For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young ...
2: Rethinking Expectations, Extracurricular Resistance, Talking About Death and Hiring a Caregiver with Neeti Narula.
In this episode, I sit down with Neeti Narula, a yoga and meditation teacher and creator at Melissa Wood Health. Neeti is also a mom to son Lokan (5) and daughter Rooni (2).
Together, we explore the common struggles parents face when their expectations for their children clash with where their kids are emotionally or developmentally—especially around topics like separation and trying new things. For example, how do we respond when we’re eager to see our child join friends in an activity, but they resist? When do we honor their hesitation, and when is it helpful to encourage them to push through? What’s really behind our own triggers in these moments?
We also dive into the sensitive topic of talking to our kids about death and personal loss, sharing thoughts on how to approach difficult conversations without feeling the pressure to have all the answers.
We end the episode with Neeti seeking guidance on what to consider when hiring a caregiver for her children.
Key Takeaways:
When we understand our own discomfort around our children’s readiness, we become better equipped to support them through challenges rather than simply pushing them forward.
It’s often less about the activity itself and more about giving our kids opportunities for growth and exploration.
Sometimes, our default mode is to rush—but leaning into natural consequences, like the simple experience of being late, can be a more effective motivator than we realize.
Talking about death often feels scarier for us than for our kids. We don’t need perfect answers; it’s okay to say, “I’m not ready to talk about that yet.”
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1: Getting Stuck on the "Little Things" and Raising a "Slow to Warm Up" Child with Neha Ruch
In this episode I sit down with Neha Ruch, the founder of Mother Untitled, the first platform dedicated to discussing women taking career pauses and leaning into family life.
Neha has two kids: Lyla, age 6 and Bodie age 9.
Neha and I talk about getting stuck on the "little things" that don’t feel so little in the moment—like when our kids insist on wearing certain clothing—and how we can project our own feelings around their self expression. For example, the thought “People will judge me as a parent if my child wears this again!” We also discuss how our kids' expressions of discomfort, such as not wanting attention on their birthdays, can get under our skin. Lastly, we explore the experience of raising "slow-to-warm" kids.
What we learned in this episode:
Our children’s assertiveness can be empowering when we move past our own hang-ups.
Honoring who our kids are—especially when they express such a clear sense of self—is challenging but crucial.
There’s a real difference between shaming/guilting a child and helping them become more aware of others.
Our kids' behavior does not define our success as parents—we have to trust the long game.
When we’re so fixated on “fixing" our child, we miss the opportunity for our own personal growth.
Neha’s book, The Power Pause, is a guide to career breaks after having kids, rebranding stay-at-home parenthood for a new generation of women and families. The Power Pause comes out January 14th, 2025.
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47:41
We Didn't Turn Out Ok Trailer
For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young children. I've connected with so many parents through my social media account, texts, calls, and leading moms' groups. When we have open, honest and vulnerable conversations—no matter who you are as a parent—that's how we connect, learn and grow. We also discover so much about ourselves and how that plays into our parenting. That's why I created We Didn't Turn Out Ok—a podcast where you'll hear real conversations about challenges we face in parenting, hear how we uncover the roadblocks, often from our own stuff, and listen to how we work through what's often keeping us stuck. There will be professionals in the field, noteworthy guests and everyone in between.
Using my own parenting journey and approach—combined with research-backed best practices—I am determined to help us all move forward from our areas of where we "didn't turn out ok." Every guest will be sharing openly and honestly knowing that it will help them grow as a parent but will also help all of you listening.
Welcome to We Didn't Turn Out Ok.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For the last two decades, I've worked closely with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents—listening, guiding and supporting families and their young children. I've connected with so many parents through my social media account, texts, calls, and leading moms' groups. When we have open, honest and vulnerable conversations—no matter who you are as a parent—that's how we connect, learn and grow.
We also discover so much about ourselves and how that plays into our parenting. That's why I created We Didn't Turn Out Ok—a podcast where you'll hear real conversations about challenges we face in parenting, hear how we uncover the roadblocks, often from our own stuff, and listen to how we work through what's often keeping us stuck. There will be professionals in the field, noteworthy guests and everyone in between.
Using my own parenting journey and approach—combined with research-backed best practices—I am determined to help us all move forward from our areas of where we "didn't turn out ok." Every guest will be sharing openly and honestly knowing that it will help them grow as a parent but will also help all of you listening.
Welcome to We Didn't Turn Out Ok.
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