My Child is Out of Control!

You wouldn’t believe the number of messages I have been getting regarding children’s emotions lately.

Here are some examples: 

“If my daughter doesn’t get her way, she just throws a fit and there’s no way getting her back from that.”

“My son threw a shoe at his brother the other day.”

“My daughter gets home from school and just wants to be alone.”

“My son doesn’t know how to express his emotions.”

“My son is very angry, he cries and fights with me all the time.”

[Note: The wording has been changed to protect the concerned parent]

Parents are feeling completely helpless and are asking for strategies to help their child. It is important to note that poor emotional regulation can present as anger, lethargy, decreased attention/concentration, lack of sleep, isolation, tantrums, and difficulty transitioning from one task to another.

So what can you do? Start with this:

-work on expressing emotions in forms other than verbal - writing, drawing, painting, building, for example

-provide a “calm down” space with sensory items such as headphones, fidget toys, and weighted blanket

-engage your child in physical activities such as jumping on a trampoline, wall pushups, and bike riding

-use a visual timer for breaks and as a warning between activities

-simplify tasks into more manageable steps

-role play social situations

-use videos to model appropriate behaviors

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