A parent writes that she’s feeling helpless and desperate about her 3-year-old’s frequent, intense meltdowns, which sometimes last up to an hour. This mom says they usually “relate to control and power struggles where he tells me or my husband to do something.” And although she remains calm, responds with empathetic words, assures him that … Continued
Kids seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to detecting our vulnerabilities as parents. And as adept learners and explorers, they can’t help but keep pressing the buttons they discover in us. It can be easy for us to get stuck in an uncomfortable, unproductive cycle. Janet shares two recent interactions she’s had … Continued
Janet’s guest is psychologist, writer, researcher, and Harvard lecturer Susan Linn. For decades, Susan has been a passionate advocate for our children and a steadfast fighter against the infiltration of Big Business and Big Tech into kids’ lives (and parents’ pocketbooks). In an eye-opening discussion, Susan describes how digital culture is designed to indoctrinate children … Continued
Janet’s guest is Dr. Meghan Owenz, a psychologist, professor, parent, and author. Meghan’s new book Spoiled Right: Delaying Screens and Giving Children What They Really Need offers the latest research on the effects of screens on young children along with a plethora of practical alternatives. Both Janet and Meghan acknowledge that during the last many … Continued
Janet’s daughters share candid memories from their childhoods and consider how Janet’s respectful parenting style has influenced their lives as toddlers, teens, and young adults. Using questions submitted to Janet’s Facebook page as their guide, the sisters discuss intrinsic motivation, emotional health, independent play, sibling relationships, screen time and more. Transcript of “My Daughters Weigh … Continued
Janet welcomes early childhood educator Tom (“Teacher Tom”) Hobson who shares his optimism and insights about our children’s abilities to learn, grow and flourish outside of a classroom setting. Both Tom and Janet have always asserted that the most valuable education a preschooler receives is organic and self-motivated. They believe that time spent interacting authentically … Continued
I’ve been at a loss trying to figure out how I can support parents and professionals during this difficult period in our lives. For parents of young children, feelings can run the gamut from minor discomforts and inconveniences to overwhelming fear and grief. Sometimes it can be the whole spectrum in a span of minutes. … Continued
In this episode: Janet responds to a parent who says she tries to create safe spaces for her 7-month-old to explore, but she spends a lot of time at her parents’ house and feels they’re always on edge, telling her daughter “no.” This mom wants to avoid “creating issues or desensitizing her to the word” … Continued
In this episode: Janet responds to an email from a stay-at-home parent who feels his efforts to establish and maintain boundaries during the day are undercut when his spouse returns home from work. He believes the daily struggles he has with their daughter “are partly or greatly exacerbated by my wife’s interactions with her…. I’m … Continued
In this episode: Janet answers a question from the mother of a four-month-old who says she is having trouble getting her husband on the same page when it comes to independent play. He doesn’t see the baby much, so when he does, he wants to engage “face-to-face, total stimulation and entertainment.” While she empathizes with … Continued
Hi Janet, Please help! I’m having to rethink my strategies with my 4-year-old. Normally bedtime is effortless — a great routine, quality time, and straight down. The only caveat is that I’ve used TV as an incentive and threaten to cancel play dates the next day if she doesn’t stay in bed (and have consistently followed … Continued
Janet and Lisa respond to a letter from a pregnant mom who struggled mightily with her first child, whom she describes as a Velcro baby. Though her daughter has developed into a “happy, confident and wonderful little girl,” the experience took a toll on this mother and left her feeling insecure as a parent and … Continued
In this episode: Janet responds to a frequent reader request to introduce and summarize the RIE parenting approach. She begins in this podcast by discussing the first 3 basics she shared in her article “RIE Parenting Basics – 9 Ways To Put Respect Into Action” (janetlansbury.com/2013/12/rie-pare…ect-into-action/). She will eventually cover them all in future episodes … Continued
