MAP is an acronym that stands for:
M: Mirror.
Reflect the emotion your child is experiencing, and let them know that you understand it. “Oh, it looks like you are feeling frustrated/disappointed/
A: Ask.
Instead of telling your child what is happening, or what to do next, ask them questions. This will help them exercise their own problem-solving skills, instead of relying on you each time they encounter something difficult. Act curious and friendly about the situation, and sprinkle in suggestions as they seem appropriate to gently nudge your child in the right direction. “What did you want to happen instead?” ‘What is the hard part?” “Well, we don’t want to make our problem bigger, so what could we do instead?” “Do you think we could try changing it this way or that way?”
P: Prop Up.
Give your child praise and encouragement! Make sure it is sincere and specific to the situation. Blanket statements of praise are not as effective to teach your child what went right in a situation so that they can do it again next time. “You did such a great job calming your body down when that was tricky. You should feel so proud of yourself!” “Thank you for telling me with a calm voice what was wrong. That made it so easy to fix the problem!” “I’m so proud of you for trying again when it was hard. It looks like you’re having fun again!”