Say This, Not That — and Know Why
When your child is upset, anxious, angry, shutting down, or saying something that catches you completely off guard, it can be hard to know what to say in the moment.
Say This, Not That — and Know Why is a practical guide to 25 difficult parenting moments, with ready-to-use language to help you respond with more connection, clarity, and confidence — especially when emotions are already high.
Inside, you’ll find guidance for moments involving:
• Big emotions and anger
• Fear, worry, and separation
• Low confidence and self-doubt
• Rejection and friendship struggles
• Mistakes, guilt, and honesty
• Sibling conflict
• School challenges
• Difficult behavior and resistance
• Connection and communication
For each parenting moment, you’ll see:
What’s really going on — what may be underneath your child’s words or behavior
What to ask — questions that help you understand what happened
What to say — supportive language you can actually use
What not to say — common responses that may unintentionally dismiss, shame, or shut down the conversation
Why it helps — a simple explanation of what your child may need in that moment
What to remember — the key message you want your child to take away
Created especially with children around ages 5–9 in mind.
No scripts you have to memorize. No complicated parenting theory.
Just practical guidance you can keep on your phone and come back to when you find yourself thinking:
“What do I say right now?”
25 difficult parenting moments · Digital PDF · Instant download · $7