Tips for practicing the Zones of Regulation

• Know yourself and how you react in difficult situations before dealing with your child’s behaviours.
• Know your child’s sensory threshold. We all process sensory information differently and it impacts our reactivity to situations.
• Know your child’s triggers.
• Be consistent in managing your child’s behaviour and use the same language you use at home.
• Empathise with your child and validate what they are feeling.
• Have clear boundaries/routines and always follow through.
• Do not deal with an angry, upset child when you are not yet calm yourself.
• Discuss strategies for the next time when you are in a similar situation.
• Remember to ask your child how their choices made you feel (empathy).
• Praise your child for using strategies. Encourage your child to take a sensory break to help regulate their bodies.
• Create a ‘calm’ box full of things which help to keep your child calm and alert.