There are so many simple ways that we can help children with their emotions. You don’t need to be a therapist to do this; every adult can incorporate subtle techniques into their everyday actions to support kids with emotional awareness.
Check out these tips below to help the children in your life!
Reflect Their Emotions
When you see a child experiencing an emotion, simply state “I notice you are feeling _____ right now”. Don’t worry; if you’re wrong they will most likely tell you!
Name It To Tame It
Name your own emotions out loud when you experience them! Naming our emotions helps our brain move out of a dysregulated state; model this skill!
Normalize Coping
Normalize the need to pause, take a deep breath, give yourself deep pressure, or to take a break. Model the need to use these coping skills when noticing your own dysregulation.
Go For It
Don’t shy away from talking about big feelings or difficult experiences. Most often, kids are thinking about them. State them out loud, check in about big feelings, and let kids know you aren’t afraid of the big stuff!
Connections Creative Arts Therapy 