I just love this quote as it so perfectly sums up the important process of teaching children emotional regulation.
Emotional regulation is our ability to understand and respond to our emotions in a way which is helpful. Our emotional regulation skills help us to cope with strong feelings such as anger or sadness.
We’re not born with an understanding of how emotions work. As a child, if we’re lucky enough to have a parent or caregiver who is attuned to our feelings, responsive to our needs and provides a sense of safety and security then we gradually learn that emotions are not something to be scared of 💞
Our caregiver helps us to recognise and communicate different emotions and also how to self-soothe when emotions feel challenging. In meeting our emotional distress with calmness, warmth and understanding, our caregivers show us that emotions are manageable, they don’t last forever and that other people can help us to feel better when we’re struggling.
