Kids Pick Up on Your Energy!

Ever notice how kids seem to mirror our moods? Whether you’re a parent or teacher, you’re their rock, their example. They sense every little shift, even when we try to hide it. And let’s be real—everyone loses their temper sometimes. It’s human.

When you feel your frustration bubbling up, try to pause and let them see you manage it. Model what it looks like to keep calm. Take a deep breath in front of them, step back, and if needed, let them know, “Mommy (or Morah) needs a moment to breathe and calm down so I can help.” It might feel silly, but that little step is powerful. When they see you say, “I need space right now to calm down,” they’re learning what it looks like to handle big emotions.

Our family just went through a huge test of this. We traveled for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, first to visit my brother and sister’s families, with plans to head to my husband's family for the second half of the holiday. But the night before our flight for the second leg of our trip, my son suddenly developed a fever, leaving us unable to go to our next destination. We were heartbroken and so disappointed; my husband and I couldn’t hide our frustration and disappointment as it was evident in our behavior. And naturally, our son picked up on every ounce of it, making it even harder for him to feel calm and safe while feeling unwell.

Through this experience, I was reminded of how our kids need us to be steady, even when life throws unexpected curve balls our way. It’s okay to feel upset, but the way we cope matters to them (especially sick OMG). When you’re frustrated or overwhelmed, take those extra few moments for yourself. And when you’ve had a moment to breathe and reset, you can come back feeling grounded, ready to connect, and in control of the conversation.

And hey, if you’ve already lost your temper, it’s okay. Really. Apologize if you need to, be gentle with yourself, and show them it’s okay to say, “I got very upset, and I’m sorry if that was scary. But I love you very much, and I’ll keep working on my calm, too.” Kids benefit so much from seeing us handle our emotions with honesty and kindness. Remember, modeling healthy coping is one of the best gifts you can give - even for BABIES! I willingly apologized to my toddler as I rocked him to sleep for getting frustrated at him when it was never his fault. And how it was not okay and I will try and do better next time. It was all truly in Hashem’s hands and our time away was meant to turn out the way it did.

My husband and I both realized that even though our trip changed, we would try to see the positive in our current situation. And so we did just that! And after a few days, our son was healthy enough to travel back home (AND HE WAS SO HAPPY BOTH FLIGHTS!).

No one has got it ALL figured out. So give yourself a little grace when you get that curveball too. 🤎