The Ripple Effect of Your Nervous System at Home
Let’s be honest — when you’re running on empty, stretched thin, and your nervous system is fried… it doesn’t just stay in your body.
It shows up in how you speak. In how you move through the day. In how quickly you react. And if you’ve got kids? They feel it — often before you’ve even realised you’re holding tension.
You might think, “Well, I’m just stressed, it’s not a big deal.” But here’s the thing: Our nervous systems are constantly sending signals out into the world — even when we’re not saying a word. Your kids are incredibly attuned to you, especially if they’re young. They don’t need to hear your frustration to feel it. They pick up on your body language, your energy, your breath. They’re like little mirrors, reflecting back what’s happening in you.
If you're tense, anxious, or overwhelmed, they might start to feel the same. They could become anxious or act out — often in ways that don’t seem to make sense. But here’s where it gets powerful: they’re not just reacting to their environment, they’re reacting to you. Kids can feel the smallest shifts in your nervous system, and they often respond by mirroring those shifts in their own behaviour or emotional state.
This doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It’s just how we’re wired. We’re all connected, and our nervous systems work in a way that we’re constantly influencing each other. Your calm can help bring calm to your child. Your stress can fuel more stress.
But here’s the good news: you have the power to change the energy in your home by simply tuning into your own nervous system.
It’s not about being perfect, or being calm all the time. It’s about noticing when you’re getting triggered or when your nervous system is overstretched, and gently creating space to come back to yourself. When you pause, take a breath, or allow yourself to step out of fight-or-flight mode, your kids feel that shift too. They start to feel more grounded, because they sense you’re grounded. They feel more at ease, because you’re becoming at ease.
This doesn’t have to be some big, dramatic change. It’s in the little things.
It’s in taking that deep breath before you respond when you’re feeling triggered.
It’s in acknowledging, even out loud, “Mum’s feeling a bit stretched right now, I just need a moment to breathe.”
It’s in slowing down, when everything feels rushed, to remind your body that it’s safe to settle.
This is how we shift the energy in our homes. By shifting ourselves. It’s not about fixing, but about creating space for the nervous system to settle and move through whatever it's holding.
When we take care of our own nervous systems, we are not only showing up better for ourselves, but we’re showing up better for our families. This is the ripple effect. It starts with us, and it spreads out — first through our kids, and then through our whole home.
And here's something truly profound: as you start to regulate your nervous system, you might notice your kids beginning to do the same. They mirror your energy and your calm. You might see them take deeper breaths or pause before reacting. Kids are incredibly open to what we model for them — especially when it’s about emotional regulation and self-awareness. The more you show them that it's okay to feel and it's okay to take a moment to reset, the more they’ll naturally absorb that into their own toolkit for life.
So, remember, your nervous system doesn’t just belong to you. It’s a thread that connects your whole family. The more you take care of it, the more you create a safe, calm space for everyone to move through their emotions and experiences.
And if you’re feeling like you could use support in regulating your own nervous system, I’m here for you. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about doing the work that helps you come back to your centre. And when you do, you’ll be amazed at the ripple effect it has on those you love most.