13. A Crash-Course in Conversations

Ever feel like you're talking, but no one’s really listening? Or like every conversation with your child turns into a power struggle, a meltdown, or just... silence?

In this episode of The Parenting Lab Podcast, I’m giving you a crash-course in how to have empowered conversations—the kind that build connection, not conflict. These are the conversations where your child feels seen, heard, and safe to be their full self—and where you feel respected and understood, too.

We’ll unpack what empowered communication actually means, what blocks us from having it, and why it’s so essential in our relationships with our kids. We’ll also explore how our own upbringing and beliefs about emotions may be getting in the way of the connection we’re craving.

Whether you're parenting toddlers or teens, this episode will give you fresh tools and gentle perspective shifts to help you speak with your children, not at them.

💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What an empowered conversation is—and why it’s often the missing link in parent-child communication
• The most common blocks that prevent us from truly connecting through conversation (hint: it's not just what we say, but how we listen)
• How our beliefs about emotions, and our past experiences of being unheard, shape the way we communicate with our kids
• The difference between listening to fix and listening to understand
• Why feelings are messengers—and how to uncover the need underneath the emotion
• How to make compassionate, clear requests instead of harsh commands or vague complaints

Whether you’re dealing with morning meltdowns, teen shut-downs, or just trying to have more meaningful moments with your child, this episode is a must-listen for any parent who wants to raise emotionally aware, connected kids.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to create empowered conversations that bring you and your child closer—one moment, one word, one choice at a time.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @_theparentinglab_

Email Brittney: [e-mail]

Click HERE for Lab Two: Finding Patterns in Parenting

Click HERE for Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg