Episode Details

Send a text

What if the fastest way to change your child’s behavior is to change how you show up? We sit down with parent coach and author Sue Donnellan to unpack why yelling fails, how Montessori principles build independence, and what it takes to lead the culture of your home with clarity and calm. From the chaos of going from one child to triplets to discovering behavior psychology, Sue shares the exact reframes and systems that helped her move from reactivity to results.

We explore the core shift of treating kids as “adults in training,” which replaces control with collaboration and dignity. Sue walks us through “parenting in advance,” a repeatable approach to solving recurring flashpoints—mornings, chores, screens—during low-emotion moments with short training conversations. You’ll hear how to ask questions to learn instead of to lecture, how to listen to receive rather than to reply, and why curiosity is the highest-leverage tool you have for conflict resolution and trust.

We also dig into expectation management, neutrality, and the art of intentional detachment as kids approach pre-teen years. Think of yourself as the bow and your child as the arrow: craft well, aim with purpose, then allow space for growth within boundaries. Along the way, we talk mantras, check-ins, and simple self-audits that keep you on track when life is loud. The payoff is a home where independence grows, honesty is safe, and your voice is heard without raising it.

If you’re ready to swap shouting for structure and power struggles for partnership, press play. Then share your biggest daily sticking point—we’ll help you reframe it on a future episode. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass this to a caregiver who needs a hopeful, practical reset.

Support the show

SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST

WEBSITES

- Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON

- The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org

- The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com

YOUTUBE

- The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow

- Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou

FACEBOOK

- Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford

- Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc

- The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork

- The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow

INSTAGRAM

- https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/

TIKTOK

- https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc

LINKEDIN

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/

PODCAST PLATFORMS

- Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC

- Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291

CONTACT EMAIL

- sjchildsllc@gmail.com