5 tips to help toddlers with emotional regulation.

Stay calm & be patient

Remaining calm, exercising patience, and practicing self-regulation are the most effective ways to teach your little one to do the same. The more you lose control, the more the situation will escalate. It's important to remember that children often mirror the emotions and behaviors they observe. By maintaining a composed demeanor, you teach them valuable lessons in handling stress and frustration. Encourage open communication, validate their feelings, and guide them through problem-solving techniques. This not only strengthens your bond but also equips them with essential life skills. Celebrate small victories together and always remind them that making mistakes is a part of learning and growing.

Show empathy.

We begin by acknowledging our daughter's frustrations during a tantrum, reassuring her that it can be really disappointing not to get what you want at times. We engage in conversations about her feelings and the reasons behind them. The more frequently we have these discussions, the more she will be willing and able to express her emotions with us. We encourage her to use words to describe her feelings, offering her a safe space to share without judgment. By doing so, we not only validate her emotions but also teach her valuable communication skills. It's important to remember that patience is key, and progress may be gradual.

Validate their feelings.

This doesn’t imply that if your child is testing boundaries, you should simply acquiesce to their demands. Instead, it’s crucial for parents to recall what it felt like to desire something their parents opposed. It was incredibly frustrating, wasn’t it? Your toddler experiences those same emotions. They are simply trying to navigate and discover this new and thrilling world around them.

As adults, it’s essential to recognize that their feelings of upset are valid; they are entitled to have intense emotions about situations, even if they struggle to articulate them. By acknowledging their feelings, you help your child understand their emotions and teach them how to cope with similar situations in the future.

Help them become self-aware.

Begin by modeling positive self-awareness for your young child, as your example holds significant importance. Next, engage in discussions about emotions such as sadness, happiness, frustration, or anger in a safe and empathetic environment. This helps the child comprehend their feelings and explore what actions may have led to these emotions. Encourage them to reflect on questions like: What could they do differently in a similar situation? How did it make them feel? How did it affect those around them? What strategies helped them calm down and improve their mood? Children can only act according to what we teach them. If we fail to guide them in emotional regulation, how can we expect them to develop into emotionally balanced adults?

Stay calm & hug them.

Research indicates that elevated levels of oxytocin from hugging a baby help diminish their stress hormones, resulting in a calming effect on their entire system and enhancing their happiness. This suggests that the benefits of hugging extend from fostering positive emotions to alleviating negative stressors, ultimately working in the baby's favor. In moments when my daughter experiences a meltdown, sometimes the best approach is to hug her and maintain my own calmness. She senses my tranquility, which aids in co-regulating her emotions.

Co-regulation paves the way for self-regulation.