Feel the Wave, Ride It Out
Teaching your child to manage big urges without acting straight away
Have you ever watched your child grab, shout, run off, or lash out — almost before you can blink? That’s not bad behaviour. That’s an urge taking the wheel.
Urges are intense, fast, and physical. They’re the body’s way of saying, “Do something now!” But with a little practice, your child can learn a powerful skill:
💬 “I can feel the wave — and ride it, not crash with it.”
This week in Thera-Scholars, Dash is helping kids learn to ride emotional waves using the Urge Surfing Tracker — a visual, kid-friendly tool that shows what it’s like to notice an urge… and choose what to do next.
What’s an urge?
An urge is the feeling of needing to act right away — even if the action isn’t helpful.
For kids, urges often show up as:
- Wanting to yell when they’re angry
- Wanting to run when they’re overwhelmed
- Wanting to interrupt, grab, or say something mean
The urge itself isn’t “bad” — it’s just a big signal. And learning to ride the urge instead of obeying it is a huge step in emotional growth.
What does it mean to “ride the wave”?
It means:
🌊 Noticing the feeling building
🏄 Staying present while it peaks
💨 Breathing through the intensity
🌅 Waiting as it naturally comes back down
When your child learns this, they build:
- Emotional endurance
- Impulse control Greater confidence
- in handling big feelings
How to help your child practise:
📈 Use the Urge Surfing Tracker
- This week’s printable shows a simple curve with space to draw or write what the urge felt like at different points.
⏱️ Try mini “wait-and-watch” games:
- Set a timer and count how long the urge lasts
- Play “Can you pause like Dash?” for 10, 20, 30 seconds
- Make it a challenge: “Let’s see if the wave comes down on its own!”
🧘♂️ Use body-based supports:
- Squeeze a stress ball
- Push hands together
- Breathe in like you’re smelling a flower, out like blowing out a candle
💬 Use the language of waves:
- “That was a big wave — and you rode it. That takes real strength.”
A gentle reminder:
Kids won’t always catch the wave — and that’s okay. What matters is helping them notice, reflect, and try again. It’s not about perfection — it’s about building trust in their ability to stay with a feeling without being swept away by it.
Coming Up This Week:
🌊 Tuesday Tool: Dash’s Urge Surfing Tracker — a visual map to help kids track, breathe, and recover
📝 Friday Reflection: Gentle questions to help your child explore a time they noticed, paused, or made a different choice
📣 Want to see how other families help their kids “ride the wave”?
Join the private Thera-Scholars group — a place for support, shared stories, and playful tools that actually work.
🔗 Autism Thera-Scholars Carers Community
📧 info@succeedhealthcare.com.au
🌐 www.succeedhealthcare.com.au