Episode 546: How to Engage Your Kids Into Conversations Without Losing Your Temper

Are you having a hard time connecting with your kid to know what they’re up to? By the age of 10, kids may start to have short answers like “fine” and speak less to us parents because their brains develop and start navigating more independence over parental guidance. As parents, we want to make sure what is happening with our kids and it can be frustrating to get them to share more which sometimes leads to yelling. Kids are sensitive to our emotions as parents and they would rather distance themselves and become more mute when met with frustration and stress. In this episode of Habits & Hustle, I share some communication strategies that I learned from the communication experts and behavioral psychologists I met from this podcast and how it worked for me and my sons. It is so possible to have fun and engaging conversations with your kids without them feeling dismissed or ignored and you pulling your hair out of frustration. Let’s dive in! What's Discussed: (01:30) The first rule: what active listening actually looks like and why it matters. (02:12) Why being physically present isn't the same as being mentally present. (03:16) The environments where kids open up the most and why. (04:16) Why "how was school?" gets you nowhere and what to ask instead. (05:00) How sharing your own stories builds a connection with your kids. (05:28) Why baby talk sets kids back and talking to them like mini adults works better. (08:04) Why dedicated one-on-one time makes kids feel special. (08:31) How staying patient and calm gets better results than losing your temper. (10:05) Why kids are intuitive and can sense when something is real versus not. (10:27) What respecting your child's boundaries actually looks like. (11:13) Why forcing kids to hug or kiss people teaches them the wrong lesson. Thank you to my sponsors!Kion: Visit getkion.com/habits for 20% off. AirDoctor: Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code HUSTLE to get up to $300 off today! AirDoctor comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, plus a 3-year warranty (an $84 value) FREE! AX3®: Visit to get a 20% discount on your first order with promo code HUSTLE at checkout. Magic Mind: Head over to and use code JEN at checkout. Find more from Jen: Website: Instagram: @therealjencohen Books: Speaking:

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Episode 546: How to Engage Your Kids Into Conversations Without Losing Your Temper is an episode from Habits and Hustle by Jen Cohen.

This episode is 13:08 long.

This episode was published on Apr 17, 2026.

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