It’s easy to look for calm as proof that emotional regulation is “working.”Quiet bodies. Compliant behavior. Big feelings that disappear quickly. But for many kids, regulation doesn’t show up instead of the big feelings, it shows up after them. It looks like apologizing without being forced. Asking for help instead of shutting down. Needing space, quiet, or movement to reset. Using humor once their body feels safe again. Falling apart only where they know they’ll be held, not punished or dismissed. These are green flags. They tell us a child’s nervous system feels supported enough to move through stress, recover, and return to connection. Not because they were controlled—but because they were met with safety. Regulation isn’t the absence of big feelings. It’s the ability to find your way back when they pass. #SeedAndSew #EmotionalRegulation #NervousSystemSupport #ParentingWithConnection #BigKidsBiggerFeelings