Ask why when your child says how they are feeling and reward their noticing!
Trying to help your child be more curious about their emotions can be a challenge, but most are generally interested in the where they feel them in their body first and then they can label them. If we name an emotion, it becomes a feeling and if we can verbalise what that feeling is, then it goes a long way to taming it in our bodies.
Name it to Tame it, or if you have younger children, Label it to cradle it J
Once we have named it, then we can have a conversation about why is has shown up and what message it brings.
Emotions don’t show up for no reason at all. They are the greatest resource for us to tap into to understand what really matters to our children. Most of the time emotions show up for one of the following reasons:
Activity- I need to move my body
Alone time- I need some time alone
Appreciation- I need somebody to notice me
Appetite- I need to eat or drink something
Affection- I need a hug
Once we have verbalised the feeling, then our bodies become a little calmer and then we can get our needs met more easily.
See if you can keep the blank body page out and encourage your child to point at where they feel it, Name the emotion and then see if they can work out what message it brings. Once they have done that, the emotion will pass, often in minutes!
An emotion is meant to come for a cup of tea, not a sleepover J
