| Teach your children to put names to their feelings. |
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| Comfort them when they feel hurt, sad or afraid with a cuddle or a hug and reassuring words. |
- Observe what works for each child
- Often just by listening, you can comfort a child, and help him release the tension of strong feelings.
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| Help children find healthy ways to comfort themselves when feelings are strong. |
- Talking to a parent, a pet, a friend - real or imaginary.
- Cuddling with a special blanket or stuffed animal when sad.
- Running around outside when angry or excited.
- Drawing pictures or writing in a diary when afraid.
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- Acknowledge feelings - even those you don't like to hear - and stay calm.
- Help your child to see the difference between feelings and actions.
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| "Jake was furious because his friend had taken his bike without asking. Jake said he wanted to beat up Ross so he'd never to do that again." |
- Hurting another person is not acceptable.
- "I see you're very angry"
- "Let's take a break and talk about what else you can do when you feel angry..."
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Tips on Accepting Feelings