How to build resilience in children by allowing them to fail with Jessica Lahey

How to build resilience in children by allowing them to fail with Jessica Lahey

Author: Cindy Hovington, Ph.D. February 24, 2025 Duration: 1:12:25
Send us Fan Mail We discuss the essential balance of parenting, focusing on how allowing children to fail fosters resilience and independence. Jessica Leahy shares insights from her book, The Gift of Failure, highlighting the dangers of over-parenting and the need to embrace failure as a part of learning. • The significance of letting children experience failure • Over-parenting and its effects on children's autonomy • Emphasizing the process of learning rather than the end resul...

Parenting is often described as a series of reactions, but what if the real work happens in the quiet moments before the reaction? Reflective Parenting by Curious Neuron moves beyond simple tips to examine the internal landscape of a parent's mind. Hosted by Dr. Cindy Hovington, a neuroscientist and mother of three, this podcast digs into the core idea that overwhelm isn't about one bad moment, but the gradual accumulation of unchecked stress. Each episode is a journey into understanding the 'why' behind our feelings-why a child's behavior can trigger such intensity, and why that flash of insight often comes too late. Dr. Hovington uses her scientific background not to offer rigid prescriptions, but to provide a framework for self-awareness. You'll hear her personal reflections alongside conversations with clinicians and other experts, making complex neuroscience accessible and immediately relevant to daily family life. The goal is to build a space for curiosity about your own triggers and patterns. This isn't about achieving perfect calm, but about recognizing your own emotional signals sooner, creating a buffer between feeling stressed and reacting from that place. Tune into this podcast for a thoughtful, evidence-informed companion on the path to becoming a more present and regulated parent, one reflective moment at a time. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to parent from a place of understanding, rather than from sheer exhaustion.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Reflective Parenting by Curious Neuron
Podcast Episodes
Your Triggers Aren’t a Parenting Failure — They’re a Signal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:16
Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever ended a night thinking, “Why did I snap again?” — this episode is for you. Today, we’re diving into what’s really happening in your brain and body when your child pushes your buttons. Beca…
The reason you snap at your kids (and what you can try instead) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:34
Send us Fan Mail Hi Reflective Parents! This week, we are talking about something I keep hearing from parents which is snapping at our kids even when we are working on ourselves by learning about parenting or even going…
Why parenting advice won't help you stop snapping at your kids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:30
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…
Are you having unhealthy conflict? Here's what science says. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:16
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 (…
Relational Savoring: The Neuroscience of Calm and Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:37
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.…
What Many Parents Get Wrong About Toddler Behavior [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:17
Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, Devon Kuntzman and I dive deep into what’s really happening inside your toddler’s brain when they lose it — and how you can respond without spiralling yourself. We unpack why your chi…
The missing skill that helps parents and kids stay calm: Interoception [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
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…