The Peaceful Parenting Podcast · Sarah Rosensweet

Transforming Toddlerhood with Devon Kuntzman: Episode 207

·43 min·2 clips

“What’s the goal here?” becomes the test for leaving a power struggle.

1. The Peaceful Parenting Podcast episode centers on Devin Kunstman and toddlerhood, with Sarah Rosenzweig framing it as a practical guide to young-child behavior. 2. Sarah Rosenzweig hosts the show, and Devin Kunstman appears as an ICF certified coach, toddler expert, founder of Transforming Toddlerhood, and author of a book coming out October 21st. 3. The episode asks what toddler behavior means developmentally and how parents can respond without turning every limit into a battle. 4. Devin says toddlerhood is challenging because children are realizing they are separate from their parents while parents are also realizing the child is a separate person. 5. She points to early signs as young as 9 months, 12 months, and 14 months, including diaper-change resistance, running away when called, and hitting when frustrated. 6. Sarah connects that stage to the arrival of a new baby and notes that the “terrible twos” or “horrible threes” often feel worse depending on sibling timing. 7. Devin describes toddlers as living with contradictory needs: they want independence, control, and capability while still relying on adults for social and physical care. 8. She says behaviors like hitting, biting, throwing, kicking, screaming, and crying often function as communication rather than simple misbehavior. 9. Sarah and Devin discuss how toddlers lack the logic, perspective, and brain development to express needs in adult language. 10. Devin says parents often mistake developmentally normal behavior for wrongdoing and then spiral into fear about their child’s future. 11. Devin says parents typically underestimate physical abilities while overestimating social-emotional capacity and impulse control. 12. She recommends checking behavior patterns over several days to a week before deciding an expectation is realistic. 13. Sarah and Devin use dressing as an example of a task that requires coordination and planning, which is why toddlers need scaffolding. 14. Devin argues that crying should not be dismissed as “fake crying” or “crying for no reason,” because crying is a real communication tool. 15. She says responding with phrases like “that must have been hard” or “that was unexpected” supports emotional connection better than “you’re fine.” 16. Sarah links this to toddlers having intense reactions over small things like a broken muffin or a banana peeled the “wrong” way. 17. The interview style is warm and conversational, with Sarah asking repeated parent-questions and Devin answering in plain, practical terms. 18. The energy stays supportive and coaching-oriented, with frequent examples from diaper changes, car seats, tooth brushing, and throwing objects. 19. Parents of 1-4 year olds looking for practical toddler strategies. 20. Listeners wanting infant or older-child theory without toddler-specific examples.

As heard by us

A practical toddler discussion about boundaries, flexibility, and everyday power struggles.

This episode offers a calm, practical look at toddler behavior, with Sarah Rosenzweig and Devin Kunstman keeping the focus on why toddlers can be so hard to read and what is happening developmentally.

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Why you'd press play

Toddler battles, without the power-struggle spiral.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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