Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Gloria Campbell & Lauren Stauble Summary
In "Tiny Humans, Big Emotions," Campbell revolutionizes parenting with research-backed strategies for navigating childhood meltdowns. With over 1,500 glowing reviews, this guide transforms tantrums into teachable moments. Ever wondered why traditional discipline fails? Discover the secret to raising emotionally intelligent children everyone notices.
About the author
Alyssa Gloria Campbell and Lauren Stauble, co-authors of Tiny Humans, Big Emotions: How to Navigate Tantrums, Meltdowns, and Defiance to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children, are pioneering voices in early childhood emotional development and trauma-informed parenting. Campbell, a Master’s-trained early childhood education specialist and CEO of the parenting resource platform Seed & Sew, partners with Stauble, a seasoned educator and child development researcher, to address the complexities of raising emotionally resilient children. Their work is grounded in the innovative Collaborative Emotional Processing (CEP) framework, a research-backed methodology designed to help caregivers nurture emotional intelligence during infancy and toddlerhood.
Both authors blend academic rigor with practical insights, drawing from Campbell’s work in trauma response and Stauble’s expertise in developmental psychology.
Their book, a groundbreaking parenting guide, merges science-backed strategies with relatable anecdotes, positioning them as trusted advocates for redefining emotional support in early learning. Through Seed & Sew, they provide workshops, courses, and community resources that have reached thousands of families globally. Tiny Humans, Big Emotions has been acclaimed as an essential toolkit for modern caregivers, praised for its actionable approach to fostering lifelong emotional well-being. The book’s actionable strategies are widely utilized by parents, educators, and mental health professionals.
FAQs About This Book
Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell and Lauren Stauble offers evidence-based strategies to help caregivers navigate children’s emotional outbursts like tantrums, meltdowns, and separation anxiety. It introduces the Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method, emphasizing emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and empathetic communication to build lifelong resilience in children aged infancy to eight years.
This book is ideal for parents, educators, and caregivers of children aged 0–8 seeking practical tools to manage emotional challenges. It’s particularly valuable for those interested in moving beyond traditional “don’t cry” approaches to foster empathy, nervous system regulation, and emotional literacy.
Alyssa Blask Campbell (CEO of Seed and Sew) and Lauren Stauble (early childhood professor) co-authored the book. Both hold advanced degrees in early childhood education and developed the CEP method, blending academic research with real-world childcare experience.
The CEP method teaches adults to co-regulate with children during emotional moments, prioritizing safety and connection over punishment. It combines emotional validation, sensory grounding techniques, and problem-solving frameworks to help children process feelings like anger, shame, and anxiety.
The book reframes tantrums as unmet needs, offering scripts like “I see you’re frustrated. Let’s breathe together” instead of punitive responses. It emphasizes teaching emotional vocabulary and modeling calmness rather than stopping outbursts.
Yes, it provides strategies like preparation rituals, transitional objects, and empathetic language (e.g., “I’ll miss you too. Let’s count how many hugs we need”) to reduce anxiety. The focus is on building trust through consistent routines.
- Emotional foundations: Prioritize safety and connection before correcting behavior.
- Adult self-awareness: Recognize how caregivers’ triggers impact reactions.
- Validation over fixing: Acknowledge feelings without immediately problem-solving.
Unlike methods that minimize emotions (e.g., “Don’t cry”), CEP encourages naming feelings and collaborative problem-solving. It rejects time-outs in favor of “time-ins” where adults stay present during dysregulation.
A standout example critiques dismissing fear with “You’re safe” as invalidating. The authors argue this often reflects the adult’s discomfort, urging caregivers to instead say “Scary feelings are tough. I’m here” to build trust.
Some may find its emphasis on adult self-work challenging, as it requires confronting personal emotional patterns. However, the book balances this with grace-centered guidance, acknowledging perfection isn’t required.
With a master’s in early childhood education and parenting experience, Campbell blends academic rigor with relatable anecdotes. Her work at Seed and Sew focuses on making emotion science accessible to families.
As awareness grows about neurodiversity and trauma-informed care, the book’s emphasis on nervous system regulation and non-punitive frameworks aligns with modern parenting trends. It also addresses pandemic-era emotional challenges in children.
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12117"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
20116"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
37483"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
12117"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
20116"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
37483"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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