Fighting Is Playing (Let the Kids Work It Out)

Fighting Is Playing (Let the Kids Work It Out)

Author: JLML Press August 19, 2025 Duration: 32:52
It's unnerving when our kids engage in conflict with siblings or peers, whether it's over a toy, their perceived 'space', or even our attentions. As emotions escalate, so does grabbing, pushing, and sometimes hitting. No parent wants to witness this, and our instinct tends to be to try to manage the situation by separating the warring factions, comforting hurts and disappointments, figuring out alternative activities our kids can engage in, or admonishing them to "share." But peer and, especially, sibling conflicts offer our kids crucial developmental opportunities. Janet offers her perspective and advice to a parent whose children are constantly battling. She discusses how we can support our kids to resolve and learn from their conflicts, and when and how they need us to intervene. Janet's "No Bad Kids" Master Course is available at NoBadKidsCourse.com. Please support our sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drawing from over twenty-five years of hands-on experience, Janet Lansbury brings a grounded, compassionate voice to the often chaotic world of raising children. Her Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled podcast, presented by JLML Press, isn't about quick fixes or following a strict rulebook. Instead, each conversation takes a real question or struggle from a parent and explores it with depth and empathy. What you'll hear is a thoughtful discussion that reframes common challenges-from tantrums to power struggles to sibling rivalry-through the principles of respectful parenting. Janet’s approach consistently moves the focus away from seeking control and toward understanding the child's perspective and fostering a genuine connection. This isn't about memorizing scripts or employing tactics; it's about a fundamental shift in how we see our children and ourselves within the family dynamic. Tuning into this podcast feels like having a wise, calm consultant in your ear, offering clarity and practical insights that empower you to respond with more confidence and less reactivity. The discussions in every episode aim to replace frustration with understanding, providing parents with a sustainable framework that honors both the child's development and the parent's need for a more peaceful home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled
Podcast Episodes
Obedience Is Not a Dirty Word [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:35
We all hope to raise polite, well-behaved kids who follow rules and comply with requests, assuming these are fair, just, and appropriate. We want our kids to not only respect us but other authority figures in their lives…
Parenting Problems Our Childhoods Create (and How to Fix Them) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:19
The root causes for our children's behaviors—especially the behaviors that most alarm and confuse us—are often confusing and complex. Sometimes, try as we might to understand and even reason with our child, the behavior…
Don’t Raise Your Kids in a Bubble [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:14
As parents, we're naturally protective of our kids' feelings and sensibilities, but as they mature and venture out socially, it's also our job to give them the tools they need to thrive in a variety of settings and with…
Helping Your Child Overcome Anxieties, Fears, and Rocky Transitions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:55
Transitions tend to be difficult for young children, and they express their struggles in a variety of concerning ways. They may be focused to distraction on particular random-seeming anxieties and fears. Worse, they take…
Negativity, Pushback, No to EVERYTHING [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:31
The parent of a 7-year-old describes writes that her daughter has become relentlessly negative and argumentative. "It feels like everything is a debate, and she says no to almost every request." As one of Janet's longtim…
Making a Successful Transition to Preschool (with Mr. Chazz) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:16
Janet welcomes a timely visit from iconic educator Mr. Chazz who shares how parents and teachers can help kids successfully transition to a new preschool or childcare situation. His focus is on trust and maintaining the…
How to Help a Strong-Willed Child (Without Wounding His Spirit) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:03
A parent describes her 4-year-old son as energetic, independent and strong-willed. While she appreciates her son’s enthusiasm and free spirit, she constantly struggles to reign him in and finds herself yelling, "You're n…
Validating Feelings Isn't Working [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:00
The practice of acknowledging our children's feelings and struggles can provide healing, calming messages of safety and acceptance. With a genuine tone and a few words, our acknowledgments can help children share pent-up…
The Help Toddlers Need With Aggressive Behavior [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:54
Janet responds to 3 messages from listeners who say their kids exhibit aggressive or violent behavior towards their peers, in one case "pushing, hitting, or attacking faces, sometimes without warning." While all these pa…
The Bad Advice I Gave About Toilet Training [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:25
In a previous "Unruffled" episode, Janet offered advice to a parent who was struggling with potty training. That parent wrote back recently to announce her daughter's 4-year saga had finally come to a successful conclusi…