Reg Goes Swimming

Reg Goes Swimming is a book with a message that supports parents and children in learning how to self-regulate their emotions.

Reg — short for Regulate and pronounced with a hard /g/ — is a black bear cub who likes to climb trees, eat snacks, and sleep. Most of all, Reg loves to swim in the creek. After waking up from his winter’s nap, he heads for a swim. Alas, obstacles slow him down, and as the story unfolds, Reg experiences and learns to regulate his emotions.

At first glance, Reg Goes Swimming is a story with a simple message around feelings, but there are deeper lessons for the reader. Throughout his day, Reg moves from being emotionally dysregulated by negative stressors to thoughtful self-regulation, where he returns to a state of calm.

Reg uses three useful self-regulation techniques to regulate his emotions: positive self-talk, belly breathing, and reframing. In every situation, Reg thinks out loud to examine his feelings and comes up with easy, practical solutions for his struggles. Once the solution for each of his problems has been identified, Reg returns to a state of contentment.