No, I didn’t misspell “at” but it’s an acronym for
Address, Accept and Teach.
I had originally chosen another topic for this week’s post, but I’ve been challenged by my little cousin’s visit this week to get back “AAT” you. She is a 7 year old sweet delight who sometimes has monumental meltdowns.
Instead of Stop, Drop and Roll, I’m relearning how to Stop, Breathe and Think about what may be causing her to meltdown in the moment and how to best address the situation.
I wanted to remind me and share with you the following:
Address the emotion- Try not to argue with the child. Battling over the emotion will only get you frustrated and the issue will still not be resolved.
Accept that the emotion is real- In the moment this “thing” is a huge deal to your child. Choose not to argue with your child, either walk away or excuse them to their room. This gives both of you space to think about what’s really going on.
Teach your child– Give your child choices of how to better express emotion. Do this when things are calmer, share and show how to express their feelings in a different way. Help them identify words to convey their thoughts without screaming, shouting or hitting. You may offer choices to them. Reassure them that it’s okay if they: don’t understand something, forget how to do something, nervous about going somewhere, aren’t allowed to go somewhere or do something etc.,
As new emotions are discovered, your child will have to manuever through how to express herself/himself. But the key is going to be how you get back “AAT” them. They will mimic what you do. If you continue through this process as your child matures, it will teach her/him how to talk through their issues into their teens and early adult life.
Keep Living Out Loud
in HIM, terry