A Guide for Parents

Helping your child understand and manage their emotions is one of the most important roles you have as a parent. Here’s how you can help your child grow into an emotionally intelligent and resilient individual.

What is Emotion Coaching?

Emotion coaching is about:

• Recognising your child’s emotions.
• Helping their name and understand their feelings.
• Guiding them to manage emotions in healthy ways.

It strengthens your bond and teaches lifelong skills like self-awareness and problem-solving.

Five Steps to Emotion Coaching

1. Notice and Tune In

• Pay attention to your child’s body language, tone of voice, and behaviour.
• Look for signs of their emotions, even when they’re not saying much.

2. Connect and Show Empathy

• Get down to their level, make eye contact, and listen actively.
• Say things like:
  “I can see you’re upset. I’m here for you.”

3. Name the Feeling

• Help your child identify their emotions:
  “It seems like you’re feeling frustrated because you can’t find your toy.”
• Naming emotions makes them less overwhelming and easier to manage.

4. Validate the Emotion

• Let your child know it’s okay to feel how they’re feeling.
  “It’s normal to feel sad when things don’t go as planned.”
• Avoid dismissing their feelings with phrases like “Don’t cry” or “You’re fine.”

5. Problem-Solve Together

• When your child is calm, guide them to think of solutions:
  “What can we do to fix this together?”
• Suggest strategies like taking deep breaths, asking for help, or taking a break.

Practical Tips for Parents

• Model Emotional Awareness: Talk about your feelings and how you manage them. For example, “I’m feeling stressed, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths.”
• Create a Safe Space for Emotions: Show your child that it’s okay to express all kinds of emotions, not just positive ones.
• Teach Calming Techniques: Practice simple coping strategies like:
  • Deep breathing: “Smell the flower, blow out the candle.”
  • Drawing or writing about feelings.
  • Using a “calm-down corner.”
• Be Patient: It’s okay if your child struggles with big emotions. Learning takes time.