Support your child going through big feelings with co-regulating activities.
Allison Brown explains the concept of co-regulating as a method for helping children with big feelings calm down and avoid meltdowns. Co-regulating involves parents staying calm themselves to help their child synchronize emotionally and physically. This begins with parents taking deep breaths to lower their heart rate, which sets the tone for their child to mirror this calmness.
Parents can further support co-regulation by getting down to their child’s level, holding their hands, maintaining eye contact, and prompting them to breathe while modeling slow, deep breaths. For some children, additional physical comfort like a bear hug or rocking may be needed to help them calm down.
Co-regulating is a skill that requires patience and practice, but over time it can become a powerful tool for managing emotional meltdowns.
