Parents: Here’s How You Can Handle Your Emotions In Tough Situations

Parenting at times may seem like the unsigned rollercoaster ride. While one moment you’re enjoying your child’s giggles, and the next moment, you’re helping hold back your toddler's tears after their meltdown or maybe your teens’ harsh words. The question is—how can you keep everything together in the toughest situations life throws at you? The fact is, every parent has been through it.

Read this article to learn about how you can handle your emotions in tough situations effectively.

The reality is, kids are great at testing boundaries. From toddlers playing with your lipstick to a teen who has just realized they know everything better than you, it is not uncommon to come across such parenting challenges. Therefore, emotional control is a much needed aspect to handle such moments. According to a study by the Journal of Family Psychology, parents who can stay emotionally regulated tend to raise children with stronger emotional intelligence.

Here are some essential tips that you must know when it comes to handling your emotions in difficult situations.

This sounds simple. But it isn’t the case. The reality is—in the heat of the moment, you cannot resist your body’s urge to respond back. It’s easy to feel your heart racing or your hands shaking. Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique: inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale for eight. This approach is great for helping slow down your heart rate and giving yourself a moment to recollect. Moreover, according to Harvard Medical School, deep breathing can activate your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering stress hormones like cortisol. And the best thing is—you can do it anywhere.

Everyone has such moments that push the buttons more than others. It’s like the sudden tantrums over mismatched socks. Overall, understanding what triggered you is the first step to emotional control.

Psychologists from Child Development Research also suggest that parents who are aware of their emotional triggers are better able to pause before reacting impulsively. Therefore, don’t miss out on taking notes on what really pisses you off and how you develop your approach to handle accordingly.

When you feel like you cannot handle the situation anymore, simply turn back to a little humor. Laughing can diffuse tension quicker than you’d think. Laughter releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones, which help reduce stress. In fact, a good sense of humor also teaches your kids not to take life too seriously. Besides, Psychological Science reported that parents who use humor in tough situations are less likely to experience burnout and are generally more satisfied with their parenting experience.

The truth is—parenting is actually hard. And the best thing you can do for your emotional health is admit that this parenting thing is tough. No one expects you to be a superhuman. There will be days when you will feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained, and that’s normal. But the fact is—self-compassion in parenting leads to better outcomes for both parents and children. So, if you ever feel tired the next time, just take a break.

No parent gets it right every time. It’s more about how you handle the situations rather than being perfect. From taking a deep breath to adding a little touch of humor to your life, some efforts can make all the difference that you’ll ever need. Don’t forget that parenting is a journey of learning for both kids and parents.