#52 What’s Beneath the Behavior? Stress and Brain Development in 5–10 Year Olds

Welcome to the Parenting Well podcast with Parent Engagement Network!  I am Dr. Shelly Mahon, your host and today’s well source is Melissa Holland. Melissa Holland is a parenting coach, founder of Inner Wisdom Parenting, and a PEN Ambassador at SHMS who is passionate about helping parents raise emotionally healthy, resilient children, starting with themselves. Melissa works with parents of young children, particularly ages 5–10, helping them better understand what’s really going on beneath behavior and how to respond with clarity, confidence, and connection. Through her coaching and workshops, she supports parents in tuning into both their child’s inner world and their own, so discipline becomes less about control and more about growth, trust, and relationship. Grounded, compassionate, and deeply practical, Melissa’s work empowers parents to slow down, listen differently, and parent from a place of intention rather than reactivity. Her approach reminds parents that they already have much of what they need. Sometimes they just need support accessing their inner wisdom. Melissa will be speaking at PEN's Stress & Anxiety Conference on Feb 28, 2026. Register Here In this podcast, we talk about: Tapping into your inner wisdom What is taking place developmentally for 5-10 year olds Neurodevelopment for this age group Frustration as the gap between our expectations and reality Key things that cause stress and anxiety during this phase of childhood Defiance as a symptom of excessive stress without the ability to understand and voice their feelings Difference between counter-willed and strong-willed Ways to recognize your child’s triggers and modify your response Developing the capacity for self-compassion Resources Website App: Insight Timer Book: Hold On to Your Kids: Why  Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate Book: Self-Compassion for Parents LinkedIn