Parenting strong-willed kids can be exhausting—but it doesn’t have to be a constant battle. In this episode, Dr. Meg is joined by Kirk Martin , founder of Celebrate Calm and host of the Calm Parenting Podcast , to talk about how to handle big emotions—starting with your own. From defusing power struggles to managing anxiety and sibling fights, Kirk shares practical, often humorous strategies to help you stay calm, confident, and connected to your kids. You Will Learn: Why your calm is more important than your child’s behavior How to avoid power struggles with strong-willed kids Simple ways to lower anxiety in your home The difference between teaching and controlling Creative solutions for homework, sibling fights, and more How humor and self-reflection can shift the parenting dynamic Join the PGK Community! Looking for more support? Join our Parenting Great Kids community where you'll find exclusive content from Dr. Meg, parenting resources, expert interviews, and a community of parents just like you. 👉 Learn more & sign up here About Our Guest: Kirk Martin is the founder of Celebrate Calm , a behavior training resource that has helped over 500,000 parents and teachers worldwide. He is also the host of the Calm Parenting Podcast . Known for his practical strategies and relatable humor, Kirk teaches families how to stop yelling, defuse defiance, and build stronger connections with their kids. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Parenting strong-willed kids 00:27 – Meet Kirk Martin 01:37 – Why parental self-control matters most 02:50 – Strategies for managing defiance 06:42 – Creative homework solutions 09:48 – Handling sibling fights without yelling 14:16 – Reducing parental stress 17:47 – From controlling to teaching 18:52 – Dealing with tween attitude 21:00 – Understanding and easing anxiety in kids 27:35 – How humor builds connection 32:02 – Encouraging honest communication 34:32 – Final thoughts and resources Our Sponsors: Hungryroot – 40% off plus a free item in every box with code DRMEG Fam Gabs – Spark real conversations with your kids. Use code DRMEGPOD for 10% off K12-powered schools – Tuition-free, accredited online public education for K–12 Thrive Causemetics – Clean, vegan beauty that gives back. Get 10% off your first order See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
