Kids deal with the same feelings adults do, and they need to learn how to express them healthily.
Children learn how to do this through their social interactions and relationships with important people in their lives, such as parents, grandparents, and teachers.
Here are some tips for teaching children to communicate their feeling positively.
Because children learn by watching others, setting a good example is the first step in teaching kids to communicate their emotions. Show your child how you’re feeling about different situations and maybe eventually how you deal with those feelings.Also, make sure you label those feelings so the child can learn to name the feeling. Tune into your child’s feelings by looking at their body language so you can figure out what they are feeling. When a child is upset, angry, frustrated, mad, worried, etc., say to the child,
‘I understand that you are mad because I didn’t let you have snacks before dinner’, or ‘I know you are not happy because it is Sacha’s turn to play with the piano.’ Also, say to the child, ‘How did you feel when you hit Sam?’ or ‘How did it make you feel when Sam started crying because you hit him?’ or ‘Can you hug Sam to make him feel better?’
It’s crucial to support your child when they learn to identify and express their feelings because if feelings are invalidated or dismissed, they will often express their emotions unhealthily when they get older.