Could your inner child be sabotaging bedtime?

If bedtime feels like a battleground, the real struggle might not be happening in your child’s bedroom at all.It might be happening inside you.Today’s Parent Pause looks at the surprising truth that many bedtime clashes have very little to do with teeth brushing, pyjamas or lights out. Instead, they can awaken something much older, much more tender, and far more charged than the moment in front of you.You’ll hear the story of a mother who couldn’t understand why settling her eight year old left her snapping, shouting and then drowning in guilt. The task was tiny. Her reaction wasn’t. And when we dug deeper, we discovered that the nights of her own adolescence had been full of fear and raised voices behind closed doors. Her body learned that bedtime meant danger. So every time her daughter resisted sleep, her inner teenager rushed forward, terrified, overwhelmed, and desperate to protect her from a threat that no longer existed.This audio asks you to consider the possibility that your biggest parenting reactions might not belong to the present moment at all. They might be echoes. Old bruises. Unfinished stories.So this week’s invitation is simple and brave: when your chest tightens or your patience thins, pause and ask, “What is this reminding me of?” The answer may have nothing to do with your child. And once you see that, something softens. You can respond with the steadiness your child needs now, and with the gentleness your younger self never received.Your inner child is not sabotaging you. She is your history. Your warning signal. Your teacher. She shows you where healing still wants to happen. And you get to parent her too, kindly and differently this time.Thank you for pausing with me. Take care. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kimmccabe.substack.com/subscribe