Supporting Your Child Through Managing Their Feelings

Kids are like little bundles of emotions. In a brief amount of time, they can experience a variety of feelings, including terror, fury, gloom, glee, repulsion, astonishment, envy, and expectation. One moment, they might be exceedingly content, and the next, they could be experiencing a significant emotional response over something as basic as bedtime.

As a parent, helping them handle their feelings can be a challenging undertaking. It’s relatively straightforward when they are joyful, but when they are distressed, it can be quite challenging. Supposedly insignificant things, such as a shattered crayon or a minor dispute, can trigger intense emotional commotions in kids. Managing such circumstances isn’t always straightforward for parents. For instance, a child’s anguish over being called a name by a sibling might be disregarded as unimportant, but for the child, it is a genuine and intense feeling.

Children’s emotions are intricate and often lack the skills to manage them efficiently, which is where parents play a crucial role. It is our duty to lead and demonstrate suitable ways for them to handle adverse feelings, aiding them in growing into emotionally resilient and mature individuals. Below are some easy approaches that have been incredibly valuable in handling children’s emotional flare-ups, enabling them to relax swiftly and calmly.

Assist them in recognizing their feelings

Visualize your child arriving home from school appearing troubled. Instead of the usual generic reactions, create a secure space for your child to express their emotions. Commence the conversation encouragingly and serenely, informing them that it is common to experience a range of emotions. Urge them to recognize and label their emotions, equipping them to comprehend their feelings instead of suppressing or acting out. It’s vital to make this a habitual practice, as it is a pivotal step in emotional development. A helpful tool in this process is the book “Ups and Downs: A Book of Emotions,” which takes children on a vibrant journey through various emotions, enabling them to articulate their feelings in an enjoyable and relatable manner.

Manage my own feelings

There have been instances where responding with irritation and shouting only exacerbates the situation and leaves me feeling remorseful. It is crucial for me to regulate my emotions first before attending to my children’s outbursts. Ensuring that I am composed and collected enables me to address any escalating situation effectively. If discipline is necessary, I remain resolute yet calm, as consistently shouting over trivial matters may deter my children from confiding in me about more significant issues as they grow older.

Parrot their sentiments

A beneficial tactic is to validate your child’s feelings by echoing what they tell you before expressing your concerns. Reiterating their feelings displays comprehension and often helps them relax and grasp your viewpoint more effectively.

These straightforward yet effective methods aid in navigating children’s emotional ups and downs, fostering healthy emotional growth and mature coping mechanisms. he is breaking an important household rule. In those cases, your message takes top priority.

Check for hunger, tiredness, and lack of attention

My daughter requires her sleep. She can go all day without finishing her food, but if she doesn’t get her full 10 hours of sleep at night, she is prone to a bad mood. My son needs his food. He has the ability to only sleep a couple of hours a night and have 100 percent energy the next day. However, if he doesn’t eat three proper meals a day with snacks in between, he is prone to bad moods.

When my children get into bad moods, I make sure that they’ve slept properly, eaten well, and received some attention from me throughout the day. If any of those are lacking, I can immediately sense it in their moods and behavior. I also know to tread lightly and not get quick to anger when their negative energy escalates.

There is a fine line between letting your children’s emotions run the household and completely shutting them down when they get emotional. I want my children to know that it’s OK to feel resentful, upset, dejected, frustrated, and all of the above. It’s absolutely normal to have these feelings, however, when their feelings start to adversely affect others, then it’s not OK. I’m still learning, and I’m sure as I enter the tween years with my children, I will be desperately seeking advice from those who have been there before me. Until then, I’m doing the best that I can with the tools that I have now.