What if the thing making parenting feel impossible isn’t you, but the way our world flips risk and connection on their heads? We sit down with Dr. Seth Scott—counselor educator, assistant dean, and dad—to unpack why raising kids in today’s culture can feel like sprinting uphill with a phone in each hand. From earlier individuation and eroding community to the tug-of-war over when to give a child a phone, we trace how isolation sneaks in, why symptoms deserve curiosity, and where parents can reclaim steady ground.
We walk through the biggest modern pressure points: the myth of constant safety, the very real hazards of unfiltered online life, and the rising expectation that parents should always know, always respond, always fix. Dr. Scott offers a whole-child framework—biological, psychological, social, and spiritual—that helps reframe “acting out” as a signal. Sometimes the right move is protein and bedtime, not punishment. We dig into how tech can numb discomfort just enough to stall growth, and how to rebuild the muscles of boredom tolerance, conflict repair, and resilience so kids can handle real-life stress without spiraling.
Parents aren’t sidelined in this story. Using the reservoir-and-dam metaphor, we explore emotional self-awareness, practical outlets that prevent evening meltdowns, and the power of tag-teaming with a spouse or trusted community. The aim isn’t perfect parenting; it’s “good enough” parenting grounded in consistent love, clear limits, and thoughtful repair. You’ll leave with language for tough transitions, ideas to delay or right-size phones, and confidence to see behavior as information, not defiance.
If this conversation helps you breathe a little easier, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a quick review so more parents can find it. What hard place are you navigating right now?
