When Feelings Are Too Big — Try a Tiny Shift
Why healthy distraction isn’t “avoiding,” but a real self-regulation tool
When your child is deep in an emotional spiral — overwhelmed, melting down, or frozen in fear — trying to talk things through might not work.
That’s because when emotions are that big, the thinking part of the brain is offline. In those moments, what your child needs isn’t a lesson — it’s a lifeline.
This week in Thera-Scholars, we’re introducing Dash’s Distraction Jar — a playful, empowering way for kids to practise positive distraction. It’s not about ignoring feelings. It’s about creating just enough space to breathe again.
What is healthy distraction?
It’s a deliberate shift in focus — from the overwhelming feeling to something small, safe, and engaging.
For kids, that might look like:
🧩 Building a LEGO tower
📚 Reading a comic
🧍 Doing star jumps or stretching like a cat
🎨 Drawing a favourite animal
🎵 Listening to a silly song
When done on purpose, distraction becomes a skill — not avoidance. It teaches kids:
💬 “I can pause this wave, and come back to it when I’m ready.”
Why distraction works:
🧠 It gives the nervous system time to reset
💪 It keeps things from escalating
🛟 It provides a safe buffer between emotion and reaction
Distraction is especially helpful for distress tolerance — when feelings are too intense to solve or talk through just yet.
Try this at home:
🎲 Create your own Distraction Jar — Write or draw favourite ideas on slips of paper. Keep it somewhere your child can access when they’re feeling wobbly.
💬 Practise in calm moments — Play a “pick one and try it” game to build familiarity before big feelings hit.
🌱 Celebrate small wins — “You chose a distraction instead of yelling. That shows real strength.”
🧠 Remind gently — “Let’s try the jar. Then we’ll check in again after your body feels a bit calmer.”
What if it feels like you’re just “avoiding” the problem?
Think of it like a circuit breaker — you’re not skipping the emotion; you’re giving the brain and body time to be ready for it.
Later, when your child feels more regulated, you can revisit the emotion gently — with tools like the Feeling Wheel, Messenger Map, or Emotion Talk Cards.
Coming Up This Week:
🎲 Tuesday Tool: Dash’s Distraction Jar — printable slips and prompts you can colour, cut, and pop into a jar
📝 Friday Reflection: A gentle check-in to help your child notice what worked when they used a healthy distraction
📣 Want to see what’s in other families’ Distraction Jars?
Join the private Thera-Scholars group to share ideas, download the weekly tool, and build your child’s coping toolkit together.
🔗 Autism Thera-Scholars Carers Community
📧 info@succeedhealthcare.com.au
🌐 www.succeedhealthcare.com.au