Episode Details

Ever notice how a bedtime standoff, a backtalk moment, or a flat-out refusal can turn into you against your kid? Jesse sits down with Mo & Tona Ottinger for an honest look at what happens when parenting starts to feel like a competition, and why "winning" a moment can quietly cost you the relationship. This one includes real, unfiltered stories (including a New Year's Eve bedtime battle that's now family legend) and a simple mindset shift that changes how you handle the next hard moment.

What we cover in this episode

• Why parenting can start to feel like you're on opposite sides of the net from your own kid, and how to get back on the same team

• The difference between winning an interaction and being "rightly related," and why the second one matters more long term

• A real, unfiltered bedtime story about doubling down that went sideways (and the do-over that followed)

• What to do when your expectations and your child's needs are out of sync, especially with kids who struggle with big behaviors

• A simple practice for slowing the moment down mid-conflict so you can respond instead of react

Resources mentioned

• Cultivate Connection On Demand: ETC's parenting course, referenced for its "before, during, and after" framework

Connect with us

Have a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Send your idea to info@empoweredtoconnect.org

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Risk of Winning in Parenting
• (00:05:49) - On Winning and Losing
• (00:09:15) - What Does It Look Like to Support a Child's Bedtime Sleep
• (00:15:07) - How to Be Right All the Time with Your Child
• (00:17:52) - How To Approach a Parent's Bedtime
• (00:26:20) - Alexandra on Collaborative Parenting
• (00:35:25) - The Importance of Helicopter Parenting
• (00:43:00) - Slow Down With Your Child
• (00:50:51) - Slow Down in the Moment