Human beings associate the expression of feelings with being vocal – we’re in the habit of saying whatever’s on our minds out loud. However, that is not the case for toddlers.

Toddlers are little, but their feelings are huge – and they always miss out on properly expressing themselves in front of friends or family. Whether it’s a speech barrier, or a confidence issue, toddlers simply can’t help it. Children themselves don’t understand these emotions, which is why keeping them bottled up becomes so dangerous for their mental health.

Here is how you can help your child express their feelings better:

Be empathetic

It might look as if your toddler is crying over every single thing on purpose – but it’s actually the opposite. When a child feels overwhelmed with emotions like those of anger, frustration or sadness, they resort to crying because it’s the only thing they can do. It’s a parent’s duty to take care of them before their early development is affected.

The best thing you can do is to be empathetic. Articulate their feelings using simple language, and make sense out of whatever they’re feeling. At this stage of growth, children need to be reassured that their emotions are valid, and deserve to be heard and accepted. The last thing your toddler wants is to feel guilty for being human.

Switch the Topic

As much as toddlers need reassurance during tantrums or breakdowns, sometimes they won’t move on unless you switch their mood yourself. Set up a good distraction to get your toddler’s mood shifted completely; tell a story, play a game, or you can even point at something completely random!

The longer your child dwells on a negative event or feeling, the longer they’ll hurt in the future. So dissolve the tension in their minds by introducing something fun.

Model good emotional expression

A child’s mind is like a sponge that absorbs everything like education, experience, even quirky habits and mannerisms. You as a parent are their first teachers – so teach them how to label their emotions.

“You’re sad because…”, “You’re happy because…”, the list goes on. It’s your duty to fill in the blanks after “because” – that way, your child will slowly learn to discern their own feelings better. You will have successfully removed the confusion out of emotional overload.

Give them the power of choice

Whatever the matter may be – food, clothes, or toys – let your toddler gradually learn to make their own decision. Parents have to hold the reins over their children’s development, but that doesn’t mean you can’t exercise freedom to a certain degree.

This helps children not only make better, thoughtful decisions in the future, but it also lets them know that their choice – and thus, their thoughts – are important and valid.

Be creative with play

Creativity is perhaps the best outlet for any kind of emotion. Create a happy “positive space” out of any creative activity – puppet play, building blocks, cutting out pictures, painting, anything goes!

Emotional distress is not always tantrums or tears; it can be quick irritation, grumpiness, or unusual silence. These kinds of moods are the hardest to deal with, because they hardly make sense at face value. The longer these feelings last, the bigger the problem becomes. So let your child learn to deal with it in a healthy way, by letting it out through play. Any kind of exercise (physical or mental) makes everything better.

Nurseries in JLT also believe that the answer to good emotional expression is to continuously model a healthy emotional behaviour. Oakfield Early Learning Centre in JLT keeps the same principle in mind, and strives to encourage children to learn and grow in a nurturing and supportive environment, where teachers help keep students’ thoughts and feelings understood.

After all, emotional stability is what turns a child into a confident, successful person in the future.