Separation Anxiety, Meltdowns... The Solution Is Often in Our Face

Separation Anxiety, Meltdowns... The Solution Is Often in Our Face

Author: JLML Press January 20, 2026 Duration: 30:11
Janet responds to questions from two parents who describe their sensitive children struggling with separation, transitions, and general emotional overwhelm. One writes, “I go into panic mode when I see his eyes widen with worry,” while another admits, “I often see the meltdown coming… and don’t know how to help without making it worse.” Both parents admit they have their own strong emotional reactions to their kids' struggles including fear, guilt, and self-doubt. Janet points out how our own discomfort can exacerbate our children's, and how caring for ourselves is both compassionate and foundational to effective parenting. She offers solutions how these parents might more readily trust their children to feel and process their discomfort.  Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NoBadKidsCourse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JanetLansbury.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
Bedtime Battles  ("Losing Myself in Motherhood") [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:25
A parent writes that the bedtime routine with her 5.5 year old daughter has become an all-consuming marathon, and she feels exhausted, frustrated, and disconnected. "I don't enjoy motherhood right now," she says, "and th…
What to Say and Do During a Meltdown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:22
At the heart of Janet's parenting approach is respectful, honest communication between us and our kids beginning in infancy—which means observing and listening to kids at least as much as we talk to them. It also means w…
Parenting Is Too Hard? Consider Editing Your Job Description [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:03
No matter how we approach raising our children, there are times we'll feel physically, mentally, or emotionally exhausted. Maybe all of the above. We’re only human, of course, but it may also be that we're taking on more…
A Secret to Stop the Hitting and Hurting When All Else Fails [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:26
It's common for young children to go through phases of unwarranted aggression, usually directed at the ones they love most. Janet has noted that these phases are as uncomfortable for our children as it they are for us, a…
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…