05/01/2025
Ever tried reasoning with your child mid-meltdown—and got nowhere?
Here’s why:
When a child is dysregulated, it’s like there’s a traffic jam in their brain. Emotions have blocked the road, and nothing—not rewards, not consequences, not even your calmest logic—can get through.
What they need first isn’t correction.
It’s connection.
Help them clear the jam by offering co-regulation: a steady presence, deep breaths, or even just sitting quietly together. Once their “road” is clear again, then you can talk, teach, and guide.
Save this as a reminder: Calm first, teach later.
Want more?
You’ll find deeper insights and practical tools in my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent, available on my website www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon.
