Teaching kids to name emotions and deal with them rather than to suppress them |

Kids are often told to be strong and hold their emotions. When they are told to do so, they do not stop feeling emotions but stop showing emotions. It is crucial to teach kids to identify emotions, rather than teaching them to hide their emotions. Here’s exactly how you can do it:- Why naming emotions mattersIndeed, Emotions do not block; they connect. They serve as an aid for children to grasp their own world. When children find names for their feelings of happiness, sadness, frustration, or fear, the brains start organizing them more effectively. Child development studies have indicated that children learn effective emotional management and communication by learning the names of their emotions. If children know that they can express frustration by stating, “I feel frustrated,” they will calm down more easily than children who cannot describe the feelings they feel.

Stop asking them to suppress their emotions When children are encouraged to ignore, minimize, or hide their emotions, these feelings are not eliminated but rather internally repressed and may surface later in life as anxiety, anger, emotionality, or difficulty in need-expression. Children who factor training into their formative years may experience problems with relating, effective conflict resolution, or self-esteem later in life.Teaching a child emotional language brings about a child who can better understand how another person feels. They also become understanding themselves.The role of parents and teachersChildren learn how to manage their feelings by observing adults. Children learn that emotions are not dangerous or taboo when parents and teachers openly express their own emotions in healthy ways. Saying “I’m feeling overwhelmed, so I need a moment” can model emotional awareness and regulation. A child can feel angry yet not be allowed to hurt someone. This builds both emotional safety and discipline. Listening before fixingAdults tend to quickly work to fix the problem for the child. But first, it is important to be understanding of the emotion. When children feel as if they are heard and their feelings are validated, their nervous systems begin to change. Labeling feelings and then providing solutions to the problem will create an atmosphere of trust and security.