Regulating emotions is never an easy task for kids. Emotional coaching purposed by Dr Becky could facilitate positive parenting by setting boundaries, giving empathy and validation that make those big feelings feel a little and smaller to handle.
Here is a scenario: if your child is avoiding bed and claiming that he/she is not tired.
Step 1- 👀Awareness: “I can see you are still wide awake at the moment. It’s tough when you’re not feeling sleepy.”
Step 2- 🔗Connect: “It must be hard to wind down after a fun day”
Step 3- Listen: “What did you do today? Tell me more so I could understand why you are feeling so awake.”
Step 4- ✍🏻Label Emotions: “I can see you are feeling energetic and not ready to sleep yet.”
Step 5- 🔨Problem-Solving: “Could we read a book, or do some quiet activities to settle down a bit now?”
Step 6-⛔️Teach and Set Limits: “We need to get enough sleep to feel good for tomorrow. Let’s figure out how to make bedtime more relaxing for you.”
Some behaviours get a No, but all feelings get a Yes.
