Raising Children Who Still Tell Us the Hard Things | Raising Conscious Humans EP3

Our children will tell us things we don’t want to hear. What we do in that moment teaches them what to bring us next. In Episode 3 of Raising Conscious Humans, Hwee Keng Maeder and I talk about why “because I’m your parent!” isn’t the same as real authority, and what it looks like to hold the line without using fear. In this episode: •⁠ ⁠The day her youngest lost his MRT card, and why she didn’t bail him out •⁠ ⁠How she separates a child’s feelings from their actions •⁠ ⁠What she does when a teenage son’s friends worry her •⁠ ⁠What her sons have said that stung, and what she took from it •⁠ ⁠A moment she’s not proud of, and how she repaired it •⁠ ⁠The moment after the Olympic bronze when she knew her son had grown up Hwee Keng’s line I keep coming back to: “You want to be right or you want to be close. It’s your choice.” One day, Ollie and Keira will have something hard to tell me. I want to be the person they’re not afraid to tell. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:00 What Does Authority Without Fear Look Like? 00:01:58 Allowing Children to Own the Consequences of Their Choices 00:06:25 Respect vs. Fear: What Are We Actually Building? 00:08:32 Guiding Their Choices Without Taking Away Their Agency 00:12:58 When We Get It Wrong: Accountability and Repair 00:19:15 How Reframing Changes the Way We Parent 00:21:39 Knowing When to Step Away Before Emotions Take Over 00:23:04 Teaching Children to Disagree Without Disrespect 00:28:46 The Hidden Cost of Fear in Parenting 00:32:38 Helping Children Build Their Own Moral Compass 00:35:51 “Mum, I’m Not Your Friend. I’m Your Son.” 00:40:43 Do You Want to Be Right or Do You Want to Be Close? 00:43:17 What It Means to Raise Children Who Are Fit for Life Follow CLOSER on Instagram:   / closerwithrach   Follow Rachel here:   / ms_rach