Make a chart. Together, brainstorm a list of emotions, such as happy, frustrated, excited, and bored. For each one, your child can draw and name a character (Happy Henry, Frustrated Fred). If he misbehaves (say, he yells at his sister for touching his toys), he could use the characters to talk about his feelings. (“Uh-oh, I’m acting like Angry Andy!”)
Ask “why?” Simply asking “Why do you think you feel that way?” and listening carefully to your child’s answer helps in two ways. First, it allows him to recognize and describe how he’s feeling. (“I’m frustrated because my project isn’t turning out the way I wanted.”) Second, he will feel heard and cared about. As a result, he may be less apt to take out his frustration on others.
Find coping techniques. Equip your youngster with strategies for handling negative emotions. You might mention things you do when you feel the same way he does. (“If I’m worried about something, it helps me to put it in writing. That might help you, too.”) With time and patience, he’ll develop his own strategies for managing his feelings.♥
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