Ep. 294: You Can’t Teach Calm If You Can’t Be Calm: The Power of Self-Regulation

In You Can’t Teach Calm If You Can’t Be Calm, Dr. Meg Meeker welcomes guests Kahlila Robinson and Sarah Gerstenzang, co-authors of The Self-Regulation Workbook for Children Ages 5 to 8. Together, they unpack how parental self-regulation plays a crucial role in helping children build emotional resilience and develop lifelong emotional skills.This episode dives into why your own calm sets the tone for your child’s behavior, especially when dealing with post-COVID stress, emotional outbursts, or peer conflicts. Kahlila and Sarah share practical, science-backed tools to help parents recognize emotional contagion, model regulation, and foster secure attachments.Whether you're managing meltdowns or building daily routines with intention, this conversation reminds us: you can’t teach calm if you can’t be calm yourself.👉Want personalized guidance from Dr. Meg?If you're struggling to stay calm in the chaos of parenting—or just want expert advice tailored to your family's needs—Dr. Meg offers one-on-one coaching for parents who are ready to grow, heal, and lead with confidence. Learn more here. 🧷Links The Self-Regulation Workbook for Children Ages 5 to 8 by Kahlila Robinson and Sarah Gerstenzanghttps://amzn.to/4gLC8fqMeg's Amazon Favshttps://amzn.to/42QT3reAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.📌 Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to Parenting Challenges00:33 – Launch of the Self-Regulation Workbook01:26 – Why Parental Self-Regulation is Key02:40 – Staying Calm in Heated Moments05:29 – How Emotions Transfer Between Parent & Child08:31 – Addressing Post-COVID Anxiety in Kids11:08 – Helping Kids Develop Emotional Awareness12:34 – Simple De-Escalation Tools for Parents17:44 – Matching Strategies to Different Child Personalities18:37 – Connection-Based Discipline21:28 – Children’s Core Emotional Needs23:31 – Teaching Kids to Cope with Stress25:15 – Managing Peer Conflict and Social Stress28:30 – Healing Emotional Wounds in Childhood30:50 – Balancing Work, Stress & Parenting36:14 – Final Thoughts & ResourcesSponsors:Hungryroot – 40% off + free gift with code DRMEGFam Gabs – 10% off conversation cards with code DRMEGPODK12-powered Schools – Tuition-free, accredited online learning for K–12Thrive Causemetics – Clean beauty with purpose. 10% off your first order Listen to Aidee, “Nothing Rhymes With Orange”: https://platoon.lnk.to/nothing-rhymes-with-orange  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.