Sustainable Parenting | Positive Discipline for Raising Resilient Kids

Flora McCormick, LCPC, Parenting Coach
  • 5.0 (119)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

For cycle-breaking parents who still face battles at bedtime and beyond, Sustainable Parenting teaches tools that actually change behavior when gentle parenting doesn't work. If your 6-year-old ignores you, your toddler screams over a broken banana, and bedtime still ends in tears—it’s not you, it’s the gentle parenting advice that’s failing you. Research shows 1 in 3 parents who try gentle parenting still end the day begging kids to listen and blaming themselves when the scripts don’t stop the tantrums. So unlike other podcasts that only tell you to “stay calm” or “validate feelings” while your toddler is throwing dinosaurs at your head, here you’ll get strategies to set limits kids respect without crushing their spirit so they grow into kind, confident humans, and you finally feel like the calm, in-control parent you want to be. I’m Flora McCormick—a counselor, parenting coach, and mom of two. After 20 years helping families worldwide, I’ve helped thousands of parents raise confident kids while practicing parenting without yelling or shame. Parenting will always have hard moments, but raising respectful, emotionally healthy kids doesn’t have to be a constant battle.  Follow Sustainable Parenting and start listening today. Popular Topics Include: Bedtime battles, Positive discipline, Gentle discipline, Gentle Parenting, Parenting differences, Discipline without yelling, Positive parenting strategies, Raising confident kids

  1. 1D AGO

    3 Secrets to a Smooth Spring Break

    Spring Break is supposed to be fun… so why does it so often turn into power struggles, sugar crashes, and exhausted parents snapping in hotel rooms? If you’ve ever planned a family vacation hoping for connection and memory-making — and instead found yourself negotiating screen time, battling over treats, and managing endless meltdowns— this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, I’m sharing 3 practical Positive Parenting strategies to help you create a smoother, calmer Spring Break without falling into chaos or becoming overly rigid. We’re talking about the powerful shift from expecting the best (and feeling disappointed when kids melt down) to planning for the worst and hoping for the best — so you can stay steady, confident, and kind-and-firm when challenges show up. Inside this episode: How to make clear agreements in advance (to stop power struggles before they start)The "Magic 5" (ie. the 5 most common vacation conflict areas) — and how to solve them.How to use those "carrots" (incentives) to your advantage — so you don't end up dragging your child out of a Starbucks or waterslide line, yelling or humiliated.✨If you want:✨ ✔️ Fewer meltdowns✨ ✔️ More cooperation✨ ✔️ And a Spring Break that feels connected instead of chaotic,✨ This episode will give you some of the best Positive Discipline tools to lead with kindness and firmness at the same time.   Press play before you pack your bags. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    13 min

  2. FEB 18

    146. Taming The Tiny Terrorist: How to Respond to Bossy or Demanding Kids

    Ever feel like a tiny terrorist runs your house? We’ve been there. Today we get honest about how well-meaning empathy can slide into indulgence, why that shift burns parents out, and how to reclaim calm authority without losing your warmth. Our focus is the sturdy middle ground—kindness and firmness at the same time—so kids feel seen and still meet clear, respectful limits. We start by naming the pattern: when kids refuse bedtime unless you stay for hours, dictate the menu every night, or shadow you into the bathroom, the short-term peace comes at a long-term cost. We break down the ripple effects—entitlement, poor emotion regulation, and exhausted caregivers—and then show how mutual respect changes the script. You’ll hear simple, repeatable language you can use right away: I love you, and the answer is no; This is dinner, and you can choose to eat it or have fruit and milk; I’ll read two books, then it’s your job to rest. These are not power plays; they are loving boundaries that teach frustration tolerance and security. We also tackle the messy middle: the extinction burst that makes behavior louder before it fades, and the choice to suffer in circles by caving or suffer with a purpose by holding the line. You’ll learn how to decide your non-negotiables, keep words brief and calm, and align with your partner to avoid the good cop and bad cop trap. Along the way, we share personal stories, mindset shifts, and coaching insights that help you spot your triggers and stay steady when your child turns up the volume. If you want less pushing from your child, it starts with being less of a pushover—without losing your heart. Press play for practical scripts and a clear framework to raise strong, considerate kids while protecting your own well-being. If this helped, subscribe, share with a friend who needs backup at bedtime, and leave a quick review to help other parents find the show. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    13 min

  3. FEB 11

    145. What Your "Difficult" Child Wants You to Know

    If one of your kids is pushing every button you have—and you’re wondering why parenting feels so hard with them lately—this episode is for you. Drawing from Positive Discipline and the wisdom of Rudolf Dreikurs, we explore what children are really asking for when their behavior feels irritating, defiant, or attention-seeking. Often, it’s a need for significance and belonging—not stricter consequences or longer explanations. In this episode, I share: How to correctly decode difficult behavior.How to respond with kind and firm parenting that is WAY more effective (and less exhausting).Simple shifts that reduce power struggles and frustration.This is a compassionate, realistic approach to how to get kids to listen more cooperatively without yelling or shame—supporting both raising resilient kids and your own sense of calm. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    13 min

  4. FEB 4

    144. Tiny Gestures of Love for a BIG Impact on Your Relationship with Your Child

    In this Valentine’s-season episode of the Sustainable Parenting Podcast, I share simple positive parenting strategies that help children truly feel loved while strengthening connection and cooperation.  We explore how small, intentional gestures can meet kids’ emotional needs and support calm confident parenting—without lectures, yelling, or power struggles. You’ll learn: how positive character feedback helps with raising confident kids and raising resilient kids,a powerful daily practice called the Rule of 6 that builds connection in just minutes,and how meeting your child’s need for significance and belonging can help stop power struggles with kids and improve listening.Through real stories from my own family and client work, I show how gentle discipline and kind and firm parenting can feel realistic and sustainable. If you’re looking for practical ways to reconnect and learn how to get kids to listen while staying loving and grounded, this episode is for you. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    19 min

  5. JAN 28

    143. Do This 1 Step, to Raise Kind Kids in an Unkind World

    Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to raise kind kids in an unkind world? Between constant headlines, cultural tension, and everyday parenting struggles, many parents are asking the same question: How do I raise compassionate, resilient kids who will make the world a better place? In this episode of the Sustainable Parenting Podcast, I share my number one tip for raising kind, caring humans—especially during uncertain and stressful times.  We start by naming the reality many families are living in right now: fear, frustration, and emotional overload.  We then walk through a powerful Positive Discipline exercise that helps reframe everyday parenting challenges like whining, talking back, sibling fights, tantrums, and power struggles into moments we actually look forward to. What?!!! By the time you finish this episode, you'll have a FRESH perspective on the most challenging moments you face. This episode is for parents who want: positive parenting strategies that actually workcalm parenting tips that reduce power strugglesgentle discipline without permissivenesstools for raising kind, confident, and resilient kidsa kind-and-firm approach that feels sustainableIf you’re tired of reacting, yelling, or feeling defeated—and you want to parent with more clarity, confidence, and purpose—this episode will help you zoom out, refocus on the long game, and feel more hopeful about the humans you’re raising. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    11 min

  6. JAN 22

    142. A Minimalism Parenting Discussion with Joshua Becker on Calm, Simplified Family Life

    What if owning less could help you parent with more calm, confidence, and connection? In this episode of the Sustainable Parenting Podcast, Flora McCormick sits down with Joshua Becker of Simplify Magazine to explore how minimalism supports dependable calm, and deeper relationships with ourselves and our kids.  We talk about how clutter quietly fuels stress, power struggles, and yelling — and how simplifying your home can become one of the most effective positive parenting strategies for more calm in your home life. Joshua shares practical ways to set visible boundaries kids can understand, why parents go first, and how fewer toys often lead to better listening, deeper play, and more cooperation. This conversation also challenges the idea that “more” creates a better childhood. Instead, we explore how minimalism helps families align time, money, and energy with their values — raising resilient kids, and raising confident kids. In this episode we discuss: Minimalism as a positive parenting strategy.Parenting benefits when you have environmental calm.How LESS is definitely more, in terms of raising resilient and confident kids.**Joshua Becker is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, entrepreneur, and Christian minimalist who writes and speaks about intentional living and simplifying life through his popular blog, Becoming Minimalist, inspiring millions to own less and live more purposefully, focusing on values over possessions, and is also the founder of The Hope Effect for orphans.  If you would like to receive Minimalist posts from Joshua Baker via e-mail, sign up here. Or connect more directly through social media here: Facebook: Inspirational quotes and links.✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    16 min

  7. JAN 14

    141. 3 Positive Shifts to Raise Respectful Kids

    What do we do when our kids are disrespectful — they aren't listening, and they have attitude — and it starts draining the life out of us? This week on the Sustainable Parenting Podcast, I’m joined by my husband for a candid, coffee-on-the-couch conversation about disrespectful behavior in kids, the number one frustration I hear from dads in parent coaching. Together, we explore why this issue sparks so many power struggles, how moms and dads often experience it differently, and what’s really happening beneath the surface when kids push back. We break down the top two reasons kids come across as disrespectful, and then share a Positive Parenting Strategy that surprises many parents. (Spoiler alert: how to get kids to listen has far less to do with fixing your child — and far more to do with shifting how we respond as parents.) You’ll hear us wrestle with the tension between gentle parenting and firm boundaries, and land on a grounded, realistic middle road rooted in Kind and Firm Parenting, Positive Discipline, and Calm Confident Parenting. This episode offers practical tools to stop power struggles with kids, set clear limits without yelling, and respond to disrespect without escalating the conflict. If you’re craving parenting without yelling, wondering how to stop tantrums and back talk, or hoping to raise respectful, resilient kids while staying connected, this conversation will feel validating, honest, and doable. Pull up a seat, sip your coffee with us, and join us as we explore how to guide kids with both kindness and firmness — at the same time. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    14 min

  8. JAN 7

    140. 2026 Family Goals

    What if setting family goals didn’t feel overwhelming—or like one more thing to get right? In this episode, I’m sharing a gentle, realistic approach to setting family goals for 2026 that offer direction without pressure and intention without perfection. Instead of rigid resolutions or systems that fall apart by February, we talk about how families can choose a shared target—and allow the path there to flex as life unfolds. You’ll learn: Why family goals work best when they function as a compass, not a contractHow to create goals that support calm, connection, and cooperationWhat to focus on if you want lasting change without power strugglesHow small shifts (not big overhauls) create meaningful momentumI also walk you through a simple Family Goals Reflection Guide: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4434156021/family-new-years-resolution-goals-pdf-to, you can download in the show notes—designed to help your family reflect on tech, connection, fun, service, wellness, and relationships in a way that feels supportive and doable. If you’re craving a calmer, more intentional year—this episode is your starting point. ✨Want more? ✨JOIN me in an upcoming event: https://sustainableparenting.com/events ✨ Get my 3 KEYS to Calm, Confident Parenting (30 min. FREE webinar) - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63640a05c74edb4b6bdce1f3 ✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) - for THREE 30-min sessions 1:1 with ME, where we get right to the heart of your challenges, and give you small, powerful shifts that make a huge difference fast. ✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have about working with Flora. ✨Purchase a $19 short course on Etsy✨

    14 min
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5
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About

For cycle-breaking parents who still face battles at bedtime and beyond, Sustainable Parenting teaches tools that actually change behavior when gentle parenting doesn't work. If your 6-year-old ignores you, your toddler screams over a broken banana, and bedtime still ends in tears—it’s not you, it’s the gentle parenting advice that’s failing you. Research shows 1 in 3 parents who try gentle parenting still end the day begging kids to listen and blaming themselves when the scripts don’t stop the tantrums. So unlike other podcasts that only tell you to “stay calm” or “validate feelings” while your toddler is throwing dinosaurs at your head, here you’ll get strategies to set limits kids respect without crushing their spirit so they grow into kind, confident humans, and you finally feel like the calm, in-control parent you want to be. I’m Flora McCormick—a counselor, parenting coach, and mom of two. After 20 years helping families worldwide, I’ve helped thousands of parents raise confident kids while practicing parenting without yelling or shame. Parenting will always have hard moments, but raising respectful, emotionally healthy kids doesn’t have to be a constant battle.  Follow Sustainable Parenting and start listening today. Popular Topics Include: Bedtime battles, Positive discipline, Gentle discipline, Gentle Parenting, Parenting differences, Discipline without yelling, Positive parenting strategies, Raising confident kids

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