Are your children finding it difficult to express their own emotions?

Do they find it difficult to read non-verbal cues or to really understand what others may be feeling?

This is actually completely normal because research has shown that the parts of the brain which are responsible for emotional regulation only become fully developed when people are in their 20s.  

Therefore, this makes it challenging for them to fully process how they are feeling. That’s why they find it even more difficult to ascertain how others might be feeling.

Empathising with others may not come naturally to all children.

 And since thoughts and emotions are often closely related, they might also face stumbling blocks when it comes to articulating their thoughts clearly.

It is no wonder then that when it comes to writing their own stories, they often leave out the characters’ (including the protagonist) thoughts and emotions. This could result in the characters being less developed or unrelatable.

What can be done to help children become more comfortable and confident in understanding and expressing their own and others’ emotions and thoughts?

Here are a few suggestions:

 🌟 Nurture in them a habit of reading cues, like a character’s body language and facial expressions and describing them

 🌟 Cultivating a habit of putting themselves in a character’s shoes and verbalising the character’s thoughts

Next time your child reads a book or watches a movie, try asking them these questions:

 How do you think the character is feeling? How do you know?

At ASA, we use this emotion wheel to guide our students in expressing emotions:

If you were the character, what would you be thinking?

Additionally, parents are the greatest role models for their children, so expressing how you are feeling and sharing with them your thoughts can open up the conversation for them to do the same.