Right About Now with Ryan Alford

What’s up, everyone!

When my kids were little, I thought I could “fix” every hard moment. Patch the scraped knee, smooth over the fight, or distract from disappointment. But as they grew, I realized my real job wasn’t to erase challenges, it was to teach them how to navigate them.

That’s exactly what Alyssa Campbell, bestselling author of Tiny Humans, Big Emotions and Big Kids, Bigger Feelings, helps us uncover: how to raise children who don’t avoid hard emotions but learn to move through them with resilience and confidence.

Alyssa Campbell with her book: Tiny Humans, Big Emotions

In this week’s Right About Now, we dig into how parents, teachers, and leaders alike can better understand the nervous system, build environments that regulate instead of overwhelm, and ultimately raise strong, compassionate humans.

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🔥 Here’s What We Hit

Understanding All Nine Senses

Beyond sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell, Alyssa explains the lesser-known senses like vestibular, proprioceptive, interceptive, and neuroceptive, and how they shape how kids (and adults) respond to the world.

Your Move: Notice which environments drain or recharge you. Then, observe the same in your kids. Awareness is the first step to regulation.

Proactive Emotional Support

Schools using Alyssa’s methods saw a 60% reduction in behavior support calls simply by meeting nervous system needs before crises occur.

Your Move: Instead of reacting to meltdowns, try adding small proactive tools (like music or movement breaks) that set kids up for success.

Resilience Through Hard Feelings

Resilience isn’t built by removing obstacles. It’s built by guiding kids through them. Feeling left out, anxious, or disappointed can be teaching moments when kids have safe spaces to process.

Your Move: When your child faces a hard moment, resist the urge to fix it right away. Instead, ask, “How does this feel?” and listen.

Parenting With Dialogue, Not Dictation

Alyssa stresses that boundaries don’t disappear when emotions are acknowledged. Kids can learn to respect rules while still feeling heard and valued.

Your Move: Replace “because I said so” with a brief explanation. This small shift builds trust and models healthy communication.

🤝 Connect with Alyssa Campbell

Raising kids isn’t about snowplowing obstacles out of their way. It’s about equipping them with the skills to navigate life’s inevitable bumps. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or leader, Alyssa’s work reminds us: resilience is taught, not inherited.

🌐 Website: seedandsew.org
📱 Socials: Facebook | Instagram
📖 Books: Big Kids, Bigger Feelings & Tiny Humans, Big Emotions