A kid isn’t “being difficult” in a vacuum. Most of the time, they’re broadcasting a need they don’t have words for, and the adults around them are deciding what that behavior means. I sit down with Bobbi Chegwyn, an Australian-born life coach turned children’s author, to talk about the hidden power of everyday language, and why the way we speak to kids becomes the way they eventually speak to themselves.
Bobbi shares what changed for her when she moved to the United States and chose an unexpected job to learn her new community: driving a school bus. She created the “kind bus,” tied rules to kindness, and noticed something important about the kids labeled “challenging.” When we separate the child from the behavior and look for the belief underneath, we can turn conflict into connection. Her “railroad monitor” story is a simple, memorable example of strengths-based Parenting and classroom management that actually protects dignity while improving safety.
We also dig into what blocks healthy communication: assumptions, urgency, shame, fear of being wrong, and the “filters” built from culture and upbringing. We talk about how tone, timing, and body language carry meaning, why texts get misread (yes, even a period can sound angry), and how parents and teachers can use open-ended questions to help children name Emotions instead of acting them out.
Finally, Bobbi walks us through her Radical Ray children’s book series and how bibliotherapy can help kids explore empathy, inclusion, trust, identity, and Grief through story, without forcing vulnerability too fast. If you care about emotional intelligence for kids, kinder communication at home and school, and practical tools that work in real life, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
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Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com
