Parenting traumatized grandchildren doesn't create your reactive patterns—it brings them straight to the surface. If you are exhausted from constantly putting out emotional fires and operating on autopilot, here is how to reclaim your peace and lead your home with grounded calm.
Episode Summary:
In Episode 133 of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (@grandparentspodcast), host Laura sits down with Latiffe Ghanem—trauma-informed coach and former corporate leadership expert. Lati explains the neurobiology behind emotional triggers, why children with complex trauma act out (and why it isn't a personal attack), and how grandparent caregivers can apply executive-level emotional regulation to hold firm boundaries without burning out their own nervous systems.
Key Takeaways & Timestamps:
0:00 - Parenting Doesn't Create Reactive Patterns—It Reveals Them
0:45 - Episode 133 Intro & Introducing Latiffe Ghanem
1:15 - The Neurobiology of Triggers: Fight, Flight, or Freeze
3:00 - Why A Child's Meltdown Is Information, Not an Attack
5:00 - The "Drowning" Metaphor: When to Teach vs. When to Regulate
7:00 - Breaking the Power Struggle & Holding Boundaries with Grace
8:30 - Policy Fix: Mental Health & Financial Support for Middle-Income Kin
Call to Action (CTA):
Subscribe to @grandparentspodcast for weekly leadership tools, advocacy, and emotional regulation strategies.
Stream Full Audio: Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify at https://www.grandparentspodcast.com
Access Latiffe Ghanem's Program: Take the free Parent Pattern Quiz at https://www.livinginprogress.com
