What Many Parents Get Wrong About Toddler Behavior

More from Reflective Parenting Podcast by Curious Neuron All episodes →

1. 

   S8 · E37 · 25 Nov 2025 · 25 min

   Why parenting advice won't help you stop snapping at your kids

   Send us Fan Mail If you keep snapping, shutting down, or feeling guilty, even though you “know” what to do... this episode will finally make it make sense. After speaking with more than 200 parents, I’ve noticed the same pattern: We are drowning in parenting advice, but no one is teaching parents the one skill that actually changes everything, how your nervous system works. In this episode, I talk about: Why you still lose patience even after therapy, courses, and all the scriptsWhat’s really...

2. 

   S8 · E36 · 17 Nov 2025 · 49 min

   What all dads need to hear about emotions and their son's future mental health

   Send us Fan Mail Today on the Reflective Parenting Podcast, I’m sitting down with Dr. Brendan Kwiatkowski-Hartman to talk about something many parents quietly wonder about: Why do boys sometimes pull away emotionally and how can we support them without pushing too hard? Brendan is a researcher who has spent years studying boys, masculinity, and emotional expression. What he learned in his PhD work is both reassuring and eye-opening: boys do feel deeply, even when it looks like they’ve shut do...

3. 

   S8 · E35 · 10 Nov 2025 · 25 min

   Are you having unhealthy conflict? Here's what science says.

   Send us Fan Mail This episode will change how you see conflict. We’re talking about the proven communication patterns that destroy connection and how to replace them with healthier ones. You’ll learn: the Four Horsemen (with real examples)how the demand–withdraw cycle keeps couples stuckthe shocking research: negative conflict literally slows wound healinghow your nervous system shapes your reactions (before your thoughts do)3 simple questions from Jefferson Fisher that can change the next co...

4. 

   S8 · E34 · 3 Nov 2025 · 36 min

   Understanding your nervous system in conflict with the authors of Beyond Difficult

   Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever wondered why you become a different version of yourself during conflict… this episode is going to change the way you see those moments forever. I’m sitting down with psychologists and authors Rachel Samson and Dr. Jessie Stern to unpack the science beneath conflict: your attachment history, your temperament, your nervous system sensitivity, and how all of this shapes the way you argue, withdraw, pursue, or shut down. This episode is not about “how to argue bett...

5. 

   S8 · E33 · 27 Oct 2025 · 29 min

   Relational Savoring: The Neuroscience of Calm and Connection

   Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why some moments with your child feel effortless and deeply connected — while others leave you drained, reactive, or misunderstood? In this episode, we break down the science behind why. Dr. Jessie Stern and psychologist Rachel Samson join Cindy to explore relational savoring — a simple yet powerful way to strengthen your bond by intentionally remembering moments of warmth, safety, and love. You’ll learn how this practice calms your nervous system, reduces stress,...

6. 

   S8 · E31 · 13 Oct 2025 · 39 min

   The missing skill that helps parents and kids stay calm: Interoception

   Send us Fan Mail Last week, we uncovered how your child’s behaviour is really their nervous system communicating. Today, we’re going deeper, inside the body, to explore the science of interoception, the hidden sense that helps us feel and understand our emotions. My guest, Laura Petix, is back to break down how learning to tune into your body’s internal signals can transform the way you regulate emotions, set boundaries, and parent with calm. We’ll explore what the research says including new...

7. 

   S8 · E30 · 6 Oct 2025 · 32 min

   Why understanding your nervous system helps you with your emotions

   Send us Fan Mail You’ve heard the advice: “Teach your child to name their emotions.” But what if the real secret to helping your child (and yourself) regulate emotions starts deeper inside the body? In this episode, I sit down with pediatric occupational therapist Laura Petix (The OT Butterfly) to uncover what’s really going on when kids have meltdowns, get overstimulated, or shut down. Spoiler alert: it’s not about being “bad” or “defiant.” Laura explains how your child’s behavior is actuall...

8. 

   S8 · E29 · 29 Sep 2025 · 51 min

   How do we build resilience in our kids without being harsh or overprotective

   Send us Fan Mail Do you ever hear your child say things like, “I’m such a bad kid” or “I’ll never be good at this” and your heart sinks because you don’t know what to say? You’re not alone. And this episode is about to change the way you respond. Today, I’m sitting down with award-winning science journalist and author Melinda Wenner Moyer to talk about her latest book Hello, Cruel World, a toolkit for raising confident, resilient kids in today’s messy, complicated world. Here’s the truth: ➡️ ...

9. 

   S8 · E28 · 22 Sep 2025 · 29 min

   The Science of How Discipline and Punishment Impact a Child’s Brain Differently

   Send us Fan Mail Parents, this one is big. Today we’re breaking down punishment vs discipline, what science says, how it impacts your child’s brain, and why so many of us feel stuck in the cycle of punishing even when we don’t want to. If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to yell, spank, or threaten…but it just slips out when I’m overwhelmed,” you are not alone. Here’s what you’ll learn today: What studies reveal about how spanking and harsh discipline change the way your child’s brain proce...

10. 

    S8 · E27 · 15 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 9 min

    How to connect with a child that shuts you down (without losing your cool)

    Send us Fan Mail This episode will change how you see your child’s moods and how you respond to them. If you’ve ever tiptoed around your child in the morning, worried the “wrong” cereal bowl or shirt will set off a meltdown, this conversation is for you. Joining me is Dr. Alex Reed, pediatric clinical psychologist and mom of two, who has spent years helping families understand temperament, moodiness, and emotional regulation. Together, we pull back the curtain on what’s really happening when ...