Kids with Big Emotions Podcast

• 107 Finding Strength in the Everyday with Rose Couse

  Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.comSupport Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/Self Assessment form: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessmentBook a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall In this heart-opening conversation, I’m joined by an early childhood expert, parent coach, and grandma Rose Couse. With over 40 years of experience supporting kids, educators, and families, Rose shares powerful insights on parenting through grief, the true meaning of self-care, and how to shift from judgment to compassion in your parenting journey.We talk about the invisible load parents carry, the guilt that often surrounds taking time for ourselves, and how small, daily moments of awareness can help us better connect with our kids—and ourselves.Key TakeawaysSelf-care isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for parenting with presence and compassion.Awareness of your internal experience is key to helping your child regulate theirs.Regulation is contagious—your nervous system affects your child’s.Grief, stress, and trauma show up in parenting in subtle and powerful ways.You’re doing better than you think. Shifting your inner dialogue can change how you show up.Episode Highlights00:00 – Welcome and guest intro02:00 – Rose’s journey from early childhood educator to parent coach04:00 – The biggest surprise of parenting: It’s not just about the kids06:30 – Why parents need self-awareness to parent well08:15 – Parenting through grief and the invisible fear of not doing “enough”10:45 – Breaking generational patterns of putting yourself last12:30 – Why we admire others’ strength but struggle to see our own14:45 – The healing power of community and connection17:30 – What real self-care looks like (hint: it’s not bubble baths)20:15 – Understanding the “body budget” and parenting under stress23:30 – Why breathing for 12 minutes a day changes your brain27:15 – Simple grounding tools in the middle of chaos30:00 – Modeling emotional awareness for your kids32:30 – Joy as a parenting practice36:00 – The importance of celebrating small wins39:00 – Helping kids notice their own body signals and emotions42:00 – Three questions to ground yourself in hard parenting moments44:00 – Final thoughts and how to connect with RoseResources MentionedRose’s blog + parent coaching: http://www.rmcouse.ca/ Robin Gobbel – trauma-informed parenting educator: robingobbel.comAmishi Jha’s work on attention and focus – including her breathing practice researchLisa Feldman Barrett’s “body budget” concept – from How Emotions Are MadeRick Hanson’s “Velcro vs. Teflon” idea – from Hardwiring HappinessIf this episode...

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• 106 When the ‘Good’ Kid Isn’t Fine

  Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.comSupport Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/Self Assessment form: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessmentBook a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall Sometimes the child who seems “fine” — quiet, cooperative, and academically strong — is actually the one silently struggling. In this deeply personal episode, Andi shares what she recently discovered about her one son's hidden stress responses and executive functioning challenges, despite being the so-called “easy” kid of her two kids. She walks through the emotional rollercoaster of guilt, the importance of slowing down, and how “doing well” on paper doesn't always mean everything is okay underneath.Key TakeawaysJust because a child is quiet, compliant, or “gifted” doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling emotionally or cognitively.The turtle stress response (shutdown, avoidance, compliance) can hide significant executive functioning challenges.It’s easy to skip foundational skills when we’re anxious to “fix” the problem — even when we know better.Support begins with understanding where your child is truly struggling, not just reacting to behavior.Academic success doesn’t automatically reflect emotional regulation or executive functioning strength.Slowing down and building skills step-by-step is the real shortcut to lasting change.Episode Highlights[00:01:00] – What it means when the “good kid” isn’t actually fine[00:03:00] – The gifted child who won the “Silent but Deadly” award — and what it masked[00:05:00] – Signs of executive functioning struggles hiding beneath compliance[00:07:00] – When guilt kicks in: The parenting moment Andi didn’t expect[00:09:00] – Why compassion and collaboration beats punishment[00:10:00] – Learning ladders: Meeting kids where they’re actually at[00:13:00] – Helping kids in school when executive functioning is the issue[00:15:00] – Real-life changes that helped Andi’s son thrive[00:17:00] – Reframing school as executive functioning training[00:20:00] – A focus tool from Peak Mind by Amishi Jha that actually worked[00:21:00] – Letting go of grades as the only measure of success[00:23:00] – Why helping your child succeed means seeing what’s really going onResources MentionedBook: Peak Mind by Dr. Amishi Jha – A science-based guide to improving focus and attention: https://amishi.com/books/peak-mindSelf-Assessment Form – Understand hidden executive functioning and emotional struggles: Click here to access: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessment

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• 105 What Most Schools Miss About Learning with Allison Bourke

  Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.comSupport Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall When your child struggles with homework, meltdowns, or falling behind—especially when they’re bright—the issue may not be academic at all. In this episode, Andi sits down with Allie Bourke, owner of Oxford Learning in Waterloo, Ontario, to talk about how executive functioning shapes everything from learning and memory to focus, flexibility, and frustration tolerance.Allie shares insights from her 19+ years supporting kids through cognitive and academic assessments—and explains why understanding how your child learns is often more important than what they’re learning.Key Takeaways:Why executive functioning struggles often show up as academic issues, behavior challenges, or emotional outburstsHow standard report cards miss critical learning and cognitive skill gapsThe difference between the school system and individual teachers—and how to build collaborative supportHow to help your child when they “know it” but can’t show itWhy some kids shut down over homework even when the material is “easy”The role of flexibility, memory, inhibition, and self-monitoring in learning successHow parents can advocate more effectively (and when to bring in outside support)Episode Highlights:[00:00] – Andi introduces Allie and her background in child psychology and education[02:00] – Why so many kids struggle in school even when they’re bright[05:00] – What executive functioning looks like in everyday classroom behavior[07:30] – Real-life examples of cognitive inflexibility and how they impact learning[10:00] – The homework meltdown: why it’s not just about the math[12:00] – Executive functioning vs. academic level—when your child knows the answers but can’t get them on paper[15:00] – How Oxford Learning uses both academic and cognitive assessments to get a full picture[19:00] – Dysgraphia, working memory, and why testing format matters[24:00] – Why some parents shouldn’t be their child’s teacher—and how to recognize when to step back[30:00] – Talking to schools when expectations don’t match your child’s current ability[35:00] – What to do if your child is always chasing “perfect marks” but losing confidence[42:00] – Helping kids build self-awareness, pause before reacting, and choose recovery[45:00] – Final thoughts from Allie: don’t wait if you suspect something’s offResources Mentioned:FREE Dynamic Assessment (Reg. $275):Oxford Learning Waterloo is offering a free academic + cognitive assessment to Kids With Big Emotions podcast listeners!Offer expires May 31, 2025. Available in-person only at the Waterloo, ON location.👉 To book: 📧 Email: [email protected] 📞 Call: 1-519-725-3577 📍 Mention you heard about it on the Kids With...

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• 104 Your Child is Not “Too Much” – They’re Exactly Enough

  Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.comSupport Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall What if your child’s “too muchness” is exactly what the world needs?In this episode, Andi explores how children who are sensitive, intense, passionate, or deeply curious are often misunderstood, redirected, or told to tone it down—and how this can quietly create lasting emotional wounds. She breaks down the subtle, invisible forms of trauma kids experience when the world isn’t ready for their gifts and offers tools for helping your child celebrate who they are instead of shrinking to fit in.Whether your child is being told they’re “too loud,” “too sensitive,” “too smart,” or “too intense,” this episode will help you reframe those messages and support them in developing confidence, connection, and self-awareness—without ever having to change who they are.Key TakeawaysTrauma isn’t just big events—it’s anything that feels like too much, too soon, too fast, or too long.Many neurodiverse kids internalize subtle redirections and dismissals as proof that something is “wrong” with them.Kids who are deeply curious or emotionally intense may feel misunderstood unless we celebrate their “too much” instead of trying to fix or mute it.Teaching kids how to use a “dial,” not a mute button, helps them adjust to different environments without losing their identity.Supporting kids through their sensitivities and passions builds resilience and helps them develop a strong sense of self.Episode Highlights[00:00] – Opening reflection: Why kids are told they’re too much—and what it does to them[02:00] – Personal story: How a whiteboard and math at dinner challenged expectations[03:00] – Trauma redefined: Not just big events, but how experiences shape nervous systems[05:00] – The impact of being misunderstood or redirected as a child[06:00] – How feeling others’ emotions can be overwhelming—and how to manage it[07:00] – Breaking down trauma: too much, too soon, too fast, too long[08:30] – Academic mismatch: When a child’s intellectual level doesn’t match emotional readiness[10:00] – Sensory sensitivity: The real impact of smells, sounds, and environment[12:00] – Practical examples: Why 20 questions on a test might trigger a meltdown[14:00] – Personal school story: Being accelerated without emotional preparation[16:00] – The hidden trauma of chronic stress, boredom, or masking[18:00] – Supporting your child: Let them voice how they feel about being brushed off[19:00] – Creating safe spaces where “too much” is celebrated[21:00] – Teaching the concept of the emotional and behavioral “dial”[22:00] – Self-awareness vs. self-rejection: Supporting authenticity with boundaries[24:00] – Helping kids find their people and communities where they belong[26:00] – Mourning what we thought parenting would look like—and leaning into who our child really...

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• 103: How Your Story Creates Community with Courtney Hobbs

  Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.comSupport Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/In this powerful episode, Andi sits down with Courtney Hobbs, the heart behind MotherTelling, to explore how the simple act of sharing our motherhood stories can be deeply healing—not just for ourselves, but for others too. From NICU beginnings to stage-worthy stories, Courtney shares how storytelling builds connection, creates understanding, and reminds us we’re never alone.Key TakeawaysYour silence isn’t protecting you—it's keeping you isolated. Sharing your story invites connection and support.You don’t have to have the same experience to relate. Emotional truths like doubt, fear, and hope are universal.Telling your story helps others understand your world—especially in settings like school advocacy for your child.Stories are more impactful when told from a scar, not an open wound. Healing creates space for meaningful connection.Daily moments matter. Tracking even the tiniest memories can lead to powerful stories down the road.Episode Highlights[00:00] Meet Courtney Hobbs and the origin of MotherTelling [03:00] Why silence can make motherhood feel lonelier than it is [05:30] How shared stories create deep understanding across different experiences [07:00] The importance of using language others can relate to—especially when discussing neurodiversity [09:00] Tips for identifying jargon in your story and rewording it to connect with more people [11:00] Storytelling for advocacy: how to describe your child’s needs in a way schools can understand [14:30] What behaviors might look like at school and how parents can offer insights to teachers [18:00] Parents are the experts on their kids—don’t underestimate the knowledge you have [21:30] The impact of screens and the shift in focus and attention in the classroom [24:00] Helping kids use tech as a tool, not just a distraction [27:00] Movement and creativity in the classroom—and why they matter so much [28:30] Healing through storytelling: how the 10-week journey supports moms in finding their voice [33:30] Sharing from a scar, not an open wound: why timing matters in storytelling [40:00] The Daily Momment Challenge: capturing story-worthy “mom”ents from everyday life [42:00] Why collecting small memories can shift your mindset and preserve your legacyResources Mentioned🌟 Courtney’s Daily Momment Challenge – A 7-day guided journey to help you capture meaningful moments in your motherhood story: https://mothertelling.myflodesk.com/dailymomentschallenge 📓 MotherTelling Journals (Coming soon on Amazon!) – Sentimental and funny guided journals to help you keep track of story-worthy momentsOh they are available now https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=courtney+hobbs&crid=39IDBAT0MRBZU&sprefix=courtney+hobbs%2Caps%2C93&ref=nb_sb_noss_1...

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