Parenting today feels like navigating a stormy sea. Between managing screen time, supporting kids’ mental health, balancing work-life demands, and staying afloat in today’s tense political and cultural climate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I know the feeling well—not only as a parent and grandparent but also as a teacher who spent more than 40 years in the classroom watching families try to keep up.
Over time, I developed a philosophy that helped me find my footing—and helped countless other parents do the same. I call it TRICK: Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration, and Kindness. It’s based on the five principles that shaped how I raised my three daughters, how I support my nine grandchildren, and how I worked with thousands of students.
Here’s how each element of TRICK can help you parent with more confidence in 2025.
1. Trust: The foundation of confidence
Trust is where it all begins. But in a world where fear often drives parenting, especially when it comes to screen time, social media, and peer influences, trusting your child can feel risky. It’s tempting to micromanage when we’re constantly reminded of the dangers lurking online or the headlines about what’s going wrong in society.
Establishing trust and confidence starts early with things that may be seemingly simple but make a big impact. When my oldest daughter was three, I let her pour her own cereal and milk. Sure, there were spills. But the look of pride on her face made it worth it. By age six, she was packing her own school bag every morning.
Today, with my grandkids, I take a similar approach to technology. Instead of constantly monitoring or restricting their screen time, we set boundaries together. When kids help create the rules, they’re more likely to follow them.
After all, no one—at any age—likes being told what to do without being heard.
Related: Nicole Phelps on raising resilient kids—’It’s giving yourself grace’
2. Respect: Listening to their voices
Respect might sound obvious, but in the chaos of daily life, it’s easy to overlook. Respecting your child means taking their ideas seriously—even when they seem unrealistic or silly—and treating them as capable, thinking individuals.
This is especially important in today’s world, where kids are exposed to more mature content and complex issues earlier than ever before. Political debates, climate anxiety, social injustice—it’s all within reach with just a few taps on a phone. If we want them to come to us with questions or concerns, they need to know we’ll listen without judgment.
It starts when they are little to build that trust. Once, my daughters asked to turn our backyard into a butterfly sanctuary. My first instinct was to say no—it sounded like too much work. But instead, I said, “Tell me more.” We researched plants that attract butterflies and created a small garden together. Their joy in seeing their idea take shape was unforgettable.
You don’t have to tackle a big project to show respect. Even asking your child what they think about the weekend schedule or dinner plan sends the message that their input matters.
Related: Joanna Gaines’ new children’s book can help parents raise resilient kids
3. Independence: Letting them take the lead
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned—and one I often share in my talks—is this: don’t do anything for your children that they can do for themselves.
As parents, we often jump in to save time or prevent mistakes. But when we do that too often, we rob our kids of the chance to learn.
I used to pack my kids’ suitcases for trips until I realized they were perfectly capable of doing it themselves, with a little guidance at first. Yes, sometimes they forgot things (socks were a frequent casualty!), but those moments helped them learn to think ahead and take responsibility.
As they got older, this translated to bigger decisions. When Susan wanted to buy a car, I empowered her to take the lead. She went to the dealership, found the car, and even negotiated the price herself. I didn’t micromanage the process—I trusted her judgment.
I truly believe independence she built over time helped lay the foundation for her professional success, ultimately leading her to be the CEO of YouTube for almost a decade.
In a fast-paced world, giving your child opportunities to be independent builds confidence and problem-solving skills.
Related: Want to raise resilient kids? Teach them to embrace their feelings
4. Collaboration: Stronger together
Parenting doesn’t have to be a one-way street. When you bring your kids into the process—whether it’s setting rules, making plans, or solving problems—it shifts the dynamic.
You become a team. And kids love being part of the team—it makes them feel valued and respected.
This is especially vital when kids feel uncertain or anxious about the world around them. Collaboration reminds them they’re not facing it alone—and that their voice has value.
Start with something like meal planning. It used to be a constant source of stress in our house. Then we started sitting down every Sunday to choose meals for the week. The kids picked their favorites (with a few healthy options thrown in), and suddenly, dinnertime became something we all looked forward to. Sometimes, we would go food shopping together—or they would shop while I grabbed a coffee nearby. It teaches them so much, and they love having that responsibility.
Collaboration builds trust, strengthens communication, and teaches kids that their contributions matter—at home and beyond.
5. Kindness: The glue that holds it all together
We all want to raise kind kids. But it starts with us. How we respond when they mess up—because they will mess up—makes all the difference. I always gave my kids an opportunity to tell me what they did, right or wrong. I tried not to react with anger, but instead just listened , and I believe that made it easier for them to keep coming back to me.
This is even more important today because parenting in the age of technology means so much happens that we don’t even know about. We need our kids to know they can come to us with anything, even when they do something wrong.
This mentality starts when they are young. I practice it with my grandchildren. When my granddaughter accidentally broke a vase, my first instinct was frustration. But I took a breath, thanked her for helping, and asked how we could fix it together. The relief on her face was immediate. She eagerly cleaned up the mess, and the experience became a moment of connection, not conflict.
Kindness doesn’t mean letting everything slide. It means approaching mistakes with empathy and giving our kids the safety to learn and grow without fear of judgment.
TRICK: A lifeline for Parents in 2025
Parenting in 2025 comes with new challenges: managing digital boundaries, supporting mental health, and balancing work-life harmony are just some of the hurdles we face daily.
TRICK is not a magic fix, but it is a reliable roadmap that helps us navigate these challenges and strengthens our relationships with our children. By trusting kids with responsibility, respecting their individuality, fostering independence, collaborating on decisions, and leading with kindness, we empower our kids to become confident and compassionate individuals ready to face an ever-changing world.
And for parents who want support in the moment, the new ParentingTRICK app puts these ideas into practice, offering real-time, age-appropriate strategies to reduce stress and build stronger families.
Because the truth is, you don’t have to have all the answers. You just need a guide you trust, and a little kindness—for your kids and yourself.
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