The Bert Show: Vault – Are You Babying Your Kids Too Much?

Episode Date: February 11, 2026
Featured Hosts/Cast: Bert, Intern Carl, Jen, Melissa, Cassie, Tommy, and Callers

Overview

This episode dives into the tensions modern parents face when balancing nurturing and fostering independence. The team debates whether today's children are being coddled and "babied" too much, potentially leaving them unprepared for life's real-world hardships. The discussion mixes laughs, personal stories, and listener calls—proving every parent struggles to find that sweet spot between protection and growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Are We Coddling Our Kids?

• Catalyst: An article on "weak" children sparks the debate.

• Bert and Intern Carl confess ongoing battles with their wives over whether they're too tough or too tender with their kids.

  "It's probably the single biggest argument... me feeling like she's babying him and she thinking that I come down too hard.”
  — Bert [01:48]

• The idea that removing competition (everyone wins) is part of the coddling trend is highlighted:

  "We don't want them to experience competition because we don't want somebody to feel bad if they win or lose."
  — Intern Carl [01:26]

2. Real-Life Parenting Conflicts

• Bert describes trying to teach his son Hayden to stand up for himself vs. his wife’s preference for conflict avoidance:

  "If you push me, I'm gonna push you back. If you take my stuff, you can't take my stuff. Where Stacy is, avoid a fight at all costs.”
  — Bert [03:58]

• Example of chores: Hayden made "help mommy shop" a chore, showing how parental influence shapes perceptions of responsibility.

  “Help mommy shop, man. What kind of chore is that?”
  — Bert [05:54]

• Intern Carl discusses the nuances of “doing hair” and gendered expectations, underscoring how parents tune into different things:

  “We just have our ears up more so for... just too feminine things.”
  — Intern Carl [07:01]

3. Teaching Toughness and Responsibility

• Team Consensus: It’s not just boys that need resilience; girls do too.

  "You have to prepare men and women for the world because women are competing, women are playing sports. Women need to know how to win and lose."
  — Jen [04:37]

• Cultural expectations about standing up for oneself ("Don't start it, but always finish it") are shared, with hosts agreeing both boys and girls need grit.

  “If you can't stand up for yourself in a fight... I'm not a big fan of weak women as well as weak men.”
  — Cassie [07:06]

4. Listener Experiences

• Crystal (Caller): Raises two sensitive boys and finds that encouraging them to help others stand up was more effective than just encouraging them to defend themselves.

  “Once I explained to him that he needed to stand up for other people... that's what worked for him.”
  — Crystal [09:11]

• Sharona (Caller): Let her son handle a bully on his own, acting as backup instead of intervening directly.

  “I was a backup, you know, and my child said... get out of my way!”
  — Sharona [12:03]

5. The Long-Term Impact of Overparenting

• Overprotective parenting (“over mommying”) can hinder independence, delay basic milestones, and promote long-term dependency.

  “You can tell people who were overly mothered as adults because there’s still that dependency.”
  — Cassie [13:02]

• The hosts cite research showing "helicopter" parenting leads to poor coping skills in college—kids unable to meet challenges on their own.

  “Most of the kids that were dropping out were raised by these helicopter parents... they couldn't handle it anymore.”
  — Bert [13:18]

6. Scrapes, Bruises, and Building Resilience

• Kids need real physical and emotional bumps to develop coping skills.

  “You gotta let them get cut. You gotta let him have a scab, you gotta let him have a scar, you gotta let him have a broken arm.”
  — Cassie [13:57]

• Reactions from parents to mishaps can reinforce resilience or anxiety:

  “Some of my friends, when their kids fall down, they go 'Safe!'"
  — Jen [14:47]

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [01:48] Bert:
  “It's probably the single biggest argument... is me feeling like she's babying him and she thinking that I come down too hard on him.”

• [03:58] Bert:
  “If you push me, I'm gonna push you back... Where Stacy is, avoid a fight at all costs.”

• [05:54] Bert:
  “Help mommy shop, man. What kind of chore is that?”

• [07:06] Cassie:
  “I'm not a big fan of weak women as well as weak men.”

• [09:11] Crystal (Caller):
  “Once I explained to him that he needed to stand up for other people... that's what worked for him.”

• [12:03] Sharona (Caller):
  “I was a backup, you know, and my child said... get out of my way!”

• [13:18] Bert:
  “Most of the kids that were dropping out were raised by these helicopter parents... they couldn't handle it anymore.”

Important Timestamps

• 01:14 – Discussion kicks off: Article about raising "weak" kids.
• 03:57 – Bert’s story about playground conflict.
• 05:03 – Earning rewards and parental influence: chores example.
• 09:11 – Caller Crystal’s story of her sensitive son.
• 12:03 – Caller Sharona’s story of letting her son confront a bully.
• 13:18 – Effects of helicopter parenting.
• 13:57 – The value of physical “battle scars” in childhood.
• 14:47 – Parenting reactions to kids’ accidents.

Conclusion

The episode provides a balanced, candid exploration of the pressures and pitfalls of modern parenting, with a mix of genuine concern, humor, and empathy. The prevailing message: Raising tough, resilient kids requires both nurturing and letting go—sometimes, you have to let them stumble so they’re ready for life’s challenges.