Skip to content

Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

WHY SO MANY CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY TODAY

Home
Podcasts
WHY SO MANY CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY TODAY

What Has Changed—and What Parents Can Still Do

Hi everyone,

I recently joined Lisa Urbanski on The Advisor with Stacey Chillemi for a thoughtful and honest conversation about why so many children are struggling emotionally today—and what parents can do to help.

Over the past several decades, I have watched anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and disconnection appear in children at younger and younger ages. In this conversation, we explored what has changed, how modern family life impacts emotional development, and why connection matters far more than perfection.

We discussed:

  • Why anxiety is now showing up in children much earlier than in previous generations
  • How screens, AI, and constant stimulation are reshaping childhood and emotional development
  • Why over‑scheduling children can unintentionally increase stress and emotional exhaustion
  • The importance of boredom, creativity, humor, and unstructured time in healthy development
  • Why children’s meltdowns are often signals of overload—not “bad behavior”
  • The powerful role grandparents and emotionally available adults can play in a child’s life
  • How relationship stress and family tension quietly affect children’s sense of emotional safety
  • Why emotional presence matters more than trying to be a perfect parent

One of the most important messages from this conversation is simple:

Children do not need flawless parents. They need emotionally available adults who are willing to slow down, listen, repair, and reconnect.

If you have ever wondered whether you are doing enough, felt overwhelmed by modern parenting, or simply want to better understand what children truly need emotionally, I believe this episode will resonate with you.

🎧 Watch the full conversation on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/-alxt4KQtbg

📝 Read the companion newsletter article:
Parenting Just Got Harder—Here’s Why

Warmly,
Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst
Psychologist, Author, and Speaker
www.drvanderhorst.com

For more reflections on emotional development, parenting, and the psychology of connection, explore articles on Psychology Today and research from Greater Good Science Center.

If you are navigating parenting challenges or want to better understand your child’s emotional world, therapy can offer clarity, support, and practical guidance. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that strengthen emotional connection and resilience.

related blog post by Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

Read more of my stories and reflections

A parent and child reading while snowed in at Kwanzaa holiday in their pajama after going home for the holidays with the goal to teach the alphabet, fathers, symbolizing protection, emotional transitions and connection in Maryland and DC.
June 21, 2026

FATHERS

The Complexity, Influence, and Legacy of the Men Who Shape Us The word “fathers” evokes a wide range of responses — from deep affection and admiration to complicated, painful memories. In my work as a psychologist, I have witnessed the full spectrum of emotional reactions. This diversity highlights both the
Read My Post
Dr. Gloria K VanderhorstBy Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
An emotional parent, waiting and filled with regret about failure, sitting quietly on a park bench displaying empathy and courage, waiting for a package after a sorting delay, symbolizing resistance, emotional distance, self‑discovery, and the potential for reconnection in Maryland and DC.
June 20, 2026

ARE YOU LIVING YOUR OWN LIFE, OR SOMEONE ELSE’S?

How Expectations Shape Us, and How Self‑Discovery Sets Us Free Good to see you, How much of your life has been shaped by what others expected of you? That question became the center of a recent conversation I had on the Relatable Wisdom podcast, where we explored what it truly
Read My Post
Dr. Gloria K VanderhorstBy Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
Student sitting on a college campus with a book about Masculinity and fatherhood and raising boys, symbolizing Understanding Men’s Emotional Lives and independence in Maryland and DC.
June 20, 2026

Why Understanding Boys’ Emotional Lives When Raising Boys Matters More Than Ever

Raising Boys If you are a parent raising a boy, you may wonder why you should listen to someone who has not raised one herself. I have raised a girl — lovely she is. I have two granddaughters — lovely they are. So why am I talking to you as
Read My Post
Dr. Gloria K VanderhorstBy Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
A woman studying new words like Troglodyte in French indoors while rain pours outside, symbolizing joy and emotional connection in Maryland and DC.
June 20, 2026

The French Have Many Names for Wine and Futility

THE FRENCH HAVE MANY NAMES FOR WINE AND FUTILITY History, Humor, and the Anchoring Power of Connection Wine may be fermented joy, but futility? That’s a vintage all its own. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how French history mirrors personal emotional cycles—and how relationships, like a
Read My Post
Dr. Gloria K VanderhorstBy Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst