Author: Chien Liu

Self-regulation — the capacity tomanage one’s own emotions, impulses,and behavior in ways that are appropriateto the situation — is one of themost important skills children candevelop. Research consistently findsthat self-regulation predicts academicachievement, social competence, mentalhealth, and long-term life outcomesmore strongly than many other factorsincluding intelligence. This article covers what the researchshows about self-regulation techniquesfor children…

Dysregulation — the state in whicha child’s emotional and behavioralresponses have exceeded their regulatorycapacity — is one of the most challengingsituations parents encounter. A dysregulatedchild is not choosing to be difficult.They are showing a nervous systemthat has been overwhelmed — and thatneeds specific, evidence-based supportto return to a regulated state. This article covers what dysregulationactually…

Anger management in children is oneof the most searched and most misunderstoodparenting topics. The approaches mostcommonly suggested — counting to ten,taking deep breaths, going to yourroom — are not wrong, but they representonly a small part of what the researchshows about effective anger managementin children. And some of the mostcommon approaches — punishment, shaming,forced apology…

Frustration tolerance — the capacityto manage the discomfort of not gettingwhat one wants, of encountering difficulty,of waiting — is one of the most importantand most practically useful emotionalskills a child can develop. Researchconsistently finds that children withhigher frustration tolerance showbetter academic outcomes, better socialrelationships, better emotional wellbeing,and better long-term life outcomesthan those with low frustration…

Stubbornness and aggression togetherpresent one of the most challengingbehavioral combinations parents encounter.The child who is both resistant todirection and physically or verballyaggressive when pushed is genuinelydifficult to parent — and the approachesthat work for either stubbornnessor aggression alone frequently failwhen both are present together. This article covers what the researchshows about the stubborn-aggressivecombination — what…

A child who throws things when angryis one of the most alarming behavioralpresentations parents encounter —and one of the most common. Throwingduring anger is not random or purposeless —it is the physical expression ofemotional arousal that has exceededthe child’s regulatory capacity.Understanding why children throwthings when angry — and what theresearch shows about responding effectively —is…

Meltdowns in ten-year-olds can catchparents off guard — because ten feelsold enough to manage emotions, andthe intensity of a meltdown at thisage can feel disproportionate, alarming,or frankly exhausting. But researchon emotional development finds thatten-year-olds — while significantlymore emotionally capable than toddlers —are still in the early stages ofthe emotional regulation developmentthat will not be fully…

Anger in five-year-olds is one ofthe most common behavioral challengesparents and teachers face — and oneof the developmental stages wherethe right approach makes the mostsignificant difference to long-termemotional regulation. At five, childrenare at a crucial point in emotionaldevelopment — old enough to beginlearning genuine self-regulation skills,but still significantly dependenton adult co-regulation and environmentalsupport. This article…

Aggression in four-year-olds is oneof the most distressing behavioralchallenges parents face — and oneof the most commonly misunderstood.Four-year-old aggression — hitting,biting, kicking, throwing — is notevidence of a fundamentally difficultchild or a parenting failure. Itis the expression of a developmentalstage where strong emotions, limitedlanguage, and immature self-regulationcollide with the demands of an increasinglysocial world. Understanding…

Anger issues at school are one ofthe most common reasons childrenare referred for behavioral support —and one of the situations wherethe wrong response can significantlyworsen rather than improve the problem.Understanding what drives anger atschool, what the research shows abouthelping effectively, and what parentscan do in partnership with schoolis essential for children who strugglewith anger in…