emotions Archives - Sleeping Should Be Easy

Tell Your Kids You Love Them, Even when It’s Hard To

Jul 31, 2021

It's easy to tell your kids you love them during happy times. But it's just as important to do so when it's hard as well. Here's why: The downturn of the sides of their mouths. The narrowing of tearful eyes. The slight rise in the shoulders. These were the slight cues I'd see when my kids realized they were in trouble. And it all signaled one thing: They felt defensive. And who wouldn't? They don't like getting in trouble or knowing they did something wrong. And they don't want to disappoint their parents. So, they pout, cry, or even get angry. But defensiveness doesn't help anyone. … [Read more...]

3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Your Child’s Emotions

Communication

Jun 19, 2021

How often do we reassure our kids by saying "It's okay"? We try to make them feel better, but don't ignore children's emotions — here's why. "Let's go to the beach!" I suggested to my then-toddler. The weather had finally started warming up, and I wanted to sit on the sand and hear the waves slapping back and forth. I packed up our blanket and toys, slathered on some sunscreen, and headed out. But once we started walking across the beach, he cried, "Carry up!" He didn't want to stand on the sand. Irritated, I carried my 30-plus pound toddler and a heavy, oversized tote bag across a long … [Read more...]

5 Coping Skills for Kids to Help Manage Big Emotions

Development

Jan 30, 2021

Does your child struggle with handling difficult emotions? Learn 5 coping skills for kids to manage these big feelings on their own. By Amy Wruble My 7-year-old came home from summer camp in a horrible mood. She called me names, kicked her little sister for no reason, and stomped around yelling for a solid 20 minutes. Since she doesn’t normally act this way, I figured something must have happened to upset her, but it took a while to unravel the details. It turned out she’d taken a scary tumble, gotten hurt, and felt embarrassed. The physical plus emotional pain was enough to shake up … [Read more...]

How to Help Your Angry Child

Behavior

Dec 27, 2020

Dealing with meltdowns can be difficult, but it's during these times your angry child NEEDS you. Here are strategies to help you handle it. My kids had been so excited to work on the school garden. You couldn't peel them away from digging and turning the soil. Other than the occasional snack, they wanted to keep shoveling and pulling weeds. And then it happened: One of them didn't want to leave. Whereas the other two were ready to go home, he wanted to stay and dig. So, my husband and I did the typical moves: we showed empathy and tried to make the transition light. We even gave him … [Read more...]

Children’s Books about Anger

Children's Books

Dec 23, 2020

Need ways to calm your angry child down? This collection of children's books about anger helps kids manage and understand these big feelings. It's that moment when you realize this is far more than just a tantrum or mere stubbornness. And after three kids, I've seen the face of true anger, especially when it comes out of nowhere. It might've been when I said it was time to leave the school garden, only for them to kick and scream in the van the entire ride home. Or when one of my kids yelled at the top of his lungs, his face in anguish because I told him it was time to take a … [Read more...]

9 Useful Techniques for Dealing with Anxiety in Children

Development

Nov 25, 2020

Worried about your anxious child? Learn useful techniques to ease anxiety in children you can apply immediately at home. Anxiety. I tell myself everyone deals with the emotion to varying degrees, including my kids. Handling anxiety in children can be a challenge because they're still learning how to cope with difficult emotions. Anxiety can happen any time, but common culprits include a change of plans. Your child might throw a fit because you have to leave the playground sooner than expected. A new environment and meeting new people can also trigger his anxiety and send him clinging … [Read more...]

Children’s Books about Feelings

Children's Books

Nov 18, 2020

Feelings can overwhelm kids, especially difficult ones to process. Read these children's books about feelings to help your child cope. Many of the challenges with our kids stem from their inability to process feelings the way you and I can. The tightening of the chest and the awful, cloudy feeling are difficult to understand. They can't figure out why they feel the way they do now that the new baby is here. They might even believe they're the only ones who feel this way, or that they're somehow "bad" for doing so. And so, they act up or hit instead of communicate because these … [Read more...]

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