As parents, we want to rescue our kids from anxiety and OCD—but the truth is, some things are not within our control. And when we spend our energy trying to fix what isn’t ours to fix, we burn out, lose connection with our child, and unintentionally strengthen OCD. In this episode, I break down the critical difference between what is your role and what isn’t, so you can stop spinning your wheels and start creating meaningful progress for your child.

You’ll Learn What You Can’t Do (No Matter How Hard You Try):

You can’t force your child to stop compulsions that don’t involve you
You can’t create motivation or force insight
You can’t speed up their progress or prevent new OCD themes from emerging
You can’t make them share every intrusive thought

Trying to control these things only leads to power struggles and frustration—for you and your child.

Then We Shift to What You Can Do (and Where True Power Lies):

Educate yourself and recognize new OCD patterns early
Understand co-occurring struggles that impact progress
Identify how you may be unintentionally feeding OCD
Learn how to systematically pull back from accommodations
Set healthy boundaries so OCD doesn’t run your home
Incentivize your child to do the work instead of doing it for them
Determine where your child is in their journey—trust, skills, or treatment—and start there

You do have influence. You do have a role. And when you lean into the things you can control, that’s when your child’s growth begins.

👉 Want hands-on guidance through this process? Join the AT Parenting Community, where I support parents step-by-step in building a therapeutic home environment and empowering their kids to take their life back from OCD. Doors close on Thursday, Nov 20th, 2025.

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This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

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Understanding Your Role: What You Can and Can’t Do When Your Child Has OCD

AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety