S4E19 - Is My Child Misbehaving—or Just Trying to Be Heard?

Play Therapy Parenting: Real Parenting Questions Answered by a Child Therapist · Oct 29, 2026 · 11m · transcript

In this episode, I share an experience from a recent flight that reminded me how easy it is for parents to focus on a child's behavior while missing what the child is actually trying to communicate. I watched a young child become increasingly upset as his attempts to communicate were repeatedly ignored until his behavior escalated. It was a powerful reminder that whining, crying, and tantrums are often not the real problem—they can be the result of a child feeling unheard, misunderstood, or powerless.

I talk about how simple child-centered parenting skills like acknowledging what a child is…