Emotional Regulation - How to be less reactive

While going through the self check-out recently, I witnessed what is, no doubt, a common grocery store event - a spectacular, full-bodied toddler meltdown. The drama, the tears, the anger - an overreaction to something seemingly small, but very real and relevant to the child. How we respond to a distressed child has a direct impact on its behaviour. While our first instinct might be to lecture or discipline, we all know that kindness and understanding generally work better. Helping the child to breathe and relax goes a long way towards its ability to self-soothe in the future.

But let's be honest, emotional self-regulation isn't just hard for toddlers - many of us struggle with it throughout our adult lives. How often are we standing at the self check-out feeling tired, frazzled, or overwhelmed? How often do we take the time to do a self check-in? To breathe and take a moment to center ourselves. Here are some simple yet effective things we can do to embrace the relaxed way of life we might be craving. See full transcript here.

Photo credit: Faye Cornish