Feeling a wide range of emotions is something that happens to us automatically. Everybody experiences lots of different emotions and no emotions are bad or wrong.
If we can’t recognise and name our emotions we are more likely to let them affect the way we behave. Young children do this because they have not yet learned emotional intelligence. For example, when they get upset or frustrated, they might have a tantrum.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and label different feelings in ourselves and other people. We can help children to learn emotional intelligence. As children (or adults) learn emotional intelligence, they start to realise that they can choose how they act and react when experiencing difficult feelings and emotions.
We can’t choose what happens to us in our lives but we can choose how we respond to what happens, if we have developed emotional intelligence.
Try these activities with your child, to help them cope with big feelings and develop emotional intelligence. It’s a great idea to work through them in order.