Parenting comes with its fair share of challenges, particularly when it comes to helping children manage their emotions. Children feel a wide range of intense feelings, including tantrums and anxiety---all of which they may struggle to process and express.
Fortunately, there are a number of tools parents can use to help their children understand and manage their emotions. One of these tools is called "emotional regulation."
What Is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and react to emotional experiences in a healthy and constructive manner. It involves recognizing, understanding, and modulating one's emotional responses to various situations.
Benefits of Emotional Regulation
Teaching children emotional regulation skills offers numerous advantages to children, which they would carry into their adulthood. One key benefit is a lower risk of anxiety and depression in children, according to a 2023 study published in the Frontiers of Psychology. This is because children who know how to manage their emotions are less likely to suffer intense emotional outbursts.
Separate research also associated emotional regulation with strong academic performance, with children who can handle their feelings being better at navigating school-related stress and fostering stronger friendships.
Critical Emotional Regulation Skills
1. Labeling Emotions
One of the fundamental skills in emotional regulation is the ability to identify and label emotions accurately. This helps children articulate their emotional state, which would also help their parents respond accordingly.
To teach children how to identify their emotions, we recommend creating a "feelings chart" to introduce them to a wide range of emotions and each one's varying intensity.
2. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is crucial for emotional regulation. It involves helping children recognize the physical and mental signs associated with different emotions. Parents can foster self-awareness by encouraging their children to pay attention to bodily sensations associated with emotions (tightness in the chest when anxious or scared) as well as conducting regular check-ins to discuss their emotional experiences.
When children learn to become more self-aware, they can better identify the onset of strong emotions and implement coping strategies.
3. Somatic Exercises
Somatic exercises aim to improve the connection between the mind and body. This helps children regulate their emotions through physical awareness and control. One of the most common somatic exercises is deep breathing exercises, which are effective in calming a child suffering from intense emotions.
4. Mindfulness Techniques
Mindfulness involves being present in the moment. It also involves observing thoughts and feelings without judgment. Younger children have bigger emotions, so mindfulness exercises can help them identify and regulate those feelings.
There are plenty of mindfulness techniques you can try, from practicing yoga and meditation to conducting sensory awareness activities such as focusing only on the sounds and textures of the surrounding environment.
5. Journaling
For parents with older children, journaling can be an effective tool to help them process and regulate their emotions. When journaling, provide your child with a special notebook used only for that purpose. Parents should also suggest journaling prompts related to emotional experiences so they can help teens gain clarity and identify strategies they can use to manage their feelings.
By incorporating these emotional regulation skills into daily life, parents can help their children develop a strong foundation for emotional well-being.
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