Connected Parenting

Many parents are carrying a quiet but persistent sense of uncertainty. The headlines, world events, and constant flow of information can leave families feeling like life is less predictable than it once was.

In this episode, Jennifer continues the conversation about fear and uncertainty, exploring what it means to parent when this isn't just a temporary moment but an ongoing emotional climate. She explains how children often absorb the emotional atmosphere around them and why they look to the adults in their lives for a sense of safety and stability.

Jennifer shares practical ways to support children through uncertain times without pretending everything is okay or overwhelming them with fear.

This episode is a reminder that although we can't remove uncertainty from the world, we can create homes where our children feel safe, connected, and confident enough to navigate whatever comes next.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Staying Grounded for Our Kids: Introduction and Context (00:00)
Understanding the Emotional Loop in Families (02:06)
Practical Strategies for Parents (03:42)
Creating a Safe Space at Home (05:02)
Implementing Rituals and Self-Care (07:35)
Structuring the Day for Predictability (10:17)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

Many parents notice something surprising after family life begins to improve. Their child is calmer, relationships are stronger, and the home feels more peaceful, yet they still feel anxious, unsettled, or like they’re waiting for something to go wrong.

In this episode, Jennifer explores why this happens and explains how the nervous system can remain stuck in a state of high alert long after the stress that created it has passed.

She offers reassurance for parents who feel confused by lingering anxiety, reminding them that there’s nothing wrong with them. Their nervous system is simply learning how to trust safety again, and with patience, awareness, and self-compassion, it can learn to settle into the calm they've worked so hard to create.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Understanding Parental Emotional Dynamics (00:00)
Nervous System Adaptation to Stress (01:14)
The Elastic Band Response (03:25)
Signs of Improvement in Child Behavior (04:42)
Family System Rebalancing (05:59)
Parental Self-Care and Patience (08:58)
Normalizing the Healing Process (10:03)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

Sibling conflict can be one of the hardest parts of parenting, especially when the fighting feels intense, personal, or mean. These moments can leave parents feeling overwhelmed, protective, and wondering if they’re doing something wrong.

In this episode, Jennifer explores why sibling conflict feels so activating for parents and explains that what looks like bad behavior is often developing brains, big emotions, unmet needs, and dysregulated nervous systems colliding. Siblings naturally compete for attention, fairness, autonomy, and connection, and when stress levels rise, so can conflict.

Listen in to hear Jennifer break down what children are actually learning through sibling conflict and why these difficult moments can become opportunities for building emotional regulation, communication, and resilience.

She shares practical strategies for staying regulated yourself, avoiding referee mode, creating safety during big moments, and helping children repair afterward. Because sibling conflict isn’t usually a sign something is wrong in your family, it’s often where some of the most important learning happens.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Why Sibling Conflict Feels So Hard (0:00)
What Sibling Conflict Is Really Teaching Kids (02:30)
The Brain Science Behind Sibling Fights (05:00)
Understanding Sibling Roles and Family Dynamics (07:00)
How Parents Can Respond During Big Moments (10:00)
Teaching Repair, Connection, and Lifelong Skills (12:30)
Final Thoughts: Conflict Is Practice, Not Failure (14:00)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

These intense moments of a panic attack can come on suddenly and feel terrifying, whether you’re experiencing one or witnessing your child go through it.

In this week's replay I’ll help you understand the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack, what’s happening in the brain during these episodes, and most importantly, how to respond in a calm, supportive, and effective way.

You’ll learn practical strategies to help your child feel safe, grounded, and empowered when panic takes over, and how to support their overall emotional well-being going forward.

Whether you're navigating this now or preparing for the future, this episode is full of essential tools and compassionate insight to help your family through.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Understanding Panic Attacks (00:00)
Differences Between Panic and Anxiety Attacks (02:11)
The Impact of Panic Attacks on Parents and Children (03:22)
Strategies for Managing Panic Attacks (07:33)
Practical Techniques for Calming Down (13:39)
Long-Term Management and Therapy (21:59)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

While summer may seem exciting from an adult perspective, for children it represents a major emotional transition. They are saying goodbye to routines, teachers, classmates, and familiar structure while stepping into the uncertainty of what comes next.

Even positive changes can feel overwhelming, especially for highly sensitive children, kids with ADHD, gifted children, or kids who struggle with transitions. And because children often communicate stress through behavior rather than words, these feelings can show up as silliness, irritability, emotional outbursts, or lower frustration tolerance.

In this episode, Jennifer explains why children experience this time of year so intensely and how parents can support them through the transition into summer with more understanding and connection.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Understanding the Emotional Shift in Kids Before Summer (00:00)
Children's Perception of Time and Seasonal Changes (02:28)
Impact of Teachers' Exhaustion and Seasonal Changes (05:02)
Summer's Effect on Children's Routine and Structure (06:30)
Practical Tips for Supporting Children During Summer (07:36)
Balancing Activities and Social Events (10:28)
Encouraging Connection and Understanding (11:00)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).