Raised Resilient: Help Your Highly Sensitive Child

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163: Am I Raising a Narcissist? Why Sensitive Kids Show a Lack of Empathy When They're Upset

2026-09-2916:23

Have you ever caught yourself Googling "am I raising a narcissist" at 2am after another rough day? Does your child hit their sister, call you names, and show zero remorse? Do they melt down every time you say no, or shut down the second you ask them to own what happened?In this episode, I share why sensitive, emotionally intense kids can look narcissistic.You'll learn:Why your sensitive kid can show a lack of empathy when someone else is hurtingWhy your child's still-developing emotional regulation can get mistaken for narcissismWhat narcissistic personality disorder actually looks like, according to the DSM-5What your child's age has to do with the question of raising a narcissistHow narcissism really develops, and what's hiding underneath all that grandiosityWhy your sensitive kid feels SO much shame, no matter what you doWhat is emotional safety, and how it changes the way your child handles shameWhat does emotional safety look like when your child has just hit their siblingHow to create emotional safety after you've lost your cool with your kidWhat's really behind extreme defensiveness when you ask your child to take accountabilityIf you’ve ever worried about what your child’s behavior means for who they will become, this episode will help you understand what may be going on underneath the surface.Here's to raising resilient kids,Dr. HilaryFind more from Dr. Hilary:Raised Resilient | Website | Instagram | Facebook GroupRaised Resilient Chaos to Connection Program | Website

162: Why Gentle Parenting Is Not Working for Your Sensitive Kid: 5 Proven Ways to Handle Your Child's Meltdowns

2026-09-2225:07

Is gentle parenting not working even after every script you've tried? Gentle parenting was never meant to be a list of scripts you follow perfectly. Your child is unique, and what helps one child calm down can make another child feel even more overwhelmed.So, in today's episode, I share five popular gentle parenting techniques that can make meltdowns worse with your sensitive kid, and WHY each one backfires. You'll learn:Why gentle parenting doesn't work the way the reels make it look with your sensitive kidWhat your child actually hears when you circle back after the meltdownWhy your child can tell you hitting isn't kind and still do it againHow the emotional water pitcher explains the meltdown that shows up after schoolHow co-regulation strategies for parents shift when your child yells "go away"What co regulation parenting looks like when naming feelings makes it worseWhat gentle parenting REALLY asks of you when your kid needs your calmHow to catch yourself as an overstimulated mom before your tone turns sharpIf you’re tired of wondering why the strategies you’ve been told to use aren’t helping, this episode will help you understand what may be happening underneath the meltdown and what your child might actually need from you in those moments.Here's to raising resilient kids,Dr. HilaryFind more from Dr. Hilary:Raised Resilient | Website | Instagram | Facebook GroupRaised Resilient Chaos to Connection Program | Website

161: Why Are My Kids Always Fighting? Here's Why Sibling Rivalry Isn't the Problem

2026-09-1516:21

Does your day feel like one meltdown right after another? Do you dread the sound of your two kids playing in the other room, because you already know how it's going to end?In today's episode, I unpack what changed for Angela and Andrew, parents of Hudson, who turned three in January, and Nala, who's almost two. Hudson is their sensitive kid, and before they found me, their house ran on power struggles, meltdown after meltdown, and the sinking feeling Andrew got walking in the door after work. Angela was burnt out and looking for parenting help, and every account she found told her something different.They open up about the argument the two of them had over one Instagram tip, the Band-Aid fixes that never held, and what happened once they had one approach they could both run together. Now their kids play together for long stretches, work through their own frustration, and ask each other, "Are you having a big feeling?"You'll learn:Why parental burnout builds when your days are meltdown after meltdownWhat Andrew names as the reason for gentle parenting not working in their houseWhat to look for in parenting help when every account contradicts the last oneWhy a highly sensitive first kid can leave you doubting your own instinctsWhat Angela and Andrew did differently with big emotions in their first weeksWhy sibling rivalry gets loud when little kids have no tools for frustrationWhat sibling conflict looks like once your kids can work through it themselvesHow emotional safety lets you repair with your child after you mess upWhat parent coaching looked like week to week for two burnt-out parentsIf you're the one holding ALL of it together while your sensitive kid falls apart and your partner is running a completely different playbook … this one's for you. Here's the thing: your child can't be the one to change first, and you can't control your way into a calmer house. You can change how you show up, and that's the KEY that makes every strategy work. I know it can feel SO far out of reach from where you're sitting. Angela and Andrew got there, and so can you!Here's to raising resilient kids,Dr. HilaryFind more from Dr. Hilary:Raised Resilient | Website | Instagram | Facebook GroupRaised Resilient Chaos to Connection Program | Website

160: The Hidden Cycle Making Your Sensitive Child's Meltdowns Worse (And How to Break It)

2026-09-0813:07

Why does clearing your whole afternoon for a special outing with your sensitive child so often end in a meltdown over dinner? In this episode, I walk you through why special outings and one-on-one time backfire, and what your child needs from you instead of another gentle parenting script.I explain why secure attachment takes more than one outing, and why your parenting approach needs to account for what stress does to your child's body long after the fun outing ends.You'll learn:Why a fun outing can build resentment on your side even when your child seems happyWhat's happening when your child keeps pushing past where you'd normally step inHow giving in at the pool or with the ice cream truck sets up the meltdown that followsWhy your child still falls apart even after getting exactly what they asked forWhat the disconnection cycle actually looks like once it becomes a patternHow exhausted parents keep giving past what they have to give, expecting it to fix thingsWhy emotional outbursts often follow the exact outings meant to prevent themWhat conscious parenting looks like once you stop measuring effort by how much you gave upWhy big emotions don't go away just because the day went wellHow parenting burnout builds when every outing is expected to repair the relationshipWhy ordinary connection time built into your day outperforms a planned outingIf you've cleared your schedule for outings that still end in a meltdown, wondered why doing everything right doesn't break the pattern, or found yourself resentful even when you're trying your hardest with your parenting approach, this episode is for you.Here's to raising resilient kids,Dr. HilaryFind more from Dr. Hilary:Raised Resilient | Website | Instagram | Facebook GroupRaised Resilient Chaos to Connection Program | Website

159: Why The “Easy” Child Needs Emotional Attention Too (and How to Help Them Express Big Feelings Before They Become a People Pleaser)

2026-09-0118:13

Have you ever noticed that your easy child never seems to have a hard day, no matter what's happening with their sibling's meltdowns?In this episode, I walk you through why the child who never falls apart is often the one working the hardest to keep their feelings from showing. I also talk about why an easy child having big feelings means the whole family system is finally getting support. I break down how these family dynamics form without anyone choosing them, and why emotional suppression in the easy child often goes unnoticed until it costs them.You'll learn:Why your easy child might be suppressing emotions to keep the peace at homeWhat to watch for when one child becomes the family's people pleaserWhat to know about how sibling dynamics change once you understand what's happening underneath the surfaceWhy emotional suppression in childhood can resurface later as anxiety or shutting downHow to support a family system where every child gets help, not just the one having meltdownsWhat to do when your easy child starts having behaviors you've never seen beforeHow to read sibling relationship patterns to see which child is carrying too much for the familyWhy an identified patient often isn't the only child who needs supportWhat to expect as your family works toward meeting emotional needs for every childWhy unmet emotional needs in childhood can turn into people-pleasing as an adultIf you have one child who seems to need so much from you and another who seems to need very little, this episode will help you look at that dynamic in a completely different way.Here's to raising resilient kids,Dr. HilaryFind more from Dr. Hilary:Raised Resilient | Website | Instagram | Facebook GroupRaised Resilient Chaos to Connection Program | Website

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Raised Resilient: Help Your Highly Sensitive Child