Kids with vulnerable nervous systems often say BIG, hurtful, and scary words. They say things like “I hate you!” or “You hate me!” They sometimes threaten to hurt themselves- or you! Verbal aggression almost always pulls us right onto the watchdog pathway ourselves- which is understandable. Let’s talk about how you might respond if you’re able to hang onto your owl brain.
In this episode, you’ll learn
- To stay focused on the level of activation, not the words being said
- What to say (if anything) back to statements like “I hate you,” “I wish you’d never adopted me,” or “I’m going to hurt you.”
- How to start listening for what’s really being expressed
Resources mentioned in this podcast:
Read the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/hate
Teaching kids about their owl, watchdog, and possum brain is one key piece of growing their owl brain and calming their watchdog and possum brain!
Register for this once-a-year webinar on September 4, 2025 at RobynGobbel.com/TeachKidsTheBrain
You'll get access to the recording and OODLES of resources.
Club Members- you do NOT have to register!!!
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