Anger, frustration, and disappointment are normal. Children learn to manage them through practice and connection.
Young children experience strong emotions but have limited skills to manage them. Learning emotional regulation takes years and develops with support from caring adults.
Staying calm yourself is the most powerful tool you have.
Tip 1 Name the feeling
Helping a child put words to emotions, such as "You feel angry because the tower fell", helps them understand and manage what they feel.
Tip 2 Validate before solving
Acknowledge the feeling even if you do not accept the behaviour. "It is okay to feel cross. It is not okay to hit."
Tip 3 Teach calming strategies
💡 Slow breathing, such as smelling a flower and blowing out a candle
💡 A quiet corner with soft items
💡 Squeezing a cushion or stress ball
💡 Moving their body, such as jumping or stretching
Tip 4 Practise when calm
Children learn calming strategies best when they practise them at calm times.
Tip 5 When to seek support
If emotional outbursts are very frequent, intense, or interfering with daily life, talk to your health visitor, doctor, or a child psychologist.
This is general parenting information, not medical advice. Every child is different — talk to your paediatrician, family doctor, or a qualified specialist about your child’s health, development, or behaviour. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
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