Recently, a number of parents in the Parenting Membership have posted in our community about challenges they've faced that they've navigated with grace that would have seemed insurmountable a couple of years ago.
Many of these are parents of children who are already through the toddler stage, and the parents are starting to see the tools they've been using come alive in their interactions with their children.
I thought: There's a podcast episode in that!
I asked parents to submit short videos to me responding to the question: What do you wish you had known about parenting when your children were young?
The resulting videos are collected, along with my commentary, in this week's episode.
The insights that these parents offer are profound. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say that you're not going to hear advice about a must-have crib or wipe warmer or toy.
This is advice about:
If you want to hear from parents who share your values and who have been in it for a while to know what's worth worrying about and what isn't, this episode is for you.
Join the waitlist and we'll let you know when enrollment reopens in May 2026. Click the banner to learn more.
Other episodes referenced in this episode:
085: White privilege in schools
SYPM 010: From anxious overwhelm to optimistic calm
Jump to highlights
01:40 Introduction of this episode’s topic
02:25 Jen admits that she didn't give much consideration to parenting before her daughter, Carys, was born
03:17 Jen shares how her journey into respectful parenting started through RIE
04:42 Parent Elizabeth reflects on her experience and shares what she wished she had known about parenting
06:33 The impact of unhealed trauma is reflected in the way we parent our children
07:21 How the arrival of a child can shift the balance in a relationship leading to conflict, even if both partners entered into the partnership as equals
09:05 The dynamics of patriarchal relationships
10:09 Parent Jenny reflects on her experience and shares what she wished she had known about parenting during the time she wasn't prioritizing her own need for sleep
12:29 Discussion on how patriarchal power structures can play out within the context of parenting and caregiving
13:48 Parent Jenny's decision to prioritize rest shows that her need for rest is legitimate and important
14:19 Our child expresses their unmet need by hitting
15:33 Parent Anne reflects on her visions about parenting and shares what she wished she had known about parenting
18:45 What is “Opportunity hoarding” among...
