When your child says, “It’s your fault!” it can feel like a jab at your authority but underneath, it’s actually a signal of discomfort, not defiance. Around this age kids start noticing their own mistakes more clearly. That growing self-awareness is healthy… but it also brings a new kind of shame. Their nervous system hasn’t caught up yet, so when something goes wrong, their brain says: “I can’t handle this feeling, let’s push it away.” That’s where blame steps in. It’s their mind’s way of offloading an emotion that feels too heavy to hold. The goal in that moment isn’t to correct it’s to co-regulate. When you respond with steadiness instead of defensiveness, you’re teaching that it’s safe to make mistakes and make repairs. That’s how accountability grows without shame. ✨ Save this for the next time you hear “It’s your fault!” 📘 Find more tools like this in Big Kids, Bigger Feelings wherever books are sold! #EmotionalDevelopment #ParentingBigKids #ChildDevelopment #EmotionalRegulation #ParentingTips #BigKidsBiggerFeelings #ParentingSupport #MiddleChildhood #SeedAndSew