The Whole Parent Podcast

This episode is a departure from Jon’s usual Q&A format—a reflective, narrative-style episode that zooms out to explore how words quietly shape who our kids believe they are. Beginning with the now-famous classroom experiment by Jane Elliott, Jon traces how labels don’t just describe behavior—they produce it, often long after the moment has passed.Parents will walk away with a deeper awareness of how subtle cues, implied expectations, and everyday language shape a child’s nervous system, identity, and sense of possibility—and a gentler, more curious lens for noticing which versions of their kids (and themselves) are being invited to exist. Send us a textSupport the showLinks to help you and me: To support the Podcast, Subscribe on Substack Get Jon’s Top Five Emotional Regulation Games Get Jon’s Book Punishment-Free Parenting Preorder Jon’s Children’s Book Set My Feelings Free Follow Whole Parent on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Youtube

In this episode, Jon unpacks the moment every parent dreads—when a child looks at you and says, “You can’t make me.” Rather than framing it as defiance or disrespect, he explores what’s actually happening in a child’s nervous system when power struggles show up. Parents will walk away with a calmer lens, a clearer understanding of why control battles escalate, and practical ways to lead with confidence, reduce friction, and protect connection—without giving up boundaries. Send us a textSupport the showLinks to help you and me: To support the Podcast, Subscribe on Substack Get Jon’s Top Five Emotional Regulation Games Get Jon’s Book Punishment-Free Parenting Preorder Jon’s Children’s Book Set My Feelings Free Follow Whole Parent on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Youtube

Find out YOUR Parenting Type CLICK HEREIn this episode, Jon introduces the Seeker parent: the caregiver driven by curiosity, depth, and a longing for what feels real and alive. Centered on the tension between freedom and responsibility, he explores how authenticity can become both a gift and a hiding place, especially when big feelings or obligations feel suffocating. Parents will walk away feeling deeply seen, with language for their restlessness, insight into how emotional intensity shows up in parenting, and reassurance that their unfinishedness is not a flaw, but a source of connection, creativity, and trust. Send us a textSupport the showLinks to help you and me: To support the Podcast, Subscribe on Substack Get Jon’s Top Five Emotional Regulation Games Get Jon’s Book Punishment-Free Parenting Preorder Jon’s Children’s Book Set My Feelings Free Follow Whole Parent on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Youtube

Find out YOUR Parenting Type CLICK HERE'In this episode, Jon introduces the Driver parent: the caregiver who leads with momentum, decisiveness, and an instinct to move things forward. Grounded in the belief that safety comes from action, he explores how strength can quietly turn into control when vulnerability feels risky. Parents will walk away with language for their leadership instincts, insight into how power and connection can coexist, and reassurance that slowing down doesn’t diminish their strength—it makes it usable.Send us a textSupport the showLinks to help you and me: To support the Podcast, Subscribe on Substack Get Jon’s Top Five Emotional Regulation Games Get Jon’s Book Punishment-Free Parenting Preorder Jon’s Children’s Book Set My Feelings Free Follow Whole Parent on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Youtube

Find out YOUR Parenting Type CLICK HEREIn this episode, Jon introduces the Nurturer parent—the caregiver who leads with empathy, emotional attunement, and an instinct to make everyone feel okay. Centered on the tension between care and self-erasure, he names how deep connection can quietly slide into over-responsibility, especially when worth gets tied to being needed. Parents will walk away feeling deeply understood, with language for their strengths, clarity around their blind spots, and reassurance that their value was never meant to be earned through endless giving.Send us a textSupport the showLinks to help you and me: To support the Podcast, Subscribe on Substack Get Jon’s Top Five Emotional Regulation Games Get Jon’s Book Punishment-Free Parenting Preorder Jon’s Children’s Book Set My Feelings Free Follow Whole Parent on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Youtube