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How to Help Kids Understand Their Emotions

November 16, 2016 by Mommy Evolution 13 Comments

Here are some fabulous tips on how to help kids understand their emotions!

Emotions can be very big and scary things when you’re a child, and not just for younger children.

The emotional upheaval of adolescence can seem overwhelming as well.

Helping kids identify, understand, and take ownership of their emotions does them a life-long favor. But how can you do this?

While we may think that kids should be able to identify and communicate how they are feeling, the truth is they have to be taught.

 

How to Help Kids Understand Their Emotions | Mommy Evolution

How to Help Kids Understand Their Emotions

1. Give the Feelings Names

It’s amazing how often we adults forget that, for small children, emotions are nameless, scary things.

We forget that they don’t always know what is happening to them in the middle of an emotional “moment!”

For toddlers and preschoolers, it helps to provide the words that go with the emotion.

“Right now you are feeling angry,” you could say. This helps them understand what’s going on: “Anger – so that’s what that is!”

For older kids and teens, it might help to explain some of the changes they are going through and let them know that overwhelming emotions are normal for their age.

2. Feelings Are Not “Wrong”

Sometimes, in our efforts to correct undesirable behavior, parents correct their kids for feeling a certain way.

But no one can really control the way he or she feels about something; what we can control is how we act.

Try validating your child’s feelings – “I understand you feel frustrated, and it’s okay to feel frustrated,” while also correcting behavior – “You can feel frustrated, but you can’t throw things.”

Then you can offer an alternative.

“When you feel frustrated, scream into this pillow,” or “Stomp your feet.”

It’s important to provide an outlet and let your kids know what is acceptable behavior, not just what isn’t.

3. Talk about Your Own Feelings

Give your own feelings names, and do it verbally.

You can say you feel angry or really excited or whatever emotion causes you to behave in a way that makes your kids take note.

Hopefully, you can also model appropriate outlets for those feelings.

If you drop the ball on this one, talk about it with your kids.

Ask them how Mom/Dad could have handled the emotions better.

4. The Feelings of Others

As your child comes to understand the words that belong to the feelings and, for older kids, some of the reasons behind the big emotions, you can point out that a behavior of theirs makes another person feel a certain way.

And your kids will know what that feels like and will likely want to stop whatever behavior makes the other person feel bad.

For instance, you could tell your child you understand she is angry, but she is causing her little brother to be very sad.

Your daughter will understand what “sad” feels like, and probably won’t want to keep making her little brother feel that way.

This will help your kids in relationships later, too – empathizing with the emotions of others is important to having effective interpersonal relationships.

Emotion Cards for Kids

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Like these tips about helping kids understand their emotions? Find more insightful parenting tips on Mommy Evolution!

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Filed Under: Parenting Tips Tagged With: help kids understand emotions, How to Help Kids Understand Their Emotions

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Comments

  1. Mare says

    September 30, 2014 at 7:20 pm

    This is a good post and so important!

    Reply
  2. precious says

    October 3, 2014 at 3:55 am

    Its very inspirational at least kids can be taught how express emotion.

    Reply
  3. Full Spectrum Mama says

    October 6, 2014 at 7:55 am

    SO HELPFUL.
    Love it.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      October 6, 2014 at 8:34 am

      Glad to share some wisdom! Early on, it never occurred to me that I had to help my own kids label and understand their emotions. Once I did, I found it much easier for them to share what they were feeling.

      Reply
      • Full Spectrum Mama says

        October 6, 2014 at 8:36 am

        yes – and it taught me to label mine too! But the way you present this is super clear. Thanks again.

        Reply
  4. Pinkoddy says

    October 8, 2014 at 4:33 am

    Great post. I have literally just written a post about emotions as my sensory seeker is struggling. I shall pin and link to this post. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      October 8, 2014 at 9:13 am

      Thanks so much! I think all kids have trouble labeling and understanding emotions, but I do believe that sensory seekers have that much more trouble slowing down and figuring out what exactly it is they are feeling… well, at least that’s been my personal experience.

      Reply
  5. Bim says

    April 23, 2016 at 6:00 am

    What/who is a sensory seeker?

    Reply
    • The Jenny Evolution says

      April 23, 2016 at 10:45 am

      A sensory seeker is a person with Sensory Processing Disorder who seeks out sensory input — physically, etc. You can read more here: http://www.thesensoryspectrum.com/sensory-processing-disorder-signs-spd/

      Reply
  6. Full Spectrum Mama says

    November 18, 2016 at 9:13 am

    Absolutely love this post – so simple and yet so WISE.
    The distinction between having and acting on a feeling. the non-judging…
    PERFECT.
    And don’t WE learn so much when we teach this stuff to our kids?!
    Thanks and love,
    Full Spectrum Mama

    Reply
  7. Kids Toys Shopping India says

    November 19, 2016 at 2:22 am

    Hi,

    This article is really good and the information are good. By implementing the tips we can understand kids views as well as we can explain the and what is bad and good. Kids more emotional towards their parents.

    With Thanks,

    Kids Toys Online Shopping Store

    Reply
  8. The Rambler says

    November 29, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    Great advice. I forget sometimes that what is normal to me isn’t for my kid who’s still figuring this whole life and it’s emotions things out. (I may need to give this to her stepdad….kidding =) #talkituptuesdays

    Reply
  9. Cassie says

    January 27, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    Just browsing through your post about kids emotions and you provide great tips to helping them cope with their feelings. Parents have to find a way to relate to their kids and help them understand.

    Reply

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