Sometimes, your child’s emotions (or even your own!) might feel like a whirlwind 🌪️ or a rollercoaster 🎢, but we’ve got you covered this week with simple tools to bring calm and clarity. 

Grab your favorite beverage, settle into your cozy spot, and let’s explore how to help our kids (and ourselves!) thrive, one BIG feeling at a time. 

(And make sure to read to the end for a free guided meditation and downloadable emotion check in chart!)

Helping Kids Navigate Big Feelings: Emotional Regulation Tools 

Big feelings can feel extra BIG for kids—especially kids with ADHD. One moment, they’re calm; the next, emotions explode like a volcano 🌋. The great news is there are tools to help them find their calm. Let’s dive into some fun and easy ways to help your child learn emotional regulation!

Why Do Big Feelings Happen for Kids with ADHD? 

Imagine your child’s brain is like a racecar. 🏎️ It can go really fast—but the brakes, which help slow things down and control reactions, are still under construction. That braking system lives in a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, and for kids with ADHD, it develops more slowly than in other children.

🧪 The Science Behind It:

The prefrontal cortex is the brain’s control center—it helps kids manage emotions, focus attention, and pause before reacting. In children with ADHD, this area matures more slowly. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that kids with ADHD reach peak brain development in this region about 5 years later than their peers.

This delay is especially noticeable in the middle prefrontal cortex, the part that helps with emotional regulation and self-control. So when emotions like anger or frustration come up, their brain may not yet have the tools to hit the brakes.

What This Means Day-to-Day:

For your child, a small frustration—like putting away toys or stopping a game—can feel huge because their brain reacts faster than it can regulate. But here’s the hopeful part: Just like we strengthen muscles with exercise, the brain can grow and adapt too. With supportive tools and repetition, your child can build stronger emotional “brakes” and learn how to slow down those big feelings before they take over.

Tools to Help Your Child Manage Emotions 

Let’s make emotional regulation simple and fun! Below are some tools you can use together. You’ll be amazed at the difference these little changes can make.

1. Name That Feeling 🎭

Kids can’t handle feelings they don’t understand. 

🧪 The Science Behind It:

Scientists at UCLA found that when people name their feelings—like saying, “I feel angry” or “That made me sad”—it actually helps the brain calm down.

The study showed that saying the feeling out loud helps turn on the part of the brain that controls thinking and problem-solving, while it turns down the part of the brain that makes us feel big, intense emotions (called the amygdala).

In simple terms: naming a feeling helps the brain feel safer and more in control. That’s why teaching your child to “name it to tame it” is such a powerful emotional regulation tool!

Here are a few ways to help them “name it to tame it.” Ask:

• "Are you feeling mad, sad, or worried?"

• Show them an emoji chart or feeling faces to help them pick one. (You can use the one we’ve provided below!)

Naming emotions can feel like popping the balloon—it takes the pressure out!

2. Bubble Breaths 🫧

Does your child feel like a shaken soda bottle about to explode? Bubble breaths can help!  

🧪 The Science Behind It:

A study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience shows that slow, deep breathing helps the body shift into a relaxed state. It does this by activating something called the vagus nerve, which tells the brain and body, “Hey, it’s safe to calm down now.”

This kind of breathing helps the heart beat more steadily and makes it easier for your child to manage big emotions. Slow breaths help the brain and body work together to feel calmer, safer, and more in control. It's like flipping a switch from "fight or flight" to "rest and relax. 

Try this:

• Inhale slowly through the nose, filling the belly like a balloon.
  

• Exhale gently through the mouth, like blowing a giant bubble.
  

• Repeat three times.

Or, you could even use a fun breathing ball to do this same exercise, inflating the ball as you inhale and squeezing it closed as you exhale. 

3. The Calming Corner 

When the brain is overwhelmed, a safe space gives it time to reset. This helps lower cortisol, the stress hormone. 

🧪 The Science Behind It:

Research from UK Human Resources found that calming spaces can reduce stress by 60% after just 15 minutes! 

Create a calm space for your child and fill it with:

• Soft pillows (we like this one that’s designed to support kids with sensory needs!) 

• Squishy stress balls (like these!) or fidget toys (like these Interlocking Chain Link Building Blocks!)

• Calming pictures or a favorite stuffed animal (these weighted stuffed animals are adorable!) 

It’s like their very own cozy fort of peace. 

4. Move It Out! 🏃‍♀️

Movement helps the brain reset and feel ready for the next thing. 

🧪 The Science Behind It:

When kids move their bodies—especially during activities like running, dancing, or biking—their brains make more dopamine. Dopamine helps with focus, self-control, and feeling good—things that kids with ADHD often struggle with.

Regular movement, especially aerobic exercise (the kind that gets your heart pumping), helps the brain stay more balanced. That means it can be easier for your child to pay attention, feel calmer, and make better choices after getting some exercise. 

Try this: 

• A 5-minute dance party 

• A quick run in the backyard 

• Jumping jacks or silly yoga poses or jumping on a trampoline (we love this one for indoor use!)

5. The STOP Trick 🛑

When emotions start to get BIG, teach your child this easy trick:

• Stop: Pause for a moment.

• Take a deep breath.

• Observe: Ask, “What’s happening inside me?” Remember, as mentioned above, when we “name” a feeling, it makes it easier to tame it! 

• Proceed: Choose what to do next—maybe ask for help or go to their calm corner.

🧪 The Science Behind It:

This isn't just feel-good fluff—science totally backs it up!

Tools like the STOP Trick teach mindfulness, and research shows that mindfulness can boost emotional control and reduce impulsive behavior—two major challenges for kids with ADHD.

A 2024 study in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that the magic of mindfulness works by strengthening self-regulation—the brain's ability to pause, think, and respond calmly. 

In simple terms: mindfulness helps your child build inner superpowers that keep big feelings from running the show.

Remember…

Make It Fun (and It’ll Stick!) 

Brains love repetition and fun. That’s how habits form! Try these tips to keep it going:

• Celebrate success: “You used your bubble breaths—awesome!”
  

• Be the model: Show your own calm-down tools. Kids love to copy what they see. 

A Little Patience Goes a Long Way 

Learning emotional regulation takes time—just like learning to ride a bike 🚴. There will be wobbles, falls, and lots of practice. But every time your child tries, they’re building brain muscles to handle life’s ups and downs.

And remember: YOU’RE doing an amazing job. You’re their safe harbor in the storm, and together, you’ll help them grow into calm, confident little humans. 

Big Feelings Are Normal 

Feelings are part of being human—even the messy ones. Helping your child understand and manage their emotions is a superpower they’ll carry for life. With these tools, a little creativity, and a lot of love, your child will learn to ride the waves of their emotions like a pro surfer.

The “Calm Jar” Tool 

Create a simple calming jar together as a tool for emotional regulation. Here’s how:

1. What You’ll Need:

   • A clear jar or bottle with a lid. (something like this works great)

   • Warm water.

   • Glitter glue or glitter. 

   • Food coloring (optional).

2. Make It Together:

   • Fill the jar with warm water and add glitter glue or loose glitter.

   • Add a drop of food coloring for extra sparkle. Seal the lid tightly.

3. Use It:

   • When emotions get BIG, shake the jar and watch the glitter swirl. Encourage your child to take deep breaths as the glitter settles, just like calming their big feelings.

This hands-on activity teaches mindfulness while giving your child a visual way to process emotions.

2 Resources To Help Both YOU & YOUR CHILD Self-Regulate 🧘‍♀️ 

FREE Guided Meditation - For You! 

Parenting a child with ADHD can sometimes be utterly exhausting. 😮‍💨 On the days when your patience is running on fumes and the guilt starts creeping in, we’ve got something special just for you...

This week, we’re giving you a soothing, science-backed guided meditation, led by Martine—my sister, our amazing COO, and a certified Yoga & Neurodiversity Teacher. 

In just a few gentle minutes, Martine will guide you through:
 

👉Calming breathwork to reset your nervous system
👉Simple visualizations to release tension
👉Deep self-compassion to reconnect with yourself and your child

Take a moment just for you—because your well-being is essential to your family's. Click below to listen and breathe a little easier today. 

Pro Tip: You can download this meditation through out ADHD Wellness Weekly website!

FREE Emotion Check-In Chart - For Your Child!  

This handy tool helps kids identify and name their feelings—a crucial step in building emotional regulation. Download a printable Emotion Check-In Chart below with faces representing different emotions (happy, sad, angry, calm, etc.) and simple words for easy use.

Hang it on the fridge or in their room for quick daily check-ins. If possible, laminate it so your child can circle the emotion they are feeling that day and easily erase to reuse each day! 

Why It Works: Kids learn to recognize their emotions instead of reacting impulsively, creating space for problem-solving and calming techniques.

“I Really Believe It’s Helping My Son” 

Last week’s spotlight on Top Supplements for ADHD sparked so many thoughtful conversations in our community—and we loved hearing your feedback!

One mom shared this powerful experience about Pro Essentials, one of the supplements featured:

“I really believe Pro Essentials has been supporting my son…We ran out of it for about a month and his mood regressed. As soon as we went back on it, he has been much improved again. So that makes me believe it is supporting him!” - Laura, mom of a child with ADHD

Did YOU try something from a recent issue? 

We’d love to hear how it’s going—your experience might be exactly what another parent needs to hear. 

Reply to this email and let us know!

Know another parent who could use this guided meditation or other content in this week’s newsletter?

Tell them to subscribe so they can access it too - https://adhdwellnessweekly.com/subscribe 

Lieberman, Matthew D et al. “Putting feelings into words: affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli.” Psychological science vol. 18,5 (2007): 421-8. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.x

​​https://hr.uky.edu/work-life-and-well-being/personal-resilience/creating-calming-spaces

P. Shaw,K. Eckstrand,W. Sharp,J. Blumenthal,J.P. Lerch,D. Greenstein,L. Clasen,A. Evans,J. Giedd,& J.L. Rapoport,  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a delay in cortical maturation, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104 (49) 19649-19654, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0707741104 (2007).

Zaccaro Andrea , Piarulli Andrea , Laurino Marco , Garbella Erika , Menicucci Danilo , Neri Bruno , Gemignani Angelo. “How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing,” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Vol 12, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353 doi 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353 (2018)

Zhong Zhangyi , Jiang Hongyu , Wang Huilin , Liu Yang. “Mindfulness, social evaluation anxiety, and self-regulation: exploring their association on impulsive behavior among athletes.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol 15, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1404680 doi 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1404680 (2024)

Zhu Feilong , Zhu Xiaotong , Bi Xiaoyu , Kuang Dongqing , Liu Boya , Zhou Jingyi , Yang Yiming , Ren Yuanchun. “Comparative effectiveness of various physical exercise interventions on executive functions and related symptoms in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis” Frontiers in Public Health, vol 11, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1133727 doi 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1133727 (2023)