Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“When you feel like crying, what usually actually helps you feel better?”
What to listen for
If they can name something specific (a hug, being alone for a minute, a favorite blanket), that's a great sign they're building their own toolkit for comfort. Make sure that thing stays available to them.
If they say 'nothing helps,' don't panic, gently offer to be the thing that helps, and suggest trying something together next time.
If they say they never cry, that's worth a soft follow-up about whether crying feels okay or embarrassing to them.
What this tells you
What comforts them tells you exactly how to show up for them the next time they're overwhelmed.