Why do children sometimes seem to overreact? Neuroscience suggests emotions may come less from what happened and more from the gap between expectations and reality. Learn how parents can help kids build emotional resilience.

Did you notice that whenever something feels “off,” it’s usually marked by a change in our emotional state? We’ve been taught to fix, suppress, or avoid emotions — especially in children. But what if emotions aren’t the problem at all? What if they’re signals, quietly telling us what the nervous system needs to feel safe, connected, and regulated? When we stop pulling emotional “weeds” and start tending the soil underneath, regulation doesn’t have to be forced — it grows.