Emotional Growth

Providers can access a free training on this website to help support families in fostering resilience and learning to talk more about feelings so they can support each other through hard times.

Sometimes families are not used to talking about feelings. Many people are comfortable talking about hungry, tired or cold/hot. But what about sad, angry, frustrated, worried? Start with just trying to notice when you are having different feelings and celebrate starting the conversation with a sticker chart in the kitchen!

This might seem ridiculously easy. But try it! Just pausing when something upsets you and taking 5 big deep breaths can help you respond rather than react to your child's behaviors.

Sometimes it helps to have a person outside the family work with you on how you talk about feelings and develop a new approach to unpleasant parenting moments.

I promise, no matter how much it feels like it, your child is not trying to ruin your day. They just need help with their big, unmanageable emotions! Try to stay curious and model self-care.

Feel like parenting is hard? Do you wish you could have more patience with your child? Do you wish you could control your own emotions more? Here are some tips for children at different ages.

Did you know just being able to talk about feelings with your family can help decrease any long term impact of adversity?