The emotions of a child are still unstable. They still developing and changing as time goes by. Adults and parents must be patient and understandable as their emotions change from nice to not nice. Or they are not yet able to control their temper. There are ways you are able to understand the feelings of a little kid.
You must be aware of the child’s emotion. Observe how the child acts in front of you and to other people including nannies, teachers, playmates and other adults as well. Recognizing their emotions will be an opportunity for intimacy, bonding and teaching them as well. You are able to build a strong bond by spending quality time with them and to know them more.
Teach them how to handle negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, sadness and fear. These emotions are not innate, it’s either that they learned it or mimic how the emotions were handled by the adults. For instance the child got mad at their playmate because he/she doesn’t want to lend a toy. The child talked to you about it. You just let him/her express the feeling. Listen and react at the same time. Show empathy to the child then validate the feeling. You must acknowledge the feeling. These feelings are normal for the child, just like when they are anxious. They feel scared when they are separated from the parents, or going to the bathroom or going to sleep. It’s a feeling that they feel but it hasn’t happened yet which is different from fear. An example of fear is being chased by a dog which they will run from it. The reason for this is they still need security and support from the adults.
Label the child’s feeling. You don’t have to use any other words for that feeling. Be straight forward, so that you may both earn attention, respect and trust. State the reason of the feeling. Tell the child why he/she is feeling this way and where is it coming from.
Don’t judge the child. It’s okay for them to express their feelings. It’s healthy for them. Don’t get angry at him/her. It will only trigger the emotion more. It would only make it worse. This is the stage where the parents always say “no”. They’re starting to be independent and want what they want. They also have a sense of self. They’re starting to know themselves by ownership of toys.
These emotions when handled with the help of adults and parents can make the child know him/her well. It might even reflect the child’s future.
