The importance of recognizing and expressing emotions for children:
Children are aware of their own emotions and those of those around them from very young months, but they need their parents' help to recognize and name them. Defining emotions is important in terms of helping children relax at times when they cannot make sense of them and are emotionally challenged. If they see emotions such as anger and unhappiness as parts of daily life, it may be easier for them to cope with these emotions. For example, if a child can express himself by saying "I am so angry" when he is angry about something, he will have fewer angry outbursts or crying fits. It is important to pay attention to which developmental stage the child is in because the way children define and express their emotions varies according to age groups. For this reason, parents should first explain and introduce emotions to their children according to their age, and then create conditions that will help them express the emotions they experience.
According to their developmental periods, children should be able to recognize and express emotions. Expression skills:
In the preschool period;Children begin to express their emotions from the age of three. They can name emotions such as happiness or sadness. By the age of four; They can distinguish and identify emotions such as fear, sadness, and anger. In the preschool period, children begin to identify the emotions of those around them.
Children in the school age can recognize and make sense of more complex emotions. From the age of 8-9, they can name more complex emotions such as pride, disappointment, shame and guilt. Children in this age group can understand that a person can feel good and bad at the same time. For example, a child may be happy to go to school, but at the same time feel sad or miss their parents because they are away from home. In this case, the child may experience confusion due to the emotions he is experiencing. Therefore, as a parent, you should help him discover these feelings and at the same time mention that it is normal to experience more than one emotion.
During adolescence, children can feel and name many emotions. But they may have trouble sharing it with their parents due to the turbulent period they are in. Especially during this period, parents should listen to their children's feelings and approve their feelings without criticizing or judging them.
Parents should help children identify and name emotions:
Parents should primarily care for the child's They must understand the situation they are in and then express their feelings with words. Studies have shown that naming emotions has a relaxing effect on the nervous system. Therefore, parents can help their children name the emotions they experience and help them relax because when children define emotions, they can more easily get rid of the impact of these emotions on them. It is also very important to teach children to self-soothe after identifying the emotion, but it is important to recognize that helping children identify emotions is not telling them what they should feel. What needs to be done is to help children understand and define their emotions, to listen to them and try to understand them.
The role of the family in recognizing and managing emotions:
It is important for parents who want to help their children recognize and reflect their emotions, to first recognize and reflect their own emotions. As in many other matters, children take their parents as models in reflecting and expressing their emotions. A child who grows up in an environment where emotions are not expressed may have difficulty reflecting the emotions he experiences. A child who can share his emotions with his family can more easily cope with their impact on him.
The way and frequency of expression of emotions play an important role in the development of the child's social skills. For example, if the child often feels angry in his relationships with his friends and expresses this anger in a way that disturbs the other person, this will cause problems in communication with his friends. For this reason, the child should be explained that every emotion is natural, and the consequences of reactions to emotions should also be mentioned. Explain the child's feelings correctly They should be helped to express themselves in a different way.
Recommendations for families:
Young children can be taught basic emotions such as happy, sad, angry and afraid, while older children can be taught basic emotions such as happy, sad, angry and afraid. Children can be taught more detailed emotional expressions such as anxious, disappointed, and excited. Children may be asked to remember the moments when they felt these emotions and draw pictures and/or describe them.
As a parent, you can be an example to your children in using emotional expressions. For example, to a child who does not share his toy with his sibling; “I was a little sad that you didn't share your toy with your brother.” you can say. In this way, you can set an example for your child in expressing his feelings and encourage him to share his feelings. However, as a parent, if you do not express your emotions or shout or throw an object when you are angry, your child will not cope with his negative emotions appropriately because parents' coping methods/strategies are always a model for children.
You can ask your child how he felt during the day and talk about and color his feelings that day with the help of a chart.
You can appreciate by observing the situations in which your child expresses his emotions and copes with his negative emotions.
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