Turning Big Emotions into Big Growth: One Preschooler’s Story
October 13, 2025
How the RMHS Denver Early Steps Program supported a Denver family and their preschooler to manage big emotions and build confidence.
Mornings can be tough for any preschooler, but for Ezra, they often came with big emotions. Bright, athletic, and endlessly curious, Ezra loved playing with his younger sister and exploring the world around him. Yet when he entered preschool, his parents began to notice challenges, like outbursts in the classroom, struggles to express feelings despite his large vocabulary, and moments when frustration led to hitting, biting, or throwing objects.
Because Ezra had just turned four when these behaviors arose, he no longer qualified for early intervention services, which are available until a child’s third birthday. And because Ezra didn’t meet the state criteria for a developmental delay or disability, he wasn’t eligible for state programs either. This left his parents unsure where to turn.
Unsure of what options were available, Ezra’s family turned to a familiar source: Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS). They had previously worked with RMHS when Ezra’s younger sister received early intervention services, so his mom reached out to their former service coordinator. That’s when she learned about Developmental Monitoring, a service through the Denver Early Steps program that supports families with children ages 0–5 who have concerns in any of the five areas of early childhood development.
Through the program, Ezra began working with an Early Childhood Special Educator, Allison White, alongside a service coordinator. White observed him in his preschool classroom to better understand when and how challenges arose. From there, she partnered with Ezra’s teachers and parents to develop consistent strategies that would support Ezra across home and school. The Developmental Monitoring team also coached his parents on handling difficult behaviors and even offered ideas to improve sleep, like reordering his bedtime routine from most stimulating to most calming.
“Before this program, it felt like we were failing Ezra in those moments,” his mom shared. “We didn’t know what to do. The parental coaching has been so helpful for us.” 
Over time, Ezra began to replace outbursts with words that described his feelings. He can now name his emotions, stay more regulated in the mornings, and handle frustration more constructively.
Ezra has since graduated from the Denver Early Steps Developmental Monitoring Program, but his parents continue to use the tools and strategies they learned to support him through moments when he feels dysregulated. Ezra also uses the techniques he learned to regulate himself at school, improving confidence and promoting calmness. Today, Ezra is more joyful and secure in his classroom environment.
During his final week of preschool, just before the start of kindergarten, Ezra told his mom, “I’m just really excited! I’m ready to start kindergarten today.”
Reflecting on their experience, Ezra’s mom said: “It’s wild how fast children grow and how much you can truly coach, love, and support them. This resource through RMHS was amazing, and I am so glad we had the help during this period between early childhood and the start of public school.”
If you are a Denver-based family with a child age birth to five who may benefit from developmental support, or if you know of a family who could, visit the RMHS Early Intervention webpage to learn more.
