6 Phrases to Help Your Child’s Emotional Development

Teaching children the foundations of emotional regulation can help them navigate their inner world

Children need to hear that feelings are normal and something that everyone deals with. fizkes/Shutterstock

Emotional competence is an important life skill. Children with a high level of emotional competence, tend to have more friends, do better at school, and are more likely to help others.

Emotional competence has three components: understanding, expression, and regulation. And these are all things parents can help their children to master. One way children can learn about emotions is by talking about them with their parents. So here are six phrases that could help with your child’s emotional development.

1. It’s OK to Feel What You Are Feeling

Children and adolescents worry about not being “normal.” This feeling stems from a need to fit in. To begin with, young children mostly want to fit in with their family. Then, as they grow, the need to fit in with their peers grows stronger.