EMOTION REGULATION IN CHILDREN
Children may show different emotional reactions to the events they experience or the situations they encounter, depending on their age, temperament, and developmental level. While some children experience anger more intensely, some children feel sadness and some feel anxiety more intensely. Emotion regulation or emotion regulation is briefly recognizing, accepting and controlling the emotion felt in the light of this information, and then developing a response accordingly. Regulating emotions is not eliminating negative emotions, but rather accepting that they are natural and experiencing them in a healthy way. Teaching emotion regulation in childhood is important because it is the way to develop strategies for coping with life’s challenges as adults.
It is about being able to regulate emotions in childhood. It should not be forgotten that emotion regulation is a skill that can be learned and taught. So how do children teach emotion regulation skills?
First of all, it is very important for children to recognize the emotion they are experiencing. In order to recognize them, they must know what they are. In other words, they need to know emotions such as what is surprise, what is to be angry, what is to be upset. Often, when asked how they feel, they answer good or bad. But it is not a good or bad feeling. Therefore, teaching children what emotions are is the first step. Turn it into a game with emotion cards and use it as an activity.
You can do. You can mimic the emotion on the emotion cards and talk about what happened. As a second step, they need to be able to become aware of their emotions. For this, you can talk about the question of what happens in your body when you feel that emotion. As he clenches my hands when I’m angry or I don’t laugh when I’m sad, when he feels that emotion, he understands what’s going on in his body, which causes him to realize that emotion. As a third step, he must be able to express the emotion he feels. At this point, as children have difficulties in expressing their feelings, you need to help them as parents. The simplest way to do this is to mirror him when you understand what he’s feeling, to reflect what he’s feeling. When you do this, the child will feel understood. For example, when your child is upset or angry about something, “what’s there to be upset about?” or “what’s there to be angry about?” Instead of saying “something must have upset you a little” or “you are feeling angry right now, I understand you” will help him express his feeling. As a fourth step, you can direct him to another activity when he experiences negative emotions, especially when he is angry. Playing with kinetic sand is like squeezing a soft ball.
When you realize that he has calmed down, you should definitely talk about the feeling he felt. You can create solutions together. Doing breathing exercises will be good for the child. You can inflate balloons together for this. Finally, get your child to realize how you manage your emotions. Mom
When you are angry or upset as a father, tell your child, “I sometimes feel sad, anxious or angry, just like you. I need some time to feel happier. It is good for me to do ……….. at such moments. Sometimes it is good for me to talk about my feelings.” You can explain it as Remember that children learn by modelling.
