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Cookie Monster Practices Self-Regulation | Life Kit Parenting | NPR.mp4Self -regulation is the ability to monitor and manage your energy states, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that are acceptable and produce positive results such as well-being, positive social relationships, and learning.
Self -regulation is the ability to monitor and manage your energy states, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that are acceptable and produce positive results such as well-being, positive social relationships, and learning.
Self-regulation is an important ability to be able to understand and manage your actions and reactions to feelings and things happening around you.
Self-regulation is an important ability to be able to understand and manage your actions and reactions to feelings and things happening around you.
It includes being able to:
It includes being able to:
- regulate reactions to emotions like frustration or excitement
- calm down after something exciting or upsetting
- focus on a task
- refocus attention on a new task
- control impulses
- learn behavior that helps you get along with other people.
Our regulation is highly impacted by our physiological state (based on nutrition, rest, and safety). It is further impacted by our emotions, our cognitive processes and the environment around us, including sensory stimuli and task demands. The more complex the demands are, the more difficult it is for one to regulate themselves independently.
Our regulation is highly impacted by our physiological state (based on nutrition, rest, and safety). It is further impacted by our emotions, our cognitive processes and the environment around us, including sensory stimuli and task demands. The more complex the demands are, the more difficult it is for one to regulate themselves independently.
Me want it.mp4Sesame Street: Ian McKellen Teaches Cookie Monster to Resist.mp4Energy States
Energy States
One's energy state refers to a measure of one's energy level and physiological state/ needs at any given moment. (i.e. are we hungry, thirsty, tired, rested, or with a full bladder, etc.) Our energy state is closely related to our sensory systems and can be changed by managing physiological needs and providing sensory input or elimination.
Remember, each person has a unique set of sensory preferences. What works for one person, may not work equally or at all for another.
Remember, each person has a unique set of sensory preferences. What works for one person, may not work equally or at all for another.
Think of what soothes you (down regulating), and what increases your state of arousal (up regulating).
Think of what soothes you (down regulating), and what increases your state of arousal (up regulating).
Provide your child with many opportunities to trial different items in order to manipulate one's regulative state. See what helps and what does not.
Provide your child with many opportunities to trial different items in order to manipulate one's regulative state. See what helps and what does not.
Help your child build their own regulation "tool box". Support then in learning about what works for them.
Help your child build their own regulation "tool box". Support then in learning about what works for them.
Calming or activating different sensory systems can help to change the alertness levels or energy states of our body.
Calming or activating different sensory systems can help to change the alertness levels or energy states of our body.
Vestibular
helps with balance, head position, and motion
can try jumping or spinning
Visual
taking in what we see
colours, lights, shapes, movement
Proprioception
tells us where are body is in space
can try yoga, trampoline, wall push-ups
Tactile
detects touch, pressure, temperature, texture, and pain
can try hugs, fidget tools, weighted blanket
Gustatory
senses flavours
can try cold vs warm, soft vs crunchy, minty vs sweet
Auditory
processes sounds
can change volume, tone, background noise, and spoken words
Olfactory
recognizes smells
can try essential oils, scented lotions
Interoception
tells us internal body sensations
hunger, thirst, needing the bathroom, or feeling hot/cold.
Emotions
Emotions
Emotions play a big role in our ability to self-regulate. It takes a great deal of practice and many opportunities in order to learn about how our unique body reacts during different emotions, and which "tools" or strategies may help us in different settings.
When children are learning about emotions they depend on adults around them to support their understanding, and perceptions surrounding emotional expression.
Children do best when adults co-regulate with them while they learn strategies for managing emotions.
Social Emotional learning is a building block for developing self-confidence, self-management, resilience, social awareness, relationships, and a growth "I can" mindset. It is a basis for empowering kindness, respect, and responsibility.
Social Emotional learning is a building block for developing self-confidence, self-management, resilience, social awareness, relationships, and a growth "I can" mindset. It is a basis for empowering kindness, respect, and responsibility.
What we need to know:
What we need to know:
All feelings are OKAY and should be expressed.
Children learn to manage their emotions by experiencing them. Children need a calm adult to help support them and problem solve during big emotions. (called Co-Regulation)
The first step is to name or label feelings.
Thoughts - A Growth Mindset
Thoughts - A Growth Mindset
Interest and motivation are big factors when we consider our thoughts towards completing tasks and/or the expectations placed upon us. At school for example, if a task is perceived as "not interesting" or "too hard", our thoughts alone can decrease our bodies ability to maintain an appropriate level of regulation necessary to "do out best' or to even participate. When we adopt a growth mindset, we know that "We can indeed do hard things" and "We can always try our best".
Neuroplasticty.mp4A video on Neuroplasticity
What happens in the brain when you adopt a growth mindset to develop a new skill or habit?
What happens in the brain when you adopt a growth mindset to develop a new skill or habit?
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain.mp4Read-aloud story: Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Oral Motor Activities Printable (1).pdfCopy of Copy of Heavy Work Activities Printable.pdfcalm-down-tools-for-older-kids.pdfwhat-to-put-in-a-calm-down-kit-free-printable-list.pdfPage updated
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