Emotion Coaching - AD

In an animation, a man watches as two children run to a playground outdoors beneath a blue sky. Logo, CDC. Title, Essentials for Parenting. Toddlers and Preschoolers. CDC's essential, science-backed parenting strategies can help you guide your little ones through their big feelings and behaviors. Let's talk about emotion coaching. Emotion coaching means noticing and naming emotions together with your child. It helps kids learn to recognize, understand, and manage their emotions in healthy ways by guiding them through their feelings with patience and support. The man sits on a bench, watching the smaller child, who sits in a sandbox near a toy pail. The man and the child both have green circles with check marks near their heads. The smaller child holds a toy shovel. A sand castle has stands in the sandbox. The larger child runs across the sandbox, collapsing the sand castle. The smaller child gasps. A yellow circle with an exclamation point replaces the smaller child's green circle. Emotion coaching is especially helpful for toddlers and preschoolers because they're still learning about their feelings, and they often can't express those feelings in words yet. After staring at the collapsed sand castle, the smaller child cries. A red circle with a lightning bolt icon replaces their yellow circle. Emotion coaching involves five steps. Notice, connect, listen, name, and find solutions together. First, notice your child's expressions and behavior. Notice your own feelings too. If your child is expressing a less intense emotion and you're feeling calm, this might be a good time for emotion coaching. If your child is having a tantrum, it is not a good time to try emotion coaching. Instead, stay close by and offer them time to calm down. Next, connect with your child. This can be as simple as a hug or making meaningful eye contact with a smile. Listen to your child with empathy. Remain calm and avoid criticizing or judging their emotions. And remember, they may be using their behavior to communicate with you. Getting down at their level and maintaining eye contact can help them know you're listening. Name the emotion you observe in simple terms they will understand. They may even repeat it back to you. This helps your child learn to use words to describe what they feel. Let your child know you accept their emotions. The smaller child nods. The smaller child looks away from the man. Finally, guide your child to find a good solution together. The smaller child looks to the man. The man picks up the toy pail. The smaller child smiles. The red circle near the smaller child's head becomes a green circle with a check mark. The man moves the pail nearer to the smaller child who uses the toy shovel to put sand in the pail. The man looks to the larger child who tries to climb steps in the playground. The larger child has a yellow circle with an exclamation point near her head. The man walks to her. He helps her up the steps. He gives her a thumbs up. Her circle changes to a green circle with a check mark. She slides down the slide. Beneath a sunny sky, the man holds hands with the two children as they all walk on a path. With a few parenting essentials, you can build a strong connection with your child and build a supportive foundation for their growth. Learn more essentials for parenting toddlers and preschoolers at cdc.gov parents essentials.