The Unexpected Emotional Labor of Attuned Parenting

confident parents confident kids · Oct 8, 2026

By Guest Author Annie Schien

The other night, my three-year-old cried, screamed, and thrashed her body for 45 torturous minutes before falling asleep in my arms. The underwear she asked me to pick for her was definitely not the right choice and disappointment and dysregulation ensued. There was nothing I could do to stop this freight train, so I accepted my fate. I held her contorting body and distraught nervous system, closed my eyes, and took a lot of audible deep breaths. Had I already spent all day riding her emotional rollercoaster? Yes. Did I have the wherewithal in my tank to stay calm…