Your Parenting Long Game

Latest Episodes:

Episode 361: A Quick Tip to Stop Responding in a Way You Regret Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

http://rachel-bailey.com/361When our kids resist, melt down, or push back, our instinct is to get them to calm down or cooperate...fast. We talk more, repeat rules, and try to convince them to "get it together." But the more urgent we become, the more our kids resist and the harder everything feels. Fortunately, there a quick shift can help you respond more effectively, and in a way that you don't regret.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why urgency fuels kids' resistance (and why it's so hard to stop being urgent in the moment)
How to recognize when your own fight-or-flight response is taking over
A simple shift that helps you slow down so that you can regain influence and your child can calm down more quickly

FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve

Other free resources to support you as you're raising a child with big emotions

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Episode 360: When Your Child Says That Coping Strategies "Don't Work" Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

When our kids are upset, we often suggest strategies to help them calm down or manage tough situations—like taking deep breaths, counting to ten, or breaking down assignments into smaller steps. But when those strategies don't instantly erase the discomfort, both kids (and parents!) often conclude that "nothing works."

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to assess whether a strategy really "works" or not (so kids stop insisting that nothing works!)
A powerful exercise you can try with your child to help them build tolerance for discomfort
Simple ways to introduce the idea of tolerance in everyday situations (like chores, screen time, or schoolwork)

FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve

Other free resources to support you as you're raising a child with big emotions

Join Rachel's Facebook group

Work with Rachel

Episode 359: Supporting SIBLINGS of Kids With Big Emotions Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

When you're raising a child with big emotions, it's natural for an "easier" sibling to get less of your time and attention. But a more flexible child may pay a quiet price -- giving in to avoid conflict, hiding their feelings, or believing they matter less. Chances are, you've noticed that but aren't sure what to do. Fortunately, a few small shifts can make a big difference in how they view themselves (and will can make you feel less guilty).

In this episode, you'll learn how to:

Spot the signs that an "easier" child is struggling
Show them that they matter (even if you've told them and it hasn't helped)
Help them learn to stand up for themselves

FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve

Other free resources to support you as you're raising a child with big emotions

Join Rachel's Facebook group

Work with Rachel

Episode 358: If You Want Negative Behaviors and Attitudes to Stop, You Must Know This Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

If you're raising a child with big emotions, you know how draining it can be when they melt down, argue, refuse to cooperate, or fall apart after the smallest setback. It's easy to assume these behaviors are defiance, disrespect, or laziness… but most of the time, they're actually signs that your child is missing something that you can provide!

In this episode, you'll learn:

The two main sets of skills kids with big emotions often lack
How to recognize behaviors that signal a missing skill rather than misbehavior
Why addressing missing skills reduces drama now and builds your child's long-term confidence and self-esteem

FREE WORKSHOP: Stop Working So Hard to Get Your Kids to Calm Down

Other free resources to support you as you're raising a child with big emotions

Join Rachel's Facebook group

Work with Rachel

Episode 357: Can Kids CHOOSE To Act Differently When They're in Yuck? Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

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 Other free resources

Join Rachel's Facebook group

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Episode 356: How To Make Sure Connection Works (Especially With Sensitive Or Anxious Children) Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

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 Other free resources

Join Rachel's Facebook group

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Episode 355: Addressing YOUR Back-to-School Anxiety Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

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

FREE RESOURCE: Understanding the Yuck Curve

Join Rachel's Facebook group

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Episode 354: When Your Child's Behavior Isn't Getting Better and You Lose Your Cool Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

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

Work with Rachel

Join Rachel's Facebook group

Episode 353: Why Your Child Doesn't Listen When You're Being Nice (and Why "Mean" Isn't the Answer Either) Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

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

Resources to support you as you're raising children with big emotions

Work with Rachel

Episode 352: Inside the Mind of a Strong-Willed Child (and Their Parent) Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Often when our kids refuse to do what we ask, it can seem like they are being deliberately defiant or strong-willed. But often in these situations, our kids are having a hard time with something beyond their control…and our frustration with them only makes things worse. Fortunately, when you take a closer look at what is really going on for a "strong-willed" child, you can see what they really need in order to feel and act more positively.

In this episode, we'll look at several real-life situations from the dual perspectives of a child and parent. You'll learn:

Why children with big emotions display more "strong-willed" behavior
What's really happen when a child is acting resistant or defiant
How we can can spend less energy addressing this behavior and expand their ability to handle things not going their way in the future

FREE RESOURCE: Know what to do when YOUR child displays strong-willed behavior

Join Rachel's Facebook group

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