The Importance of Teaching Children About Their Emotions
Emotional intelligence is a fundamental aspect of a child's development that profoundly impacts their overall wellbeing, relationships, and future success. As adults, it is our responsibility to guide and empower children to understand and manage their emotions effectively. In this blog post, we explore the reasons why teaching children about their emotions is crucial and the long-term benefits it can bring to their lives.
Builds emotional awareness
By introducing children to their emotions, we help them develop a deeper understanding of their feelings and the various factors that trigger them. Recognising emotions allows children to express themselves more clearly and articulately, preventing frustration and misunderstandings. As they gain emotional awareness, they become more empathetic towards others, cultivating stronger and more meaningful connections with their peers.
Enhances emotional regulation
Teaching children about emotions equips them with the necessary tools to regulate their emotional responses. They learn that it is okay to experience a wide range of emotions but also understand the importance of managing intense feelings appropriately. Emotional regulation fosters resilience, enabling children to bounce back from setbacks and cope with stress in healthier ways, ultimately promoting better mental health.
Improves communication skills
When children can identify and express their emotions, it significantly enhances their communication skills. They can convey their needs, desires, and concerns more effectively, which helps in both personal relationships and academic settings. Additionally, as children develop emotional literacy, they become active listeners, enabling them to understand others' emotions and respond with compassion and support.
Nurtures positive coping mechanisms
Emotional education teaches children positive coping mechanisms, reducing the likelihood of engaging in destructive behaviours like aggression, avoidance, or withdrawal. Instead of suppressing emotions, they learn to face challenges head-on, seek help when needed, and cope with stress constructively, fostering a healthier and more adaptive approach to problem-solving.
Boosts academic achievement
A child's emotional wellbeing directly influences their cognitive abilities and academic performance. Children who have a strong emotional foundation are better equipped to concentrate, retain information, and engage in learning. Furthermore, a positive emotional climate in the classroom leads to improved teacher-student relationships, promoting a conducive learning environment for all.
Long-term life skills
The lessons children learn about emotions during their formative years stay with them throughout life. As they grow into adolescents and adults, emotional intelligence becomes a critical factor in navigating social situations, building meaningful relationships, and excelling in their careers. Individuals with high emotional intelligence tend to experience greater professional success and overall life satisfaction.
Teaching children about their emotions is an invaluable investment in their future wellbeing and success. By providing them with the knowledge and skills to understand, manage, and express their feelings, we empower them to lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. As parents, educators, and caregivers, we need to prioritise emotional education and create a nurturing environment that fosters emotional intelligence, paving the way for a brighter future for our children.
Our recommendation resources to teach children about their emotions:
The My Zones of Feelings flash cards are a powerful resource based on ‘The Zones of Regulation’ framework developed by Leah Kuypers. Divided into four distinct coloured zones - blue, green, yellow, and red - these cards assist children in identifying and categorising their feelings based on the corresponding zone.
Teaching children about the four zones and the feelings associated with each is the initial step in guiding meaningful conversations about emotions. Engage in discussions and practice together, exploring the zones in various contexts and environments. Encourage children to identify which zone they are in at different times. To promote self-regulation skills, talk to them about strategies that can help them feel better when experiencing different emotions within each zone. The reflection questions on the back of each card serve as valuable prompts, guiding these discussions.
Regularly using these flash cards helps children understand their feelings across various situations and empowers them to develop strategies to manage their emotional responses. By utilising My Zones of Feelings flash cards, children embark on a journey of emotional exploration and growth, equipping them with valuable tools for lifelong emotional intelligence and wellbeing.
The My Zones of Feelings Auslan Edition flash cards comprises 38 thoughtfully crafted cards, drawing inspiration from The Zones of Regulation developed by Leah Kuypers. These cards are thoughtfully divided into four coloured zones – blue, green, yellow, and red – with the aim of assisting your child in recognising and categorising their emotions based on colour.
Begin by introducing your child to the four coloured zones and use the zone descriptions on the back of the introduction card to guide the explanation. Explore the array of feelings presented on each card, gradually introducing more emotions from each zone as your child becomes familiar with emotions in Auslan.
Facilitate meaningful discussions with your child, encouraging them to explore strategies that can bring comfort during different emotional experiences within each zone. The reflection questions on the back of the cards can help prompt and guide these conversations.
Please note that the images on each card are intended to provide a broad understanding of the handshapes and movements required to express different feelings in Auslan. For comprehensive guidance, it is recommended to cross-reference these signs using resources within your local community.
The development of these cards was made possible through a strong collaboration with multiple Auslan users, including Kirsten Mooney (Auslan teacher), David Grant (founder of Auslan with David), and Gail Smith (owner of Auslan Journey). Additionally, valuable feedback from the broader Deaf community was sought to ensure the accurate representation of preferred signs for the different feelings/emotions presented.