Helping Kids Manage Big Feelings
Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families
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Show Notes
Why can’t kids just calm down? Here’s the truth: they’re not supposed to. Expecting children to manage their emotions alone is like expecting them to drive a car before they’ve learned to walk. In this episode, Justin and Kylie bust the biggest parenting myth about big feelings — and share 3 powerful, science-backed strategies you can use in the heat of the moment to help your child ride the emotional waves.
KEY POINTS
- Kids’ brains are on “L-plates” when it comes to emotion regulation — it’s a developmental process.
- Big feelings are normal, not a sign of “bad behaviour.”
- Three strategies parents can use:
- Distraction – helps reset the nervous system.
- Co-regulation – lending your calm to your child.
- Pause problem-solving – wait until emotions settle before teaching or fixing.
- Parents often feel judged when meltdowns happen in public — but compassion (for ourselves and our kids) is the game-changer.
QUOTE OF THE EPISODE
“No one can think clearly in a fire drill — and that’s exactly what trying to reason with a child mid-meltdown is like.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Happy Families resources for parenting strategies & support
- Little People, Big Feelings Summit
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