Tiny Humans, Big Emotions: How to Navigate Tantrums, Meltdowns, and Defiance to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children

by Alyssa Blask Campbell

Proactive: Life is emotionally demanding, so planning ahead to address your self-care needs on a weekly and/or daily basis is crucial to preventing burnout or overwhelm. In Chapter 3, we listed five ways to proactively recharge the nervous system before the red battery light comes on—these were examples of proactive self-care! Responsive: What helps to calm you down when your amygdala is activated? The most accessible responsive strategy is breathing intentionally. It is physiologically impossible for your sympathetic nervous system to be active at the same time that you are belly breathing (directing your breath into your belly so your belly, rather than your chest, moves in and out with your inhale and exhale). Supplemental: These are special occasions that fill your emotional cup, such as a retreat or vacation. They can also be something simple, such as cleaning out your closets and drawers or turning off your device for a certain amount of time. They need to fit your annual rather than weekly budget because they happen much less frequently than proactive and responsive strategies.