Theoretical Framework
EMOTIONAL HEALTH & CO-REGULATION
Children are more anxious, aggressive, and shut down than ever. The root cause of the emotional crisis and resulting behavioural issues we see in our homes, schools and communities every day is that children are losing their feelings. The essence of the issue regarding emotional health and well-being is that children need to feel their emotions, even their most vulnerable ones.
Emotional health cannot be "taught". The reason why we cannot teach kids emotional "skills" lies in understanding what emotions are and what it means to be emotionally healthy. Emotions – happiness, sadness, frustration, etc. – are physiological, instinctive and involuntary processes that happen inside us. We all have them. Our emotions play a pivotal role in how we respond, behave, and interact with our world – whether we are aware of them or not.
Change doesn’t begin with managing our emotions as an intellectual process that we systematically think through in the heat of the moment! Building emotional health calls for experiences that put us in touch with the full spectrum of human emotions – even the ones that we often try so hard to avoid.
Emotional wellness in children begins by adults creating an invitation for the process to unfold. We need to make it safe for our kids to express their emotions and convey that we are there to help them through their big feelings. Furthermore, we must provide them with opportunities in which their feelings can come out to play.
EDITORIAL: Kids Need a Safe Space to Feel
Hannah Beach
Our kids are experiencing an emotional crisis. Children are more anxious, aggressive, and shut down than ever. We are seeing clear evidence of this in our schools, our homes, our neighbourhoods and our community spaces. The situation has become so dire that our newspapers are literally writing stories about elementary school-aged children punching, kicking and biting their teachers.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/kids-need-a-safe-space-to-feel
Emotional Safety: Why kids need a safe space to feel, learn, and grow
Hannah Beach
Emotional safety is foundational to learning and growth. It is the container that holds the space that allows children to feel, to be curious, to care, and to emerge as their unique selves. It can be hard to grasp what this looks and feels like in practical terms. It can be challenging to remember the link between this sense of safety and the behaviors we see in our classrooms.
To read more: https://hannahbeach.ca/emotional-safety/
Five Things You Might Not Know About Human Emotion
Deborah MacNamara
Humans are some of the most complex emotional creatures on earth. From our teenagers who roll their eyes in disdain to our toddlers who cry in frustration – raising kids has few emotional dull moments. What are we supposed to do with their emotions? Why are they so emotional in the first place?
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/five-things-you-might-not-know-about-human-emotion
Freedom of Expression: Guiding kids’ emotions into maturity
Deborah MacNamara
It is not unusual to see a child stomp in frustration, yell when they’re upset, and drag their heels when they feel hurried. Even after a good or uneventful day at daycare or school, meltdowns may appear later at home in the form of resistance over chores or homework. Parents may feel bewildered by the extreme emotional reactions they witness in their kids—after all, haven’t they been told a hundred times to use their words and communicate clearly to get what they want?
To read more: http://macnamara.ca/portfolio/freedom-of-expression-guiding-kids-emotions-into-maturity/
I am not a Drama Queen – Why we cry over small things
Hannah Beach
Yesterday as I was walking up the stairs to my front door, I saw a little yellow finch, dead and laying by my doormat. It wasn’t ruffled or bruised. It simply looked like it was peacefully sleeping. It was just too much. My eyes welled up and down came the tears. We are in the midst of a pandemic. I am constantly hearing from overwhelmed parents and educators and I am trying to support them the best I can.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/i-am-not-a-drama-queen-why-we-cry-over-small-things
Room Required – Feelings Getting too Big
Hannah Beach
My elderly parents are currently clearing out their house and, in the process, they found an old Creative Writing scribbler of mine from grade 7. This week I sat down and re-visited my 12-year-old self. What a gift it was to read back through my thoughts, feelings and stories from that age.
To read more: https://www.cebm.ca/post/room-required-feelings-getting-too-big
Why We Shouldn’t Expect Kids to Self-Regulate Too Soon
Mona Delahooke
Amidst the popular focus on “self-regulation” among professionals, educators and parents, too often we miss a significant point: we cannot really teach a child to self-regulate. Self-regulation is a developmental process that we can nurture and encourage in one way: through the experience of emotional co-regulation with caring and attuned adults.
To read more: https://monadelahooke.com/challenging-behaviors-why-we-shouldnt-expect-kids-to-self-regulate-too-soon/
What to Know Before We Teach Children Self-Regulation Skills
Mona Delahooke
I believe The Zones are most effective when we have an understanding of the pre-requisite for a child’s ability to self-regulate. Before they can build the capacity for self-regulation, children need to have sustained experiences of emotional co-regulation with a caring adult or adults.
To read more: https://monadelahooke.com/what-to-know-before-we-teach-children-self-regulation-skills/
5 Reasons for Teachers to Co-Regulate Emotions
Dr. Caelan Soma
We cannot expect children who are already stressed and activated to be able to regulate on their own. They need our help. When you help a child regulate, rather than expecting them to regulate on their own, it is called co-regulation. Adults underestimate how much children and adolescents require adult support and guidance to manage their feelings when they are worried, angry, hurt or scared. When adults provide the correct strategies for regulating emotion, the results can mean the world to a child’s success.
To read more: https://starr.org/2022/5-reasons-for-teachers-to-co-regulate-emotions/
What Is Co-Regulation and What Does It Look Like in the Classroom?
Center for Whole-Child Education
Many in the educational system—students and educators alike—are dealing with high levels of stress. This can make what might otherwise be expected moments of challenge, conflict, and dysregulation even more difficult to handle. These moments are both a symptom of and a way to communicate that increased stress.
To read more: https://turnaroundusa.org/what-is-co-regulation-and-what-does-it-look-like-in-the-classroom/