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

by Alyssa Blask Campbell

“Empathy is feeling with people.”2 It’s hard because it requires us to let go of trying to cheer someone up when they’re suffering or trying to reason with them about why it’s not so bad or how it could be worse.

“What others say doesn’t directly affect your emotions. Between their words and your feelings is your interpretation of their intention. Agency lies in the space between stimulus and response. A sign of emotional intelligence is recognizing your power to change your assumptions.”

Sometimes strangers will comment, “He’s such a good kid,” about my son, Sage. What they mean is “He’s so convenient.” All kids are good kids.