How to Encourage Your Child to Talk About Their Feelings

Children act out on their feelings when they are unable to communicate them in words.

It can be difficult for children to verbalise how they feel, so parents should take the time to encourage them to share how they feel with you. 

This article will go into detail about some basic strategies that many parents use when trying to help their children learn how to express themselves and open up about what is going on inside of them.

Create a safe space for your child to talk about their feelings

One of the most important things you can do to encourage your child is to create a safe space for them.

A safe space doesn't necessarily mean that there are no negative consequences, but it does mean that they will be able to share their feelings without worrying about being judged or criticized by others.

Parents should try expressing themselves in order to set an example for their children on how one might feel when expressing emotions and expressing oneself in general.

It helps if parents let go of any preconceived notions about what kids "should" be feeling at certain ages so as not to dismiss the way they may actually be feeling.

Encourage emotional expression instead of suppressing it

Parents often make the mistake of suppressing their children's emotions in order to avoid expressing them themselves.

This is problematic because it can lead to many issues down the line such as anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses that stem from being unable to express one's self authentically or even attach meaning to certain feelings they may be having at a given time.

It also means that your child won't have an outlet for expressing themselves when things get tough and instead will resort to acting out on how they are feeling which could mean anything from misbehaving with friends, getting into fights at school, or engaging in substance abuse behaviors like drinking alcohol.

Expressing yourself through art

One way parents can encourage emotional expression without forcing it upon kids who don't want to talk about their feelings is by making sure that they have a healthy outlet for expressing themselves.

Whether your child chooses music, painting, drawing, or even writing as an art form doesn't matter so long as it's something that they find meaning in and can express how they feel through.

This will help them not only learn more about who they are at the core but also contribute to society by expressing what makes us human - our emotions!

Listen without judgment 

Now that you know some strategies to help encourage emotional expression in your children, it's time for parents to listen without judgment.

Parents should let their children express themselves and not try to tell them how they should be feeling or what they are feeling is "wrong."

This will only serve as a barrier between parent and child which can have lasting repercussions on the relationship throughout the years.

It's also important that parents don't make comparisons with other kids' experiences when their own children open up about things because every child has different life circumstances including different family dynamics, economic backgrounds, cultural expectations, etc. all of which contribute greatly to someone's upbringing so comparing one kid against another isn't appropriate ever!

Encourage positive behavior rather than punishing negative behavior

Negative behaviors often stem from frustration or anger which is why it's important for parents to encourage positive behaviors rather than punish negative ones.

Parents should try and find the root cause of their child's misbehavior such as feeling neglected, being bullied at school, having a lack of friends, etc.

Then you can address those issues so you can help your child cope with whatever might be causing them stress in real-time instead of letting small problems snowball into larger ones that could have lasting effects on one's wellbeing throughout life!

Offer reassurance when they are feeling scared or sad 

Parents play an integral role in helping their children cope with whatever they might be feeling.

It's important to Offer reassurance when they are feeling scared or sad by letting them know that nothing bad will happen if what scares them comes true, and even better - you'll help make it come true!

This lets kids know that there is someone who loves them unconditionally no matter how things may turn out which can go a long way for any child's mental health and wellbeing throughout life.

Don't forget to Offer reassurance when your kids are upset about something because reassuring feelings of safety from the ones we love most go a long way towards positive emotional growth despite our age!

Give them choices when possible

Parents need to give their children choices when possible, so they feel more in control of the situation.

This will help them not only learn more about who they are at the core but also contribute to society by expressing what makes us human - our emotions!

Parents should let their children express themselves and not try to tell them how they should be feeling or what they are feeling is "wrong."

Negative behaviors often stem from frustration or anger which is why it's important for parents to encourage positive behaviors rather than punish negative ones.

It's also important that parents don't make comparisons with other kids' experiences when their own children open up about things because every child has different life circumstances including different family dynamics, economic backgrounds, cultural expectations, etc. all of which contribute greatly to someone's upbringing so comparing one kid against another isn't appropriate ever!

Encourage them to write down their thoughts and feelings in a journal or diary 

By encouraging them to write their thoughts down will help them express themselves as well as process their thoughts and feelings in a constructive way.

This can translate into better mental health, less stress, improved academic performance (due to lower levels of anxiety), greater self-awareness which is really helpful when they become adults since those qualities are highly valuable then!

Letting kids write down their thoughts and feelings in a journal or diary will also give them some independence by taking control over what's on the paper rather than just having an empty page staring back at them.

Many children may feel insecure about writing because of this fear so realizing that someone cares enough to encourage such behavior might be all your child needs for this activity to have positive effects on their mental health and wellbeing.

Additionally, it can help keep track of things that might otherwise get lost - by reading what's written on those pages later you may find out more about how your child is feeling without having to ask which provides an opportunity for a deeper connection between the two of you as well as improved communication skills all around!

Be a good listener and ask open-ended questions

Even when your kids are older, being a good listener and asking open-ended questions will help them express what's on their minds to you.

This is especially important if there's something bothering your child since they might not always come out with it right away - showing that you're interested in what's going on for them can encourage more talk about things that may have otherwise gone unsaid!

Wrapping Up

Parenting is a tough job and it can be difficult to know how best to handle your child's feelings.

The goal is for your child to feel comfortable expressing themselves and their feelings without the worry of judgment.

Consider these suggestions as you work with your children on how to talk about their feelings, or if you need any help encouraging emotional expression in yourself. We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what worked best for you by commenting below.

What strategies have helped encourage emotional expression in your family?