10 Powerful Parenting Phrases

Be your child's emotion coach

“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.” 

- L.R. Knost

1. "It’s okay to be upset — it’s good to let it out."

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2. "I hear you — I’m here for you — I’ll stay with you."

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3. "It’s okay to feel how you feel.  It is not okay to _________.”

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Sometimes it is necessary to use a very clear limit in how our child expresses their emotions. It isn’t the emotion itself that needs to change, but rather how they are expressing it.

Acknowledging emotions doesn't mean you do not set limits on behavior.  You can accept emotions while also helping your child learn better ways to express those emotions. 

4. "How you feel right now won’t last forever. It’s okay to feel how you are feeling. It will pass and you will feel better again soon."

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5. "Let’s take a breath, take a break, sit down, pause for a minute…"

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"There is one thought that I feel can be helpful to grown-ups and children alike: Sadness isn’t forever. I’m not suggesting that we remind ourselves of this in order to lessen our grief. On the contrary. The knowledge that time does bring relief from sadness and that sooner or later there will be days when we are happy again may allow us to grieve more fully and deeply when we need to."

- Mister Rodgers