Raising Your Parents

Dance of Communication- Pt 7: Capacity is the Boundary

kandice — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 22:01:22 GMT

In this episode of Dance of Communication, we explore capacity as a form of boundary. Caring for aging parents often pushes us beyond what we can realistically carry, leading to burnout, resentment, and strained relationships. This conversation helps caregivers identify their emotional, physical, and time capacity, communicate limits with clarity and compassion, and release guilt around doing “everything.” Honoring capacity isn’t giving up—it’s creating sustainable care that protects both the caregiver and the relationship.

Dance of Communication - PT 6: Reclaiming your time.

kandice — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 01:20:56 GMT

In Part 6 of Dance of Communication, we tackle one of the most overlooked—and emotionally charged—topics in caregiving: time boundaries. From setting “business hours” for calls and visits to balancing your parents’ needs with your own work, family, and rest, this episode explores how to create structure without guilt. We discuss appropriate call times, shared calendars, and how to respectfully address scheduling conflicts before resentment builds. This episode helps grown children protect their time while still showing up with care, clarity, and consistency.

Dance of Communication-Pt 5: Presenting a United Front

kandice — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:12:52 GMT

When parents begin to age, sibling dynamics often shift into a “good cop, bad cop” rhythm—one sibling enforcing boundaries and hard conversations, the other stepping in to take action and keep the peace. In this episode, we explore how these roles form, how they can create tension if left unspoken, and how siblings can intentionally work together as strategic partners instead of opposing forces. By aligning communication, clarifying roles, and presenting a united front, families can reduce conflict, protect relationships, and better support their parents through change.

Dance of Communication-Pt 4: Siblings as Strategic Partners

kandice — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 02:29:25 GMT

In Part 4 of the Dance of Communication series, we shift the focus from parent-child conversations to the often-unspoken partnership between siblings. Before we can show up as a unified team for our parents, we have to understand what shaped that team in the first place.

In this episode, we reflect on our upbringing, family roles, and the patterns we observed in our parents’ communication—both the strengths and the fractures. We talk candidly about how those early dynamics influence how siblings collaborate (or clash) when decisions around aging parents begin to surface.

This conversation isn’t about assigning blame or rewriting history. It’s about awareness. Understanding where each sibling is coming from allows us to move from frustration to strategy—and from individual reactions to collective responsibility.

If you’re navigating caregiving with siblings and wondering why alignment feels hard, this episode helps you name the dynamics, honor the history, and begin building a partnership that serves both your parents and each other.

Dance of Communication- Part 3: Putting Strategy Into Practice

kandice — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:47:56 GMT

In Part 3 of the Dance of Communication series, we move from awareness to action. This episode is all about practical strategies you can use when conversations with your parents start to feel heavy, emotional, or stuck.

We walk through and demonstrate tools like using humor to diffuse tension, the sandwich method to deliver hard messages with care, and third-party interventions when conversations need support beyond the family dynamic. These strategies aren’t about avoiding the truth—they’re about creating space for it to be heard.

If you’ve ever thought, “I know what I want to say… I just don’t know how to say it,” this episode gives you options, language, and permission to try a different approach.

Dance of Communication - PT 2: Shifting the Language

kandice — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:33:38 GMT

In Part 2 of our Dance of Communication series, we explore how the words we choose can either calm a conversation or quietly set it on fire. When roles begin to shift with our parents, it’s easy for discussions to turn tense—especially when language feels blaming, accusatory, or final.

This episode focuses on the power of “I” and “we” statements—simple shifts in wording that help reduce defensiveness, lower emotional intensity, and keep conversations rooted in connection instead of conflict. We talk through real-life examples, common communication traps, and how to express concerns without fueling arguments.

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking “That’s not what I meant” or “Why did that escalate so fast?”—this episode is for you. This is about learning how to speak with your parents, not at them, while honoring both your voice and the relationship.

Intro: The Moment You Realize You're Raising Your Parents

kandice — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:11:11 GMT

At some point, many of us wake up and realize the roles have changed. The people who raised us now need us—and no one really talks about how hard that can be.

In this first episode, host Kandice Stewart shares her personal journey into caregiving and the moments that led her to create Raising Your Parents. What began as simply helping out slowly became navigating big decisions, emotional conversations, and the quiet grief that comes with watching your parents change.

This episode isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about naming what so many adult children feel—love, responsibility, guilt, frustration, and deep care—often all at the same time.

Raising Your Parents is a space for the grown-up kids learning how to support their parents while still holding on to themselves. If you’ve ever felt unprepared, overwhelmed, or alone in this role, this podcast is for you

Dance of Communication - PT 1: When Roles Begin to Shift

kandice — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:12:14 GMT

The Dance of Communication begins with something deeply personal—friendship, shared history, and the moment when adult children realize the rhythm with their parents has changed.

In this first episode, I introduce my college best friend and co-host, Marjanee, who—like me—is navigating life as a daughter raising aging parents. We come from strikingly similar backgrounds: parents married for over 50 years, strong family foundations, and mothers now living with dementia. These parallels shape how we show up, how we communicate, and how we grieve, adapt, and lead with love.

This episode sets the tone for the series—honest, reflective, and rooted in real experience. We talk about what it feels like when respect meets responsibility, when childhood roles quietly reverse, and when communication becomes less about being heard and more about staying connected.

If you’re a grown-up child learning how to guide the people who once guided you, this conversation is where the dance begins.