Bounce back
Those big feelings, like disappointment and anger, are hard to take. They are hard enough for adults who understand emotions and have rational minds to deal with them but, for kids who have not developed this level of rational thinking, they are much trickier and often cause significant angst in families. It’s our job as parents to help our children recognise their feelings and not “rescue” them from the hard ones but help them develop their own strategies for dealing with them. Every feeling comes for a reason.
• Anger is a clue that something is wrong and we need to make it right again.
• Fear or being afraid stirs up our fightor-flight instinct and we need to take it seriously to change a situation.
• Sadness is a cue to retreat from the world and take time to heal from the event that has caused the sad feeling.
• Loneliness helps us to reconnect to others and live our lives together.
• Tiredness tells us to stop, take a rest and recharge the batteries.
• Anxiety is a sign that something is a threat or a fear and we need to sort it out.
The positive ones are also there for a reason. Being excited, happy or calm allows
