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Calming the Storm: How to Help Children Understand and Manage Their Feelings

Derek Strike
5 min readJun 13, 2024
Getty Images — Hispanolistic

Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and respond appropriately to emotions. It’s a critical skill for children’s development and well-being that allows them to cope with strong feelings like anger, sadness, and anxiety.

Without this ability, children may act out in disruptive ways or become overwhelmed. Some children struggle more than others with emotional regulation due to factors like inborn temperament, their environment and life experiences, and conditions like ADHD, anxiety, or autism spectrum disorder.

Helping kids develop emotional regulation skills early on can set them up for success in life, improving their relationships, academic performance, and overall mental health. It’s an important aspect of their emotional intelligence.

In this article, we’ll explore how to recognize and manage children’s emotions, providing an in-depth overview of child emotional regulation. We aim to offer accessible, practical information to help parents effectively support and understand their children’s emotional journeys.

Why Emotional Regulation is Difficult for Children

Children have limited life experiences, so they often interpret situations in black-and-white terms…

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Derek Strike
Derek Strike

Written by Derek Strike

Writing is about becoming conscious. Nothing in life is of any value unless it is shared with others. Love to learn and be challenged.

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