What if your strong-willed child isn’t a problem to fix—but a person to deeply understand?

In this compassionate and honest conversation, Janell sits down with parenting coach and author Mary Van Geffen to talk about raising “Spicy Ones”—deep-feeling, wonderfully strong-willed children who often challenge traditional parenting approaches.

Together, they explore why parenting these children can feel so emotionally intense, how nervous system regulation changes the atmosphere of the home, and why connection matters more than control. Mary shares gentle wisdom for mothers who feel exhausted, reactive, or discouraged, offering a more compassionate and grounded way to parent without dimming a child’s light.

This episode is for the mother who feels overwhelmed by power struggles, weary from trying to “get it right,” or longing for a gentler way to love and lead her family.

In this episode, we discuss:
• What it means to parent a “Spicy One”
• Gentle parenting and nervous system regulation
• Connection over control
• Parenting strong-willed and deep-feeling kids
• Healing while parenting differently than you were parented
• How motherhood reveals our own need for grace and gentleness

You are not failing because your child is intense.
You may simply be invited into a different kind of parenting.

Mary Van Geffen is an international parenting coach, author of Parenting a Spicy One, and creator of Moms of Spicy Ones®. She helps parents stay calm, kind, and firm while raising strong-willed, deep-feeling children through connection-based parenting and nervous system awareness.

• Website: Mary Van Geffen Website
• Contact Page: Contact Mary Van Geffen
• Instagram: @maryvangeffen
• Linktree (newsletter, programs, quizzes, resources): Mary Van Geffen
• Book Page: Parenting a Spicy One Book Page

Grab hold of all Janell's resources:

• Website: JanellRardon.com
• Substack: Heartlift Wellness on Substack
• YouTube Channel: Heartlift Wellness YouTube
• Podcast: The Heartlifter Way with Janell on Apple Podcasts
• Instagram: @janellrardon