Morning Emp: before school, child picks the Emp that's with them. No fixing — just noticing. "Thanks for telling me. Bumpa is welcome to come too."

Bedtime three: as part of wind-down, choose one Emp from today's best moment, one from today's hardest moment, and one you'd like to visit tomorrow.

Car/walk talks: keep a small set in the car. "Did any Emps visit at school today?" Side-by-side conversations are easier than face-to-face.

Family Emp board: everyone in the household places a peg by their visiting Emp on the fridge. Parents do it too — children love seeing grown-ups have feelings.

Before the wobble: use cards before known triggers (leaving the park, screen-time ending, dentist) to predict which Emp may visit and choose a Disarming Step in advance.

After the storm: once everyone is calm, look at the cards together. "Which Emp came? Who else was underneath? What helped them go?" Repair, not interrogation.

Goodbye Emp: for separation moments (e.g. drop-off, sleepovers) name the Emp and pack one Disarming Step in a pocket.

Sibling sharing: after a fall-out, each child picks the Emp that visited them. Hearing each other's Emp lowers the temperature faster than "who started it."

Iceberg chats: "That looked like Flaregurmp, was he protecting anyone? Helps children find the hurt, shame or anxiety under the anger.

Two-Emp tuck-in: at bedtime, choose two Emps that visited today and talk about how they got along.

Parent goes first: "Today I had Fraggle visit before my meeting, and Zestle came too." Modelling is the most powerful teacher.

Memory pairs (two sets): good for younger children — also great for naming Emps repeatedly without it feeling like teaching.

Storytelling rounds: draw three Emps; each family member adds a sentence to a shared story using their Emp.

Emp charades: act it out at the dinner table. No sound.

Top three this week: on a Sunday, each person picks the three Emps that visited most. Notice patterns gently — "Fraggle’s been around a lot this week, hasn't it?"

Permission phrases: "It's OK that Snixx visited — Snixx is welcome here. But throwing things is not" Removes shame from emotions and boundaries the behaviours.

Connection before correction: before discussing behaviour, name the Emp first. The conversation goes much further when the emotion has been seen.

Coping kit: with your child, build a small box with objects that match Disarming Steps — a pinwheel for Burst Breaker, a stress ball for Gentle Grip, a soft toy for comfort. The cards then become real.

Parent's own Emp: let children see you use the cards on yourself. Shows that emotional regulation is a lifelong practice, not a child's job.