As an elementary aged child one of our children would cry about EVERYTHING! Honestly, I can handle a tantrum better than I can handle crying at the drop of a hat. It felt to me like manipulation, but to this child it was simply overwhelm. Any request or minor correction, conflict with a sibling, or activity that was not their first choice resulted in tears.

I wish I had responded better at that time with calm and options for helping them to calm down like the suggestions in this video, but I didn't have those tools at that time. Fortunately, this child has learned regulation strategies so that as a teenager they are no longer bursting into tears! In fact, they have become an emotionally aware kid that has the language to communicate their feelings. As a younger child we weren't sure this would ever happen.

Let me share tools with you that I wish I had known in the thick of parenting! Reach out to me to increase your parenting toolbox of skills to meet the needs of your challenging child.