1233: Big Kids, Bigger Feelings: Navigating Defiance, Meltdowns & Anxiety with Alyssa Blask Campbell

"It’s not our job to remove every obstacle from our children’s path. It’s our job to walk with them through it."

In this conversation, Heather sits down with Alyssa Black Campbell, author of Big Kids, Bigger Feelings, for a powerful discussion on emotional safety, nervous system regulation, and what kids really need to thrive at home and in the classroom.

They explore the myth of middle childhood being the “easiest” phase, how trauma-informed education changes lives, and why parenting is deeply personal, emotional, and yes sometimes selfish.

🩶What happens when we stop trying to fix every feeling and instead teach our kids how to feel them

🩶Why understanding your child’s unique nervous system is the key to emotional regulation

🩶How to support educators, avoid reactive parenting, and reframe “bad behavior” as unmet needs

This is a deeply validating conversation for anyone raising, teaching, or mentoring kids and especially those navigating the messiness of big feelings.

About Alyssa Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed., is a bestselling author, as well as founder and CEO of Seed & Sew. Her mission is to change the way adults experience children’s emotions so we can respond with intention to raise emotionally intelligent humans.

Her new book, Big Kids, Bigger Feelings: Navigating Defiance, Meltdowns, Anxiety to Raise Confident, Connected Kids (HarperCollins Publishers, September 16, 2025) is an essential guide to supporting children’s social and emotional growth through the elementary school years (ages 5–12), a critical but often-overlooked developmental stage.

Alyssa’s first book, Tiny Humans, Big Emotions: How to Navigate Tantrums, Meltdowns, and Defiance to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children (HarperCollins Publishers, October 2023) is an empathetic guide to empower parents, teachers, and caregivers to help their little ones navigate their big feelings while laying the groundwork for a lifetime of emotional intelligence.

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