11/12/2025
Supporting a child through a meltdown is not just about what we say or do.
It’s also about what is happening inside us.
Our nervous system responds to their overwhelm.
Their panic can trigger our panic.
Their intensity can activate our urgency.
Their distress can stir our own history of not feeling safe.
So before we can co-regulate a young person, we often need to regulate ourselves.
Not perfectly — just enough to stay steady.
This post shares supportive ways to stay regulated as the adult, so that we can be the grounding presence a child’s nervous system is reaching for in the storm.
Because when we are calm, predictable, and connected — the child feels safe enough to return to calm too.
If you’d like a deeper breakdown of every phase of the meltdown cycle — and how to respond at each stage without shame, fear, or urgency — you’ll find the full Timeline of a Meltdown resource via link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.
Save this post to return to when you need it
