Being a parent is the most rewarding, and, without a doubt, the most challenging job in life. Parents face countless dilemmas and difficulties every single day, as raising a small human being into a responsible, sharp-minded, and kind adult demands Herculean efforts.

During this process, parents should never neglect the emotional development of their children.

They should teach their kids to never suppress the way they feel and internalize their pain, but to properly acknowledge their emotions and deal with them.

Just like all of us, our children will experience all sorts of emotions, and will eventually find themselves in situations they do not like. Therefore, we need to help them grow emotionally and teach them to recognize certain emotional responses and adequately express those feelings.

In this way, they will relate better to others, they will easily cope with challenges in different circumstances and will manage their behavior better.

By teaching them to navigate those experiences, we will help them improve their character and the relationships in their lives.

Here are some useful tips to help you teach your child to manage their emotions:

• Teach your children to recognize their emotions, to know what they are feeling, either anger, happiness, sadness, confusion, etc.
• Allow them to express themselves and do not try to affect their choices
• Practice empathy, and listen to your child’s feelings without interruption or defense
• Label your own emotions to show them how to make their feelings known.
• Ask your children how they feel, so they can learn to express themselves to you
• Just because they do not react in the same way you would, does not mean they are doing something wrong. Remember, they are their own people, so do not make them feel guilty for feeling in a certain way.
• Teach them that all our actions have consequences, so when it comes to their emotions, they should think before they act
• Time spent in nature, with the people you care about, is one of the most powerful therapies. Go outside with your kids, so they will learn the importance of being in nature.
• Don’t overreact or lash out, as you are your kids’ role model. Handle your emotions properly in front of them, to set a good example.
• Be there for them, so they can turn to you whenever they need someone to talk to.
• Help them determine the trigger of their emotions
• To go over emotions, use the books, shows, and other things they like, that can help them relate better. When they see a sad person on TV, ask them how that makes them feel.
• Teach them the importance of self-talk, remind them to talk positively about themselves for motivation.
• Talk to your kids about uncomfortable emotions, so they will learn that they are not alone when they are feeling that way.
• Allow them to express themselves in any way they want, through art, fashion, music, or anything else they are interested in.
• You should explain to them how you deal with your emotions, pointing out that it is vital for them to never bottle up their emotions.

Teaching kids about their emotions should start as early as possible. In this way, they will become mentally strong, confident they can handle whatever they came across in life and will develop the needed coping skills to deal with all sorts of problems.

Remember, we should be wise enough to teach our children to work through their problems, not to remove them from their lives.

Sources:
www.huffpost.com
www.imom.com
www.verywellfamily.com