Why Does Modern Family Life Feel So Overwhelming?

Modern life is fraying us. But we can learn how to come back to ourselves. In this thoughtful and deeply relatable episode Kate welcomes back educator, social worker, author, and speaker Stephanie Malia Krauss to explore why so many parents, teachers, carers, and children feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and disconnected. Drawing from her book How We Thrive: Caring for Kids and Ourselves in a Changing World, Stephanie explains how chronic busyness, overstimulation, technology, anxiety, and modern pressures pull families away from regulation, connection, and truly human living. Together, Kate and Stephanie unpack how self-regulation develops, why children and young adults are still learning these skills well into their twenties, how dysregulation can be mistaken for “bad behaviour,” and why parents need practical tools like going “below calm,” using gentle cues, listening instead of fixing, and recognizing their own stress signals.  Listen For6:26 Why Does Modern Family Life Feel So Overwhelming?11:15 What Is Self-Regulation and Why Is It Still Developing Until the Mid-20s?19:20 How Can Parents Calm Themselves When a Child Is Dysregulated?28:11 Is Your Child’s Behaviour Actually a Discipline Issue or a Dysregulation Issue?41:17 Could the Personality Trait You Dislike Actually Be Chronic Dysregulation?  Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one clickConnect with guest: Stephanie Malia KraussLinkedIn | Website | YouTube | Instagram | Book: How We Thrive Contact Kate:Email | Website | Kate’s Book on Amazon | LinkedIn | Facebook | X