Helping Kids Navigate Big Feelings: Free Parenting Clinic Insights

On Monday, over 100 parents booked into my free Parenting Clinic to explore practical parenting tips for managing big emotions. Parenting can feel overwhelming when children experience intense feelings, but with the right strategies, parents can support children effectively while staying calm themselves.

Understanding Big Feelings
All behaviour is communication. Children aren’t misbehaving, they’re trying to tell us something. Strong emotions often appear where children feel safest. Helping children express these feelings safely builds trust and emotional resilience.

Emotional Regulation Is Learned
Children cannot self-regulate if they haven’t seen calm in action. Co-regulation, lending your calm, helps children learn to manage emotions. Kids absorb how we handle stress more than what we say about it.

Connection Before Correction
When emotions run high, logic is offline. Phrases like “Calm down” rarely work. Instead, focus on connection: “You’re really upset right now. I’m here.” Later, reflect on what helped them calm down and what strategies might work next time.

Practical Tools for Parents

• The Pause Button: Breathe before reacting.

• The Feelings Ladder: Help children identify and label emotions.

• Safe Space Strategy: Create a calm corner, not a punishment space. OR a calm down tool kit for older children.

Your Emotional State Matters Too
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Awareness of your own triggers and practising self-compassion is vital. Positive parenting is about presence, not perfection.

Missed the session? Join future clinics for more strategies to support children’s emotions, manage challenging behaviour, and strengthen parent-child connections.