Things You Should Do To Teach Your Children How To Control Their Emotions

Children have a hard time expressing themselves. When they are sad they cry, when they are angry they will also cry, sometimes hit. The reason why they choose to hit their parents or the person they are angry with is because they do not know how to explain their feelings. It may seem cute or avoidable as toddlers, but as they grow up, people will slowly become less tolerant of it and avoid these children at all costs. Not only will this look bad on you as a parent, but if your children are not taught how to control their emotions, they may grow up to have unhealthy expectations and will find it difficult to navigate their lives as adults. Here are some ways you can teach your children how to control their emotions. By adding these to your parenting style, you will be helping your child be more emotionally intelligent and live a fulfilling life!

Label and validate emotionsHelp your child identify and express their emotions in a healthy way, if you scold them for crying or throwing a tantrum, it will make them feel even worse. Try acknowledging their feelings and let them know it's okay to feel a certain way, what matters is how you express your feelings! Teach them coping mechanismsWhile adults, teens and even young tweens have coping mechanisms for certain things they do not like, toddlers do not! Try introducing techniques like deep breathing, counting to 10, mindfulness, or physical activity to help your child manage stress and anxiety in certain situations. Set a positive exampleChildren learn by observing, and are almost always watching the way you behave around them and how you deal with certain situations. Demonstrate healthy emotional regulation by managing your own emotions properly and showing them, how they can also be grown-ups! Encourage empathy in your childrenWhen they are having an emotional moment like anger or frustation because they did not get what they want, you must help them understand why their behaviour is not acceptable. Help your child understand the feelings of others by discussing empathy and perspective-taking. Provide opportunities for practiceSometimes children will agree to do as you say, but when the situation arises, they will do the complete opposite. Try creating situations where your child can practice emotional control, such as role-playing or discussing challenging scenarios like asking them how they will behave at the grocery store etc. Try setting boundaries and limitsSometimes you must set your foot down with children, you must tell them things in no uncertain terms, that their behaviour will not be tolerated! Establish clear expectations for behaviour for emotional outbursts on material things like throwing a tantrum for a toy they want and screaming for it. Try seeking professional helpThere are many times your child is not able to control their emotions due to a neurological or psychological condition. If your child is struggling with severe emotional regulation issues, you must consider consulting a mental health professional for additional support, they will be able to give you tools to help your child better.