Support children in managing their emotions.
Help them learn this important skill.
As parents, we often feel overwhelmed by our responsibilities as caregivers. We worry about what will happen when our child gets older, whether he or she will make friends, and how we’ll cope with the inevitable challenges that come along with growing up. However, there are things we can do now to prepare our children for life. One of these is helping them develop an understanding of their emotions.
Teach children about feelings.
Helping children understand their emotions is one of the first steps towards building healthy relationships and supporting children’s emotions. By teaching children how to identify and express their own emotions, we help them learn how to communicate effectively with others. This helps them build self-confidence and become more resilient.
Help them understand what they’re feeling.
One of the easiest ways to support children’s emotional development is by helping them understand what they’re feeling. In our workshops we teach children that having big emotions are like being on a roller coaster or a wizzy dizzy so asking a child “how are you feeling?” can be hard for them to identify. Instead try “ It’s looks like you are sad. Is that how you are feeling?” By asking them to confirm they have a chance to think and tell you how they are feeling.
Help them to understand that emotions are normal
We want kids to understand that emotions are our body and mind’s normal reaction to things going wrong. They are a signal that there is danger but we can cope and take steps to calm our emotions. Try saying: “It’s okay when this happens” or “I feel like this sometimes” or “When I make mistakes, I feel INSERT FEELING”
If they’re sad, for example, you might ask them why they feel sad. You can also encourage them to share their feelings with you.
Encourage them to express themselves.
Helping children learn to recognize and express their own emotions is one of the most effective ways to build self-esteem. This helps them develop healthy relationships with others as well as become more resilient when faced with difficult situations. It is also a great way to support children’s emotions.
Give them tools to cope with difficult situations.
One of the best ways to help children learn to regulate their emotions is by giving them tools to deal with difficult situations. For instance, parents can teach children how to identify and label their feelings, so they understand what they’re feeling and why. They can also teach them how to use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior and negative consequences to discourage bad behavior.
If you are looking for a great program that supports children emotions, our signature wellbeing workshop, Mistake Maker is designed to do that. In this workshop, we don’t just talk to kids about dealing with difficult situations they are doing art designed to challenge them. In the workshop they do art and play activities where they experience challenging situations and learning. For example, learning to draw an animal to scale or the art of weaving. Our activities are designed to give them skills to understand emotions and keep trying when they are faced with difficult situations.