Are you caught in the crossfire of the parenting wars? Tired of being told you're either too soft or too strict? Has someone made you feel guilty for apologizing to your child—or for holding a firm boundary?
In this episode, Jennifer tackles the false dichotomy that's tearing apart mom communities and church small groups alike: gentle parenting vs. authoritarian parenting. She unpacks the fear that's actually driving both sides of the debate, clears up the dangerous confusion between gentle and permissive parenting, and introduces a framework she calls compassionate parenting—an approach rooted in both faith and science that starts not with the child's behavior, but with the parent's posture.
Whether you lean toward gentleness or firmness, this episode will challenge you to look beneath the surface of your parenting reactions and ask: Am I responding from love or from fear? If you've been told that kindness equals weakness or that apologizing to your kids undermines your authority, this episode will set the record straight—and give you permission to parent from compassion without abandoning boundaries.
This is the first in a larger series on compassionate parenting, with expert interviews and deeper dives coming soon.
📖 In This Episode
[00:00] Welcome to Episode 117: Compassionate Parenting—A Better Way Forward
[01:42] The parenting wars: gentle vs. authoritarian and the social media noise
[04:01] The false dichotomy—why it's not an either/or
[05:36] The real driver behind the debate: fear
[08:10] The "too much and not enough" tension at the heart of parenting
[09:48] Gentle vs. permissive: clearing up the confusion
[11:02] Why apologizing to your child is strength, not weakness
[13:00] What brain science tells us about children's behavior and development
[15:25] How we project our feelings onto our kids—and how to stop
[16:18] Introducing compassionate parenting: what it is and why it's different
[19:55] Where faith and science meet: God's design for development
[21:01] The new ebook announcement: Compassionate Parenting: Where Faith Meets Science
[22:33] Closing encouragement: compassion is not weakness—it's the bravest thing you'll ever do
🎁 Featured Resources
NEW: Compassionate Parenting: Where Faith Meets Science (Ebook) — Jennifer's upcoming ebook for the parent who loves their children and loves Jesus and is tired of being told they can't honor both. Pre-order now and receive a free summary of the book's main points while you wait! 👉 Pre-order Here - https://practical-family.kit.com/products/compassionate-parenting-book
Dream Reconnection Journal — Ready to reconnect with the dreams that got buried under the daily grind of motherhood? This journal features easy-to-follow prompts that take just 15 minutes each. Use it as a 7-day journey, once-a-week practice, or complete it all in one intentional day.
Available in Three Formats! https://jennifer-bryant.com/dream-reconnection-journal-landing/
The OVER Framework - Are you overwhelmed and need practical help getting unstuck? Download Jennifer's free OVER Framework to help you move from chaos to clarity: https://practical-family.kit.com/01508b2fd7/index
💬 Connect with Jennifer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferbryant__ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferloganbryant Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jenniferbryant__ X: https://x.com/JennBryant_hi TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferbryant__ Website: https://jennifer-bryant.com
📬 Subscribe & Share
Love this episode? Subscribe to the Enough Mom Podcast so you never miss an episode! New episodes drop every Tuesday with conversations that help you move from overwhelmed to confident—from comparison to calling. https://practical-family.kit.com/ba0032ec67/index
Share this episode if you know a mama caught in the parenting wars who needs to hear that compassion is not weakness. Send her this link and let her know: she's exactly the parent her kids need.
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👋 About Jennifer Bryant
Jennifer Bryant is the host of the Enough Mom Podcast and an educational leader with 25+ years of experience. As a homeschooling mother of two teenagers and founder of PracticalFamily.org, she helps moms break free from comparison culture and step into confident, authentic parenting through her three-pillar framework: courage, confidence, and calling.
Jennifer has spent the last 25 years teaching teenagers public speaking skills, but what she's really teaching them is how to be vulnerable, how to risk being seen, and how to fail well and get back up again. Through tournament season, she's learned as much about resilience and breaking free from shame as her students have—and she's bringing those powerful lessons to mothers everywhere through the Enough Mom Podcast.
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Disclaimer: Jennifer Bryant is not a licensed professional counselor. The content shared on this podcast is based on personal experience and educational research. For professional mental health support, please consult a licensed therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us
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