You explain. You say, “I’m not discussing this anymore.” You say “No” five times. And still, your child argues with your decision. So you explain some more. You remind them why you said no. You tell them again that you’re not discussing it. You answer another “But why?” ou think you are taking charge and being decisive. But your children may be hearing something very different: They hear, “This is still up for decision.” Why does this keep happening? It’s a question I hear a lot. The answer...

I was reminded of this while booking an airline ticket. I'd found the perfect flight at a price that fit my budget. Halfway through booking, an error message appeared: That fare is no longer available. If I wanted the exact same seat on the exact same flight, I'd have to pay significantly more. My heart started pounding. I started sweating. The voice in my head screamed, "That's it. I'm never traveling again." Nothing dangerous had happened. Yet my body reacted as though it had. I couldn’t...

Photo of Sari starting to flip out. Last week, someone asked me for tools to help parents stay calm when their children are melting down. I answered, "Tell them to go ahead and flip out." The room got quiet. Why would I say that? Because I'm tired of parenting advice that holds parents to the impossible standard of staying calm no matter what. We are constantly told to breathe deeply, regulate our emotions, and respond with endless patience. And aren't parents human? Don't we have feelings,...