Episode #17
Tears and Tantrums by Aletha Solter, PhD
In this second episode of the series in The Living Aware Parenting podcast where I talk about Aletha Solter's books, I focus on her third book, Tears and Tantrums, which was first published in 1998. Her second book, Helping Young Children Flourish, was replaced by Cooperative and Connected, which is why I have skipped to Tears and Tantrums. I explain why, if I only ever recommended one book for all adults, not just those who are parents or care for children, it would be this book. I also talk about why it can be particularly helpful for parents practicing Aware Parenting to give to grandparents and others in our circle. I outline the book’s four parts, including key ideas such as how crying and raging are stress-release mechanisms, the physiological and psychological benefits of crying, the “broken cookie phenomenon", creating emotional safety, control patterns and dissociation, supporting restful sleep without leaving babies to cry alone, and how parents can work with their own painful feelings and find support. Thank you so much for listening to this episode. If you'd like further resources, here's a summary of the details. Here's the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingAwareParentingPodcast As of September 2026, Aletha Solter, PhD. has seven published books, which you can find on her website, https://www.awareparenting.com/books.htm As of September 2026, I have four solo published books for parents, and three for children, with more coming soon. You can find out more on my website, https://marionrose.net/books/ You can find my Aware Parenting free PDFs and online courses here: https://marionrose.net/aware-parenting-courses/ You can sign up for my newsletters here: https://marion-rose.myflodesk.com/marion-rose-main-list I offer 1:1 mentoring. Details are here: https://marionrose.net/mentoring/ Here are my Instagram pages: Podcast: http://instagram.com/thelivingawareparentingpodcast Aware Parenting: https://www.instagram.com/awareparenting/ My Facebook personal page: https://www.facebook.com/marion.badenoch Here are all the Aware Parenting instructors in my region: https://marionrose.net/aware-parenting-instructors-in-australia-and-new-zealand/ Here's how to become an Aware Parenting instructor in my region: https://marionrose.net/aware-parenting-certification/ I do have another podcast, The Marion Rose Podcast, where I talk about all my other interests and offerings. It includes The Marion Method work, which consists of reparenting, as well as what I call reculturing: reclaiming our yeses and noes, getting free from Disconnected Domination Culture conditioning such as guilt and coercion, and lots more. You can find The Marion Rose Podcast on all the usual podcast platforms, and on YouTube, here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMarionRosePodcast See you in the next episode! Love, Marion xoxo
