Back by Popular Demand: Teaching children emotion regulation through co-regulation with Dana Rosenbloom

As part of our 5-Year Anniversary Summer Series, we're bringing back one of the most popular and foundational episodes in Securely Attached history.

When children are overwhelmed by big feelings, many parents wonder how to help them calm down, listen, or use the coping skills they've been taught. But before children can regulate themselves, they first need to experience regulation through relationships.

In this conversation, I sit down with early childhood specialist Dana Rosenbloom, founder of Dana's Kids, to explore the powerful role co-regulation plays in helping children develop emotional regulation skills, resilience, and self-awareness.

Together we discuss:

• What co-regulation is and why it is the foundation of emotional development.

• Why emotional dysregulation is often contagious for both parents and children.

• How to stay grounded when your child is overwhelmed by big feelings.

• Why the goal is not to be perfectly calm all the time.

• How children learn emotional regulation through our modeling and presence.

• Why getting comfortable with your child's discomfort can be one of the most important parenting skills.

• The difference between being a detective and being a teacher during challenging moments.

• How to respond when your child is upset about a limit you've set.

• Why a child's rejection of a boundary is not a reflection of your effectiveness as a parent.

• The role repair plays in building resilience, confidence, and connection.

This conversation offers a compassionate and practical framework for understanding children's behavior through the lens of regulation rather than compliance. Dana reminds us that emotional outbursts are not signs that we've failed as parents or that our children are failing. They are opportunities for connection, learning, and growth. Most importantly, this episode is a powerful reminder that before we can co-regulate with our children, we must first learn how to regulate ourselves.

⭐ Celebrating 5 Years of Securely Attached ⭐

If you've enjoyed the podcast over the years, we'd love your help celebrating this milestone. Our birthday wish is simple: five stars for five years. If these conversations have supported you and your family, please consider leaving a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your support helps more parents discover the show and allows us to continue bringing these conversations to families around the world.