It is time to leave for school.
You are already running late.
One shoe is missing.
Your child starts getting upset, so you offer a different pair.
And suddenly, everything explodes.
Your child is crying, yelling, refusing to leave, or collapsing onto the floor. You are frustrated and confused because from the outside, it looks like the meltdown is about shoes.
But deep down, you know it is not really about the shoes.
Meanwhile, you are trying to stay calm while also:
- getting everyone out the door
- packing lunches
- watching the clock
- worrying about being late
- wondering if you are handling this all wrong
And after enough mornings like this, everyone in the house starts feeling stressed before the day even begins.
Most families are not dealing with a "bad kid."
Most families are dealing with overwhelm, nervous system stress, emotional overload, and missing regulation skills, often in both children and parents.
And most parents were never taught how to recognize or support that.