How to help your kids handle their emotions

Parenting is certainly no child’s play. From taking care of your little one’s academic performance, physical health to ensuring that they know that they are loved and cared for, most parents spend a lot of time fulfilling the demands and needs of their children. However, what if we told you that even after spending a considerable amount of time teaching your little one to get ready for adulthood, there is an important life lesson we often forget about. It is the art of emotional maturity and the ability to handle emotions in a healthy way.

The importance of emotional regulation skills

Learning to manage your emotions and deal with them in a healthy manner is crucial to function as an adult and even impacts your ability to stay happy or satisfied with your life. So, even when parents aim to guide their child towards better grades and extracurricular activities, they forget one of the most important ingredients for success and satisfaction in life-- emotional skills. Infact, even the most well-intentioned parents often end up making certain mistakes, preventing their kids from developing skills necessary to regulate their emotions. We list down five parenting mistakes that prevent your kids from learning to cope up with their emotions in a healthy manner:

01/ ​You shield your child from pain

While as a parent, it is understandable that you may want to shield your child from as much pain and suffering as possible, not letting them battle failures and setbacks only sets them up for a greater meltdown in the future. If you are always available to provide support whenever they battle any setback, rejection or failure, they will not know what to do during these testing times as they grow older. Let your little one make mistakes and learn from the same.

02/ ​You shut down their emotions

When your child is battling any negative emotions, refrain the urge to say, “It is not a big deal” or “You are over-reacting!” Yes, instead of telling them what they are supposed to be feeling, acknowledge their emotions and tell them it is okay to feel a certain way. Being a parent, you can always encourage them to deal with their emotions in a stronger manner.

03/ ​You hide your emotions

If your kids don’t see you getting vulnerable or expressing a wide range of emotions, they may learn that emotions like crying, feeling sad or even getting scared are not normal. You are your child’s first school of learning and it is important that you teach them not to hide their emotions and deal with them in a healthy manner. You can do so, by setting an example yourself.

04/ You don’t talk about emotions and feelings with your children

As a parent, you need to normalise conversations around your emotional experiences as it gives your child a chance to learn how to combat his own feelings. When you teach your child a range of emotions and feelings, it helps them to identify what they are going through.

05/ ​You try to make your child happy all the time

Again, you have to give the window to your child to learn to deal with emotions that are not comfortable. So, whether your child is frustrated, irritated, angry or upset, don’t jump at their first cry for help, rather let him figure out a way to vent his emotions in a better manner.

from LifeStyle