Episode 16

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Published on:

1st Jun 2022

Why doesn't validating my anxious child work?

The episode answers a listener submitted question which was much longer: “I’ve been following your instagram and listening to your podcast for sometime. You tell people to validate their child’s feelings but this does not work. It doesn’t calm down my child or make her less anxious so why are you recommending it?"

That's a great question and gave me the opportunity to explain how the answer lies in adjusting our expectations.

This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only. 

While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.

This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.  No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.

In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.

Mentioned in this episode:

🌟 READY TO FIND YOUR ROOM TO BREATHE?

Parenting has never been more challenging especially for empathetic parents of sensitive kids. TELL ME IT WILL BE OK: The Practice is a weekly, guided practice that gives quiet, calm, reflective space for you to connect with your wisdom and intuition. For July, we're writing about and exploring the topic of ANGER -- ours, our own, and what we are trying to understand about it. 🧡 This is not a list of things you’re doing wrong. 🧡 This is not advice. 🧡 This is a place to remember what you already know. Learn more and get a free session by going to OpenBookParenting.com

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About the Podcast

TELL ME IT WILL BE OK
a parenting podcast with Dawn Friedman MSEd
Tell Me It Will Be OK is the conversation for parents of anxious kids who have read all the books, listened to all the experts, and still feel like something is missing.

Host Dawn Friedman, MSEd, has spent over thirty years in the trenches with families as an educator, family case manager, and clinical counselor. She knows that in a world of climate crisis, political upheaval, and digital noise, there is no such thing as a "quick-fix" script or a one-size-fits-all solution. Parenting bright, sensitive, and anxious children requires more than just a new technique—it requires a paradigm shift.

Each week, Dawn moves beyond the "how-to" to dig into the "why" and the "what now?" through:
--Deep-Dive Interviews: Conversations with researchers, activists, authors, and practitioners who look at the big picture of raising children today.

--Practical Wisdom: Evidence-based clinical insights (including SPACE and infant-toddler mental health) applied to the messy reality of daily life.

--The "No-Need-To-Be-Perfect" Philosophy: Shifting away from anxious perfectionism and toward the inner wisdom that helps us connect with our kids when things are hard.

To learn more about Dawn and the work that she does, you can check out her site, Open Book Parenting.

About your host

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Dawn Friedman