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Managing moody kids is never easy and even more challenging when clinical issues are involved. It's like we're walking on eggshells whenever we interact with our kids when they're moody. Although it is such a challenging part of parenting, parents can use effective management strategies, and that's what we'll be tackling in today's episode.

What is emotional dysregulation?

Emotional dysregulation is when you tend towards frequent mood swings and switch between different emotional states, probably too rapidly, but certainly with little control.About 70% of kids and individuals from other age groups with ADHD have rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD). RSD interferes with one's ability to regulate emotional responses, making them prone to emotional dysregulation.Most of the time, external factors affect our moods, especially when they get us stressed. Of course, you won't always understand these factors, but they are part of our reality.

Managing moody kids in the family

We also have to note that these kids lack stress tolerance and coping skills, so dealing with shame, rejection, and criticism may not always go well. We must learn how to manage moody kids in the family because it causes a significant disruption in the entire family and can even cause marriages to end. This is what drives this absolute friction between you and your child. Give short, clear, and visual directions. I like to preview things and let them know in advance. The key is to keep it clear and concise. I also keep my tone in check, mainly when communicating with moody kids.We have to consider that sometimes, they don't process things right away, although there will be times when they process things too quickly. It also helps to make them visualize the results or the outcomes. But, again, try to make things as descriptive as possible to focus on what they can and can't do. Reinforcement is a vital part of managing moody kids. As much as possible, we want to make sure we're reinforcing the desired behaviors. We must show them what to do rather than point out what they're not doing. Don't use this little inertia of all the minute details when your kid gets stuck on something. Instead, focus on the positive side to stop getting stuck in negativity. Moody kids are hard to manage, which means you will need resources. In line with this, we have our Natural Parenting Solutions Group, which you can participate in (https://drroseann.com/group). No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Links and Resources:➡️ Join our FREE Natural Parenting Community to receive science-backed resources for your child and family. Join here.➡️ Get help from Dr. Roseann and her team. Apply here. ➡️ “Is it ADHD or something else?” Take the quiz.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge is a licensed therapist, certified school psychologist, and leading expert in emotional dysregulation in children. With over 30 years of experience, she helps parents understand the root causes of meltdowns, anxiety, ADHD, and challenging behavior through the lens of nervous system regulation. Dr. Roseann teaches practical, science-backed strategies for co-regulation and how to calm a dysregulated child using her Regulation First Parenting™ approach. She is the host of the Dysregulated Kids Podcast and author of The Dysregulated Kid.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge
Emotional Dysregulation in Children & Nervous System Expert
Regulation First Parenting™ | CALMS Protocol™
Host of the Dysregulated Kids Podcast (Top 1% Globally)
Author of The Dysregulated Kid