EP242: Emotional Reactivity In Kids: Safety Matters More Than Willpower

If you feel like someone in your home is always shutting down, melting down, or firing back, you’re not imagining it. Reactivity takes over fast, especially in stressed or neurodiverse families. In this episode, we’ll explain why it happens, how to spot each SODA pattern, and what to do in the moment to create safety and calm. Tune in to learn one shift that can lower stress for everyone in your home.

What to expect in this episode:

• Why reactivity comes from the body, not willpower, and how that changes your approach
• How the SODA framework explains shutdowns, defensiveness, explosions, and avoidance
• The “wrong equals bad” belief that drives shame and emotional overwhelm in kids
• Why emotional safety matters more than logic when helping kids learn and regulate
• How co-regulation can interrupt spirals and bring everyone back to calm
  
  

Related Links:

• EP187: Emotionally Intelligent Parenting
  https://impactparents.com/emotionally-intelligent-parenting
• EP200: Reduce Family Stress by Taking Aim
  https://impactparents.com/reduce-family-stress-by-taking-aim
• EP207: Rebuilding Trust with Teens: Cleaning the Slate Conversations
  https://impactparents.com/rebuilding-trust-with-teens-cleaning-the-slate-conversations

Get your FREE copy of 12 Key Coaching Tools for Parents at https://impactparents.com/podcastgift

Read the full blog here:
https://impactparents.com/emotional-reactivity-in-kids-safety-matters-more-than-willpower

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactparents
  
  

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