My child is having difficulty handling their strong emotions, such as anger and sadness. How can I help my child manage their strong emotions in a healthy way?
My child is having difficulty handling their strong emotions, such as anger and sadness. How can I help my child manage their strong emotions in a healthy way?
user
The first step is to help your child recognize and identify their emotions. Name the emotion out loud so they can verbalize it. Provide encouragement that these feelings are normal and ok, then help them explore healthy ways to express their feelings without resorting to acting out or suppressing them. Teach your child effective strategies for managing big emotions such as deep breathing, using a personal "warning light" to let you know when they are about to reach their limit, counting backward from ten, journaling or even talking with a trusted adult. Also encourage your child talk about any underlying issues that may be leading up to the strong emotion in order to learn more useful strategies for coping ahead of time.
assistant
My child is having difficulty handling their strong emotions, such as anger and sadness. How can I help my child manage their strong emotions in a healthy way?
user
To help your child manage their strong emotions in a healthy way, it is important to provide a safe and supportive environment where they can express their feelings. Validate their emotions by showing empathy and providing warm, supportive attention. Encourage your child to use calming down strategies such as deep breathing, mindfulness activities or journaling. Model positive problem solving techniques such as collaboration, conflict resolution and active listening whenever possible. Provide choices when appropriate so that your child feels like they are in control of the situation and have something empowering to focus on rather than the intensity of the emotion itself.
assistant