Calm Parenting Podcast

I want your kids to have the tools to clean up their own messes in life—with siblings, with a future spouse, with classmates, within themselves. To know how to deal with internal disappointment and frustration. And you, of course, want your kids to clean up their physical messes in your home! How can you do this without ruining your relationship or constantly resorting to consequences? Kirk shares five different ways ...

So what DOES trigger you? Messes, sibling fights, kids not listening, whining and complaining and tantrums, silliness at bedtime, kids talking back, procrastination? Maybe all of these common things! Kirk gives you specific action steps so you can preserve your sanity, overcome your triggers, stop reacting AND get your kids to be responsible for themselves.

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"How do I get my husband on board with parenting our kids differently?" Kirk provides 10 concrete approaches with actual scripts and examples to use in different situations. You can use a mix soft and tough approaches to motivate and encourage your husband to get on the same page. 

The perfect way to get on the same page with your spouse is to take advantage of our Mother's Day Sale. Visit https://celebratecalm.com...

You ask your strong-willed child to do something that’s not a big deal, but they instantly refuse or ask, “Why?” Is your child being defiant, rebellious or difficult on purpose? Or is something else going on? Kirk gives you an actual script and 5 specific action steps so you know how to handle this situation next time.

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Many of our kids begin to internalize, “I’m a bad kid, I’m slow so I’m not smart, there’s something wrong with me. I’m always in trouble, no one is ever happy with me.” That internal dialogue will sabotage your child’s success and relationships for a lifetime (many of us still struggle with limiting beliefs). The good news is we can change that NOW. Kirk gives you specific scripts to cultivate your child’s confidence ...

I don’t know what it’s like to be a Mom. So I wanted to share the powerful reflections of a real life Mom—not an expert Mom or someone who has it all together—for three reasons. Because her voice, like yours, deserves to be heard and respected and honored. I think this will encourage A LOT of Moms so you feel seen. And you may want to ask/request that your husband listen to this as an early Mother’s Day gift so he really u...

The normal parenting strategies don't work with strong-willed kids! You are doing all the things you are supposed to do. The time-outs, behavior charts, and taking away phones are not changing your kids' behavior--whether they are toddlers or teens or adopted. Kirk gives you specific action steps that DO work with kids of all ages. 

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5 Things I Feared About My Son & His Future #470

Our son had extremely intense meltdowns, got in trouble routinely at school, didn't study or try his hardest, had a messy bedroom, and left lights on everywhere. Diagnosed with an alphabet soup of labels, he didn't listen, did argue, and underperformed in school. How did we address these issues and did we really have reasons to fear for his future? This is both very pract...

Moody Child Who Blames YOU? 5 Ways to Avoid Emotional Collisions #467

You have a child who is moody and disrespectful. You tell her that attitude is not tolerated in your home. She keeps coming at you. You try staying calm, but eventually everyone ends up yelling and you impose consequences. She then blames you for her attitude. How can you stop this vicious cycle? Kirk gives you five specific action steps and a script.

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Why Kids Refuse Homework (ADHD), Fight Siblings & Argue #468

Do you have kids who argue like attorneys, pick on siblings, resist doing homework, procrastinate, and/or do things the hard way? Kids who chew on things, talk loudly, like to push buttons? Of course you do! Kirk gives you scripts and practical action steps to stop the constant power struggles and fights!

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Why Won't My Child Apologize? Disrupts Family/Sibling Dynamic #467

Your child says something mean to her sister. She knows it's wrong. But when you ask for a simple apology, she digs in and refuses. How can you get contrition instead of a forced, fake apology? Do you have a child who is great one-on-one, but then disrupts the entire family dynamic when you're all together? Kirk shows you practical ways to navigate these tou...

Q&A: Kids Interrupt On Phone, Co-Parenting, Kids Who Lose It When Lose Games, Focus in Classroom #466

How can you stop your kids from interrupting while you’re on the phone? How do you handle a child who loses it emotionally (in front of all the other parents!) when he loses a game? How can you co-parent better when you have joint custody? How can you improve focus in the classroom? You find something grown up in your t...

Stop Lying & Stealing. Help for Adopted Kids. Alternatives to Spanking? #465

Most of our kids lie and you may be surprised why. Many of our kids—especially our adopted kids—steal. Kirk gives you creative strategies and scripts to stop the lying and stealing while building trust (without spanking or yelling).

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Defiant, Disrespectful Child: A Script to Repair Your Relationship #464

You have a challenging child who says disrespectful things to you. You would be justified in punishing this child, but that won’t fix the underlying relationship that’s strained or broken. This is a powerful real life story with a script and action steps to repair this relationship with a strong-willed child. Share with Dads.

These ideas are from the...

Adoption #2: Kids Who Never Seem Full or Happy, Unhealthy Attachments, Separation & Sleep Issues #463

In this special episode, Kirk addresses these specific issues from parents of adopted kids:  Our son will attach himself to anyone who gives him positive or negative attention. Our daughter always wants to be attached to only me and won’t separate. Our child has a "love bucket" with a giant hole in the bottom. Our kids ...

Q&A: Kids Who Complain, Compete with Siblings, Quit Sports? Anxiety and OCD Issues? Teen Priorities? #462

Do you have kids who complain incessantly and seem like they are miserable (especially when you’re supposed to be having fun!)? Should you allow a child to quit a sport? How can you help a child anxious and obsessed over something? What should we focus on in the teen years? How do you handle kids who one-up each oth...

3 Easy Ways to Change Your Child’s Behavior Quickly (Discipline That Works!) #461

What is one easy way to change your kids’ behavior that has nothing to do with changing them? How can you teach your kids impulse control and delayed gratification? Want to replace behavior charts with a tool that will get to the root of the behavior? Kirk shares over a dozen practical strategies you can begin ASAP to change your family. These...

Do Adopted Kids Struggle More? Part #1 #460

Parents often believe if you adopt a child from birth and provide a loving home, that will mitigate most issues. It doesn’t usually work that way. There is no judgment here. Just the reality that trauma triggers different issues. That can manifest in kids with an insatiable craving for intensity, sensory pressure, connection, food, and things. Adoptive parents should not feel guil...

A Life-Changing Script for Kids With Negative Self-Talk (Forgetful, ADHD) #459

Do you have kids who react angrily, lash out, or have a meltdown when you correct them or remind them to do something? Does your child struggle with short-term memory or forgetting things? Do you have a child who beats himself and says things like, “I am so stupid!”? It can be painful to watch this and hear the negative self-talk. Kirk provides a...