Mindset: Raise Children You Can Respect (And Who Can Respect You Back)

In Episode 19 of The PhD Mommy’s Journey, Bridgette dives into the fierce, honest, and heartfelt truth behind Rule 5 of Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: “Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.” This powerful conversation isn't just about parenting—it’s about responsibility, emotional regulation, leadership, and legacy.

As a service member and a mom, Bridgette shares what it looks like to raise daughters with love and structure—even when she’s thousands of miles away chasing her goals in the Navy and finishing her PhD. She unpacks the weight of generational healing, the pull to overcompensate, and how self-respect and boundaries shape how we parent and who we become.

Episode 19 challenges listeners to rethink what it means to raise children and raise themselves—with fierce love, intentional limits, and emotional maturity.

You’ll hear real talk on:

1. Parenting Without Apology Why loving your kids doesn’t mean pleasing them—and how to break free from guilt-based parenting.

2. Emotional Discipline in Leadership and Motherhood The difference between reacting and responding—and how discipline, not domination, builds trust and growth.

3. Respect is a Two-Way Street How raising children you admire starts with becoming someone you admire—and why the example you set matters more than the rules you enforce.

4. Overcompensation as a Military Mom What it feels like to parent from a distance—and how Bridgette wrestles with (and redefines) what it means to be enough.

5. The Power of Support Systems From family to school systems—how the right village makes it possible to chase your purpose while your children thrive too.

6. Leadership at Home and in the World Parenting as a leadership model: cultivating self-respect, authority, and strength—both in your home and in your own life.

• You’re not failing if you’re not always present—your presence is also in your purpose.

• Parenting with structure and boundaries is a gift, not a punishment.

• Emotional regulation is one of the greatest leadership tools you can model for your children.

• Overcompensation isn’t the answer—trust, discipline, and support are.

• Respectful parenting starts with self-respect.

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To Contact Bridgette:

Instagram @Thephdmommylife • https://www.instagram.com/thephdmommylife

Email: [email protected] 

If you would like to be a guest and share your story on The PhD Mommy's Journey Podcast, please fill out this form. Link to Dr. Peterson's Book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos