From one moment to the next, our emotions can change on a dime.
Johnny is happy until he notices Tommy has the cool car he wants, then he's mad. Or Jane is feeling tired when she notices little Susie is riding a bike, so adrenaline kicks in and she jumps to ride at a moments notice.
It is our job to offer emotional guidance and at the same time, acknowledge their feelings. This can be a tricky situation. I've seen teachers tell a child, who's mom just dropped them off,
"I know you are sad because your mommy just left." That only makes them cry harder. You can acknowledge their emotions and validate them without influencing their experiences. Something can be said like,
"Let's say see ya later mommy, I know you'll be back this afternoon." The child will look at you and realize their mom is actually returning and not leaving forever. You validated their emotions and helped them put them into perspective. Not everyone agrees with this thought process, but I have found helping a child understand why they are sad or mad or even happy helps them understand their own feelings.
So this week's theme is All About Feelings:
We're feeling pretty content to hug a friend.
Look at the sincerity in their little faces.
Friends complete a happy face using clear stones.
We draw how we feel.
We paint how we feel.
We are sometimes surprised!
And sometimes we are angry!
We can play matching games about our feelings.
We learn how to name our feelings.
We can read about our feelings: Mad Mouse!
And make a puppet to learn about our feelings.
And connect with our story by coloring about our feelings.
No matter how we feel, it is validated here at PattyKakesKidz!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM
