Ruth Waldrop Occupational Therapist

Are we expecting too much of our children emotionally?

We often expect children to stay calm, make good choices, manage disappointment, cope with change, and express their feelings appropriately… even though the parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation are still developing.

Emotional regulation isn’t something children simply “have”—it’s a skill that grows over many years through brain development, life experiences, and thousands of moments of co-regulation with safe, responsive adults.

When we understand what children are capable of at different ages, we can replace unrealistic expectations with support that helps them build lifelong emotional resilience.

Today’s visual explores how emotional regulation develops from infancy through adolescence.

See the visual for instructions on how to get your FREE copy of our A Bitesize Guide to Emotional Regulation.