What Do I Say Now?

A Practical Guide to Acknowledging Your Child's Big Feelings

Because apparently, telling a frustrated three-year-old to “calm down” isn't the magic solution we thought it was.

Your child is crying because their banana broke in half. The wrong-colour cup has ruined breakfast. And apparently, leaving the playground is the greatest injustice of their young life.

Sound familiar?

As parents, our first instinct is usually to explain, correct, reason or fix the problem. But sometimes our children don't need another explanation. They need to know we understand why they're upset.

What Do I Say Now? is a practical, relatable parenting guide filled with real-life situations, simple communication tools and a little humour for those moments when your patience is hanging on by a thread.

What's inside?

• 5 practical communication tools to help your child feel heard and understood.

• 20 relatable parenting scenarios, from broken bananas and bedtime battles to sibling disagreements and unexpected changes of plans.

• What we often say vs. what to try instead, with ready-to-use examples.

• Practical ways to maintain boundaries without dismissing your child's feelings.

• Tips for using your words and tone effectively, even during emotional moments.

• A quick-reference guide for when you're completely out of words.