Maureen French - Life Balance Counselling

03/20/2026

Telling a child to “calm down” does not teach them how to calm down.

Young children are not born knowing how to manage anger, frustration, fear, or overwhelm. Their brains are still developing. When emotions become too big, the thinking part of the brain goes offline. In that moment, the child cannot reason, listen, or control their behaviour.

What helps is a calm adult.

When an adult stays steady, speaks gently, and helps the child name what they feel, the child’s nervous system begins to settle. This process is called co-regulation. It is how children gradually learn self-regulation, emotional control, and coping skills.

Over time, children internalise these calm responses. The words we use, the patience we show, and the safety we provide slowly become the child’s own inner voice.

Children do not learn emotional regulation from fear, pressure, or punishment.

They learn it from connection, safety, and calm adults.

LIKE the photo and comment "REGULATION" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

03/20/2026

When a child hits, it can feel shocking, frustrating, and sometimes even personal. But hitting isn’t about a “bad” child — it’s a sign of an overwhelmed brain that hasn’t yet learned how to cope. Behind the behaviour is a child who needs support, guidance, and skills they don’t yet have.

In the Supporting the Child Who Hits Toolkit, I’ll walk you through why children hit, what’s really happening in their nervous system, and how to respond in a way that actually teaches, rather than just stops the behaviour in the moment.

Because when we understand the “why,” we can respond in ways that build safer, calmer, more connected children.
If you’re feeling stuck, reactive, or unsure what to do next — this is for you.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

03/20/2026

Behaviors are communication. What is your child communicating?

When a child pushes back, refuses, or argues, it can feel personal… frustrating… even exhausting. But what if that “defiance” isn’t about disrespect at all? What if it’s a signal that something underneath needs our attention? When we look beyond the behaviour, we often find overwhelm, unmet needs, or a child who simply doesn’t yet have the words for what they’re feeling. This shift doesn’t make parenting easier overnight, but it does make it more connected, more compassionate, and far more effective.

This is exactly what I explore inside my Misunderstood Defiance: The Vulnerable Child Toolkit — helping you decode behaviour, respond with confidence, and support your child without escalating the struggle. Because when we understand the “why,” everything changes.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

03/20/2026

👇 Get the parenting and mental health advice from the world renowned experts you can trust. Type PODCAST below to get a link to listen to our top ranked podcast; or type YOUTUBE to watch it there!👇

💕 Childhood memories usually aren’t about the big things. They’re about the feeling of growing up with you.

Years from now, children won’t remember whether the house was perfect or every moment went smoothly. What often stays with them are the emotional experiences that shaped their sense of safety and belonging.

-> Did I feel safe?
-> Did someone listen to me?
-> Was I comforted when I was overwhelmed?
-> Did we laugh and play together?

Children build their understanding of the world through everyday moments — how we respond when they struggle and how they felt in our presence.

✨ It’s not perfection that shapes childhood memories. It’s connection and the feeling of home.

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🎙️Learn more about how to help your child thrive in today’s world; subscribe to THE CHILD PSYCH PODCAST hosted by our co-founders, Tammy Schamuhn & Tania Johnson.

🎙️ This podcast brings you the top parenting & children’s mental health experts in the world. We will educate and inspire you with the most current research & strategies to help foster emotional resiliency & healing in your child or the children you work with.

🎙️Most importantly, we’re here because we need to raise a generation of children who don’t need to recover from their childhoods.

03/20/2026

Kids co-regulate with us.

Parents, just 10 seconds of grounding can calm the whole room.

RSVP for our next Feelings Fridays Webinar: Pause is Power——->

https://bit.ly/MarchFeelingsFridays

02/12/2026

Want to learn how to decode these moments?

Comment NBC 👇 to download this free printable: Understanding the Needs Behind a Child’s Behavior
With this printable, your child will:
👉 Feel seen instead of misunderstood.
👉 Learn to calm down with adult support.
👉 Experience fewer power struggles and escalations.

Comment NBC 👇 to download now!

01/09/2026

Parenting is about the child's needs.

12/07/2025

Joy and grief can share the same table.
You can hold both deeply.
You can laugh and still miss them.
You can smile and still ache.

Just welcome both:
The light, the darkness, and all the moments in between.

Let yourself feel it all.
It's what makes life whole.

, Love & Hygge

healing

12/06/2025

It often surprises people that some of the most influential tech leaders set the strictest boundaries around screens at home. Bill Gates was no exception. His approach wasn’t about restriction for the sake of it — it was about protecting childhood, concentration, and connection.

This visual shares what Gates put in place for his own children, and why many experts still recommend similar boundaries today. It’s a reminder that children thrive best when technology supports their development, rather than leads it.

12/06/2025

Being aware of technology use by kids is important. It shapes their brain, but not in ways we want. Emotionally aware kids use less technology.

When screens feel unavoidable
So many parents tell me they feel torn between “protecting childhood” and “keeping up with the world”. Screen guidance can feel confusing, conflicting, and frankly overwhelming.

When you want something simple
The 3-6-9-12 Rule, created by French psychiatrist Serge Tisseron, cuts through the noise with clear, age-appropriate milestones that help support a child’s developing brain.

When brain development comes first
Young children need hands-on play, language, relationships, movement and co-regulation far more than they need digital stimulation. This rule puts those needs back at the centre.

When boundaries build safety
It’s not about fear or shame. It’s about scaffolding digital independence slowly, with connection and supervision in place until a child can cope with the online world.

When families need flexibility
It isn’t a rigid rulebook. It’s a framework. A starting point. A way to reflect on what’s developmentally right for your child, in your home, at your pace.

When you want practical support
If screen battles are an ongoing stressor, my behaviour and emotional regulation toolkits offer step-by-step scripts, routines and strategies. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

12/06/2025

When a 10-year-old tells us how big feelings feel…
It’s rarely in neat sentences. It’s usually through behaviour, tone, withdrawal, or overwhelm — the hidden language of emotional regulation still under construction.

Behind the shouting, shutting down, or 'attitude'...

Is a child whose body feels too big, too fizzy, too fast. A child who wants to stay in control but can’t access their skills in the moment.

At 10, emotional regulation is still developing.
The brain’s wiring for impulse control and calm responses is growing, but not fully mature. They need our co-regulation, our steadiness, and our presence.

What they show us is communication, not defiance.
Their behaviour is a message: “I’m overwhelmed. Help me feel safe.” When we respond with calm rather than correction, their nervous system learns safety.

Children this age need adults who stay predictable.
A steady tone. Clear boundaries. Close presence. Gentle reminders. It’s these moments that shape how they learn to manage big emotions later in life.

If you’re supporting a child who feels things deeply…
My Managing Big Feelings Toolkit gives parents and educators step-by-step scripts, co-regulation strategies, visuals, and calm-down tools.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

12/06/2025

Trauma happens to everyone. Its what happens after that determines it's impact.

Answer a few questions to uncover emotional patterns rooted in past experiences.