Bite Your Tongue: The Podcast

• Ways We Sabotage Connection with our Adult Children

  Send us a textReady to upgrade your relationship with your grown kids without losing yourself in the process? We sit down with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Francine Toder author of the amazing book:  "Your Kids are Grown: Parenting 2.O."  We unpack Parenting 2.0—the shift from managing to relating, from control to connection. If you’ve felt that knot in your stomach after a call, questioned whether your help is actually helpful, or wondered how to be close without being intrusive, this conversation offers a practical, hopeful roadmap.We dive into the subtle habits that erode trust:talking more than half the time, offering unsolicited advice giving gifts with hidden strings—and how to replace them with adult-to-adult skills: empathy, permission-based feedback, and clear agreements. Francine explains why tension can spike even after children are “launched,” how generational shifts created over-involvement, and why your body’s stress signals are a cue to pause, not push. We tackle money head-on, exploring when support fosters growth, how to set timelines and expectations, and how to recognize double messages that quietly sabotage connection.If you’re ready to listen more, judge less, and build a relationship that feels mutual rather than parental, this episode will meet you where you are and show you the next step. Pick up Dr. Toder’s “Your Kids Are Grown: Parenting 2.0,” grab her Parenting 2.0 tip sheet, and join our community as we grow on purpose.Please follow us on social media now.  It helps us so much. Facebook Instagram Huge thanks to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.  Support the show The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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• Tell Your Kids The Truth: A Dad, Three Sons and What he Wished he Knew

  Send us a textWe know this isn’t our usual topic about building healthy relationships with adult children—but when we met Joe Dooley, we knew we had to share his story.  Even if this episode helps just one person—it’s worth it.In honor of No Shave November, we’re taking a short detour to talk about prostate cancer—a subject that affects millions of families, often quietly. Joe, a 65-year-old living with advanced-stage prostate cancer, opens up about his journey from diagnosis to remission. He talks about what he wishes he had known, and why awareness and early testing matter so much.Joe puts it best:“Most men know their cholesterol level and their golf handicap, but don't know their PSA level - the key to early detection." (and "normal" is not always "normal")Joe's story proves why understanding age-specific PSA ranges (not just "normal and "abnormal" is critical for men over 40, especially those with family history or genetic risk factors (and the BRCA Gene matters!)This episode isn’t just about health—it’s about communication and connection. Joe shares how he’s been open and honest with his three adult sons about his diagnosis and treatment, and how those conversations brought them closer. His story reminds us that transparency and vulnerability can strengthen our relationships—especially during tough times.And ladies—this one’s for you too. As Joe says, partners and family members can make a real difference by encouraging the men in their lives to get tested and talk about their health.At the start of the episode, Joe shares a powerful quote that now sits proudly on my desktop. You’ll have to tune in to hear it—but I promise, you’ll love Joe and his story as much as we do.(note: Joe is not a doctor - this is a personal story from his experience and what he has learned.)Links: Joe Dooley The Full Story Huge thanks to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.  Email us at [email protected] with ideas/feedback.Please follow us on social media now.  It helps us so much.Facebook InstagramSupport the show The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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• Prep for the Holidays: You Can Do it - with Grace, Boundaries -- and Self-Awareness

  Send us a textThe holidays are upon us.  It's time to dig deep.Catherine Hickem, founder of Parenting Adult Children Today (PACT). Catherine shares a hopeful, practical roadmap for parents who want less tension and more trust—especially as the holidays bring everyone under one roof.We dig into why adult children often act different around their parents and how expectations, tone, and boundaries can either smother or strengthen the relationship.   We discuss:• the hidden cost of parental expectations on adult children• why rescues undermine confidence and fuel estrangement• shifting from advice to curiosity with practical scripts• separating our self-worth from kids’ choices• tone of voice as an anxiety dial in hard talks• setting and holding fair house rules when kids move home• preparing for holidays with boundaries, space and new traditions• grieving lost visions so joy can returnPlease follow us on social media now.  It helps us so much. Facebook Instagram  Huge thanks to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.  Check out Catherine’s free resource: Seven Keys To Talking With Your Adult Children at leaderpass.com/parenting-adult-children-today/previewSupport the show The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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• Episode Rewind: From Enabling To Empowering: Rethinking Parenting In The Age Of Anxiety

  Send us a textWe sit down with "therapist to the millennials"  Tess Brigham to unpack why the 20s feel overwhelming, how parents can ease anxiety without enabling, and what healthy support looks like in a world of constant comparison and blurred work boundaries. We also share a step‑by‑step plan for tapering financial help and end with three clear takeaways to guide tough conversations.• why questions beat lectures when adult kids call in crisis• social media’s role in comparison, urgency and the “by 30” myth• money stress, pandemic shifts and the gig economy• boundaries at work, after‑hours expectations and burnout• individuation, values and reworking family narratives• mother‑daughter friction and being seen without defensiveness• tapering financial support with timelines and transparency• three takeaways: coach, contextualise, acceptHuge thanks to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.  Email us at [email protected] with ideas/feedback.Please follow us on social media now.  It helps us so much.Facebook Instagram Support the show The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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• Grandparenting Without Overstepping: Love, Boundaries, and Listening

  Send us a textPlease follow us on social media - FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM -- we are building our brand and need your support!  On to today's episode:The first hug goes to your adult child. That simple shift sets the tone for everything that follows—and it’s the heartbeat of our conversation with Donne Davis, founder of the Gaga Sisterhood, who’s spent two decades helping grandparents build steady, loving connections without overstepping. We dive into the messy, modern realities of grand-parenting—new parenting norms, gift-giving traps, long-distance heartache, and the quiet art of biting your tongue—while keeping one mission clear: protect the bond with the parents so your relationship with the grandkids can thrive.We unpack why curiosity beats advice, offering word‑for‑word scripts that help you stay close without taking control. From the “anthropologist mindset” for approaching different sleep and feeding choices to setting gentle house rules in your own home, Donne shows how specific praise, reflective listening, and calm boundaries earn trust. We also explore the maternal vs. paternal grandparent dynamic, how to handle in‑law tensions, and why sustainable gifting and secondhand finds can align beautifully with younger parents’ values.Donne shares her L‑O‑V‑E framework and book - When Grand-parenting Isn't So Grand. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a fellow grandparent, and leave a quick review—your support helps us bring on more experts and stories you care about.Share your feedback about the episode by emailing us  at [email protected] biteyourtonguepodcast.com. Thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.  Support the show The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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