54 minutes | Monday, 23 March 2026
What happens when you’re trying to perform at work while also being a present, patient and emotionally available parent at home?In Episode 30, we sit down with Natalie Costa to explore emotional fitness in families, schools and workplaces. Natalie shares her mission to help raise a generation of connected humans by supporting the adults around them - parents, teachers and leaders alike.From childhood anxiety and classroom breakthroughs to parental guilt, emotional regulation and the pressure modern families face, this is a thoughtful, practical and deeply human conversation about what children really need, what parents are carrying, and how workplaces can better support the people raising the next generation.It’s an episode about pressure, repair, resilience and the courage to stay steady when life feels anything but.Key themesEmotional fitness in children and adultsParenting under pressureChildhood anxiety and self-beliefNeuroplasticity and changing old patternsParent guilt and the “mental load”Why connection matters more than everHow leaders can better support working parentsKey takeawaysChildren need adults to be their substitute prefrontal cortexThere is only room for one adult in the parent-child relationshipYou can’t parent perfectly, but you can repairEmotional regulation is a skill, not a personality traitNeuroplasticity means we can build new emotional habits at any ageModern parenting is harder because many families are raising children without a villageConnection with children often starts by taking an interest in their worldGreat leadership at work starts with seeing the human behind the behaviourSupporting parents at work is not a perk — it’s a culture and performance issuePull quotes / soundbites“We are more connected than ever before, but more emotionally disconnected than ever before.”“We need to support the people raising the next generation.”“There’s only space for one adult in the relationship — and it’s not your child.”“You can’t get it wrong if you are repairing and taking ownership.”“Neuroplasticity is the muscle of our mind.”“What are the keys to your kid’s kingdom?”“Connect before you correct.”“We’re all big kids walking around trying to run companies.”“A lot of guilt is really just being pulled between things we value.”Suggested chapter titles00:00 – Welcome to Episode 3000:57 – Natalie’s mission: raising connected humans02:34 – From teaching to emotional fitness06:16 – The classroom moment that changed everything09:16 – Teaching kids what to do with big feelings14:17 – Why the work has to include parents17:25 – Old stories, childhood beliefs and change21:46 – What neuroplasticity actually means25:35 – Is it harder than ever to be a parent?27:52 – Simple ways to reconnect with your kids31:31 – What workplace support for parents should look like35:58 – Does the work start with children or adults?40:22 – Emotional fitness and sitting with discomfort45:14 – What to do at 2am when your mind won’t stop48:06 – Progressive leadership for working parents51:16 – Final takeaways