Be honest with children, understand their emotions

Be honest with children, understand their emotions (Photo: iStock)

As adults, we often have a hard time understanding how we feel. There may even be times when what you are feeling is best described as ‘just there’.

Emotions are complex, so you can imagine how challenging it is for children. They’re still trying to understand themselves and may not know what to do with their feelings.

That’s where they need your help as a parent because it’s from you that they learn how to regulate their emotions. In time, they will know how to manage their feelings so that they don’t feel overwhelmed by them.

Be aware of trends and triggers

Some children only get upset when they’re hungry or tired. Others get upset when they don’t get what they want.

Some have difficulty regulating their emotions because of an underlying disability that you may not have noticed. Many factors cause this emotional imbalance and each situation needs to be handled differently.

If it is severe, you may need to see a doctor or psychologist who can advise you on what to do. Some situations need more work because it may not be a temporary phase for you.

Create a stable environment for them

Children respond to the environment they’re exposed to. A healthy home environment nurtures their mental and emotional well-being, giving them the right tools to navigate through life.

But if they’ve witnessed violence and other forms of instability at home, chances are they’re going to have some problems. The only way to help them is to raise them without any form of toxicity in the home.

Help them become more self-aware

They need you to help them understand themselves better. It should be like a lesson where you take notes and go through them together.

They will find the right words to describe that ‘weird feeling’ they get when they’ve had a hard day at school or any other emotion they might not understand. From there, you can write down some healthy coping strategies that they’ll remember whenever they feel upset or stressed.

Acknowledge their feelings

You should never belittle their feelings when they express them. This will only make things worse and these negative experiences will shape their lives for the long term.

This will make it harder for them to interact normally with other people. Make them feel safe, loved and understood, even if it’s frustrating for you.

Be honest with them when they’re wrong

Letting them express themselves isn’t an excuse to misbehave. They need to know that it’s not OK to be violent or insult you or others when they’re upset.

Children may throw tantrums in the supermarket when they don’t get what they want, but being rude should not be encouraged. Be honest with them when you’re disappointed and tell them that what they’re doing is wrong.

Have your coping strategies

Develop healthy coping mechanisms as you raise your children. This will prevent you from lashing out at them when they don’t cooperate, and is an essential part of self-care.

Being a parent is stressful at times and you can protect your emotional well-being by using good coping strategies.

Emotions will always be a part of life. Everyone feels angry, disappointed, and frustrated, and you might even throw a childish tantrum now and again. But what holds all your emotions together is a healthy foundation, especially at home.

Children discover themselves based on personal experiences and life lessons taught by their parents.