Meltdowns and more
Hi Sprinkles Parents,
Recently, many people have reached out asking about emotional regulation struggles with their kids. It’s hard to watch your kids as they melt down completely onto the grocery store floor (or worst case even lick it) or the playground (or from my personal experience- when not getting the first piece of cake at the party). That’s why I honestly feel like we attend less in-person events because it’s hard to balance my kids' needs, hold conversations with other parents, and participate in the event.
(Not actual kid referenced below at playground)
Yesterday at the playground, I noticed a little girl having a tantrum (well, it was more like a full on meltdown, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt). Her dad put down his beer (that was his parenting tip: “always have a beer in hand at the park”) and was able to talk her off the ledge by distracting her onto something else instead of focusing on just trying to calm her down because she was fixated on what she wanted.
When I spoke to him afterwards, he shared that he blacks out, his heart starts pounding (I thought it was only me who felt this), and approaches his daughter the same way he would negotiate with a drunk friend like he’s done so many times before.
When my son has a tantrum and cries, I feel super embarrassed, anxious, and want to crawl under a rock to hide myself. One great resource has been Mom's Strong Willed boys. This group has taught me some tools and techniques to help when these emotional outbursts happen.
Also, Occupational Therapy helps with kids' emotional regulation. It’s interesting to learn what are normal behaviors for toddlers and where the line is for sensory overloads. Check out Baby Builders if you feel your kids may need some help. Also there are structured small playgrounds and resources through The Center For Childhood Learning.
All this to say, it all is part of the emotional weight of parenthood to figure out the best resources and solutions for your families.
This Friday, come join us for the Emotional Weight of Motherhood.
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