C is for Co-Regulation: How Caregivers Can Help Kids Manage Big Emotions

If you've ever told an overwhelmed child to “calm down” and it only made things worse, you’re not alone. For children, self-regulation—managing their emotions and reactions—doesn’t come naturally. That’s where co-regulation comes in.

Rather than expecting kids to handle big emotions alone, co-regulation is the process where caregivers model and provide emotional stability, helping children develop their own self-regulation skills over time.