One of the most powerful skills you can give your kids is the ability to deal with their emotions and be able to bounce back from negative emotions to positive ones. Here are 10 practical tips to help parents teach their children to be emotionally resilient.
Those big feelings, like disappointment and anger, are hard to take. They are hard enough for adults who understand emotions and have rational minds to deal with them but, for kids who have not developed this level of rational thinking, they are much trickier and often cause significant angst in families. It’s our job as parents to help our children recognise their feelings and not “rescue” them from the hard ones but help them develop their own strategies for dealing with them. Every feeling comes for a reason.
Anger is a clue that something is wrong and we need to make it right again.
Fear or being afraid stirs up our fight-or-flight instinct and we need to take it seriously to change a situation.
Sadness is a cue to retreat from the world and take time to heal from the event that has caused the sad feeling.
Loneliness helps us to reconnect to others and live our lives together.
Tiredness tells us to stop, take a rest and recharge the batteries.
Anxiety is a sign that something is a threat or a fear and we need to sort it out.
The positive ones are also there for a reason. Being excited, happy or calm allows your body to release the “happy chemicals” such as dopamine and endorphins to promote a relaxed state. Also known as the feel-good chemicals, these hormones have a calming effect on the brain so you can let your body relax and do its job.
However, the negative feelings are often the strongest, certainly for kids, and we need to help them find strategies to bounce back.
By design, the cycle of life is meant to be up and down. If you were always up you would have the impulse of an addict, always searching for the next high. If you were always down, you would be depressed. You wouldn’t be able to feel the ups and release those happy chemicals.
This story is from the Issue#174 edition of WellBeing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue#174 edition of WellBeing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
YOGA FOR IMPERFECTION
Life is messy and we all make mistakes, but by embracing imperfection, we can begin to accept all parts of ourselves.
Creating the foundations of ritualist self-care
As a busy mum of a three-year-old and expecting another baby, finding time for self-care often feels like a luxury.
Are you doom spending?
If \"doom spending\" has become your go-to for coping with stress, you could be making withdrawals from not just your bank account, but your health too.
THE POWER OF music
Most of us enjoy music. But science shows music is central to being human and its effect on us is far more astonishing and impactful than we realise. Music is fundamental to life.
SYNTHETIC FOODS
Synthetic, or genetically modified, fake meats and the like attempt to mimic real meat in both looks, taste and texture. But how much do we really know about the production process and how do they affect the environment and our bodies?
Embracing the power of nature
Menopause is more than just a biological change, it represents a significant life stage that can present numerous challenges - from hot flushes and mood swings to fatigue and sleepless nights.
Jan Fran
From a young age, Jan Fran's deep curiosity and keen interest in social issues sparked her journey into the world of journalism. As an accomplished journalist, media commentator and broadcaster, Fran's passion for storytelling has always been driven by a desire to explore, question and shed light on the world around her.
Helping teen girls thrive
Statistics reveal that many more teen girls are struggling with mental health issues. What's going on with them? More importantly, what can we do to help them flourish?
Your ageing eyes
Your eyes work hard for you every waking minute. It is no surprise that how your eyes age will be determined by how you protect them. Eating the right foods can go along way towards ensuring that your eyes stay healthy for a lifetime.
The bottom line
During the Couid pandemic, we were shocked to see people fighting in supermarkets over toilet paper and to see empty shelves that had once held roll after roll. The reasons behind the run for toilet paper during this time reflect the unique place that it holds in our psyche and are deeply rooted in our history.
