Big emotions and meltdowns
All children have big emotions - but when meltdowns are frequent, intense, hard to recover from, or clearly bigger than the situation, it can be exhausting for the whole family. Emotional regulation is a skill that develops over time, and it's heavily influenced by sensory processing and nervous system regulation.
What an OT looks for in this area
- •Whether meltdowns are driven by sensory triggers (clothing, noise, transitions)
- •The child's window of tolerance - how much stress they can handle before dysregulation
- •What happens in the lead-up: are there patterns and early warning signs?
- •What helps them recover: what brings them back to calm?
- •Whether difficulty with transitions is the primary driver
Free home activity ideas
Emotion vocabulary building
Name emotions out loud as they happen. "You're feeling really frustrated right now." This builds the child's emotional vocabulary and self-awareness.
Calm-down corner
Create a small cozy space with sensory tools the child finds regulating: a weighted blanket, headphones, fidget toys, dim light. Practice using it when calm first.
Transition warnings
Give 10-minute, 5-minute, and 1-minute warnings before transitions. Many meltdowns are about the surprise of change, not the change itself.
Heavy work before hard activities
Before homework, supermarket trips, or other demanding activities, do 10 minutes of heavy work (carrying, pushing, jumping) to regulate the nervous system.
Does this sound like your child?
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