Episode 389
When your child has a big reaction, you may wonder: Should I respond to what they’re feeling, or is it better to ignore it?
Respond too much, and suddenly you’re explaining, reassuring, negotiating, or trying to make the reaction stop. But ignore it, and you may worry that you’re being dismissive,…or leaving your child alone with feelings they genuinely don’t know how to handle.
The good news is, you don’t have to choose between getting pulled into your child’s reaction and disconnecting from it. There’s a middle ground that helps your child learn that big feelings are hard, but also survivable.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
• Why trying so hard to make your child feel better can unintentionally send the message that their discomfort is something they can’t handle
• What an effective response sounds like when your child is angry, anxious, disappointed, or pushing back
• A different way to measure whether you handled a hard moment well
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MENTIONED IN OR RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:
FREE RESOURCE: Does your child have a narrow zone of tolerance?
Episode 322: How to Validate Your Child’s Feelings Without Condoning Their Behavior
Episode 377: Should There Be a Consequence for Big Reactions?
Episode 259: Why You WANT Your Children to Complain
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