The Art of Raising Humans

When someone in your family gets angry, does it feel normal, uncomfortable, or like something you need to fix?
 
What if understanding that anger could help you feel closer?
 
Kyle and Sara Wester grew up with very different messages about anger. For Kyle, it was an everyday expression. For Sara, it was something to put away quickly. In this honest, sometimes funny conversation, they share how they’ve learned to understand each other and make room for anger without letting it run their family.
 
Together, they explore:
Why you and your partner may see anger so differently
When anger points to hurt or fear, and when it helps us recognize something that needs to change
How to talk about anger with curiosity and take responsibility for how you express it
What we want children to learn about feeling angry and speaking up without hurting others
 
Feeling angry doesn’t mean something is wrong with you or your child. Getting curious about that feeling can lead to conversations your family needs.
 
Start a conversation of your own: Find our free Parenting Together worksheet in the Resources section at artofraisinghumans.com.
 
View the full podcast transcript at: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/understanding-anger-how-it-can-help-your-family-connect
 
Visit our website and social media channels for more valuable content for your parenting journey.
 
Resource Website: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com
Video Courses: 
https://art-of-raising-humans.newzenler.com/
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The Art of Raising Humans podcast should not be considered or used as counseling but for educational purposes only.

Are kids being overprotected, or are some being given more freedom than they’re ready to handle? You want your child to become confident and capable, but knowing when to step back and when to stay close isn’t always simple.
 
In Episode 232 of Art of Raising Humans, parent coaches and licensed professional counselors Kyle and Sara Wester explore free range parenting, a topic drawing attention in the news. They discuss what it gets right about independence, play, and responsibility, where it raises concerns, and what parents can learn from the conversation.
 
Through honest stories from their own parenting, Kyle and Sara consider how to give children meaningful opportunities to grow while staying involved and connected. They also examine how fear, exhaustion, and avoiding another argument can influence when we say yes or no.
 
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What free range parenting means and why parents interpret it differently
How manageable challenges help kids build confidence and practice problem solving, judgment, and responsibility
Why readiness for independence involves more than age or doing something successfully once
How to tell when a child needs more preparation, supervision, or support before taking the next step
How to recognize when anxiety, exhaustion, or avoiding conflict is influencing your decisions
Four practical steps for considering your child’s next opportunity for independence
Ways to offer children and teens more freedom while maintaining clear limits and connection
 
Free range parenting raises worthwhile questions about what children need to grow. This conversation explores both its strengths and its limitations, helping you consider the freedom, support, and protection your child needs without asking you to adopt a parenting label.
 
A question to take with you:
What is the next responsible freedom my child is ready to practice, and what support would help it go well?
 
Have thoughts about free range parenting? We’d love to hear from you. Email Kyle at kyle@artofraisinghumans.com.
 
For free parenting resources and information about Parent Coaching, visit artofraisinghumans.com.
 
View the full podcast transcript at: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/free-range-parenting-what-it-gets-right-what-it-misses-and-what-kids-actually-need
 
Visit our website and social media channels for more valuable content for your parenting journey.
 
Resource Website: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com
Video Courses: 
https://art-of-raising-humans.newzenler.com/
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/artofraisinghumans
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/artofraisinghumans
Podcast Website: 
https://www.theartofraisinghumans.com
Book List:
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/booklist
 
The Art of Raising Humans podcast should not be considered or used as counseling but for educational purposes only.

Most parents know the question is coming: “Can I go to my friend’s house?” “Can I stay out later?” “Can I get a phone?” And sometimes, before we have even thought it through, the answer comes out: no.
 
Of course, kids need parents who protect them, guide them, and hold healthy boundaries. But saying no does not have to mean shutting every door. In this episode, Kyle and Sara introduce a simple shift: looking for a real “yes, and…”
 
“Yes, you can, and here is what needs to be true for that to work.”
 
This is not about giving in, saying yes to everything, or turning every request into a negotiation. It is about helping your child grow in freedom, responsibility, and good decision-making while you remain a calm, confident leader.
 
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why an automatic “no” can create more power struggles and distance
How to help kids feel heard without becoming permissive
What a real “yes, and” can sound like with phones, friends, activities, money, and independence
How to know when the answer should be “not yet” or a clear no
Common mistakes that make boundaries feel confusing or unfair
 
Your child does not need unlimited freedom. They need a parent who can help them grow into it, one wise decision at a time.
 
If you and your partner often land on opposite sides of these decisions, download our free Parenting Together Workbook to help you get on the same page: https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/together.
 
View the full podcast transcript at: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/how-to-say-no-without-a-power-struggle-the-yes-and-approach
 
Visit our website and social media channels for more valuable content for your parenting journey.
 
Resource Website: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com
Video Courses: 
https://art-of-raising-humans.newzenler.com/
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/artofraisinghumans
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/artofraisinghumans
Podcast Website: 
https://www.theartofraisinghumans.com
Book List:
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/booklist
 
The Art of Raising Humans podcast should not be considered or used as counseling but for educational purposes only.

Your child can know what to do—and still be unable to do it in a hard moment. When they struggle with something they managed yesterday, it is easy to assume they are being lazy, disrespectful, or simply choosing not to try. But what if there is more going on underneath the behavior?
 
In this episode, Kyle and Sara explore why a child who seemed capable yesterday may struggle today—and how parents can respond with curiosity, calm limits, and support instead of labels and shame.
 
This does not mean lowering expectations or letting behavior slide. Understanding what is underneath behavior helps us hold limits with more calm, stay curious instead of judgmental, and help our kids build the skills they still need.
 
In this episode, we discuss:
Why “lazy,” “defiant,” and “disrespectful” labels miss the full story
Why stress, hunger, exhaustion, and overwhelm can limit access to skills
How to notice “can’t yet” beneath what looks like “won’t”
How to hold limits without excusing behavior
How to help your child grow instead of judging them against a finished brain
 
Follow Art of Raising Humans for practical, relationship-first parenting tools each week. For personal support, visit www.artofraisinghumans.com.
 
View the full podcast transcript at: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/your-child-isnt-finished-yet-why-knowing-better-isnt-enough
 
Visit our website and social media channels for more valuable content for your parenting journey.
 
Resource Website: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com
Video Courses: 
https://art-of-raising-humans.newzenler.com/
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/artofraisinghumans
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/artofraisinghumans
Podcast Website: 
https://www.theartofraisinghumans.com
Book List:
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/booklist
 
The Art of Raising Humans podcast should not be considered or used as counseling but for educational purposes only.

You love the same kids. You probably even want many of the same things for them. So why can you and your spouse look at the exact same parenting moment and see it completely differently?
 
In this episode of The Art of Raising Humans, Kyle and Sara share more of their own parenting story—including the beliefs they brought into parenting, the conflicts they didn’t expect, and the very different approaches they initially had to sleep, big emotions, discipline, connection, and their roles as parents.
 
They talk openly about how childhood experiences, personality, fear, expectations, and even professional training can shape the way we respond to our kids—and why getting on the same page doesn’t mean becoming the same parent.
 
You’ll hear how they moved from judging each other’s approach to building a shared vision for their family, while still making room for their individual strengths.
 
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why different parenting styles can create so much tension between couples
How your own childhood can quietly influence the way you parent
Why shared long-term goals matter more than handling every situation identically
How to start moving toward a more connected, collaborative approach to parenting together
 
If parenting disagreements are creating tension in your marriage or leaving you wondering how you’ll ever get on the same page, this conversation will give you hope—and a different way to think about becoming a team.
 
Want help putting this into practice?
 
Download our free Parenting Together Workbook, created to help you and your spouse or co-parent talk through your different perspectives, uncover what’s shaping the way each of you parents, and begin building a more intentional, shared approach to raising your kids.
 
👉 Download the Parenting Together Workbook here: www.artofraisinghumans.com/parent-together-workbook
 
View the full podcast transcript at: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/when-you-and-your-spouse-parent-differently-how-to-get-on-the-same-team
 
Visit our website and social media channels for more valuable content for your parenting journey.
 
Resource Website: 
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com
Video Courses: 
https://art-of-raising-humans.newzenler.com/
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/artofraisinghumans
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/artofraisinghumans
Podcast Website: 
https://www.theartofraisinghumans.com
Book List:
https://www.artofraisinghumans.com/booklist
 
The Art of Raising Humans podcast should not be considered or used as counseling but for educational purposes only.