Kids Overreacting?

Hello, Happy Human! 👋

We're here with our weekly 3 things...

1️⃣ A question from our community

2️⃣ Our actionable tips

3️⃣ A resource from our toolkit

1. The question

"My kid seems to overreact to everything, like full meltdown mode. I try to stay calm but sometimes I end up saying something like, 'It’s not that big of a deal.' I know that probably doesn’t help… but honestly I don’t know what else to say."

2. Our answer

Yeah… we get it. 

You’re not trying to be a jerk… you’re just trying to survive the latest meltdown.

But here’s the thing…

When a kid (or really anyone) is overwhelmed and hears something like “It’s not that big of a deal” or “You’re overreacting”... their nervous system doesn’t process that as helpful feedback. 

It processes it as a threat.

Those kinds of phrases register as criticism which will activate the limbic system (the emotion center of the brain). It’s the part that sends people into fight or flight mode.

But if we can swap that criticism for curiosity like:

👉 “What’s making this feel so hard right now?”

👉 “You seem really upset. Can you help me understand what’s going on?”

We’ll activate the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for logic, emotional regulation, and flexible thinking). 

You end up creating safety, and brains that feel safe are brains that can calm down, learn, cooperate, and grow.

So remember, the next time the tantrum tornado rolls into town…

STAY CURIOUS.

Try to figure out what’s underneath all of those big feelings (without criticism), and you’ll find that their storm will quiet much quicker than usual.

But yeah… when you’re already running on fumes and your kid is breaking down because their granola bar broke in half… it’s REALLY hard to lead with curiosity instead of criticism.

And that’s where regulation comes in…

3. From our toolkit

Let’s be honest…

We didn’t grow up with this stuff, right?

We weren’t raised by adults who paused, took a breath, and said, “Hey… what’s making this feel hard right now?”

We were raised by adults who yelled… or shut down… or who told us to quit crying before they gave us something to cry about.

So yeah… staying curious feels a little… unnatural. 

And honestly… it feels impossible when your own nervous system is melting down too.

We’ve been there (and still go there sometimes), but it gets easier when you have the right tools to regulate yourself first.

And that’s why we put together our Regulation Bundle.

It’s a collection of our THREE most powerful and transformative workshops that’ll help you:

✅ Reset your stress response

✅ Respond calmly (even when your kid is losing it)

✅ Build the kind of steady presence you crave

Our workshops are science-backed, made for busy parents, and they’ve helped thousands find and maintain their calm (even through the toughest storms).

And for the next week, you can grab our Regulation Bundle to save over 50%!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"The strategies in your workshops ACTUALLY WORK. I just figured I wasn’t cut out to be one of those ‘calm’ parents, but now I am and it’s thanks to you!" –Eric, dad of 2

So if you’ve ever thought, “I know what to say… but I just can’t say it in the moment…”

👉 Click here to check out our Regulation Bundle.

Let’s make meltdowns feel a whole lot more manageable (for everyone).

We’re here if you have any questions. 🙂

❤️ Jenilee & Greg