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Surviving the Crazy Beautiful

Making Sense of Your Child’s Emotional World

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Child laughing while building with colorful Lego bricks illustrating why play is important for children

Why Play Matters Way More Than You Think

Understanding your child’s behavior: sad little girl sitting quietly by a garden fence

What Is Your Child’s Behavior Really Trying To Tell You?

Child looking out of a window appearing sad, showing how kids can't tell you how they're feeling as they struggle to express emotions with words

Why Kids Can’t Tell You What They’re Feeling — And How They Show You Instead

The Feelings Hotel - a creative emotional check-in for kids – a playful, printable emotions tool showing a hotel where children can ‘check in’ feelings using illustrated emotion suitcases.

How To Do The Feelings Hotel: A Creative Emotional Check-In for Kids

Mum and child playing with building blocks illustrating one of many play therapy techniques parents can use

21 Powerful Play Therapy Techniques Parents Can Use to Support Their Child

Smiling young girl gently blowing colorful confetti from her hands, symbolizing calm, joy, and the lightness of mindful breathing—a visual metaphor for stress relief and breathing strategies for kids.

7 Best Breathing Strategies For Kids: How to Calm Stress

The printable tools and worksheets included in the free Crazy Beautiful Emotional Toolkit to help parents better understand their child's emotional world
The Crazy Beautiful Emotional Toolkit

How to handle back-to-school anxiety: 5 powerful art prompts

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 7, 2026July 22, 2024

Help ease kids’ back-to-school anxiety with these powerful art prompts! Create treasure maps, find sunflower superpower, and more ways to transform anxious thoughts into positive mindsets.

Colorful, abstract “worry monster” artwork created by blowing paint with a straw—part of an activity that helps kids externalize anxiety by turning worries into characters they can name, explore, and talk to.

How to Externalize Anxiety for Kids: The Worry Monster Activity

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 2, 2026June 7, 2024

This fun worry monster activity helps children shrink overwhelming feelings and manage stress. Learn how to externalize anxiety for kids with this effective and engaging …

Teenage girl with colorful paint on fingers and face used to illustrate blog post on How to reach your child's subconscious through art - 7 questions to ask

How to reach your child’s subconscious through art: 7 powerful questions

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 2, 2026May 21, 2024

Reach your child’s subconscious through their art! Use these 7 insightful questions to connect with their inner world and understand what makes them tick. Kids …

Young boy dressed in a superhero costume with a cape. Used for illustration in the article How to Empower Your Child with the Gift of Positive Self-talk

How to empower your child with the gift of positive self-talk

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 2, 2026April 10, 2024

Unlock the power of positive self-talk for your child’s success and well-being. Learn how to cultivate a supportive inner dialogue and empower them for life. …

A wooden worry box for children, labeled 'Worry Box,' filled with small toys and trinkets. An engaging worry box activity for kids who worry too much, helping them express and manage their anxious thoughts

The Worry Box: A Simple Tool To Help Kids Who Worry Too Much

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 2, 2026March 30, 2024

Discover how the worry box activity for kids can reduce anxiety, validate feelings, and teach healthier coping skills for children who worry too much. Do …

Small girl with butterfly wings, wearing in a tutu skirt and boots holding a streamer and jumping high towards the sun illustrating how the power of yet boosts a child’s self-confidence.

Boost Your Child’s Self-Confidence With One Astonishing Word

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 2, 2026March 16, 2024

Your child’s self-confidence can soar with this one simple word. Learn how ‘the power of yet’ shifts mindsets, develops resilience, and promotes emotional growth. Start …

Young girl dressed up as a princess showing how fairy tales and imaginative help play develop creative imagination in children

Why Fairy Tales Matter More Than We Think (According to Einstein)

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on June 29, 2026February 19, 2024

Fairy tales do more than entertain. Einstein believed they help children develop creative imagination. Learn how stories and imaginative play build thinking, creativity, and problem-solving …

Young boy in blue jeans peeking through a fence to see what others are doing and decide how he compares - a behaviour called social comparison

Empowering kids: overcoming the toxic side of social comparison

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on March 30, 2024February 19, 2024

Discover effective strategies to help children overcome the harmful effects of social comparison. Empower your kids to build confidence and self-esteem.

Small boy running through grass in sunlight used for illustration in article about interoception

Interoception: the hidden sense that helps kids handle big emotions

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on March 30, 2024February 13, 2024

Help kids handle big emotions by unlocking the power of this 6th sense – interoception! Enhance emotional well-being and self-awareness with these activities. I may …

Small girl, in a yellow dress, on a bed - hiding her face behind her bunny ears hairband. Used for illustration in the article - How to get through to kids who won't listen: secrets from neuroscience

How to get through to kids who won’t listen: a need to know secret from neuroscience

by Debbie McKelveyupdated on May 2, 2026February 13, 2024

Unlock the best secrets from neuroscience to get through to kids who won’t listen. Learn Erickson’s top trick to get good advice past their closed …

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About Debbie

Welcome
Welcome

My name is Debbie and I'm the play therapist and writer behind 'Surviving the Crazy Beautiful.'

This space is here to help you make sense of your child's emotional world - especially when behavior feels confusing or overwhelming.

Here you'll find play therapy-inspired insights and gentle, practical ways to support children through big feelings and emotional development...

Because sometimes parenting really does feel like surviving the crazy beautiful!

About Debbie
Read more about the 'Surviving the Crazy Beautiful' story here...

Categories

  • Building Emotional Skills & Resilience
  • Supporting Emotional Regulation
  • Supporting Your Child Through Play
  • Understanding Your Child
  • Understanding Your Child's Behavior
  • Visuals
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