Episode
Managing Anger as a Parent
- Podcast
- Practical Stoicism
- Published
- May 31, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1402
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://stoicism.captivate.fm/episode/managing-anger-as-a-parent
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Summary
In this episode, I talk about parenting, exhaustion, frustration, and the very real challenge of remaining Stoic when your emotional battery is running on empty. Stoic Mentoring: https://tannerocampbell.com/mentoring Sunday 7th Webinar: https://stoictalks.uk/june-cosmology Using a story from my own 43rd birthday, I walk through a morning that did not go according to plan. What I wanted was a peaceful day. What I got was a very normal morning with a two-year-old child who wanted things his way, struggled to communicate those wants clearly, and repeatedly tested my patience. The story revolves around a simple trip to a café that gradually became a lesson in expectations, frustration, entitlement, and emotional regulation. The deeper lesson is not really about toddlers. It's about the stories we tell ourselves. I had convinced myself that my birthday entitled me to a peaceful day. Rationally, I knew that wasn't true. But emotionally, I had quietly bought into the idea anyway. That expectation became the source of much of my frustration. From there, I explore several Stoic lessons: Managing expectations before frustration takes hold. Recognizing when we're running our emotional batteries too low. Understanding that self-care is not selfishness. Appreciating how much children learn from our behavior, especially when we're angry. Recognizing the difference between discipline and rage. I spend particular time discussing the impression we leave on our children. Children are constantly watching us. Every outburst, every moment of patience, every act of self-control becomes part of the example we set for them. A parent losing their temper doesn't just solve a problem poorly in the moment—it can shape how a child understands relationships, authority, safety, and emotional express…