02/25/2026
What is co-regulation?
Children first learn to regulate their sensory and emotional systems through caregivers. As they grow, they gradually learn to regulate on their own.
👩👦 Using a parent as a regulator may look like:
• Intense separation anxiety past age 2
• Always gravitating toward one caregiver
• Needing lots of touch or redirection when upset
🌱 Learning to regulate independently looks like:
• Asking for help
• Saying “I feel sad. Can you help me?”
• Using strategies like deep breaths, hand pushes, reset time, or swinging
💡 Ways to support self-regulation:
✔ Use predictable, validating language
✔ Encourage children to express feelings
✔ Create a simple list of calming strategies
✔ Build a daily calm time (5–10 minutes of quiet sensory play)
Helping children understand their emotions builds confidence, resilience, and lifelong coping skills. 🤍
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