Identifying emotions and learning how to process them together is a great way to support your child learn how to regulate themselves safely. Co-regulation has many long-term benefits, including building the brain structure for self-regulation

Remember, if your child feels forced to do an exercise then it will not help them to regulate. If your child does not want to do one but you feel they should, try doing one yourself instead. Engaging in social activities that allow for your child to learn flexibility through considering other’s perspectives and patience, such as by taking turns. More major brain development happens at this age and stage. The part of the brain responsible for processing emotions and seeking rewards is more developed than the part of the brain responsible for decision making and future planning. This means that their emotions are significantly impacting their decisions. Co-regulation during this stage is vital! Supporting your adolescent can look like: Parenting peels away the layers of who you try and pretend to be, until only your raw soul is left to bare. From that unprotected state we either begin to heal or lose ourselves in the lost layers of a reality that no longer exists. Take time to reflect. Was there an underlying need that was not being met during that moment? How did you feel supporting your child to regulate?Introduce the suggested exercises into your routine and practice them with your child or adolescent during calm times. Before bed or a nap is always a good time, or even when you first wake up. Made up of the cerebral cortex and its various parts, the upstairs brain lets us think before we act. Our upstairs brain contains our ability to make decisions, control our emotions and body, focus and concentration, empathy and self-awareness. Infants rely heavily on their caregivers to manage most of their regulatory needs. Practice ‘baby aerobics’ during nappy changes, or when lying on the floor. Hold your baby’s ankles and ‘march’ their legs by gently bending alternate knees up to their tummy. As you do this, sing a nursery rhyme such as ‘Row, Row your boat” or “Hot Cross Buns.” The soothing rhyme and repetition can be calming for both babies and caregivers. Toddlers

Model these strategies for your child. Be mindful of your own emotions, triggers, and beliefs about behaviours of others. This e-book combines my knowledge of child development, brain science and trauma to offer parents a unique resource that includes lots of exercises, reflections, insights and also… links to additional research, articles and videos that can help support your learning. We so often need to connect with the child inside of us to understand the child in front of us. This book combines my knowledge of child development, brain science and trauma to offer parents a unique resource that includes lots of exercises, reflections and insights.” J. Milburn This book is written with the intention of supporting parents in developing the skills they need to co-regulate with their child and meet their emotional needs. It is based on my own healing journey, through parenting and so it is written with compassion for parents and children. We were all children once and that little person still lives inside us, trying to be seen and heard. Parenting often makes that connection to our little selves, hard to ignore.The downstairs brain contains the brain stem, limbic region and the amygdala. Our downstairs brain allows us to act before we think. This part of the brain controls the ‘fight or flight’ response, our emotional reactions, and bodily functions. Learn more Children are authentic and expect the same of those around them. We often don’t realize how detached we have become from our authentic selves, until our children come searching for that lost person. As children do, they keep searching, despite barriers. They demand authenticity and truth.