Let’s face it, we all spend way too much time on our phones. When I wake up in the morning, I quickly find myself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. And later in the day, I find myself doing the same thing. But social media is not just a space for mindlessness. I also find fantastic ideas on social media, including ideas for my OT practice.
The majority of kids struggle with emotional regulation – frequent meltdowns and tantrums all at the worst time, that seem to last forever. Unfortunately, this is (to some extent) a typical part of child development. But, there are skilled ways to deal with these meltdowns that promote emotionally intelligent, well-developed human beings. The following 5 Instagrams post what I, as a pediatric OT, find to be the most high-quality, easy to understand, and evidence-based strategies for emotional regulation in kids. And most of their tips you’ll be able to try out immediately! Let’s get to it.
Big Little Feelings
Recommended to me by a colleague, this Instagram has completely changed my language during meltdowns and has helped me understand how to be kind and loving while maintaining a safety boundary. Run by a LMFT and a parent coach, they post frequent videos about how to handle everyday toddler (and sometimes bigger kid) challenging behaviors. Their videos address situations from pacifier transitions, potty training, tantrums, and hitting. Their general philosophy is to 1) okay the feelings, and 2) hold the boundary.
The OT Butterfly
Run by an OT, Laura Petix, who is a parent of a neurodivergent child, this Instagram is always full of practical, easy-to-apply tips. Most kids with sensory differences have a harder time regulating their emotions compared to their neurotypical peers. She posts frequently about how to help sensory kids through their meltdowns, why they might be having meltdowns in the first place, and so on. She will often post difficulties that she’s having with her own child and coach us through how they addressed them. I highly recommend following her for any parent of a neurodivergent child.
Bonus: One of my favorite things that she’s done is post all about how she makes Disney do-able for her sensory sensitive child. She talks about the process of getting the DAS pass, good spots to regulate, and so on. Two of my families have used her tips to help them travel to Disney and had great experiences with them.
Phil Boucher, MD
Phil Boucher is a pediatrician who works in direct care (membership-based). I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of his Instagram posts that tackle emotional regulation in kids, as this is not something many pediatricians that I’ve talked to are especially knowledgeable in. In fact, his posts are far from old-school. From preaching about the importance of scheduling rest time (instead of overscheduling our kids as so many of us do), to modeling manners (instead of prompting them), he has easy to follow, practical advice about raising emotionally intelligent humans.
Bonus: he also posts about medicines and medical conditions, as one would expect for a pediatrician. You can learn about PANDAS, zofran (which he suggests for children with nausea), and more, while also learning about emotional intelligence when you follow his Instagram.
The Mom Psychologist
So many of my families struggle with de-escalating their child when they’re angry. Dr. Jazmine, a clinical psychologist, gives great ideas for language to use when your child is upset, while still holding your ground in terms of your boundaries/requests. I also love that her Instagram posts are full of validation for busy parents! She has a series called “when play feels exhausting”, which many parents can relate to. She talks about how to play with your child without feeling like you need to be the fun one, and that it’s okay to allow your child to complete independent play!
Learn Play Thrive
If you or someone you love is parenting an autistic child, I highly recommend checking out Meg Proctor’s work. A fellow OT, she takes it upon herself to learn from the Autistic community directly. She then posts on her Instagram about ways to help autistic children feel accepted, what strategies support them, and which strategies are harmful. If your autistic child is struggling with emotional regulation, figuring out how to address their autistic needs should be first on your list, rather than addressing emotional regulation directly. This is because their emotional dysregulation can come from their unique needs that aren’t being met.
Still struggling with finding resources for emotional regulation? Check out my freebie library here, which features calming tools to teach your children.
Comment below and let me know what your favorite Instagrams are!
