In this episode of the Stride 2 Freedom Podcast, host Russell Benaroya welcomes his wife, parenting coach Melissa Benaroya, for a heartfelt conversation that bridges parenting and business leadership. Their chat explores how harmony at home fuels success at work—and vice versa.
Why This Conversation Matters
Russell opens the episode by highlighting two powerful links: the harmony we cultivate at home directly impacts how we show up in business, and parenting techniques often translate seamlessly into managing teams and organizations.
It’s a compelling reminder: thriving leaders are made, not just at the office, but also at the dinner table.
Who Melissa Benaroya Is
Melissa is a licensed therapist turned parent coach who believes in supporting families without labeling anyone. She serves families with babies through teens, guiding them through common underlying challenges—regardless of the child’s age or developmental stage.
What Drives Parents to Reach Out
Many families come to Melissa feeling overwhelmed and powerless, sometimes reaching out in tears or with a sense of helplessness:
“There’s nothing I can do… I’m a really high-powered executive, but I can’t manage my four-year-old.” — A client shares.
The toll of stress at home seeps into the workplace—exhaustion, a sense of incompetence, and emotional overwhelm can limit creative, present leadership.
Lessons from Parenting That Apply to Leadership
Melissa notes the striking parallels between entrepreneurship and parenting. What works in one often works in the other:
- Clear structure and shared agreements foster cooperation.
- Collaboration—even with children through choices—builds ownership rather than resistance.
- Rigid, top-down commands often backfire, whether at home or in the office.
Three Game-Changing Parenting Techniques
Melissa shared three practical tactics that spark connection and cooperation:
- Swap “No” for a “Yes”—with boundaries. Overusing “no” alienates kids. Instead, offer a bounded yes (“Yes… but only if you can…”).
- Lead with empathy. Melissa emphasizes: “We have to connect before we correct.” A simple empathetic phrase—“It’s so hard when you want a doughnut for breakfast and we have cereal…”—can disarm resistance.
- Offer limited choices. This gives children agency while reinforcing clear boundaries—“We can have cereal or a waffle—your choice.” When kids feel in control, they’re less likely to push back.
What Parents Struggle With Most
Empathy is often the toughest tool to master. It’s intuitive for some, foreign to others—but Melissa sees it as a muscle: the more you practice, the stronger it gets. Yet it requires slowing down—even amidst tantrums—to regulate our own emotions enough to truly connect first.
Multiple Paths to Support
Melissa’s offerings span live coaching, workshops, and online courses—like her signature “Childproof Parenting” program, along with emotion-coaching and mealtime peace-building courses. She also shares blogs, free downloads, and speaks both locally in Seattle and internationally.
What Many Don’t Ask—but Should
A transformative question Melissa helps parents explore is:
“What am I doing to cause this behavior or to cause this challenge?”
This isn’t about blame—it’s about owning the influence we have. Change happens when parents change their behavior, leading to ripples of growth at home and at work.
Take the Next Step
Want more tools to parent with confidence (and lead with greater ease)? Check out Melissa’s courses, explore her blog, or connect directly to bring harmony into both your home and your genius zone.
In this Freedom Speaker Series episode with Melissa, you will learn:
- Relationship between parenting and building a business
- The function of empathy in a family
- How to create harmony in your home
We are fortunate to have Melissa available to spend time with us on this edition of Stride 2 Freedom. If there is a speaker you’d like us to interview, click here and let us know. Stay well. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
Show Notes and Links From Episode:
Melissa Benaroya website | Linkedin | email
Childproof Parenting
