they could take back. Maybe it’s the sharp tone, the overreaction, or the mom...

Resources Mentioned: Punishment Free-Parenting The Way of Play Emotional Regulation Game Guide Traditional Parenting Fails for ADHD Kids. Growing up with ADHD this is the episode I wish my parents had... In this episode, I’m sharing why traditional, compliance-based parenting doesn’t work for kids with ADHD and what we can do instead. I sat down with Dr. Josh Wyner and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson—two in...

Help me out! My book Punishment-Free Parenting: The Brain-Based Way to Raise Kids Without Raising Your Voice comes out in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS! Preorder now so you can get it first! Have you ever felt like talking to your kids is like speaking an entirely different language? You tell them to put on their shoes, and suddenly it’s like you’ve asked them to climb a mountain. Believe me, I’ve been ther...

Help me out...   My book is behind on pre-sales and I'm trying to make up a lot of ground before release on January 28th, 2025. If you love the podcast, please consider preordering —it’s the best way to support me right now. If you don't typically read parenting books, I also have the audiobook version! Thank you so much! Preorder the Book  Preorder the Audiobook Description This week on...

Want to get ME a Christmas Present?   My book is behind on pre-sales and I'm trying to make up a lot of ground before release on January 28th, 2025. If you love the podcast, please consider preordering —it’s the best way to support me right now. If you don't typically read parenting books, I also have the audiobook version! Thank you so much! Preorder the Book  Preorder the Audiobook Mer...

I need your help!   My book is behind on pre-sales and I'm trying to make up a lot of ground before release on January 28th, 2025. If you love the podcast, please consider preordering —it’s the best way to support me right now. If you don't typically read parenting books, I also have the audiobook version! Thank you so much! Preorder the Book  Preorder the Audiobook It’s the ultimate par...

I need your help!   My book is behind on pre-sales and I'm trying to make up a lot of ground before release on January 28th, 2025. If you love the podcast, please consider preordering —it’s the best way to support me right now. If you don't typically read parenting books, I also have the audiobook version! Thank you so much! Preorder the Book  Preorder the Audiobook Episode Description:...

Now Available for Preorder.... Punishment-Free Parenting: The Brain-Based Way to Raise Kids Without Raising Your Voice To reserve your copy click the link below: Preorder Hardcover Preorder Audiobook Preorder Kindle   Show Notes: Have you ever lashed out at your child and wondered "Where did that come from? Why am I so triggered?" Spoiler for this episode, it's your childhood... and...

Preorder my new book:  Punishment-Free Parenting: The Brain-Based Way to Raise Kids Without Raising Your Voice Get the Autonomy Guide HERE Episode Title: How To Get Your Toddler to LISTEN! Episode Number: #29 Host: Jon @wholeparent Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction and Setting the Scene 0:38 - The Frustration of Kids who WON'T LISTEN! 2:40 - Why Toddlers Have Selective Hearing 7:17 - Understand...

Struggling with bedtime battles? Discover an incredible bedtime hack that transforms chaos into connection, making bedtime one of the best parts of your day. Episode Number: #28 Description: In this episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, Jon delves into the challenges of bedtime routines and reveals a transformative hack to turn bedtime battles into moments of deep connection with your child. He dis...

Episode Number: #27 Description: In this guest episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, Jon welcomes KJ from Big Life Journal. They discuss the transformative power of reparenting, the difference between gentle and conscious parenting, and the resources available to support parents on their journey. KJ shares her personal experiences transitioning from authoritarian parenting to gentle parenting, offe...

Episode Number: #26 Take the quiz to find our if your kid is Highly Sensitive Description: In this episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, Jon delves into the concept of collaborative consequences, explaining why this method is a powerful tool for effective parenting, especially for highly sensitive children. As a strong advocate for the abolition of punishment in parenting, discusses how to differen...

Want to know if your child is Highly Sensitive? TAKE THE QUIZ!   Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child Episode Number: #25 Description: In this episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, Jon delves into the world of highly sensitive children. He explains what high sensitivity is, how it manifests in kids, and shares practical strategies for parents to help their highly sensitive children thrive. Jon also h...

Do you want to know how you can successfully navigate sibling conflict? This is the episode for you. Episode Number: #24 Description: In this episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, Jon delves into the challenging topic of sibling conflict. He shares practical strategies for parents to navigate and resolve conflicts between siblings effectively. Jon also talks about the importance of fostering a team...

Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids Episode Number: #23 Description: In this episode of the Whole Parent Podcast, Jon discusses the importance of raising emotionally intelligent kids. Jon shares personal insights and practical steps on how parents can foster emotional intelligence in their children. Jon also opens up about his recent break from podcasting, the challenges he faced, and how taking...

To get podcast updates: CLICK HERE Do we need to punish our kids to be effective parents? That's exactly what Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and I navigate through in this enriching discussion on punishment-free parenting. By distinguishing between discipline as a means to teach, rehearse, and impart skills and punishment as an alternatively counterproductive reaction, we illuminate a path where paren...