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Parents aren’t “supposed” to get mad—at least, that’s the unspoken rule many of us have been taught since childhood. But in this episode of Quiet Confessions, Chelsea gets real about anger: what it’s telling us, why it’s not the enemy, and how they’re learning to let it exist without shame.
From blow-drying their hair and throwing their back out to navigating chronic health struggles, Chelsea shares how the smallest tipping points often carry the weight of everything that’s been building underneath. They talk about letting their kids see them feel all the feelings, why anger is information, and how to move through it without hurting ourselves or others.
If you’ve ever swallowed your frustration because “good parents don’t get mad,” this episode is your permission slip to feel it, name it, and still know you’re doing enough.
Key Takeaways:
- Anger isn’t bad—it’s information.
Feeling mad doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful or failing. It’s a signal that something is wrong, needs aren’t being met, or boundaries are being crossed.
- We’ve been conditioned to hide anger. Many people are taught from childhood to “be nice” and “calm down,” creating patterns of swallowing frustration well into adulthood and parenting.
- Small moments can be tipping points. Throwing their back out while blow-drying their hair became a breaking point because of everything already weighing on them.
- Letting kids see emotions is healthy. Pretending to be endlessly patient isn’t realistic—and doesn’t teach kids how to handle their own big feelings.
- Moving through anger matters. The goal isn’t to eliminate anger but to let it pass without bottling it up or hurting others—through talking, writing, moving, or simply naming it.
- You can be mad and still be a good parent. Anger and love, frustration and gratitude—these feelings can co-exist without canceling each other out.
Soundbites:
- “Anger isn’t bad—it’s a signal. It’s telling you something’s wrong.”
- “You can be mad and still be a good parent.”
- “We don’t have to rank our anger or justify it. If you feel it, it’s real.”
- “Letting kids see us feel all the feelings teaches them how to handle their own.”
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Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection
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