Most parents would agree that childhood emotional strength plays a key role in a desirable upbringing. Tantrums, disrespect and an unwillingness to share can be reduced or even eliminated when children grow to become more resilient. However, this is far easier said than done and the variables between each child alone only adds to the challenge. So, where do you even begin? Don’t worry! From emotional literacy to character building, here are some methods.
Seek Expert Help for Yourself
First and foremost, the health of parents is a critical factor. Children learn almost everything they need from their parents on an emotional level. As such, they will copy what they see and act in the ways they witness. If you experience emotional problems related to anxiety or depression, children may emulate these. Of course, it isn’t easy. However, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is becoming a popular and effective alternative to traditional medications like antidepressants.
Teach the Kids Emotional Literacy
Being able to manage emotions, spot them and understand what they are playing a crucial role in early childhood development. So, what does this mean? Emotional literacy is how we manage emotions, and children learn it pretty easily. Here are some methods you can try:
- You and the children display different faces and guess the emotion.
- Provide the kids with playdough and ask them to make emotional faces.
- Show the children photos of faces with different emotions and have them guess.
These are all pretty simple, yet they are also powerful. Children love playing games, and there’s no reason playtime can’t be educational. Of course, the kids also need to understand the emotional associations with faces and even individual parts such as the mouth and brows.
Childhood Emotional Strength through Mistakes
It’s safe to say that we all make mistakes. Children learn all the time, and you must allow them to learn on their own. Punishment for minor mistakes won’t resolve anything. The real learning is understanding why errors are made and the consequences they can have. A Pew Research Center study found that 45% of American parents are overprotective. However, teaching the kids to learn from their mistakes is an effective way of building character in children.
Allow Personal Problem Solving
It can be hard to watch a child struggle. But with minimal guidance, most kids will figure it out! Doing everything for your child makes them dependent on you as a parent and this can carry on into adulthood. When that happens, there are many things that can go wrong as they leave school and become young adults. A hands-off approach allows children to learn how to do something their own way and encourages out of the box thinking and alternative reasoning.
Encourage Expression of Feelings
Feelings are not meant to be kept inside. Some believe feelings should be bottled up. But the problem isn’t with letting out your emotions; it’s more about how. Expressions of emotions and feelings helps anyone, not just children, externalise, visualise and accept what they are. As a result, you and the children can reconcile how you feel and move on. Of course, there are various methods, such as drawing and painting, writing them down and having a conversation.
Childhood Emotional Strength Via Responsibility
We learn best when we are held accountable for our actions. You can build childhood emotional strength by teaching your children about responsibility. From an early age, children can do a lot for themselves and it is then we can begin to assign tasks they can handle without supervision.
Assign age-appropriate tasks
Even as toddlers, children can begin doing things for themselves. For example, they can put away their toys after playing. This helps encourage respect for their surroundings and others.
Work with children on a personal routine
When they can understand basic personal care, children are able to stick to a routine. This can be as simple as changing into PJs, washing their hands and brushing teeth before bedtime.
Reward and celebrate a good job
Repetition is an excellent way to build routines and teach children about responsibility. But they may need some encouragement. Making a big deal of a job well done gives them a little nudge.
Introduce them to money
As they get older you can reward children with pocket money. This will help them realise the value of honest work, and you can also educate the kids about financial management.
Show and Demonstrate Empathy
Most children are naturally empathetic but may not understand what it is or where it comes from. Empathy is the emotional understanding between two or more people. For instance, when someone is hurt, we feel bad for them and can understand it from their perspective. Showing empathy and emotions plays a big role in helping children understand this vital human trait. However, some children also have a hard time with this for certain neurological reasons.
Encourage Social Involvement
Humans are social animals, even the most introverted among us. We all need social interactions and acceptance, which is why figures such as Maslow place it just below food and water for survival. Social involvement with other children from an early age has tons of positive benefits as a child ages. Without it, a shy child could become an awkward teen and a struggling adult. Early social interactions alleviate anxiety and fears of being around others and rejection.
Gratitude for Childhood Emotional Strength
We all must be grateful for what we have, no matter how little or how much. In most cases, you are better off than someone else. However, some believe that Gen Alpha is set to be the most spoiled ever. However, studies suggest that only around 5% actually are to the degree where they will throw tantrums, refuse to share and behave in a disrespectful way. Teaching gratitude from an early age will help kids appreciate what they have and find ways to help others in need.
Try Character-Building Techniques
Strength of character is a trait that most believe they have but really don’t. It all begins when we are children, and it can be challenging to develop character as we get older. However, it is easier than you think, and without a disciplinary approach, you can try these simple actions:
- Be the example of what you want to see, and always practice what you preach.
- Discuss what you stand for and what you believe, and explain why you feel that way.
- Teach children to be assertive and stand up for themselves instead of compliance.
It helps not to confuse assertiveness with disrespect. A compliant child may have trouble getting what they want as an adult. Assertion helps a person stay true to who they are and makes it easier to spot injustice when they see it. These are the people most likely to help others.
Consistent and Stable Routines
Most child psychologists will agree that children crave security and consistency. Changes to the usual routine can be upsetting for most children and disastrous for children with certain neurological issues such as autism. Yet, there is something to be said about routines. Consistent routines help children know what to expect and provide security. They also act as a quasi-discipline, so kids take care of themselves and learn to behave in a particular manner.
Summary
Taking care of yourself will further allow you to engage in activities with your child to build childhood emotional strength. Teaching your kids about responsibilities is an ideal step into personal growth at each stage of their development. Examples include performing age-appropriate tasks. One of the more powerful ways of helping children grow is with routine. Routine reduces stress in children and teaches them what they need for various scenarios.