Identifying and Labeling Your Child's Emotions

Emotions are new and can be somewhat overwhelming for very young children.  Infants and toddlers can be easily overwhelmed by their emotions in different situations.  A first step in helping babies to learn to manage their emotions includes helping them to learn and recognize their own feelings.  When we, as parents label and/or identify emotions, a child can turn a scary or uncomfortable feeling into something that is normal and identifiable. 

One very important way babies learn about emotions, is by watching their parents facial expressions.  For instance, often when a baby sees mom or dad smile, he will also smile.  Likewise, showing a baby an angry or sad face can be upsetting to them.  So, when we have an argument with a family member, we know that it is important to be careful about how we show strong feelings in front of babies.  This does not mean that we should not show a range of emotions to babies, but it helps us to recognize that babies are always watching us as parents, and, in turn, learning how to organize their own emotions. 

About our guest blogger:

Shelley Hawver has been Manager of the Early Head Start Program at Community Action Agency in Jackson and Hillsdale Counties, (Michigan) for the past fifteen years.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan, as well as Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Spring Arbor University.  She has an endorsement through the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health as a level IV mentor.