How to Respond to Teens’ ‘Emotional Eruptions’
Adolescents’ newly complex feelings are something they often struggle to make sense of.
A toddler falls. She lands on her knee and inspects it. And then—this is the crucial step—she looks to her parent. “Whatever’s going on with your face dictates what happens next,” says Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist and author. If the parent’s look indicates all is well, all will usually be well. But if the parent looks frightened, tears often ensue.
When children are in moments of exasperation
