Helping Toddlers Communicate Their Feelings
Helping toddlers communicate their feelings is one important task that is haunting parents all over. If you happen to be a parent of a child whose age range from 1 to 4 years old, you probably get the picture. The temper tantrums, slamming of doors and the dreaded silent treatment could be just the tip of the iceberg. As parent, it is important that toddlers are able to communicate their feelings so they can get the help they need. This will enable to create better links and to promote healthier relationships inside the home.
Take a look at your child and see if they are able to experience, manage and express a wide array of emotions. See if the child is able to adjust well and quickly to changes that happen. Find out if the child expresses the appropriate behavior in certain situations. Lastly, see if the child is patent and able to tolerate frustration well.
These are the indicators that the child is able to make the rounds of the emotions and show it appropriately. The proper communication of the child’s emotions augurs well for getting the right amount of attention and understanding for grown-ups to understand the situation and find appropriate solutions if needed be.
The first thing to do in order to help the child express his/her feelings is to help them process it. How many times you have asked your child and you get a blank stare back? This happens to children and most adolescents because they are unsure how to react. They fail to process the proper reaction given the situation. The emotional situation could be either new to them or they are simply unsure what to do.
You can help you child by discussing and encouraging the child to get in touch with his/her emotions. Encouraging the child to discuss with you his/her feelings gives them an idea on how to appropriately react to similar situations in the future. They will learn that the best way to react is what you have discussed with them. For example, if they are being harassed by a bully at school, ask them how to make the appropriate steps to make the bad experience go away. Most of the bullying occurs because the child is unable to react correctly to the situation.
Labeling or identifying emotions is the next logical step in helping children to communicate their feelings. Use their own vocabulary to attach terms or names to the feelings that they are experiencing. This will familiarize them with the situation and can easily identify the emotions as they communicate it with you. Do they feel boo-boo when somebody calls them fatso? Suggest phrases that can help them identify what they are experiencing. There are books that are able to attach pictures to certain children emotions that can be useful.
Encourage your child to express their feelings. Allow them to feel safe to show how they are feeling in a given situation. This will make them comfortable telling you about what they have in mind. Children should be given the ability to show what they are feeling. This will in turn carve a healthy situation both for the parent and child. Parents need to learn how to regulate the emotions of the child. It is important to enable the child to express a wide range of emotions and to react appropriately in certain situations. The way they act to certain situations is the indication of the social, mental and psychological maturity of the child.