What happens when one child’s needs take up most of a family’s attention? Even when parents are doing their best, it can be easy for another child to quietly become the “easy” one—the independent kid, the high achiever, the people-pleaser who never seems to need anything.
In this episode, we discuss:
What the term glass child means and why some children can become overlooked
How hyperindependence can be both a strength and a sign that a child doesn't feel comfortable asking for help
Why people-pleasing isn't inherently a bad quality—and when it can become a problem
How being the “easy,” responsible, or high-achieving child can lead to perfectionism
Why some kids learn to hide anger, sadness, resentment, or other difficult emotions
The importance of making space for children to express complicated feelings without judgment
How small-T trauma and difficult family dynamics can affect kids even when their experiences don't seem “bad enough” compared with someone else's
Why children may act out or seek negative attention when they're feeling overlooked
How parents can use short, intentional moments of one-on-one connection to help every child feel seen
The idea behind the 7-minute rule: finding small windows of distraction-free connection throughout the day
How connection can look different at different ages, from play and cuddling with young children to mentorship and open communication with teens
Why you don't need to perfectly balance your attention every single day to make your kids feel loved and supported
Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
Jenn Lonzer for the Cleveland Clinic: Always Coping, Rarely Seen: Explaining Glass Child Syndrome
Dr Becky Kennedy of "Good Inside" blog: What is the 777 Rule in Parenting?
Corinne Masur for Psychology Today: Helping Kids Feel They Matter
Our episode When One of Our Kids Takes Up All of Our Bandwidth
Our Fresh Take with Sara Hirsh Bordo
Harlan Cohen on IG
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
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