Tips for Teaching Children Emotional Management

TEACH AND MODEL EMOTIONS THIS SUMMER! Emotional awareness doesn't always come easily to children, and this is often a challenge in autistic kids. In fact, there is a condition called "ALEXITHYMIA" which is a broad term to describe difficulties with recognizing and understanding one's own emotions. Some of you here at my Facebook page know that I am an OT diagnosed autistic. Alexithymia is a condition that I struggle with. It is loosely translated from Greek to mean, "no words for emotions". But it may be slightly different from simply a lack of words. Alexithymia may present as 1- not recognizing when one's own emotions have shifted, even when a significant shift has occurred, 2- feeling a strong emotion, but not recognizing what the emotion is, or 3- feeling an emotion and knowing that it may feel good or bad, but not understanding why one is feeling this way. My challenge with alexithymia falls within the third category: I recognize when I feel good or bad, but I don't always understand why. A couple of weeks ago I recognized that I felt anxious, but I had no clue why. I had to sit back and think - turns out I had an appointment I was dreading the next day. After realizing WHY I was upset, I used some of my coping strategies to get through the next 24 hours. Our autistic children and students may need to be explicitly taught to understand their emotional states. In my OT work, I always incorporate the three areas of learning about emotions: 1- Model your emotions ALL THE TIME! If you are a parent or teacher, incorporate this into your day-to-day. If you are an OT, ask teachers and paraprofessionals and parents to do this with their kids. 2- Next, guide kids to label their own emotions. Use simple terms. Keep emotions to four basic types: HAPPY, SAD, ANGRY, or SCARED. Catch them in emotions and ask them how they feel. If they are too upset, then talk later about how they felt during a specific experience. 3- Begin to build strategies for coping. Incorporate movement, sensory supports, and favorite activities into a child's day. Then ask them how they feel. What do you do to support emotions in autistic kids? #occupationaltherapy #autism

This was the biggest mistake I made as a first time parent: Trying to manage around my son's emotions. Here is what I do now ⬇️ Teach my kids to manage their own emotions. It gives them practice at an important life skill AND it makes my job easier as a parent. Here are the five techniques I use everyday to build their emotional resiliency without waging constant warfare. 1) Lean out of power struggles Let them wear two different shoes on the wrong feet instead of trying to convince them it's a terrible idea. 2) Five secrets of effective communication (Dr. David Burns) Being screamed at because you didn't bring the right type of cracker? How to get the conversation back to productive again. (Hint: it's not to tell them to just deal with it.) 3) Conserve your energy Burned their bagel? Don't remake it. Give it to them, let them be mad about it, move on with life. 4) The power of "yet" Give them perspective on why it is ok they can't climb the structure on their own. Teach them a growth mindset will get them there. 5) Acceptance with empathy Don't try to fix being sad about dropping their ice cream cone on the ground. Support them in working through the sadness. These techniques help build resiliency in your kids and strengthen your relationship. Our goal is not to make our kids' lives easier, it is to raise them to be able to do all these things on their own. Fixing the problems in the short term only makes them less resilient and less independent. Counter to our goals. Each of these methods focuses on ways to handle the big emotions they are feeling so you don't have to worry so much about the short term problems. We trust our kids to handle the hard situations and that sends a crucial message to them. We all want to raise our kids to be emotionally resilient adults. These five techniques build towards that and make your life as a parent much easier.

🌟 Nurturing children’s social and emotional skills is not just beneficial it’s transformative. Research consistently shows that children who develop competencies like empathy, self-regulation, and relationship-building are more likely to succeed academically, maintain positive mental health, and form meaningful connections throughout life. For example, a meta-analysis of over 200 studies found that evidence-based SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) programs led to improved academic performance, reduced emotional distress, and stronger social behaviors across diverse student populations. https://lnkd.in/eVcJUjWp https://lnkd.in/etTP5hMD Here’s a list of age-appropriate SEL activities that nurture emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness across developmental stages. These examples blend creativity, reflection, and connection perfect for educators who value empowerment and authenticity 💛 🧸 Early Childhood (Ages 3–5) • Feelings Faces: Children draw or choose faces showing emotions, then discuss what might cause those feelings. • Mirror Expressions: Practice making happy, sad, angry, and surprised faces in a mirror to build emotional recognition. • Story Time Sharing: After reading a book like The Rabbit Listened, ask children how characters felt and why. • Turn-Taking Games: Simple activities like rolling a ball back and forth teach patience and cooperation. 📚 Elementary School (Ages 6–10) • Mood Meter Charts: Use visuals to help children identify and label their emotions throughout the day. • Gratitude Journals: Encourage students to write or draw three things they’re thankful for each day. • Compliment Circles: Students take turns giving genuine compliments to classmates, fostering kindness and self-esteem. • Mindful Breathing: Teach belly breathing or “flower and candle” breathing to help regulate emotions. 📝 Middle School (Ages 11–14) • Emotion Wheel: Students spin a wheel of emotions and share a time they felt that way and how they coped. • Conflict Resolution Roleplay: Practice resolving peer conflicts through guided scenarios. • Identity Collage: Create visual representations of personal values, interests, and strengths. • Goal Setting & Reflection: Students set personal or academic goals and reflect on progress weekly. 🎓 High School (Ages 15–18) • Peer Mentoring: Older students support younger peers, building leadership and empathy. • Journaling for Self-Awareness: Encourage reflective writing on emotions, challenges, and growth. • Socratic Seminars: Discuss ethical or emotional topics to build perspective-taking and respectful dialogue. • Stress-Relief Workshops: Introduce yoga, art therapy, or guided meditation to support emotional regulation.