We unpack a real bilingual dinner blow-up and show how calm presence, simple scripts, and playful rituals can turn pressure into connection. We honor cultural pride while giving kids tools to switch languages without shame or meltdown.

• Co-regulation first: breathe, pause, ensure safety
• Reflect feelings instead of asking “why” questions
• Understand language switching as cognitive load
• Notice peer awareness and identity sensitivity at six
• Offer scripts: “Can I answer in English?” “What’s that word?”
• Shift from rules to rituals to lower pressure
• Use games, stories, and songs to embed Spanish warmly
• Repair briefly: acknowledge impact and plan a next step
• Normalize code-switching as flexible fluency
• Reassure parents: resistance signals bandwidth, not rejection

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Thanks for listening to *Tantrum of the Week* with Lynn McLean, LCSW-S, Registered Play Therapist–Supervisor™.

New episodes each week to help parents understand and respond to their child’s biggest feelings with calm, confidence, and connection.

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