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[REPLAY] The "Good" Kid | CP269

September 11, 2026 · 16 min

Show notes

When one child in the family requires a lot of attention because of big emotions, tantrums, challenging behaviour, or constant pushback, it can quietly affect everyone else in the home. In this episode of "Connected Parenting", Jennifer turns the focus to the child who is often described as the “good child”. The one who rarely complains, follows the rules, stays out of trouble, and seems to make parenting easy.

Jennifer explores how these children may learn to become extra independent, agreeable, or quiet because they sense that their parents simply don't have any more emotional bandwidth.

While their behaviour may look like everything is fine, they still need opportunities to be noticed, supported, and given space for their own feelings and needs. This episode is an important reminder to look beyond behaviour and make sure the child who isn't demanding your attention is still receiving the connection, reassurance, and emotional space they need.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

  • Coping mechanisms in families with difficult children (00:00)
  • Managing emotions & needs in a family with uneven dynamics (03:42)
  • Parenting strategies for a "super coping" child (08:25)
  • Managing two children with different emotional needs (12:03)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in the US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

All episodes of Connected Parenting

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