Q&A: I'm so frustrated with my kid!

Hi! I’m Jacqueline Nesi, a clinical psychologist and professor at Brown University, co-founder of Tech Without Stress, and mom of two young kids.

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How do I stop getting so frustrated with my toddler? I obviously love him so much, but I find myself getting so annoyed, especially when he does things that I *explicitly* tell him not to do (throwing stuff, refusing to get into the bath, etc.). I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, but I can’t help it!

I am so glad you asked this question. If you’ve stumbled upon the social media “gentle parenting” sphere, you may have been led to believe that parents should somehow never have their own feelings. That we will just operate like Parent Robots, calmly reciting scripts from Instagram posts while gently stroking our children’s hair.