As adults, sometimes we can forget that our children are nowhere near our developmental level. So then, how do we help them regulate their emotions? In this post you will read eight ways to help children regulate their emotions. Here are 8 ways to help children regulate their emotions.
Parents, we’ve all been there, in the grocery store, meticulously inspecting and tapping on a watermelon in efforts to try and find the perfect one. and then your beautiful little you, tugs on your jacket for the 13th time and says, “Daddy, I want (insert thing here)”
Frustrated, you say, “For the last time Connor, I told you, you can’t get anything! Why do I have to keep telling you?”
As you watch him slowly throw his head back and lower his arms to his sides, you know what’s coming. “Oh, God” you think to yourself, “here it comes.”
How to deal with kids when they are in crisis
And then, your suspicions are confirmed when your miniature volcano let’s out, a high-piched, sizzle/whinny like noise that vibrates off his vocal cords, pierces your ears and sets off the, “I’m a bad parent embracement detector.”
Today, your three-year-old hearing no for the 14th time, what’s the magic number.
“he’s gonna go nuclear!”
Taking a deep breath, you realize that screaming and hollering will only send your toddler into the atmosphere. So, now what?
When my kids were small, throwing the head back and arms dropping to their sides were more than just an oncoming storm of a meltdown, they were signs of exhaustion. And if you’ve ever been beat yourself, you know that it’s much more difficult to manage your emotions. Imagine then, being a three foot, underdeveloped brained-child in the same state.
Essentially, a meltdown is assured. Not only is rolling on the floor or two a guarantee, but it’s also equally going to be hard to put the brakes on it.
And for good reason. Their underdeveloped brains aren’t equipped to self-adjust to a state of calm. However, that doesn’t mean that when they are in a normal state, that they can’t begin to learn to regulate themselves. But they will need your patience to help them,
Below are 8 ways to help children regulate their emotions.
- Teaching emotional vocabulary: Teaching children the words to describe their emotions can help them understand and regulate their emotions better.
- Modeling emotional regulation: Children learn by example, so by modeling emotional regulation for them, parents and caregivers can help children develop their own emotional regulation skills.
- Encourage physical activity: Physical activity can help children release pent-up emotions and energy, which can make it easier for them to regulate their emotions.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness practices such as deep breathing, meditation and yoga can help children become more aware of their thoughts and emotions and develop the ability to calm themselves down.
- Encourage creative expression: Activities such as drawing, writing, and music can help children express their emotions in a healthy way.
- Create a safe and supportive environment: Children need to feel safe and supported in order to express and regulate their emotions. Creating a safe and supportive environment can help children feel comfortable to talk about and express their emotions.
- Provide emotional support: Children need to know that it’s okay to have a wide range of emotions and that it’s healthy to talk about them. By providing emotional support, parents and caregivers can help children develop the skills they need to regulate their emotions.
- Playful way: Playful activities like role-playing, storytelling, and games can be a fun way to help children learn about emotions and how to regulate them.
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No one ever said parenting was easy, or that mistakes won’t be made, however, if you keep working with your child and employing these methods, you can help them to develop the necessary skills to manage how they deal with the world around them. Not only in childhood, but for the rest of their lives too.
Benefits of teaching kids how to regulate their emotions.
1. Improved emotional intelligence: Teaching children to self-regulate their emotions can help them better understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.
2. Increased resilience: Children who learn to self-regulate their emotions are better able to cope with stress and adversity.
3. Better relationships: Self-regulation skills can help children to communicate more effectively and build stronger relationships with others.
4. Better academic performance: Children who can self-regulate their emotions are better able to focus and perform well in school.
5. Improved mental health: Self-regulation skills can help children to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and overall improve their mental well-being.
6. Better physical health: Self-regulation skills can also help children to manage their physical health, by reducing feelings of stress and anxiety which can have an impact on the body.
7. Better decision-making: Self-regulation skills can help children to think before they act and make more thoughtful decisions.
So, there you have it, some recommendations to help you increase the odds that your child will end up being a happy and well-adjusted human being. Let us know what you think of the post and please, share it on your social media platforms….. thanks!
Jonathan speaking at the
Jonathan Speaking at the Stop Depression Summit
On February 23, 2023
His talk was on the ways in which you can take back your life when you have trauma and major depressive disorder
Now, you can watch Jonathan Speak at the Stop Depression Summit – FREE!
I was honored to be part of such a wonderfully resource rich summit with some of the foremost experts in the field.
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8 ways to help children regulate their emotions. copyright 2023
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