Healthy Lifestyles

Hello fellow working Mommas,

My name is Julie Pursch, and along with being a mom of 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders, I am also a

family medicine physician. I volunteered to write this year’s Healthy Lifestyles Newsletter in

hopes of exploring meaningful topics and offering practical guidance as we all tackle the hard

jobs of being educators and parents.

In honor of August and the transition from summer to school (parents saying “yay!” and kids

saying “boo,” unless your child is like my 6-year-old who was begging for 1st grade to start a

week into summer), this edition is about emotional regulation.

Understanding Feelings

As adults, many of us were never really taught the basics about emotions:

1. We are human and will have emotions, whether we want them or not.

2. Emotions arise on their own, often shaped by past experiences, current situations, and

personality.

3. We do not control when they show up, and suppressing them is not healthy.

4. What we can control is how we respond.

As parents, we have the chance to help our children learn to recognize, regulate, and manage

their emotions. These skills build resilience, coping strategies, and healthy self-esteem.

Steps to Support Emotional Regulation

Step 1: Validate and name the feeling.

Yes, even if your child is in full meltdown mode at H-E-B. Their emotion is real and worth

naming.

Step 2: Encourage healthy coping mechanisms.

It helps to discuss coping strategies before emotions run high. Options might include:- Active: play outside, go for a walk

- Mindful: deep breathing, guided imagery

- Creative: drawing, music, dancing

- Social: talking with a friend, playing a family game

Step 3: Model consistency.

Show your kids how you regulate your own emotions, and practice alongside them.

Supporting Emotional Regulation in Children

(adapted from Express Yourself NC)

Helping kids regulate their emotions is not about expecting them to do it all on their own. It is

about meeting them where they are and gradually building skills. Children move through

different stages of support before they reach full self-regulation.Healthy Lifestyles- Emotional regulation

The key takeaway: emotional regulation develops step by step. Some days your child might be

ready for choices, and other days they may need more hands-on support. Meet them where

they are. It is a skill that builds over time, not something that happens all at once.

Try This at Home: Role-Playing at Dinner

One simple way our family practices emotional regulation is through role-playing at dinner.

I will describe a scenario that could happen at school, like a child feeling left out at recess,

getting a lower grade than expected, or having a playground disagreement. Sometimes we

use home-based examples, such as welcoming a new sibling or adjusting to a pet. Then I ask

my kids:

- What would you do if you were that child?

- What would you do if you were the child’s friend?

- If you were the teacher or bystander, what would you notice?

Sometimes we even flip roles. I play the child, and they play the teacher or parent. The goal is

not a “right” answer, but practice in empathy, problem-solving, and perspective-taking. And

yes, it is often hilarious.

What to Notice

- Word choice: Do they name emotions, even simple ones like happy, mad, or nervous?

- Perspective-taking: Are they considering how others might feel or react?

- Comfort level: Do they share openly, or need encouragement?

- Problem-solving ideas: Do they suggest actions, or look to you for guidance?

How to Build on This

- Expand vocabulary: Offer new words like disappointed, excited, worried.

- Celebrate sharing: Praise them for opening up, no matter what they say.

- Model honesty: Share age-appropriate feelings of your own.

- Keep it light: Remind them this is practice, not a test.

Beyond Dinner Table TalkSometimes these conversations turn to real-world events. That is when role-play can reveal

things we may not know about our kids’ lives.

As my children get older, I have realized I cannot protect them from every hurt, especially

emotional ones. But I have also learned we are not in this alone. A quick message to a teacher

or counselor can make a big difference. It is not about handing things off. It is about building a

team of support. When one of us is worried, the whole family is. Small, consistent gestures

between home and school help kids feel safe, supported, and heard.

A Note from Julie

As both a family medicine physician and a mom of three, I do not have all the answers, and

that is exactly why I write these newsletters. Medicine gives me the science, but motherhood

reminds me that every child is unique and unpredictable.

My hope is to share ideas that leave us feeling a little more equipped, a little less alone, and a

lot more connected as we raise kids who thrive emotionally as well as physically.

This newsletter is not meant to replace formal medical advice from your or your child’s

medical provider. It is simply a mom with medical knowledge sharing thoughts and ideas.

With encouragement and solidarity,

Julia D. Pursch, M.D.

Family Medicine Physician in and out of clinic

An imperfectly perfect wife to my husband, Chris

Surviving, thriving, coaching, loving and often overwhelmed mother to three semi-feral

children

Accidental farmer and vet to 2 dogs, 2 cats, 10 chickens, and a host of other creatures on

around our home

Contacts and Extra Resources

Julia D. Pursch, M.D.

Family Medicine Concierge Physician | Health by Design

3503 Paesanos Pkwy, Ste 101, San Antonio, TX 78231

Office: (210) 492-8922 | Fax: (210) 479-2010 | Cell: (210) 452-9391