Calm Nights, Strong Days for Kids with Big Emotions

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Ever since my son was born, he’s had intense emotions. His big emotional outbursts led me on a journey of becoming a sleep, stress, and resilience coach, as I devoted countless hours to understanding how to regulate his nervous system. School only heightened his anxiety. Unfortunately our school was not supportive or helpful because my son was academically ahead which they felt meant he should be able to manage his outbursts and participate more in school. Instead the school decided to focus on managing his outbursts rather than understanding their root cause. This only ended in larger outbursts and struggles. I knew my son was doing the best that he could each and every day and decided to take a different approach. I withdrew him from traditional schooling and immersed myself in studying how his brain worked, which led me to explore the complexities of executive functioning. The learning curve was steep, but it was necessary. I'm still navigating the best ways to support him as he grows and faces new challenges at each stage of his life. Each phase brings its own set of obstacles, but it also brings opportunities for growth and learning. Through this podcast, I aim to reassure you that if your child has big emotions, you are not alone. Many children experience similar struggles, and together, we can find ways to understand and support them better. If my experiences and insights can help you on this journey, then this podcast has achieved its purpose. To learn more about my journey and discover resources that can help you and your child, visit my website at www.andiclark.com. With over 30 years in the health world, I’m here to share what I've learned and to support you every step of the way.

Andi Clark


    • Apr 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 108 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Calm Nights, Strong Days for Kids with Big Emotions

    108 Beyond Behavior: What's Really Going On

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 19:42 Transcription Available


    107 Finding Strength in the Everyday with Rose Couse

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 46:08 Transcription Available


    105 What Most Schools Miss About Learning with Allison Bourke

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 52:03 Transcription Available


    104 Your Child is Not “Too Much” – They're Exactly Enough

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 31:04 Transcription Available


    103: How Your Story Creates Community with Courtney Hobbs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 46:50 Transcription Available


    102 The Test Says One Thing About Your Child—But Is It Right?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 37:15 Transcription Available


    100 Why Anxiety in Kids is at an All-Time High

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 49:07 Transcription Available


    99 From Meltdowns to Milestones: Helping Kids Manage Big Emotions with Shauna B

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 48:44 Transcription Available


    98 Thinking Differently: When Your Child (or You) Feels Misunderstood

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 40:33 Transcription Available


    96 When to Push, When to Pull Back: Parenting Kids with Big Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 27:49 Transcription Available


    95 Perfectly Imperfect: Parenting Through Life's Ups and Downs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 34:44 Transcription Available


    94 EF Series: Cognitive Flexibility - Why Perfectionism and Inflexible Thinking Go Hand in Hand

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 43:13


    93 EF Series: Initiation - Why Getting Started Is Hard for Some Kids—and How to Help

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 41:07 Transcription Available


    92. Decoding Homework Meltdowns - Why Smart Kids Struggle With Homework

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 26:38


    91. Juggling It All in 2025 Managing Expectations and Realities in Parenthood

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024 37:20


    90. Helping Kids Pause and Think Before Acting

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 39:33


    In this episode of the Kids with Big Emotions podcast, we dive into the world of impulsivity and explore strategies to help kids pause, reflect, and make thoughtful decisions. If your child often acts without thinking, struggles to stop themselves, or faces social and emotional challenges due to impulsivity, this episode is for you.Learn why impulsivity happens, the foundational skills kids need to develop inhibition, and practical steps you can take to support them in creating that all-important pause before they act.Key Takeaways:What is Inhibition? Inhibition is the ability to pause and think before acting on impulse. It helps kids (and adults!) avoid blurting out, interrupting, or reacting emotionally without considering the consequences.What Impacts Impulsivity? Impulsivity can stem from an underdeveloped executive functioning system. Kids need attention, perception, and working memory to stop and think before acting.Why "Just Stop!" Doesn't Work: Simply telling kids to stop isn't enough. They need help learning how to pause, reflect, and process the situation.Practical Strategies: Teaching kids to use alarms, create plans, and break tasks into steps can build their inhibition skills over time.Understand the Whiteboard Effect: When kids' brains are overloaded with distractions, emotions, and external stimuli, their ability to pause is diminished. Reducing this "whiteboard clutter" is key to helping them focus.Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] Introduction: Recognizing impulsivity in kids and how it shows up in daily life (e.g., blurting out, hitting, or struggling to wait their turn).[00:02:00] What is Inhibition? The ability to pause and think before acting—and why it's crucial for social and emotional development.[00:04:00] The Building Blocks of Inhibition: How skills like attention, perception, and working memory play a role in self-control.[00:08:00] The Impact of Overload: Why kids struggle more with impulsivity when their executive functioning system is taxed (e.g., after a late night or an overstimulating event).[00:10:00] The Whiteboard Effect: How distractions, emotions, and screens overload a child's mental "whiteboard," making it harder for them to pause and think.[00:16:00] Why Screens Make Impulsivity Worse: The high working memory demands of screens and how they pull kids' attention away from what they should be doing.[00:18:00] Creating Space to Pause: How to teach kids to stop and reflect before acting, and why this skill builds healthier relationships and better emotional regulation.[00:22:00] Strategies That Work: Practical tips for helping kids navigate impulsivity, including alarms, breathing exercises, and step-by-step plans.[00:30:00] The Power of Individualized Plans: Why each child's inhibition strategies need to match their unique executive functioning profile.[00:34:00] Long-Term Growth: Understanding how inhibition develops over time and why challenges may resurface during different life stages.Resources Mentioned:Inhibition Intake Form: A detailed self-assessment tool to help parents identify their child's challenges and strengths in inhibition. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hZqpIgPgFXB_V8_1NGsiClJ6O2GAHb5jXdJNzSxg-yY/edit?usp=sharing Support Circle Membership:...

    89. Seeing Is Remembering: Nonverbal Working Memory in Action

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 53:13


    88 What is Working Memory? Part 1: Verbal Working Memory

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 38:42 Transcription Available


    87 A Neurodiverse Christmas: Embrace the Joy and Manage the Overwhelm

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 46:47 Transcription Available


    Ep 86 Attention Struggles Aren't Always ADHD

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 46:37 Transcription Available


    Ep 85 Emotional Regulation 101: Perception

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 40:32 Transcription Available


    84 Celebrating Your Child's Neurodiverse Superpowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 35:11 Transcription Available


    83 The Invisible Stress That Could Be Behind Your Child's BIg Emotion

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 32:11 Transcription Available


    82 Navigating Big Emotions Around Halloween

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 30:29 Transcription Available


    81 Why Your Child Needs More Than Just School Support

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 56:51 Transcription Available


    79 From Punishment to Connection: A New Path to Parenting Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 34:49


    78 The First Step to Helping Your Child

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 33:29 Transcription Available


    77 How Stress Sneaks Into Your Body Without You Realizing It

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 34:00 Transcription Available


    76 Getting Your Gifted Child the Support They Need At School

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 47:26 Transcription Available


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    75 How To Handle The First Week Of School Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 29:32 Transcription Available


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    Ep 74 Homeschooling - Who Says You Have to Teach?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 50:45 Transcription Available


    Ep 73 How to Support Your Frustration With Your Distracted Child

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 33:02 Transcription Available


    Ep 72 To The Mom At The Pool Whose Kid Was Struggling…

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 9:09 Transcription Available


    Ep 71 Punishment Isn't The Answer: Rethinking Discipline for Emotional Kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 26:58 Transcription Available


    70 What's Your Child's Stress Type? Dolphin, Shark, Clownfish, or Turtle

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 25:40 Transcription Available


    Ep 69 Loving Our Neurodiverse Kids and Mourning the Life We Imagined

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 23:50 Transcription Available


    68 The Unspoken Challenges of Parenting Kids with Big Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 26:24 Transcription Available


    67 Supporting Kids' Emotions By Giving Them More Responsibility & Ownership Of Their Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 43:09 Transcription Available


    66 Kids Are Not Bad by Nature: Redefining Expectations and Behaviour

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 29:50 Transcription Available


    65 Beyond the Grades: Decoding Report Cards For Kids With Big Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 34:47


    64 A Parents Influence on Their Child's Big Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 31:58


    62 Hidden Stressors That Can Cause Kids Anxiety & Outbursts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 51:47


    61 Kids With Big Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 26:45


    60 You Have The Power To Release The Pressure In Your Life with Leah Pardee

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024 51:23


    59 Breaking the Norm: Rethinking Everyday Stress

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 32:20


    58 Resilience in the Face of Pain With Coach Sarfaraz Khan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 52:56


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