Imagine a world where we’re all taught how to regulate our emotions as kids, see our problems from a different perspective or as growth opportunities, and to have compassion and non-judgement for others. 🌍
A world where we process trauma as it happens, not when we hit a mid-life crisis.
How different would that world look? 🧐
Less mental health issues? Less addiction issues? Less reacting and more responding?
There are plenty of tools that you can use as an adult that you can also teach your kids so they can learn how to process their emotions and know that emotions aren’t good or bad, they just are part of life. 😉
MY FAVE TOOLS TO TEACH KIDS
👉🏼 EFT/tapping – which stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. This is an amazing technique to use as a “break state” when you’re not feeling good, to process your emotions and even to manifest what you want. Check the link in my bio for a free EFT cheat sheet.
🌲 Grounding – which can be done anywhere, but best in nature barefoot. Hug a tree, walk on the beach or grass, imagine roots growing out of your feet deep into the earth, jump on a trampoline, go for a walk or run… all of these are grounding.
🐦 Spend time in nature – no phones or music, just listening to the birds and the bees, playing “I spy” and really being present with your surroundings.
❔Asking curious questions – things like”
– what are you grateful for today?
– what was your favourite part of today?
– what made you smile, and why?
– what are you proud of today?
– what mistake did you make today and what did you learn from it?
– what did you “fail” at today and what would you do differently next time?
This teaches kids that mistakes and failing aren’t bad, they’re learning opportunities.
😌 Teach them an emotional vocabulary larger than just feeling “good” or “bad” – the wheel of emotions is a good tool to use here as it breaks emotions down into lots of different words – for example if they feel angry, the wheel would break this down into how they may be feeling humiliated, let down, bitter, frustrated etc. This helps build awareness about what’s actually going on underneath the anger.
🦋 Nervous system awareness and how your body gives you clues before you explode – e.g. butterflies in your tummy = anxiety, tight chest = stress, hot face = anger, heavy body = sadness. This will help them listen to the warning signs of their body early – you can also then give them suggestions about how to manage these emotional states.
🫁 Breathwork or just how to breathe properly – simple belly breathing, putting their hands on their belly and chest, box breathing, long slow exhales to calm down.
✋🏼 Boundaries and consent – ask them what a “yes” feels like vs what a “no” feels like in their body if someone asks them to do something they want/don’t want to do. Tell them it’s ok to say no, you don’t have to hug people if you don’t want to and you’re allowed to have preferences. This will help avoid any future people-pleasing behaviours.
📝 Journalling or “brain dumping” is a great tool – especially for anxious kids.
👀 Visualisation – athletes use it, successful people use it, kids can too – you can go even further here and teach them about the Law of Attraction too, get them doing a vision board for what they want to bring into their life and create positive affirmations for them to use.
🗣️ Communication – how we all communicate differently and that’s ok, teaching how to repair after conflict instead of pretending nothing happened, how to apologise and reconnect, and how to take accountability without holding onto shame.
🙌🏻 Energy awareness – simple stuff like asking who makes them feel calm vs drained, what environments they feel good in etc.
💃🏼 Using movement as a way to process emotions – dancing, running, jumping, punching pillows, shaking the body out.
🛑 Letting kids know they don’t have to react immediately – they can pause, breathe and respond instead.
🤗 Teaching your kids how to be aware of their emotions and how to regulate themselves may be one of the best things you could do for them.
It would lead to a world where less adults are trying to heal from their childhood while raising their own kids at the same time. If you’re even trying a teeny bit to do this with your kids, you’re already changing the cycle.
Check out the link in my bio for a bunch of freebies to help you.
Catcha on the flip side,
