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“Parents, I love you. I feel you. It is something to navigate these waters of parenting. It's not for the faint of heart, and we are thrown into it.” Batya Greenwald
After 27 years as an educator, Batya Greenwald realized the parents she was talking to needed something more than another behavior chart. They needed a way to understand what their child's behavior was actually telling them. In this episode, Batya, a transformative parent and life coach with more than 30 years of experience, joins us to talk about why “behavior really is communication,” and what changes when parents start responding to that message instead of just the behavior itself.
Batya walks us through what transformative parenting means in practice: shifting from reacting to responding, holding boundaries without abandoning empathy, and staying grounded when a child's questions about identity, gender, or independence catch a parent off guard. She also gets honest about the toll of the job itself, telling parents everywhere, “It's not for the faint of heart.”
About Our Guest
Batya Greenwald is a transformative parent and life coach with more than 30 years of experience helping children, parents, and individuals navigate life's biggest challenges and transitions. After 27 years as an educator, she transitioned into coaching, combining behavioral, cognitive, and awareness-based approaches to help people unlock resilience, strengthen relationships, and live with greater purpose.
Born in South Africa, shaped by years in Australia, and now based in Boulder, Colorado, Batya brings a global perspective and deep compassion to every conversation. She holds a B.A. in Psychology, an M.A. in Education, and a certificate in Integrative Coaching. She serves on faculty for PassageWorks and Girls Leadership, is a TEDx speaker, and received the 2023 Impact on Education Award.
In This Episode, We Cover
- What led Batya to leave 27 years in education to become a parent and life coach
- The parenting challenges showing up today that weren't as common 10 or 20 years ago
- Why so many parents feel like they're failing, and where that lack of confidence comes from
- What “transformative parenting” means, and how it differs from simply correcting behavior
- Learning to read a child's behavior as communication, not just something to fix
- Responding instead of reacting when emotions run high at home
- The role of self-awareness in becoming a better parent
- A mindset shift that helps families thrive through major transitions
- Supporting kids through questions about sex and gender identity
- Building stronger connections with teenagers without pushing them away
- Balancing acknowledgment of a child's feelings with holding firm boundaries
- Helping kids learn to integrate their own feelings
- Finding the right combination of structure and flexibility
- Navigating school transitions
- Making space for quiet time in a fast-paced world
- Why warmth and repair matter more than getting it perfect
Other Lines Worth Remembering
“Behavior really is communication.”
“At the end of the day, what is the long view? For me, the long goal with most of my families is that they want to keep that relationship.”
“Sometimes teenagers need us to just sit down with them and say, ‘I’ve got you and I hear you.’”
Resources Mentioned & Related Reading
- Batya Greenwald Coaching: her website [link needed, not included in source doc]
- TEDx Talk, “What Kindergarteners Taught Me About Gender”: watch on YouTube [link needed, not included in source doc]
- Teen Behavior: What's Typical, What Are the Signs of a Problem?: ColumbiaDoctors article
