Your Parenting Long Game

Many kids with big emotions have big reactions when things don’t go their way. They may yell, slam doors, roll their eyes, or even say disrespectful things when they are upset. And while it’s natural for parents to think that our children are choosing to be rude or defiant, something else is actually happening instead. In this episode, you’ll learn:  * What's going on in the brain that explains why Yuck behaviors are not a conscious choice * Why this is NOT an excuse for negative behavior * How kids can learn to handle their “Yuck Urge”… and how this builds their confidence rather than eroding it --  FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve [https://rachel-bailey.com/yuck-curve] Other free resources [https://rachel-bailey.com/everything-page/] Join Rachel’s Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelBailey/] Work with Rachel [https://rachel-bailey.com/work-with-rachel]

You’ve heard how important it is to have a strong connection with your children. But when we are raising kids who are anxious or sensitive, sometimes our attempts to connect with them are more about fixing a problem than about making a genuine connection… and they feel that! The good news is, one little change can improve your influence and help your child handle their uncomfortable moments with less stress (for them) and less exhaustion (for you). In this episode, you’ll learn:  * What genuine connection looks like and sounds like * How this strong parent-child connection SAVES you energy  * A simple metaphor to help you remember how to make this type of connection in the moment -- FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve [https://rachel-bailey.com/yuck-curve] Other free resources [https://rachel-bailey.com/everything-page/] Join Rachel’s Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelBailey/] Work with Rachel [https://rachel-bailey.com/work-with-rachel]

A new school year can bring excitement, but for kids with big emotions, it may also bring worry, “what if” questions, and knots in the stomach. As parents, we want to jump in with reassurances, solutions, or distractions, but those attempts -- which are actually signs of our anxiety -- often increase our kids’ Yuck. Fortunately, a simple strategy can help us center ourselves so we can support our children more effectively.    In this episode, you’ll learn:  * Why we need to regulate ourselves before we try to help our kids  * Simple actions we can take reduce their anxiety (and our discomfort with their discomfort) * What our children need in order to handle their transition to school with confidence, even when we’re not there to help --  FREE RESOURCE: "Discomfort is not dangerous" printable [https://rachel-bailey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Discomfort-is-not-dangerous.pdf] FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve [https://rachel-bailey.com/yuck-curve] Join Rachel’s Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelBailey/] Work with Rachel [https://rachel-bailey.com/work-with-rachel]

Let’s be honest: Raising a child with big emotions can take a lot of energy. Dealing with resistance, dramatic reactions, and everything else in your life can be exhausting, so it’s natural to lose your patience (and, unfortunately, your influence). This episode shares a specific strategy to stay calm and keep your influence… even when it’s taking longer for your children’s behavior to improve than you’d like.   In this episode, you’ll learn:  * The 3 main reasons kids don’t do what we ask * Why we tend to lose our cool when there is a setback in our child’s progress * A simple technique to help you stay calm and supportive rather than resentful of your child’s behavior  -- Resources to support you as you're raising children with big emotions [https://rachel-bailey.com/everything-page/] Work with Rachel [https://rachel-bailey.com/work-with-rachel] Join Rachel’s Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelBailey/]

Having a strong relationship with our kids is a huge priority for many of us. So when we’re setting limits or addressing our kids’ big emotions, we usually approach them in a nice (or what we think is “respectful”) way. Unfortunately, many kids won’t listen – or feel confident – when we’re being so nice. So how can we raise kids who follow limits and can handle hard feelings… without ruining our relationship?  In this episode, you’ll learn:  * What it really means to “respect” your children  * One question you can ask yourself when you’re struggling to influence your children  * What simple quality leads to long-term security and healthier self-esteem for your kids (and less guilt for you) -- Join Rachel’s Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelBailey/] Resources to support you as you're raising children with big emotions [https://rachel-bailey.com/everything-page/] Work with Rachel [https://rachel-bailey.com/work-with-rachel]