If you’ve ever worried that redirecting a tantrum means you’re ignoring your child’s feelings, you’re not alone. A tantrum is not a teaching moment. It’s a nervous system moment. During a meltdown, your child’s brain is in survival mode. The part responsible for reasoning, empathy, and learning is temporarily offline. That’s why trying to talk through the lesson right then often backfires. Regulation has to come before reflection. Healthy redirection is not avoidance. It’s co-regulation. You are