WHAT IS EMOTIONAL REGULATION?

Emotional regulation is basically thinking before you act or speak, not going on impulse. 

Having an emotion and recognizing you have it and being able to manage it and express it in healthy ways that are not destructive. 

Children struggle with emotional  regulation, because they think that everything they feel has to be expressed. 

We see kids/teens that lack emotional regulation fighting in school and public places, or bullying others on social media (cyber bully) and saying mean stuff to their friends. 

Emotional regulation is helped when children learn at a younger age. 

As adults we can’t blame young people when they react to things without thinking about it. These kids/teens haven’t been taught how to think before they act. So they lack emotional literacy.

These skills must be taught before they become teenagers. 

So how do we teach our children how to regulate their emotions? 

✅ We must start when they’re little as early as one year old.

✅ Explain to your kids that feeling and acting are two different things. 

✅ Teach them how to find words to express their emotions- For example, you can say things like “It’s ok to feel angry but it’s not ok to hit your sister or shout at someone”  

✅  Teach them ways to express their feelings in an healthy way.

✅ Explain to them that everything they think does not need to be express.

✅ Teach them to think before they speak. Because we can’t take back what we’ve said. 

✅ Be a good role model: Children learn from us. 

In addition, If you struggle with regulating your own emotions, just make sure you don’t beat yourself up. Recognise this and do something about it. So that your kids don’t have to struggle with similar kinds of issues.

P.S

Next week I will be sharing more on how to teach and help your younger children to regulate their emotions.

Thanks for reading through 🙏🏾😊🥰❤️

Please leave a comment below because I would like to hear your thoughts on today’s post. 

Stay tuned …