Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families
FAFO Parenting Is Breaking Your Connection
Mar 03, 2026
· 15m
<p>It’s the parenting trend everyone’s talking about — and it might be doing more harm than good.</p> <p>“FAFO parenting” (mess around and find out) is being framed as the antidote to gentle parenting. Tougher. Harder. No-nonsense. Let kids face the consequences and toughen up.</p> <p>But here’s the problem: when parenting swings from one extreme to another, kids don’t get stronger — they get disconnected.</p> <p>In this episode, Dr Justin Coulson unpacks where FAFO parenting came from, why it’s exploding across …