The Disrespect Epidemic: Why Kids Are Ruder Than Ever and What to Do | Regulation-First Parenting | E375

Kids today seem sharper, quicker to snap, and harder to parent—and it’s leaving many families exhausted. In this episode, we explore The Disrespect Epidemic: Why Kids Are Ruder Than Ever and What to Do with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, founder of Regulation First Parenting™, who reveals how emotional dysregulation—not bad parenting—drives today’s behaviors and how calming the brain restores respect.

If you feel like your child’s eye rolling, snapping, or sharp tone has gotten worse, you’re not imagining it—and you’re not failing. Many parents are quietly wondering why parenting feels harder than ever, even when they’re doing all the “right” things.

In this episode, we unpack why kids are ruder than ever and what to do, revealing why disrespectful behavior has skyrocketed and why it’s really a sign of nervous system overload—not bad manners. You’ll learn what’s driving today’s explosive reactions and how calming the brain first can restore connection, respect, and peace at home.

Why does my child seem so rude and disrespectful lately?

Many parents worry their child’s disrespectful behavior means bad manners or poor values. But it’s not disrespect—it’s dysregulation.

Children today are overstimulated, under-rested, and under constant pressure. When the nervous system is overwhelmed, skills like empathy, patience, and respectful tone go offline.

What looks like rude behavior is really a stress response. Kids don’t wake up wanting to talk back or roll their eyes—their brains are stuck in survival mode.

Takeaways:

1. Behavior is communication, not defiance
2. Overloaded brains lose access to self-control
3. Your child isn’t bad—their nervous system is struggling

Example: A 12-year-old snaps “Leave me alone!” when asked about homework. It’s not attitude—it’s emotional overload.

Are kids today really ruder than past generations?

Children today aren’t worse—they’re more dysregulated. Screens, constant noise, fast schedules, and emotional burnout leave little recovery time. Many young people hold it together at school, then explode at home where they feel safest.

This is why disrespectful kids often save their worst behavior for parents and family members.

Takeaways:

1. Kids crash at home after holding it together all day
2. Hyper-stimulation shortens frustration tolerance
3. Losing problem-solving skills makes everything feel like a threat

🗣️ “Kids don’t want to be disrespectful. It becomes the only thing their brain can do when they’re overloaded.” — Dr. Roseann

Why doesn’t my child listen or respond respectfully in the moment?

When a child’s nervous system is in fight, flight, or freeze, the prefrontal cortex—the brain’s job manager—goes offline. You can’t reason, lecture, or punish your way through dysregulation.

Matching their intensity only fuels a power struggle.

What helps instead:

1. Soft tone + calm...