Teach Your Child About Emotions

Ever tried to decode a toddler meltdown and felt like you were defusing a bomb with a spaghetti spoon? Welcome to the emotional Olympics, where the rules change hourly and everyone’s a gold medalist in drama. If you’ve ever asked, 'Are you mad or just hungry?' and gotten a shriek in response, this is your playbook for making feelings slightly less terrifying (for both of you).

Helping kids name and understand their feelings actually wires up the emotional parts of their brains—hello, future emotional intelligence! When you talk about feelings, you’re literally building their self-regulation toolkit, making them less likely to punch their sibling over snack rights. For parents, it’s a sanity-saver and can lower your own stress hormones (cortisol, anyone?) when you realize the meltdown isn’t personal—it’s just feelings, not a referendum on your parenting.

How to do it

Start by naming your own feelings out loud. For example, you might say, “I’m tired and wish coffee counted as a vegetable.” This helps your child see that everyone has emotions and it’s okay to talk about them.

Use picture books, stuffed animals, or even your own facial expressions to act out different emotions. Ask your child to guess what feeling is being shown. This makes learning about emotions fun and interactive.

When your child is upset, try saying, “I see you’re feeling ___,” instead of telling them to stop crying. This shows that you notice and respect their feelings, which helps them feel understood.

Praise any attempt your child makes at naming or expressing their feelings, even if it’s just a dramatic sigh. Positive reinforcement encourages them to keep trying.

Repeat these steps as often as needed—sometimes, that might mean every five minutes for the next decade!

Key Tips:

  • Be a role model by talking about your own emotions openly.
  • Use play and stories to make learning about feelings engaging.
  • Validate your child’s emotions instead of dismissing them.
  • Celebrate all efforts, big or small, to express feelings.
  • Consistency is key; keep practicing together.

When you and your child are about to eat a snack together.

Point to an emoji and say, 'I feel like this today. How about you?'
Do a quick happy dance or high-five, even if your child just grunts in response.
Print out or draw a set of silly emoji faces and tape them to the fridge.

When you notice your child starting to fuss or act out.

Hand the stuffed animal to your child and say, 'What is Teddy feeling right now?'
Make your silliest 'Teddy face' and let your child giggle at you.
Place a favorite stuffed animal in the living room as an 'emotion buddy.'

After school or daycare pickup, while buckling your child into the car seat.

Show the chart and ask, 'Can you pick one for how your day was?'
Say, 'Thanks for sharing!' and give a big thumbs-up or a goofy wink.
Download a simple feelings chart app on your phone.