Ah, parenting—the art of raising tiny humans while simultaneously questioning all your life choices. If you’ve ever had a toddler throw a full-body tantrum because their banana broke in half, or a pre-teen roll their eyes so hard you worried they’d get stuck that way, you know emotions run high in children.

Big emotions can be overwhelming for kids—and let’s be real, for parents too. But helping them navigate these feelings without resorting to bribery (or locking yourself in the bathroom for “alone time”) is a skill worth mastering. Let’s dive into some practical, sanity-saving tips.

Step 1: Understand That Big Emotions are Normal (Even if They’re Dramatic)

First, let’s establish that kids aren’t being extra just to ruin your day (though it may feel that way). Their brains are still developing, and emotions can be as confusing for them as assembling IKEA furniture is for us. They need guidance, patience, and a little help understanding their own feelings.

What This Means for You:

• When your child is sobbing uncontrollably because you cut their sandwich into triangles instead of squares, take a deep breath and remember—it’s not about the sandwich. It’s about their struggle to manage emotions.
• Reacting with logic (“It still tastes the same, sweetheart”) won’t work. Instead, try empathy: “Oh no! You were really hoping for square sandwiches, huh? That’s frustrating.”

Step 2: Label Those Wild Emotions

Kids often don’t have the words to express what they’re feeling. Instead, they express it through volume, tears, and the occasional dramatic floor flop. One of the best ways to help them is to give their emotions names.

How to Do It:

• “It looks like you’re feeling really angry right now.”
• “You seem really frustrated because you can’t get your shoe on.”
• “I can tell you’re super excited! That’s awesome!”

This helps them connect feelings to words, making emotions feel less overwhelming. Plus, once they learn to say “I’m frustrated” instead of showing you by throwing their shoes across the room, you’ll thank yourself.

Step 3: Teach Healthy Ways to Cope (Other Than Screaming into a Pillow)

Once your child knows what they’re feeling, they need to learn what to do with those emotions. Since most of us can’t just throw a fit in the grocery store without social consequences, teaching coping strategies early is a win for everyone.

Coping Tools That Actually Work:

• Breathing exercises: Teach them to take deep breaths like they’re blowing out birthday candles.
• The Calm Down Corner: A safe space with pillows, books, and sensory toys where they can self-regulate (not a punishment corner, just a chill zone!).
• Expressing emotions through art or play: Sometimes, a crayon and a blank page work better than words.
• Movement: Dancing, stretching, or jumping can help shake out frustration.

Step 4: Model Emotional Regulation (Yes, Even When You Want to Scream Too)

Kids learn more from what we do than what we say. If we respond to frustration by yelling at the toaster for burning our bread (we’ve all been there), they’ll pick up on that.

How to Model Calmness (Even When You’re Not Feeling It):

• Take a deep breath before responding to their outburst.
• Use self-talk: “Wow, I’m feeling really frustrated right now, so I’m going to take a deep breath before I react.”
• Show them that emotions are okay but need healthy outlets.

Step 5: Be Their Safe Space

At the end of the day, kids need to know it’s okay to feel all their emotions—big and small. What they need most is a safe, supportive parent who reassures them that emotions aren’t scary, bad, or something to suppress.

When they know they can come to you with their big feelings and not be shamed, ignored, or punished for them, they’ll grow into emotionally intelligent adults who can navigate life’s ups and downs.

The Final Word: You Got This, Parent!

Raising emotionally aware kids isn’t easy, but neither is assembling IKEA furniture, and you’ve managed that (mostly). So take a deep breath, remember that big emotions are just part of the parenting package, and tackle them one tantrum at a time.

Need more parenting tips, relatable laughs, and survival strategies? Stay tuned for more Parenting Thursday blogs—because we’re all in this together!