At Peace Parents Podcast Ep. 125 - Helping Sibling Understand PDA Sister's Equalizing
5 snips
Sep 2, 2025 Lee Aaron, a dedicated parent, explores the challenges of her five-year-old daughter's equalizing behavior with her eight-year-old sibling. They delve into the concept of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and how to help the older sister understand it. Key strategies include developing nervous-system language, using relatable anecdotes to normalize sensations, and leveraging the eight-year-old's interests for learning. The discussion emphasizes experimenting with different responses to sibling conflicts while collecting data to reassess their approach.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Teach Nervous-System Language By Modeling
- Model a short, true nervous-system story aloud so your child can overhear and learn by osmosis.
- Ask your eight-year if she ever felt similar body sensations and name them together to build shared language.
Separate Identity From Nervous-System Talk
- Separate identity-affirming language from nervous-system language to avoid shame.
- Teach that nervous-system reactions are normal and shared by everyone, not a child flaw.
Host's Middle-School Typing Panic
- Casey recalled slamming a foot in middle school and later feeling panic in that classroom for a year.
- She used the story to show how a body remembers fear and how to explain that to kids.
