In Maleku’s Gift, a curious little monkey leaves her jungle home to explore the world. As she moves through her incredible adventure, Maleku experiences a variety of emotions, and uses the power of her own breath to recognize and process her feelings.
*Validating and allowing our emotions to be felt is part of growing.
*It’s always a good thing to be curious and willing to explore and question.
With growth and exploration, there will be moments of pleasure and joy, and moments that make us nervous or uncomfortable. Helping our children recognize these feelings, process and accept them is giving them a tool that will be theirs for a lifetime.
As a parent, there are several ways you can help your children recognize and regulate their emotions:
Model healthy emotional expression: Children often learn from their parents' behavior, so it's important to model healthy emotional expression. Try to express your own emotions in a healthy way, such as saying "I feel frustrated" instead of lashing out in anger.
Talk about emotions: Encourage your children to talk about their feelings and emotions. Validate their emotions and help them understand that it's okay to feel a range of emotions.
Help them identify emotions: Teach your children the names of different emotions and help them identify these emotions in themselves and others. For example, you could say, "I see that you're feeling sad right now."
Teach coping strategies: Teach your children healthy ways to cope with their emotions, such as deep breathing, taking a break, or talking to a trusted adult.
Create a safe and supportive environment: Create a safe and supportive environment for your children to express their emotions. Let them know that they can come to you with any problem or concern without fear of judgment.
By following these tips, you can help your children recognize and regulate their emotions in a healthy and positive way. Providing them with multiple strategies will give them a solid foundation as they continue to grow and develop, particularly on the social and emotional level.
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