Raising Boys & Girls

Sissy Goff and David Thomas sit down with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, to talk about helping kids—and parents—understand, express, and regulate emotions with wisdom and compassion. Drawing from his own story and decades of research, Marc unpacks why all emotions are information, explains the RULER framework in a practical, parent-friendly way, and offers concrete tools for navigating big feelings at home. From being an “emotion scientist” instead of a judge to learning how to observe rather than absorb our kids’ overwhelm, this episode is full of hopeful, actionable insights for raising emotionally healthy kids in today’s world.

Resources mentioned:


Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett


Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want by Marc Brackett

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Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . . 

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

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Sissy Goff and David Thomas welcome Devon Kuntzman, founder of Transforming Toddlerhood, for a practical conversation about what toddlers need most right now. Devon reframes challenging toddler behavior as communication—not defiance—explaining how immature brain development, limited language, and sensory overload shape big emotions. She encourages parents to focus on co-regulation, connection, and skill-building rather than punishment, offering realistic strategies for setting boundaries, repairing relationships, and weaving play into everyday routines. Devon reminds caregivers that progress—not perfection—is the goal, and that showing up as a calm, human presence lays the foundation for resilient, emotionally healthy kids.

Resources mentioned:


Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums, End Power Struggles, and Raise Resilient Kids---Without Losing Your Mind by Devon Kuntzman


Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton

. . . . . . 

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . . 

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode emphasizes that kids grow emotionally strong through five key needs: healthy boredom that creates space for creativity and self-direction, agency that helps them feel capable and in control within boundaries, opportunities to experience discomfort so they learn they can handle hard feelings, fortitude built by sticking with challenges over time, and parents who trust their own instincts rather than outsourcing confidence to overwhelming outside influences. Together, these practices help children develop resilience by facing difficulties with steady support instead of avoidance or overprotection.

. . . . . . 

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . . 

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order.HIYA: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sissy Goff and David Thomas explore the powerful, research-backed role of play in reducing anxiety, building resilience, and strengthening family connection. They unpack why unstructured play has declined, how play shapes kids’ brains and emotional health, and why adults need play just as much as kids do. The conversation offers five practical ways to bring play back into everyday family life—without pressure or perfection—and culminates in a joyful interview with Alex and Whitney Kimerling of Hootenanny Games, who share how screen-free games foster connection, confidence, and core memories across generations.

. . . . . . 

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . . 

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sissy Goff and David Thomas sit down with journalist and author Leland Vittert to talk about his memoir Born Lucky and the profound impact his father had on his life growing up with autism. Leland shares candid stories of adversity, resilience, and learning to navigate a world that wasn’t built for him—highlighting how character, hard work, and perseverance are formed not by removing hardship, but by walking through it with steady support. With honesty and hope, this conversation encourages parents that while they can’t erase their child’s challenges, their presence, belief, and commitment to helping their child do hard things can make a life-changing difference.

. . . . . . 

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . . 

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order

WAYFAIR: Get organized, refreshed, and ready for the holidays for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.

OUR PLACE: Stop cooking with toxic cookware, and upgrade to Our Place today. Visit fromourplace.com/RBG and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide.

HIYA: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices