Creating Emotional Safety Using The Grump Meter - Lynn Kaufman

Are your kids walking on eggshells?

I am told by kids that they do not always feel safe in their own homes. Both emotional and physical safety are important to a healthy environment.

When I asked 15 teen girls if they felt safe at home, they stared at me blankly. After a while, one teen responded. She said:

"When people in the family do not know what others are thinking and feeling, and they give off body cues that the world around them is NOT okay, then everyone is walking on egg shells."

All the teens agreed and gave examples.

I then asked how The Grump Meter could be a tool to help with "scared feelings" at home. Another teen answered:

"If you know what color on the Grump Meter someone is on at a given time, they are more transparent; they are more readable and they feel much more safe being in the same house. When you are aware of different moods of different people, you feel more secure in your knowledge that they can and will control their escalation of angry feelings. If you know their moods by color, you can rely on them to be thinking of their next steps to emotional regulation. That makes life much more secure and safe and predictable.”

Your children rely on you to regulate your emotions. The Grump Meter can help both children and parents create a calm environment. It is a true family tool.