Top Episodes To Improve Your Parenting Episodes

Do your kids struggle with tantrums, power struggles, or emotional meltdowns—and you’re not sure how to stop the cycle without yelling or harsh discipline ? After posting on Instagram about how we raised our 7 kids without yelling, punishments, or power struggles , we received so much interest and questions from parents wanting to know— is it really possible ? Yes, it is —and in this episode, we share exactly how we did it. Raising emotionally healthy, well-adjusted kids starts with creating a s...

Feeling torn between your big dreams and the tiny humans in your care? Do you ever wonder if you’ll ever have the time, energy, or space to pursue the big dreams in your heart — while you're still night nursing, co-sleeping, and managing tantrums between business tasks? You're not alone. In this episode, Rachel gets real about what it takes to be an ambitious mom in the baby and toddler years — and why the real secret isn't doing it all right now... but doing what matters most and learning to tr...

Do your kids constantly bicker, tattle, or compete for attention? Are you tired of breaking up fights and wondering if sibling rivalry is just normal ? In this episode, we dive deep into how we've navigated sibling dynamics while raising seven kids —without letting rivalry and resentment take over our home. We share the simple but powerful habits that have helped us create a strong family culture where our kids actually like each other and feel secure in their individual roles. You’ll learn why ...

This episode explores the critical role of psychological safety in parenting, highlighting how well-meaning strategies can unintentionally harm a child’s sense of trust and connection. Using a listener’s painful experience as a springboard, the discussion clarifies that true attachment parenting respects a child’s autonomy rather than enforcing compliance. Rachel and Greg unpack how control-based methods, even under the guise of connection, can erode emotional safety. Instead, they offer practical guidance for building a home environment rooted in trust, emotional intelligence, and respectful boundaries—so children feel safe, seen, and supported as they grow.

This episode highlights the core principles of attachment parenting, especially for parents feeling overwhelmed by their child’s emotional intensity. Responding to a listener’s struggle with burnout and clinginess, Rachel and Greg unpack how behaviors like tantrums or constant reassurance-seeking are signals of unmet attachment needs—not signs of spoiling or weakness. Through real-life strategies, they show how attachment parenting fosters emotional resilience by prioritizing presence, co-regulation, and connection over control. Listeners will learn how to meet their child’s needs without sacrificing their own well-being, creating a calm, connected home built on trust, empathy, and long-term emotional health.

Are you struggling with finding the balance between 'guiding' your kids' choices and empowering them with real (but frightening) agency? In this episode, we answer a listener’s thoughtful question about how to support their kids in developing individual agency while still fostering a strong, supportive parental attachment and safe environment that protects from real risk without being overly controlling and 'helicoptering'. This listener wonders if their parenting approach might be leaning more ...

This episode focuses on how to raise emotionally resilient children by avoiding common parenting habits that unintentionally undermine trust, confidence, and connection. Drawing from their experience raising seven kids, Rachel and Greg share what they never do—like using sarcasm, harsh discipline, or ignoring small issues—in order to foster a positive, emotionally safe environment. Through small, consistent choices, parents can nurture emotional maturity and equip their children with the coping skills needed to handle life’s challenges. Whether you're parenting toddlers or teens, this episode offers practical tools for building a resilient and thriving family culture.

In this episode, Greg and Rachel Denning highlight the importance of Emotional Awareness in transforming family dynamics and improving parenting. They explore why changing our emotional state can feel unnatural and difficult, and how to make those changes authentically rather than masking our true feelings. Through practical tools like gratitude, thought awareness, and physical movement, they show how cultivating emotional awareness helps us understand the root of our emotions, shift our energy, and foster more genuine, positive interactions—especially with our children.

In this episode of the Extraordinary Family Life podcast, Greg and Rachel Denning share powerful new year motivation for parents seeking to inspire and guide their children. They discuss the importance of setting goals, embracing discomfort, and preparing kids to face life’s challenges with resilience . By modeling adaptability and growth, parents can foster a supportive environment where their children learn to thrive, not just listen . The Dennings emphasize that identity transformation— shift...

In this episode of the Extraordinary Family Life podcast, hosts Greg and Rachel Denning dive into practical strategies for managing resistant children and helping them develop positive routines and habits . If your child struggles with resistance or has difficulty adjusting to structure, this episode is for you. Greg and Rachel explore how small changes in family dynamics —like improving self-awareness, fostering emotional connections, and creating flexible routines— can make a significant diffe...

In this episode of the Extraordinary Family Life podcast, hosts Greg and Rachel Denning explore the challenges parents face when encouraging their children to practice musical instruments , emphasizing the role of music in promoting lifelong learning and brain development . They tackle the common struggle of balancing practice with enjoyment , and share strategies to foster a love for music while building skills. One participant from their 28-Day Challenge asks, “How do you address problems with...

In this episode of the Extraordinary Family Life podcast, hosts Greg and Rachel Denning delve into the complexities of the parenting journey , emphasizing the critical nuances that can shape vastly different outcomes for children. They explore the delicate balance between control and freedom, advocating for a parenting style that allows children to make their own decisions within a safe, supportive environment. The Dennings share invaluable insights on teaching decision-making skills, the import...

In this episode of the Extraordinary Family Life podcast, hosts Greg and Rachel Denning share powerful insights on Proactive Parenting , revealing how to raise kids who develop into responsible, confident teens—teens you not only want to spend time with, but who genuinely want to be with you as well. For the first time ever, Greg and Rachel are joined by special guests Brian and Sam, two seasoned parents who offer fresh perspectives and practical advice on navigating the parenting journey. Toget...

In this compelling episode, Greg and Rachel Denning reveal a crucial insight: being a good person does not automatically make you a good parent. They argue that effective parenting requires a specific set of skills that can be learned and developed . Join them as they delve into how mastering these parenting skills will help you be a better parent and can drastically reduce discipline problems and create a more harmonious home environment. Greg and Rachel discuss the importance of shifting focus...

Welcome to "Raising Teens Today," where Greg and Rachel Denning challenge the norms of parenting teens in today's world and give you strategies for thriving, not just surviving. The Dennings share personal anecdotes that unravel the joy and unexpected friendship that can blossom during the teenage phase and why your child's teenage years can be some of the best years of YOUR life! They emphasize the profound impact of early emotional connections and underscore the critical roles of sleep, nutrit...

If you're NOT a new parent, you still want to listen to this episode -- because it may help you to understand WHY you have the current relationship you do with your children and/or your spouse because of things that happened or did NOT happen during the baby and child-rearing phases ! But this episode came in response to this question which we received: "My husband and I have been married for a little over two years and we are expecting our first baby in the Fall. We've both listened to and love...

RESOURCES: Let us help you in your extraordinary family life journey. How We Raised 7 Well-Adjusted Kids - Without Yelling, Tantrums, Punishments or Power Struggles (+ get THE CHECKLIST: Things We Do Every Day to Raise Well-Adjusted Kids) Rachel’s ⁠⁠ Must-Read Booklist for Well-Read Moms⁠⁠ Greg's ⁠⁠Recommended Reading List for Parents & Youth⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@worldschoolfamily⁠ or ⁠@greg.denning⁠ Don’t miss out on the Extraordinary Parent Mentoring Method class! Get Rachel's ⁠⁠ Family...

Do you want to develop a parenting style and family culture that nurtures instilling values through individual autonomy INSTEAD of through parental control? Parents face many challenges -- and the temptation to control their children -- when they are overly attached to specific outcomes for their family. Greg and Rachel emphasize the importance of letting go of control and cultivating an environment that encourages children to make their own choices and paradoxically is better at actually creati...

Would you love to know how to EFFECTIVELY & correctily discipline your kids? (There is a wrong and right way.) Would you like to be able to discipline without the drama, yelling, punishing, or nagging, AND do it in a way that strengthens your relationship with your child in the short and long term? Sound too good to be true? Trust us, it's actually possible. In this episode, we share not only our personal experience raising and disciplining our 7 children -- but also what we've learned by workin...

If you've been a parent long you know that parenting often feels like a series of problems to solve. This is accurate. So it only makes sense that if you become a better problem-solver, you will become a better parent. Continuing on the theme from the last episode about how to create family stability, we explain HOW to improve your problem-solving skills -- and how to do it without damaging relationships or becoming controlling and domineering. We also explain how to PREDICT and PREVENT problems...

"I'm feeling sooooo burnt out of motherhood... My kids are fighting so much . Last week we did a 'no fighting' challenge for 7 days. They did pretty well and each got a prize. This week has been a total dumpster fire . I keep circling back to me. Making sure I am good, but I'm just not. I feel so drained at the end of my day after so much fighting . Any advice?" Conflict is often seen as an unavoidable part of family life —whether it’s sibling rivalry, marital disagreements, or parenting struggl...

We received a great question from a mom which we answer in today’s episode. Just a reminder — we love receiving questions. Feel free to ask us anything by visiting podcast.extraordinaryfamilylife.com where you can leave us a voice or text message. This mom asked: “I have a 13-year-old daughter. She gets homework from coop & every week it’s a battle. I remind her about her assignment- she says yes, I know… and gets mad at me every time I bring it up but then either doesn’t do it or is up late th...

In this episode, it seems as though we start talking about one subject and end with another. Yet, they are connected. We begin discussing how to deal with children who are ‘high spirited’ with minds of their own (which can sometimes be aggravating or embarrassing) and who grow up feeling ‘not good enough’ or as though there’s something wrong with them because of the constant correction they receive. We also mention the ‘quiet’, ‘good’ kids that ‘go along to get along’ but who internally might be...

Welcome to today’s episode, we’re coming to you from Vienna, Austria this time. We just finished leading a WWII trip where we learned about the start of the war with the invasion of Warsaw, visited Auschwitz & Birkenau concentration camps, and explored Krakow and Vienna. We love to receive questions from listeners, coaching clients, and members of the Extraordinary Family Life Formula . One question we’ve received more than once in the last month is about misbehavior in young children . What do ...