Transcript: 5 Unexpected Truths About Toddler Emotions Every Mum Should Know
This is a text transcript from The First Time Mum’s Chat podcast. The episode is called 5 Unexpected Truths About Toddler Emotions Every Mum Should Know and you can click on the link to view the full episode page, listen to the episode and view the show notes.
If you’re finding that your little one, who not so long ago felt quite predictable, is suddenly reacting in ways you’re not quite expecting.
Maybe they’re getting upset more quickly, and even though you know they’re still learning, it can still feel frustrating at times, and you’re left wondering… where is this coming from?
and maybe even…
I just want to get this right for them…
then this episode is for you.
Hi, I’m Helen Thompson, a childcare educator and baby massage instructor, and welcome to First Time Mum’s Chat, a space where we gently support you through the early stages of parenting… helping you feel more confident, more connected, and a little less alone along the way.
In this episode, we’re going to explore a stage that many mums find themselves in, but often don’t feel fully prepared for…
that time when your baby isn’t quite a baby anymore…
but they’re not yet able to fully understand or express the big feelings they’re starting to experience.
We’ll talk about what’s really going on underneath those reactions… how you can support your little one in a calm, connected way… while gently building confidence in what you’re already doing.
So, if this stage has been feeling a little confusing lately…
you’re in the right place…
let’s talk about it together.
What’s often happening at this stage…
is that your little one is starting to experience much bigger feelings…
and while they often understand far more than we realize…
they don’t yet have the words or the ability to fully manage or make sense of what they’re feeling…
So those feelings don’t come out as words…
they come out through their body…
it might look like sudden tears…
frustration…
pushing something away…
or reacting in a way that feels quite big for what’s just happened…
and it can catch you a little off guard…
as it doesn’t always seem to match the moment…
But what we don’t always see…
is that these feelings have often been building up… quietly…
throughout the day…
little moments of frustration…
tiredness…
new experiences…
and eventually… it just becomes too much for them to hold in…
And this is where it can feel confusing…
because from the outside… it can look like it’s come out of nowhere…
but underneath…
your child is trying to process a world that’s suddenly feeling a lot bigger…
and a lot more overwhelming than it did before…
And in those moments…
what they need from you… might not always look the way you expect…
sometimes…
this can look like your little one’s pushing you away…
turning their head…
saying no…
or even becoming more upset when you try to comfort them…
and in that moment…
it can feel really confusing…
you’re trying to help…
and it almost feels like they don’t want you…
but what’s really important to understand here…
is this isn’t your child rejecting you…
this is your child feeling something so big…
that they don’t quite know what to do with it…
and even though it might look like they’re pushing you away…
they still need you…
just as much in that moment… if not more…
Sometimes… being close to you…
can bring those feelings even more to the surface…
and this is something really important to remember…
you are their safe place…
and when they feel safe…
those big emotions don’t need to be held in anymore…
so even if it doesn’t look like it…
your presence still matters…
your calm voice…
your closeness…
just being there with them…
that’s what helps them begin to feel safe again…
And this is where it’s not so much about stopping the feeling… but about gently supporting them through it…
So in those moments…
when your little one is overwhelmed…
and you’re not quite sure what to do…
it can start to feel like everything is happening quite quickly…
and I know that can feel really hard…
especially when emotions are high…
and you just want to make it better for them…
but this is the moment where things can gently begin to slow down…
this is where that slowing down really matters…
because what’s often happening right then…
is everything starts to feel a bit intense…
they’re upset…
maybe louder than you expected…
maybe reacting in a way that catches you off guard…
and you can feel it building…
not just for them…
but for you too…
you’re trying to stay calm…
but at the same time…
there can be so many thoughts going through your mind…
why are they upset…?
I just want this to stop…
I feel a bit overwhelmed right now…
and it can all feel like it’s happening at once…
their feelings…
and yours…
all in the same space…
I remember being with a little one recently… around this age…
and everything was fine one moment…
and then suddenly…
they were so upset…
nothing obvious had happened…
and it felt really big… really quickly…
I could feel the same pull…
that need to fix it… to calm it… to make it stop…
and for a moment… I wasn’t quite sure what to do…
sitting there with them…
while it all felt a bit big…
letting it unfold in its own time…
and when it feels like that…
it’s not about getting it exactly right…
it’s about the fact that you’re there…
even in the middle of it…
even when it feels messy…
even when you’re not quite sure what to do next…
you’re still with them…
and that’s what they come back to…
not whether it stopped quickly…
not whether it looked calm straight away…
but that you stayed…
So as we come to the end of this episode…
i just want to take a moment to come back to you…
if this is a stage you’re finding yourself in right now…
where things can feel a little bit unpredictable…
and at times… a bit more intense than you were expecting.
Just know…
you’re not alone in this…
this is something so many mums move through…
often quietly…
often wondering if they’re doing enough…
And the truth is…
your little one isn’t looking for perfect moments…
they’re not looking for you to have all the answers…
they’re simply looking for you…
the way you stay…
the way you come back to them…
even when things feel a little bit uncertain…
And if you’re doing that…
you’re already giving them something really important…
And if this episode has felt close to home for you…
you might like to take a quiet moment to reflect on your own experience…
i’ve added a simple poll in the show notes for this episode…
and you’re welcome to share what this stage has been like for you…
it’s just a gentle way of seeing that you’re not the only one…
And if you’d like to hear more episodes like this…
you can follow First Time Mum’s Chat on your favourite podcast platform…
so you don’t miss the next one…
Until next time…
take care…
and be gentle with yourself…
you’re doing an amazing job.