Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled - podcast cover

Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled

JLML Presswondery.com

In the 25+ years Janet Lansbury has worked with children and parents, she's learned a lot. She's here to share it with you. Each episode of Unruffled addresses a reader's parenting issue through the lens of Janet's respectful parenting approach, consistently offering a perspective shift that ultimately frees parents of the need for scripts, strategies, tricks, and tactics.

Janet is a parenting author and consultant whose website (JanetLansbury.com) is visited by millions of readers annually. Her work informs, inspires, and supports caregivers of infants and toddlers across the globe, helping to create authentic relationships of respect, trust, and love.

Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at NoBadKidsCourse and JanetLansbury. Her best-selling books “No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline without Shame” and "Elevating Child Care: A Guide to Respectful Parenting" are available in all formats at Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and free at Audible with a trial subscription.

Featured in The New Yorker, recommended 'Best Parenting Podcast' by The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, The Cut, Fatherly, Today's Parent, and many, many more.

Please note: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and advice presented on this podcast by Janet Lansbury and her guests are based on their training and experience. Opinions are offered in good faith but do not constitute professional, psychiatric, or medical advice, neither are they intended to be. You do not have to use this information, and it should not be substituted for qualified medical expertise.

Copyright JLML Press (2025) All Rights Reserved


Episodes

The Upside of Toddler Tantrums

A parent is uncomfortable with her toddler's tantrums because her child seems so unreachable at these times. The parent's instinct is to reach out, soothe and reassure her child, but she realizes there is no way to get through to her when she's in the midst of it. She's hoping Janet has advice for how she might connect with respect and compassion.  Janet's 'No Bad Kids Master Course' is available for pre-order on her website www.janetlansbury.com or at NoBadKidsCourse.com . See Pr...

Dec 20, 202215 minEp. 263

Nurturing a Deeper Connection to Nature and Heritage (with Ashley Causey-Golden)

Educator Ashley Causey-Golden was drawn to Montessori principles but felt something missing that she longed to provide: cultural relevancy. She wondered, "What would it look like to create a Montessori space that uplifted, affirmed, celebrated Black children?" Fulfilling this desire has been a journey of discovery and grace (with a lot of mistakes along the way). Ashley's ultimate success gave her the courage to pursue another passion: nature education. As the co-founder of Gather Forest School ...

Dec 13, 202235 minEp. 262

Best Ways to Encourage Independent Play

Janet addresses a parent’s concerns about her daughter’s unwillingness to play independently. She seems to need constant stimulation and entertainment. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at www.nobadkidscourse.com or www.JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common infant/toddler parenting issues, please check out Janet's books in paperback at Amazon and in audio at Audible. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#...

Dec 06, 202223 minEp. 261

Navigating Get-Togethers with Relatives, Friends, and Their Kids

We may not always agree with the parenting styles of our relatives and friends, and that's okay. Get-togethers can still be enjoyable, positive social experiences for us and for our kids. In this episode, Janet offers her perspective on some of the common challenges that arise in gatherings with friends, family, and in public situations with other kids and parents. Her suggestions include:  How to set ourselves up for success Being proactive, rather than reactive Effective intervention...

Nov 29, 202226 minEp. 260

It's Hard to Feel Compassion for Unreasonable Emotions

A concerned parent writes that her 3-year-old seems to be in a constant state of frustration or anxiety, and she makes outlandish demands and cries when she doesn’t get her way. While this mom tries to be compassionate, it’s getting more and more difficult, and she worries that her own postpartum anxiety may have modeled the behavior. She’s looking for healthy ways to help them both cope. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at wwwnobadkidscourse.com and www.JanetLansbury.com . For m...

Nov 22, 202221 minEp. 259

Raising Creative, Critical Thinkers in a Commercialized World (with Susan Linn)

Janet's guest is psychologist, writer, researcher, and Harvard lecturer Susan Linn. For decades, Susan has been a passionate advocate for our children and a steadfast fighter against the infiltration of Big Business and Big Tech into kids' lives (and parents' pocketbooks). In an eye-opening discussion, Susan describes how digital culture is designed to indoctrinate children into consumerism and brand loyalty, and how it's geared to create dependencies on games and devices for stimulation and soo...

Nov 15, 202238 minEp. 258

End of the Day Crazies with Kids

Many of us imagine late afternoons or evenings with our children as the perfect time to wind down and connect after a busy day. Unfortunately, this is often precisely when our children need to unload the day’s stresses. Which means that instead of enjoying restorative quality time together, we're faced with challenging behavior, high emotions, and discontent. Janet unpacks some of the reasons why evenings can be so difficult for kids and what we ...

Nov 08, 202226 minEp. 257

Boundaries We Need and Deserve (with Nedra Tawwab)

Janet is joined by Nedra Tawwab: therapist, relationship expert, and author of the NY Times best-seller “Set Boundaries, Find Peace.” Nedra and Janet discuss how our personal boundaries with friends, family, co-workers, and children are crucial for building positive, healthy relationships. Nedra emphasizes how boundaries begin with being kinder to ourselves. "We are in relationships from the time we're born,” Nedra says, “and the biggest relationship, the most consistent relationship we have is ...

Nov 01, 202226 minEp. 256

When We're Too Late to Stop the Behavior (Now What?)

A parent with a family in transition writes about a series of mischievous and sometimes destructive incidents perpetrated by her toddler. She’s wondering how to address these situations, especially after the fact when the deed is already done. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at NoBadKidsCourse.com and JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common parenting issues, please check out Janet's best-selling books on Audible. Paperbacks and e-books are also available at Amazon, Go...

Oct 25, 202222 minEp. 255

The Beauty of Sleep (with Eileen Henry)

Sleep is an essential element of our happiness and well-being. If our child is not sleeping, then chances are good that we aren’t either. Many families are content with the sleep situations in their households, and more power to them. Others seek advice and solutions because they struggle night after night. Still others fear that making any kind of change in their approach could threaten their attachment bond and are resigned to waiting months, even years, for their children's sleep pa...

Oct 18, 202233 minEp. 254

How Sportscasting Helps Kids Develop Social Intelligence

Janet responds to a mother who writes that she tries to sportscast disagreements between her older two children, but since the 2-year-old isn’t verbal yet, “it’s hard when I don’t really know what he’s thinking.” She’s wondering how to sportscast situations effectively without making assumptions about what her boy may be thinking or feeling in that moment. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at www.nobadkidscourse.com and www.JanetLansbury.com . Janet's exclusive audio series "Sessi...

Oct 11, 202215 minEp. 253

Stressed by a Child's Demands for Attention

A frustrated parent who describes herself as “desperate for help” seeks advice about her persistent, high-energy 2.5-year-old, who dominates her and her husband's time and energy with relentless demands to be the focus of their universe -- all day, every day. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common parenting issues, please check out Janet's best-selling books on Audible. Paperbacks and e-books are...

Oct 04, 202224 minEp. 252

Teaching Our Kids Patience

Our children's impatience and low tolerance for frustration can… well, test our patience! In this week's episode, Janet responds to a question from a listener about how to teach a toddler to be more patient. Janet considers what patience really means to a child, how it develops, and how our expectations as parents and caregivers may get in the way. Her recommendations (as is often the case) may be surprising and counterintuitive. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at nobadkidscours...

Sep 27, 202219 minEp. 251

Independent Play, Meltdowns, Boundaries -- Success Stories from My Inbox

A parent who’s always been her toddler’s playmate helps her child over the hump to flourish in independent play. Another parent learns to set boundaries, shift her perspective, and accept her child’s meltdowns. Janet shares a special milestone and much more in this latest episode of Unruffled. Thanks to Ritual for sponsoring this episode. Janet's new "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at www.NoBadKidsCourse.com and www.JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common parenting issues, please ...

Sep 20, 202222 minEp. 250

How to Avoid a Stand-Off When Kids "Disobey"

Janet responds to a parent who wonders how to react to her daughter's consistently stubborn behavior. "I feel like I have a set of tools to handle my 4-year-old daughter's outbursts of emotions, but I am at a loss for what to do when she stoically disobeys or ignores me altogether." Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  JanetLansbury.com . For more on respectful parenting solutions, please check out "Sessions", Janet's collection of recorde...

Sep 13, 202226 minEp. 249

Help Me Stop Yelling at My Child

Janet responds to an email from a parent who says that lately, she has found herself yelling at her 3-year-old, who’s been having a difficult time since the birth of her brother. She realizes that yelling is not helping her daughter, and it’s not the parent she wants to be. “I’ve really lost control of this parenting thing and need a reset.” Janet new "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at www.NoBadKidsCourse.com and www.JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common infant/toddler parenting...

Sep 06, 202212 minEp. 248

Childhood Wounds We Never Knew We Had (Until Kids) with Dr. Jean Cheng

Clinical psychologist Jean Cheng joins Janet to discuss the puzzling, painful, and self-defeating feelings that our children's behaviors can bring up in us as parents. No matter how well educated and prepared we are for this role, we might find ourselves overwhelmed and viscerally reacting by yelling, threatening, or "checking out." Often the answer lies in our own childhoods, in subtle wounds and traumas we may have had no awareness of before becoming parents. Dr. Cheng describes the myriad of ...

Aug 30, 202234 minEp. 247

Hitting, Screaming, Calling Us Names (and What We Can Do About it)

Janet helps a struggling parent understand her spirited toddler’s aggressive behavior and offers suggestions to respond more effectively. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  JanetLansbury.com . Janet's exclusive audio series "Sessions" is available for download. This is a collection of recorded one-on-one consultations with parents discussing their most immediate and pressing concerns (www.SessionsAudio.com). See Privacy Policy at https:/...

Aug 23, 202223 minEp. 246

Lessons, Sports, and Hobbies: A Child-Led Approach

How do we help our children benefit from the privilege of extracurricular activities? At what age should we enroll our kids in lessons and sports? Janet has a child-centered approach that not everyone will agree with, but she believes is "too good not to share." She discusses how parents can discern their child's readiness and describes the benefits and challenges of making readiness our priority. She shares how her approach keeps the big picture in mind while also saving time and money and alle...

Aug 16, 202224 minEp. 245

Easing Our Children's Transition to School

It can be so hard to separate from our children sometimes! Particularly if they cry, seem anxious, or strongly object. How can we prepare our children (and ourselves) for a successful transition? Janet responds to emails from two different families struggling with goodbyes at school drop-off and offers recommendations for a helpful and respectful approach to handling all transitions and separations. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  Jan...

Aug 09, 202220 minEp. 244

Validating Feelings Isn't Working

The practice of acknowledging our children's feelings and struggles can provide healing, calming messages of safety and acceptance. With a genuine tone and a few words, our acknowledgments can help children share pent-up emotions, feel seen and heard, and gradually regulate, which in turn eases problematic behaviors. However, parents commonly share with Janet that validating feelings doesn't work for their child and feels more like an exercise in frustration. Janet speaks to some of the common r...

Aug 02, 202219 minEp. 243

When Your Kids Won't Give You a Break

The mother of two boys feels they are constantly testing her limits and always at her side demanding attention. They won’t allow her a moment to handle daily chores like laundry or cooking, never mind her personal needs. “They think it’s funny, “ she writes, “and I undoubtedly lose my patience. I feel like they just don’t listen to whatever limit I’ve set.” Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common ...

Jul 26, 202215 minEp. 242

Is 'Gentle Parenting' Too Extreme and Impossible?

Janet shares an exchange she had with a parent who wonders how anyone can possibly live up to the extreme idealism of "gentle parenting." She writes: “It sounds so lovely… but it’s also crushing to never be able to live up to despite having all the tools and knowledge.” While "gentle parenting" is not a term Janet uses, she understands that it's a catch-all for recent discussions and news articles about parenting philosophies. In response, Janet shares her own mental and emotional struggles as a...

Jul 19, 202225 minEp. 241

Boosting Your Child's Self-Confidence

We all aspire for our children to grow up with a positive self-image and an abundance of self-confidence. When life throws our child a dilemma, it’s our natural instinct to want to fix it, or at least work them through the uncomfortable feelings with a pep talk. In this episode, Janet answers questions from three listeners and offers a more helpful – albeit counterintuitive – perspective that can help children learn resilience and find the kind of confidence in themselves that lasts a lifetime. ...

Jul 12, 202228 minEp. 240

Boundaries That Encourage the Most Positive Sibling Relationships

A mother writes that her toddler son “can’t keep his hands off” his 10-month old sister. She describes his demeanor as a mixture of excitement and affection, but she also senses an undertone of aggression. She wants them both to feel her support when they’re together in one space, but she finds herself either holding him back or removing the baby altogether. “I’d like to find a safe way for them to engage with each other,” she writes. “At least sometimes.” Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is ...

Jul 05, 202217 minEp. 239

Don't Let Your Kids Miss Out on Play (with Kisha Reid)

Early childhood expert Kisha Reid joins Janet in a lively conversation about the often overlooked and underestimated benefits of play-driven learning and how we can nurture these lifelong gifts for our children. Kisha and Janet discuss the magic of trusting children to discover and develop their passions and how our fears, misperceptions, and impatience as parents can get in their way. Reid weighs in on how to balance free play with lessons, sports, and other extracurriculars and whether parents...

Jun 28, 202240 minEp. 238

What to Do Instead of Time Out

Janet shares an exchange with a mom requesting "alternatives to time out when natural consequences aren’t appropriate." The parent wonders how to intervene with her toddler when she is possessive and aggressive around other kids. For more advice on common parenting issues, please check out Janet's best-selling books on Audible. Paperbacks and e-books are also available at Amazon, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books. Janet's exclusive audio series "Sessions" is available for download...

Jun 21, 202215 minEp. 237

Helping Our Children Say "I'm Sorry"

The mother of a four-year-old is frustrated that her child will never say “I’m sorry" when he's done something wrong. She has tried both gentle and more forceful approaches, as well as attempting to help him understand the spirit and intent of an apology, all to no effect. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  JanetLansbury.com . For more advice on common parenting issues, please check out Janet's best-selling books on Audible. Paperbacks a...

Jun 14, 202214 minEp. 236

When Troublesome Behavior Continues... and Continues

Our children's repeated behaviors can be baffling, exhausting, and sometimes infuriating, particularly after we've tried everything we can think of to make them stop. What are we missing? In this episode of ‘Unruffled’, Janet shares some of the common reasons behaviors persist and offers her actionable suggestions for helping our children (and ourselves) get unstuck. Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at  NoBadKidsCourse.com  and  JanetLansbury.com . For more advice ...

Jun 08, 202231 minEp. 235

Balancing the Needs of More Than One Child (with Erica Orosco Cruz)

How does respectful care work when we have more than one child? What can we do when siblings, multiples, and other groups of children seem to need our attention all at once? Janet's guest is early childhood specialist Erica Orosco Cruz, a mother of 4 and the founder/director of Homeschool Garden, a childcare center and preschool/kindergarten for children ages 1-6. Erica trained with Magda Gerber. She encourages parents to allow their children to participate actively in their own care, empower th...

May 24, 202241 minEp. 234