Could the next generation actually be more resilient than we are?

I believe the answer is yes — but it starts with us.

Let me share a real moment from my own life.

A Night of Panic (and an Unexpected Lesson)

We recently moved into a new home, and shortly after, we discovered something strange:
our fire alarm goes off when the air conditioner turns on.

Of course, the night it first happened, my husband was out of town.

It was just me and my two kids when the alarm suddenly blared through the entire house — loud, piercing, and impossible to escape. I searched everywhere. There was no fire. No smoke. Nothing.

I tried to get the kids back to sleep, but my 5-year-old daughter was in full panic mode.

She was frantic.
“Call the police.”
“We need to move out.”
“What if there is a fire?”

Her brain was in high alarm — and honestly, that makes complete sense.

Teaching the Brain What’s Happening

Thankfully, I was calm in that moment. And because I understand how the brain works, I didn’t try to argue with her fear or tell her to “calm down.”

Instead, I gently explained what was happening.

I told her:
“This feeling of fear is coming from your brain. Your brain has an alarm system — just like the fire alarm — and it’s going off to protect you. It’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.”

I told her it was okay to feel scared.

Then I added:
“But now we know there is no fire. So we can help your brain calm down.”

I explained that her brain listens to her breathing.

I had her pretend to be a blowfish — filling her belly up with air — and then slowly blowing it out.

We did it together.

Even though she still said she felt scared, her body softened. Her breathing slowed. And soon, she was calm enough to fall back asleep.

This Is How We Raise Mentally Strong Kids

That moment reminded me of something powerful:
We raise resilient kids by teaching them about their brain!

Our kids learn emotional regulation not from what we say, but from how we respond — and from the tools we give them.

Most of us were never taught this growing up.
We were told to push through, toughen up, or ignore our feelings.

But here’s the good news.

We’re Parenting in the Information Era

Today, we have access to incredible education around mental health and brain health.

We can learn:

• Why fear shows up

• How the brain’s alarm system works

• Simple tools that help calm the nervous system

• How to model emotional regulation for our kids

This is why I truly believe the next generation can be the strongest yet.

Not because life will be easier — but because parents will be better equipped.

When we improve our own brain health, we naturally teach our kids to do the same.

Mental Health Is Brain Health

This is the message I share in everything I do.

Mental health = brain health!

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to keep learning.
Listen to a podcast.
Pick up a book.
Or keep following along here as I share practical, science-based tools for everyday life.

Below, I’ve listed some of my favorite doctors and experts to learn from:

• Dr. Daniel Amen – Comprehensive and Holistic Brain-based mental health
• Dr. Daniel Siegel – Whole-brain emotional regulation - I love his work with parenting and children
• Dr. Aditi Nerurkar – Stress & burnout recovery
• Dr. Kristin Neff – Self-compassion & resilience

Want to Go Deeper? Join Me Live

If you’d like guidance and support as you start your brain health journey, I’d love to invite you to my free quarterly live workshop.

In this workshop, you’ll:

• Learn simple brain-based tools to calm overwhelm

• Understand what’s really driving stress and anxiety

• Practice applying these tools to a real challenge you’re facing

You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need the right tools.

👉 You can find the link here to learn more and sign up.

Quarterly Workshops

We can raise mentally strong kids —
by becoming calmer, more informed, and more resilient parents ourselves.

And yes — we can do this. 💜