Teach Through Love

Reader, By now, many of us have seen or felt the weight of the unfathomable events in Minnesota and around the US over the last few weeks. Like many, I’m beyond angry.Worried for our children’s future. I’m also more adamant than ever about calling out systems that harm and oppress kids. Obedience and compliance are being rebranded as “safety.” And if we surrender to this thinking, it will continue to harm our kids (especially the most vulnerable). Neurodivergent, disabled, highly sensitive,...

Reader, I came across a video talking about raising our expectations for our kids, and I had to respond. The woman (with 325k followers) said: It's pretty lazy parenting to say your child is strong-willed. I’m going to expect my two or three-year-old to sit with me for forty-five minutes without a meltdown… to stop having tantrums every day. Raise your standards and expectations. Um, whaaat? I mean, I know this kind of parenting “advice” sounds tough and responsible. And when you feel like...

Reader, It’s the transitional, dream-like threshold after the holiday frenzy but before the New Year, where I fall asleep at 4:30 pm to awaken at midnight for more 🥧 pie. That in-between space where nothing is required of us yet, and somehow, that can feel unsettling. Anyone else? It can also sometimes feel like a week of leaky happiness — or full-on pressure to commit to a “New You” in 2026. Fix it.Optimize it.Resolve it.“Become someone slightly more acceptable.” 🫣 I love a good restart, but...

Reader, Where do I even start? It’s not like my heart is breaking... again. It’s like the hits just keep hitting harder. I have no good words for all the loss. My heart goes out to all the communities affected by the violence this past weekend — Bondi Beach, Brown University, the family of beloved American artists, and now an MIT professor. I’m also very aware that there is constant violence against children every day, all around the world. Trying to make sense of senseless violence doesn’t...

The longest night of the year. This is a bit of a detour from my regular parenting and communication content... But my soul-work-sister, Amy Bryant (Wild Child Counseling & Parenting Beyond Punishment), and I have been talking about how much we rely on each other and our shared spiritual practices. The ones that help us laugh, let off steam, ask big questions, brainstorm ideas, and feel more connected to ourselves and the earth in this wild universe we’re all navigating. And we realized:We...

Reader, When you grow up thinking advice means criticism, it’s not always clear how to offer your opinion or ideas without sounding judgmental or threatening. 🫠 And if you were the “sensitive” kid or the “defiant" one, staying regulated and non-punitive while parenting can feel like its own full-time job. 🌱 I started a new YouTube Shorts series (also on IG) to help us reframe our kids' behavior, “Things I Wish MY Parents Knew.” Watch and subscribe here. Here's the gist of the most recent...

Reader, This is your 60-second reminder that you don’t have to “heal” your childhood to be a GOOD parent. At first, I thought “healing my childhood” was this moment that would come and wash everything clean. 💦Behold fresh, new parenting ideas.💡 Um, no. 😬I think of healing like exercise (funny universe joke).It’s an ongoing practice, not a single moment of revelation.It’s the tiny exercises I do every time I get dysregulated. (Sometimes I literally grab my own Communication Cards because my...

Reader, I honestly can't believe we're heading into the end-of-year holiday madness, uh... cue the meltdown month. I'm just joking (mostly). But Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Nicole Cain IS here to help us prep for a stress-free holiday season. 🎊 Because while it might be a time for parties and reconnecting with loved ones, for many families, it can also bring lots of high stress and wild flying emotions. For years, I never acknowledged that shopping malls, with all the sounds, scents, and...

Hi Reader, As a kid, my shutdowns often looked like defiance. But, I swear, I wasn’t trying to be difficult. 😆 I just didn’t know how to say, “I need help.” I wanted to do what everyone asked:“Pay attention.”“Just sit still.”“Answer your mother!” But inside... I was drowning in noise, worries I couldn’t name, pressure, and (sometimes unreasonable) expectations.👉 “You know better than that!” the adults often screamed before they walked away. I learned that when things got hard, adults would...