What's Really Happening in Your Child's Brain During a Meltdown?
What if your child's most frustrating behavior wasn't defiance at all but their survival brain doing exactly what it was designed to do? Kate Mason sits down with Mary Willow, founder of Plum Parenting, parent mentor, author, and educator with more than 35 years of experience supporting children and families. With a remarkable background spanning nursing, midwifery, and early childhood education, Mary has helped thousands of parents across New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom better understand what's really happening inside their child's developing brain. Her new book, Breaking Through: How to Rescue Childhood and Heal the Parent-Child Relationship, introduces a transformative framework; the "true child" versus the "guard dog", that gives parents the language and insight to finally understand children's behavior at every stage. This episode is a gift for every parent who has ever felt confused, exhausted, or like they're doing everything right and still missing something. Listen for: 5:03 What made Mary Willow realize parents were missing something essential about child behavior? 10:13 What are the three stages every child moves through — and why do most parents not know about them? 28:21 Why do so many parents accidentally end up parenting the survival brain instead of the true child? 32:51 What is the "guard dog" brain and how does it hijack even the best parenting moments? 35:00 What is the one thing Mary wants every parent listening to take away and use today? Guest Mary Willow Website | Mary's Book| Facebook | Instagram Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click Contact Kate: Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X
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