Talking About Emotions
Kōrero mō ngā kare ā-roto
Just like adults, children need to develop strategies for managing their emotions, so that they can build social and emotional skills. When children are more socially and emotionally aware and skilled, they can more effectively navigate relationships, calm down and problem solve when challenges arise. When children experience strong emotions, it’s important for adults to support their efforts to calm down so they will be better able to talk about how they are feeling. After children learn how to calm down and talk about how they are feeling, they can then begin to problem solve. Adults support children’s development when they help children identify, label and talk about emotions.
Resources to help:
Emotional Intelligence
Developing self-control and strengthening emotional intelligence.
Emotion Coaching
The understanding of problematic behaviour and being The Emotion Coach.
Ideas for teaching children about emotions
A list of ideas for talking and teaching children about emotions.
Teaching Kids about Emotions
An article about how to teach children to recognise and respond to their emotions.
Identifying and expressing feelings
Encouraging you to express and understand complex feelings.
