Helping to regulate children emotions © Cover Media via Reuters Connect
Music can be a powerful tool to help children through their emotions.
If you’re a parent, you know that children have a lot of emotions and don’t always know how to deal with them.
From coping strategies to music, Clare Shaw, music teacher and founder of Mini Mozart, has offered up five tips on how to help young children manage their feelings.
Validate feelings
First and foremost, your child needs to know that their feelings are normal.
“Whether they’re expressing joy, frustration or sadness, let them know that their feelings are perfectly normal and that it’s okay to feel what they are feeling,” the expert says.
Teach coping strategies
Teaching your child simple coping strategies, such as breathing techniques, can help them feel more confident.
“This could be as simple as taking deep breaths together, counting to ten, or using a favourite stuffed animal or blanket as a comfort object,” Clare recommends. “Encourage your child to identify what helps them to feel better when they’re upset and empower them to use these strategies whenever they need them.”
Model calmness
Showing your child that you are calm when you are feeling emotional can help them “navigate their own emotions”.
“Take deep breaths, use gentle and reassuring language, and demonstrate patience and empathy when your child is upset,” she advises. “By showing them how to navigate their own emotions with grace and resilience, you’re providing them with invaluable tools for self-regulation.”
Use music as a tool
A great way to help your child through their emotions is to use music.
“Soothing melodies and gentle lullabies can calm frayed nerves, but sometimes what’s called for is something upbeat you can dance away your frustrations to,” the expert explains. “Encourage your child to express themselves through music by singing, dancing or playing simple instruments like shakers or xylophones.”
Provide routine and structure
Having a consistent routine will help give your little ones a sense of stability when they’re struggling with instability in their emotions.
Clare suggests, “Incorporate music into these daily rituals to signal transition and create a sense of comfort and familiarity.”
—Cover Media/Reuters
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