Ep. 300 Unlocking Connection and Calm in Parenting: The Attachment-First Approach

About this episode

Dr. Meg Meeker and Todd Sarner discuss the attachment-first approach to parenting, emphasizing connection and emotional health over behavior control.

In this transformative episode of Parenting Great Kids , Dr. Meg Meeker welcomes psychotherapist and parenting coach Todd Sarner to unpack powerful, research-backed parenting strategies that prioritize connection and attachment over behavior control. Sarner challenges the traditional "behavior-first" models and instead encourages a relational, attachment-first parenting style that fosters emotional regulation, trust, and long-term resilience in children. From exploring the root causes of conflict to rethinking discipline through the lens of unmet needs, this episode provides practical tools, mindset shifts, and actionable advice for parents navigating the complexities of raising emotionally healthy children in today's world. Todd also teases key insights from his upcoming book, The Calm and Connected Parent , making this a must-listen for any caregiver wanting to parent with purpose, empathy, and strength. About Our Guest Todd Sarner, MFT, is a psychotherapist and parenting coach who has spent over 20 years helping parents turn daily struggles into lasting connection and cooperation at home. He is the founder of Transformative Parenting and the author of the forthcoming book The…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Meg Meeker

Guest: Todd Sarner

Topics covered

• attachment parenting
• emotional regulation
• parenting strategies
• discipline
• resilience
• connection

Keywords

• parenting
• attachment
• emotional health
• discipline
• Todd Sarner
• Dr. Meg Meeker
• connection
• resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Calm and Connected Parent, The Calm & Connected Parent: An Attachment-First Guide to Raising Resilient Kids in the Age of Screens and AI

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