Helping our kids regulate their feelings is an important—though perhaps underappreciated—part of keeping them safe. Think of it as containing the emotional fires that are blazing inside your child. If there were a fire in your home, your first job would be to contain it. Yes, you need to fireproof your home better, but that can’t happen until the fire is managed and you feel safe again. When parents struggle to set boundaries or regulate their own strong emotions, it’s as if a fire is burning and we’ve opened up all the doors, poured on extra fuel, and spread the fire through the house.
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