logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
19m 55s

F*ck Around and Find Out Parenting

DR. BECKY KENNEDY
About this episode

“F*ck Around and Find Out” parenting—what even is that?! This week, Dr. Becky dives into the rise of the FAFO parenting trend. Why is this approach gaining traction in the age of gentle parenting? Is it a pushback against gentle or intensive parenting? A response to the burnout many millennial parents are feeling? Or has it always been around, just under a different name? Dr. Becky explores what makes this trend so compelling and what it might reveal about us as parents today.

Sometimes FAFO parenting comes up when our kids are in a bad place with bad behavior. If you can relate, then you won't want to miss "Why Is Everything a Battle?" Dr. Becky's Live Workshop on Power Struggles, Defiance, and Strong-Willed Kids happening on Thursday, Apr 17 from 01:30 PM - 02:45 PM EDT. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3RqW7nU.

Get the Good Inside App by Dr. Becky: https://bit.ly/4fSxbzk

Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbeckyatgoodinside

Sign up for our weekly email, Good Insider: https://www.goodinside.com/newsletter

For a full transcript of the episode, go to goodinside.com/podcast.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Ritual. You know that feeling when you’re going a million miles an hour, jumping from one thing to the next? You’re trying to finish an email when you remember the laundry’s still in the washer, your kid is shouting about needing poster board for a project due tomorrow, your pone won’t stop buzzing, and—oh, great—you forgot that tonight is parent-teacher conferences. Sometimes, life is just… a lot.

Stress doesn’t have an off-switch. And we can support our body’s natural response to it. That’s why I love Ritual’s Stress Relief, featuring BioSeries technology. It’s designed to work with your body to help manage everyday stress.

If you feel like daily stress is taking a toll on your body and mind, you might want to give them a try. Get Ritual Stress Relief and save 25% on your first month at ritual.com/goodinside.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Airbnb. Recently, I’ve been on the road spreading the word about my new children's book, That’s My Truck: A Good Inside Story About Hitting!. I’m so grateful and excited to be on this book tour, connecting with our community in person. And it’s also true that being away from home can feel hard. That’s why I love Airbnb–I can find and book a place that feels just a little bit more like home away from home, somewhere I can come back to at the end of the day and recharge. Something else I love about Airbnb is that you can become a host while you’re away by offering your home to someone traveling to your town!  Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.

Up next
Oct 7
When Our Nervous Systems Hijack Our Parenting
If you’ve yelled at your kid, you’re not a bad parent. You’re a good parent with an overwhelmed nervous system. Today, Dr. Becky breaks down the science behind yelling, snapping, and shutting down. She explains why our bodies react before our brains can catch up - and how underst ... Show More
21m 18s
Sep 30
Can’t They Just Get Along?! Let’s Talk Siblings
Your kids are arguing again, and you’re exhausted: “Can’t you just get along?!” As a mom of three, Dr. Becky gets it. And in today’s episode, she shares a powerful reframe: Sibling rivalry isn’t a problem to fix - it’s an opportunity to build relationship skills for life. Here’s ... Show More
25m 23s
Sep 23
Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” and Lauren Sorrentino on Sobriety and Parenthood
You might know Mike “The Situation” and Lauren Sorrentino from Jersey Shore. Today, they’re parents of three, navigating recovery and raising resilient kids. In this candid conversation with Dr. Becky, they share how sobriety shapes their parenting, how they plan to talk with the ... Show More
50m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Raising Children with Parenting Expert Lael Stone
One of the most frequent questions I get asked online and on the podcast is about parenting. How do you raise resilient children, how do you stay sane as a parent? It can be a lot and we’re all just trying to figure it out but instead of giving unsolicited advice, I brought in th ... Show More
55m 50s
Sep 2024
The #1 Parenting Strategy with Dr. Becky Kennedy
In this episode, Dr. Becky Kennedy shares how we can connect better with our kids. Discover: 1. How to embody your authority while also validating your kid’s experience.2. The #1 strategy for building resilience.3. Why consequences and punishments backfire and don’t work.4. How t ... Show More
1 h
Sep 22
The Science of How Discipline and Punishment Impact a Child’s Brain Differently
Send us a textParents, this one is big.Today we’re breaking down punishment vs discipline, what science says, how it impacts your child’s brain, and why so many of us feel stuck in the cycle of punishing even when we don’t want to.If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to yell, sp ... Show More
29m 21s
Sep 15
How to connect with a child that shuts you down (without losing your cool)
Send us a textThis episode will change how you see your child’s moods and how you respond to them.If you’ve ever tiptoed around your child in the morning, worried the “wrong” cereal bowl or shirt will set off a meltdown, this conversation is for you.Joining me is Dr. Alex Reed, p ... Show More
1h 8m
Sep 29
How do we build resilience in our kids without being harsh or overprotective
Send us a textDo you ever hear your child say things like, “I’m such a bad kid” or “I’ll never be good at this” and your heart sinks because you don’t know what to say?You’re not alone. And this episode is about to change the way you respond.Today, I’m sitting down with award-win ... Show More
50m 41s
Jan 2025
Episode 65- Parenting Strong-Willed Children: It's All In The Delivery With Special Guest Maysaa Fahour
Send us a textParenting is one of the most rewarding yet challenging journeys, and no one understands this better than Coach Maysaa—a mom of four, a former primary school teacher, and a certified Conscious Parent Coach. Trained under the renowned Dr. Shefali, Maysaa specializes i ... Show More
1h 8m
Jun 2022
012 - MOTHERHOOD MONDAY - How to Talk to Your Kids about Hard Things While Protecting Your Family’s Peace
It can feel really hard to explain to our kids what’s going on in the world these days. With what’s happened in Texas and other events in the news recently, we can find ourselves caught between wanting our children to be aware of what’s going on in the world around them, but at t ... Show More
25m 37s
Jul 2021
005: Transforming Anger into Calm with Afshan Tafler
In this week’s episode, I sit down with Afshan Tafler, who is a holistic Life Coach, Conscious Parenting Coach and IFS Practitioner.   Afshan helps you master emotional stress so you can transform your health and thrive in your relationship with your kids. She has become a sought ... Show More
49m 50s
Apr 2025
Good Girl Syndrome: Why It Makes Motherhood And Marriage Harder (And How to Fix It)
Do you ever feel like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough? Like you have to be the perfect mom, the supportive wife, the easygoing friend—never rocking the boat, never disappointing anyone? That, my friend, is Good Girl Syndrome in action, and it’s making motherhood, mar ... Show More
29m 22s
Aug 22
Re-Air: Dr. Becky Kennedy: Wire Your Children for Resilience
In honor of "Supporting Young Minds Month," we are revisiting our episode with Dr. Becky Kennedy. Dr. Becky Kennedy (clinical psychologist, founder of Good Inside parenting workshops, author) helps us use attachment, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and internal family systems th ... Show More
1h 14m