Emotional Dysregulation - Do we punish kids for not 'getting' math?

When a child struggles with math, we don’t throw up our hands in frustration and punish them for not understanding the material. We offer help, patience, and resources. Yet, when it comes to emotional regulation, we often take a very different approach. Instead of recognizing that self-regulation is a skill that needs to be taught and nurtured, we tend to focus on punishing "misbehavior" without considering why the child is struggling in the first place.