Have you ever noticed how quickly your child’s emotions can fill the entire room?
One minute things are fine and the next minute someone can’t find their shoes, the wrong cup appeared at breakfast, or bedtime suddenly feels like the worst idea in human history.
And before you know it, everyone’s emotions are rising. Your child is overwhelmed, you’re feeling the pressure, and suddenly it feels like the situation is running the show.
Here’s something many parents don’t realize:
Children aren’t born knowing how to handle big emotions.
They learn those skills from us. And not just from what we tell them to do, but from what they see us do.
I’m Carly Schrimpl, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the owner of Power Within Child Therapists. For over 14 years, I’ve helped children and their parents build the skills they need to move through difficult moments with more confidence and connection.
And one of the most powerful tools families can learn is something called co-regulation.
Co-regulation is simply this:
When a parent or caregiver supports their own nervous system, they help their child learn how to support theirs.
Think of it like emotional Wi-Fi.
Kids are constantly picking up signals from the adults around them. If our system is overwhelmed, their system tends to follow.
But when we pause, take a breath, and support ourselves, our child’s brain receives a different message: “Big feelings can be handled.”
Now let’s get real. Parenting doesn’t happen in a quiet yoga studio.
It happens in the middle of spilled milk, missing shoes, sibling arguments, and a child who suddenly remembers they’re starving right before bedtime.
So supporting yourself might look like:
- Taking one slow breath before responding.
- Relaxing your shoulders and rocking back and forth
- Reminding yourself, “My child is having a hard time, not giving me a hard time.”
These small moments matter more than you think. Your child’s brain is still developing the pathways that help them move through frustration, disappointment, and worry.
When they see you support yourself during those moments, they begin learning:
- This is what coping looks like.
- This is how I can handle big feelings.
- This is how I can take care of myself.
In other words, when you support yourself, you show your child how they can support themselves.
And here’s the good news:
You don’t have to do this perfectly and your child doesn’t need a perfect parent. They need a parent who practices.
Someone who pauses.
Someone who reconnects.
Someone who shows them that emotions are manageable.
That’s how emotional skills grow.
If you’re curious about how to build these skills for both you and your child, that’s exactly the work we do at Power Within Child Therapists.
Through play therapy and parent support, we help families learn practical tools for navigating big emotions together so children can grow into confident, resilient problem-solvers.
If you’d like support for your child, or guidance for yourself as a parent, I’d love to help.
Schedule an appointment with us today at Power Within Child Therapists. We’re here to support both you and your child every step of the way.
