At Cherished Cherubs Babysitting, we believe babysitting is about far more than supervision. It’s about creating a safe, nurturing space where children feel understood and supported—especially during emotional moments. Our experienced babysitters gently guide children through big feelings, helping them build the foundations for emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience.
Let’s explore what emotional regulation really means, why it’s important, and how the right babysitter can help your child thrive.
What Is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional regulation is a child’s ability to:
Recognise how they feel
Express emotions in an appropriate way
Calm down after becoming upset
Cope with disappointment, frustration, or change
For young children, this skill is still developing—and it doesn’t happen overnight. Emotional regulation grows through time, consistent support, and safe relationships with trusted adults.
When children learn emotional regulation early, it helps them later with:
✅ stronger friendships
✅ smoother transitions (like kindy or school)
✅ better self-confidence
✅ fewer behavioural blow-ups over time
✅ a greater ability to cope with stress
Why Emotional Regulation Is Hard for Little Ones
Babies, toddlers, and young children don’t have fully developed brains yet—especially the part responsible for impulse control and reasoning. That’s why emotions can feel huge and uncontrollable.
Some common triggers for young children include:
Tiredness or hunger
Overstimulation (noise, crowds, busy environments)
Transitions (leaving the park, bedtime, daycare drop-off)
Sharing or taking turns
Not being able to communicate what they need
Feeling out of control
So when your child is having a meltdown, it’s not because they’re “naughty” or “trying to push buttons”. It’s simply because their body and brain need help processing what they’re feeling.
How Babysitters Help Children Learn Emotional Regulation
The right babysitter becomes a steady, calming presence—someone who helps children feel safe while they work through their emotions.
Here are the most powerful ways our babysitters support emotional development during their time with your child:
1. Staying Calm During Big Feelings
One of the most effective ways to support a child’s emotional regulation is simple: stay calm.
Children often borrow their emotional state from the adults around them. If a child is distressed and an adult becomes anxious or frustrated, emotions can escalate quickly. But if the adult stays calm and steady, children feel safer and settle more easily.
At Cherished Cherubs, our babysitters are chosen for their calm temperament and patient approach. They know how to respond with reassurance rather than panic—especially during toddler tantrums or preschool tears.
2. Helping Children Feel Seen and Understood
Children don’t always need something fixed—they often just need to feel understood.
A supportive babysitter might say things like:
“I can see you’re feeling upset.”
“That’s really frustrating, isn’t it?”
“It’s okay to feel sad.”
This is called emotion coaching, and it helps children:
✅ recognise their feelings
✅ feel safe expressing emotions
✅ learn words for their inner experiences
Over time, children become better at saying “I’m angry” instead of reacting with hitting, screaming, or shutting down.
3. Offering Comfort in a Safe, Respectful Way
Babies and toddlers often need physical reassurance—like a cuddle, sitting close, or holding hands. Older children may prefer verbal reassurance or space.
Great babysitters know how to read these cues and respond appropriately:
Comforting without overwhelming
Being present without forcing interaction
Respecting boundaries while staying emotionally available
At Cherished Cherubs, our babysitters always follow the family’s preferences while offering gentle support that helps a child feel secure.
4. Teaching Gentle Coping Strategies
While young children can’t always “calm down” on command, they can learn simple coping tools with adult guidance.
Our babysitters may help children practise:
Taking slow breaths together
Counting to ten
Quiet time with a book or soft toy
Sensory calming activities like playdough or colouring
Changing focus to another activity once they’re ready
These strategies help children learn that emotions rise and fall—and that they can move through tough feelings safely.
5. Supporting Smooth Transitions
Many emotional outbursts happen during transitions—like leaving the park, turning off the TV, or getting ready for bed.
Our babysitters support transitions by:
Giving gentle warnings (“Five more minutes, then we tidy up”)
Offering choices (“Do you want to hop like a bunny or walk like a dinosaur to the bath?”)
Keeping routines consistent
Making transitions playful rather than stressful
These small approaches make a big difference—especially for toddlers and preschoolers who thrive on predictability.
6. Using Positive Guidance Instead of Harsh Reactions
Children learn emotional regulation best when they feel safe. Fear-based discipline or harsh reactions can increase anxiety and make behaviour worse over time.
Our babysitters use calm, respectful guidance to help children learn limits without shame. This includes:
Redirection instead of confrontation
Clear boundaries delivered gently
Encouragement and positive reinforcement
Helping children repair after emotional moments (“Let’s say sorry and try again”)
This supports a child’s emotional development while maintaining trust and warmth.
Why Consistency Matters So Much
One of the biggest ways babysitting supports emotional regulation is through continuity of care.
When children see the same babysitter regularly:
They feel more secure
They settle faster
They know what to expect
Trust grows naturally
Emotional meltdowns often decrease over time
At Cherished Cherubs, we do our best to offer families familiar sitters whenever possible, because children benefit enormously from having consistent, trusted carers.
What Parents Often Notice Over Time
Many families tell us that regular, supportive babysitting helps their child:
✅ separate more confidently from parents
✅ recover quicker from tantrums
✅ communicate feelings more clearly
✅ settle better at bedtime
✅ become more calm and emotionally steady
And equally importantly… it helps parents feel supported too. Parenting big emotions day after day is draining, and a trusted babysitter gives you breathing room while your child continues to feel nurtured and safe.
The Cherished Cherubs Difference
At Cherished Cherubs Babysitting, we’re proud to support Perth families with care that is safe, loving, and professional. Since 2002, we’ve built our service on trust—and we know emotional wellbeing is part of true childcare.
All of our babysitters are:
✅ Fully vetted with a Working With Children Check and police clearance
✅ First Aid trained (including child-focused CPR)
✅ Experienced in caring for babies, toddlers, and young children
✅ Warm, reliable, and genuinely passionate about supporting families
Engage a Trusted Babysitter Today
If you’d love a babysitter who can support your child through those emotional stages with patience, kindness, and confidence, we’d love to help.
Book a sitter today, and let us help you take the worry out of finding the perfect babysitter for your family.
