Imagine standing in the middle of a zoo (or a supermarket, or a school pickup line) watching your child completely fall apart and feeling completely frozen... This is what I'm talking about today!

This episode right here is your turning point. I'm walking you through my six-step de-escalation framework that goes way beyond the usual "get down to their level" advice you've heard a hundred times — into the neuroscience of WHY your child literally cannot hear you mid-meltdown, the one thing most parents do first that makes it last twice as long, and the small but powerful move that hands your child back their sense of control in seconds.

This isn't theory. It's the exact approach I use with my own kids, the one I teach in my coaching practice, and the one I wish had been used at the Taronga Zoo lion enclosure on ANZAC Day weekend...

If you want to stop dreading the next big emotional moment and start feeling genuinely equipped for it, press play.

If this way of thinking resonates, my book on Amazon goes deeper into these ideas — emotional intelligence as the foundation for calmer, more connected parenting. Think of it as a companion to this conversation. 📚 Find my book From Chaos To Connection by Stephanie Pinto on Amazon here!

🩷 Hi! I’m an award-winning Emotional Intelligence parenting consultant, best-selling author and international speaker. I’m also a paediatric anxiety therapist and I love helping kids, parents and educators use emotional intelligence to become calmer, more connected and live happier lives!

Book a FREE 30 min consult with me to discuss coaching, support, collaborations or speaking engagements.

E: hello@stephaniepinto.com

W: www.stephaniepinto.com

FB: fb.com/stephpinto

IG @emotionally.intelligent.parent

Have you joined my Facebook Group for parents? There are 148,000+ parents in the community!

🎉 Join Let's Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anxiety Masterclass tickets here: www.stephaniepinto.com/anxious-masterclass

Ever stood in the school car park while your child clings to you, pleading they can’t go in, and thought… is this ever going to get easier?

Or your teen is shutting themselves away in their room, refusing to go to social gatherings or other activities (that you know they’d probably LOVE)?

I’ve been there. My youngest has, too. And yes, even as someone who teaches emotional intelligence and anxiety strategies, I still questioned myself in those moments (a lot).

Today I'm sharing our story, from tearful mornings to the small victories that actually matter. I also dive into a few things parents often don’t realise about anxiety: why tummies hurt, why constant reassurance can backfire, and the thinking patterns of anxious brains. Plus, a story moment from a Caribbean stage where I realised I’d finally made it past the worst of my own anxiety (spoiler: it felt amazing).

This episode is honest, real, and practical. You’ll get hope, a few gentle strategies you can start using immediately, and a reminder that anxious kids don’t need fixing, they need understanding and the right tools.

Anxiety Masterclass tickets here: www.stephaniepinto.com/anxious-masterclass (Come live or get the recording!)

If this way of thinking resonates, my book on Amazon goes deeper into these ideas — emotional intelligence as the foundation for calmer, more connected parenting. Think of it as a companion to this conversation. 📚 Find my book From Chaos To Connection by Stephanie Pinto on Amazon here!

🩷 Hi! I’m an award-winning Emotional Intelligence parenting consultant, best-selling author and international speaker. I’m also a paediatric anxiety therapist and I love helping kids, parents and educators use emotional intelligence to become calmer, more connected and live happier lives!

Book a FREE 30 min consult with me to discuss coaching, support, collaborations or speaking engagements.

E: hello@stephaniepinto.com

W: www.stephaniepinto.com

FB: fb.com/stephpinto

IG @emotionally.intelligent.parent

Have you joined my Facebook Group for parents? There are 148,000+ parents in the community!

🎉 Join Let's Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever had a moment where your child’s reaction felt way bigger than the situation? 🌋

A small thing turns into a huge meltdown. Logic doesn’t land. Consequences do NOT work. And you’re thinking "what am I supposed to do right now?" This is for you!

Today I’m joined by Elizabeth Sautter, a speech-language pathologist and author who has spent nearly 30 years supporting neurodivergent kids, families and educators. She’s also a mum of two neurodivergent (grown up) kids, so everything she shares comes from both professional experience and real life.

Elizabeth introduces a simple framework she uses with families called the ABCs and 123s of co-regulation. It helps parents understand what’s happening in a child’s nervous system when emotions run high, and what actually helps in the moment.

Because when kids are overwhelmed, it’s often not a discipline problem. It’s a regulation problem.

In this episode we talk about:

✅ Why behaviour is often a signal, not the real problem

✅ Why reasoning with a dysregulated child rarely works (we’ve all tried though)

✅ The power of pausing before responding

✅ How your calm nervous system helps regulate your child’s

I also love Elizabeth's metaphor about kids learning to ride emotional waves. "Our job isn’t to stop the waves, but to help them stay afloat while the feelings pass."

She created a free resource for listeners called the Get Regulation in Real Time Toolkit, with practical tools to support kids’ emotional regulation at home or school. Grab it here.

(https://elizabethsautter.com/regulation-in-real-time-toolkit)

Love what you're hearing? Get your FREE Emotional Intelligence Resource Bundle at stephaniepinto.com/gift

If this way of thinking resonates, my book on Amazon goes deeper into these ideas — emotional intelligence as the foundation for calmer, more connected parenting. Think of it as a companion to this conversation. 📚 Find my book From Chaos To Connection by Stephanie Pinto on Amazon here!

🩷 Hi! I’m an award-winning Emotional Intelligence parenting consultant, best-selling author and international speaker. I’m also a paediatric anxiety therapist and I love helping kids, parents and educators use emotional intelligence to become calmer, more connected and live happier lives!

Book a FREE 30 min consult with me to discuss coaching, support, collaborations or speaking engagements.

E: hello@stephaniepinto.com

W: www.stephaniepinto.com

FB: fb.com/stephpinto

IG @emotionally.intelligent.parent

Have you joined my Facebook Group for parents? There are 148,000+ parents in the community!

🎉 Join Let's Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.