Children’s emotions: 3 books to help us understand them

Children begin to feel emotions from the first months of life and learn to regulate them through the relationship with the adult. Let’s see 3 books together to deepen the world of children’s emotions

Emotional reactions in children often change and continue to evolve with age. Growing up, they also change interpretations of events and begin to predict them. This leads them to be more aware and to recognize an emotion.

Development and relationships | Children’s emotions: 3 books to help us understand them

The child has, from birth, an extraordinary empathy. In fact, it is not uncommon for a newborn to cry when hearing the cry of a peer or imitate the expressions or vocalizations of adults.

As we have said, the development of emotions is related to the nurturing relationships with the adult of reference. The experience that is created together with the educator and the cognitive, motor and social processes constitute a point of conjunction between the external and internal world.

Moreover, thanks to relational exchanges, he is able to understand the mechanism of request –answer , that is, he is able to feel the need, to signal it (crying) and to receive an answer. This allows you to regulate emotionality and consequent communication.

The main emotions | Children’s emotions: 3 books to help us understand them

The emotions that characterize the evolutionary process of children are: fear, joy, surprise, anger, sadness, disgust and shame. The latter, said primary emotions, they change nuance according to the context in which they are expressed and the emotional education received.

The emotions secondary, understandably from the name, derive from the primaries: the resentment, for example, which derives from the anger, l’ansia which comes from fear and so on. Every type of sensation experienced, precisely because it is mostly new, is perceived in an amplified way and it can be difficult for the child to be able to control it.

What the adult has to do is teach them the emotion and the resulting sensations. The knowledge of emotions, in fact, allows the child to develop awareness and interact with his companions, reducing aggression and increasing empathy.

How to help | Children’s emotions: 3 books to help us understand them

Adults can create an environment emotionally welcoming and playful. Through the game, in fact, emotions can be developed that, in different circumstances, would not come out.

Across the “pretend that”Or the telling of a story, the child identifies with a person other than himself, tries to feel the thoughts, fears and emotions of someone other than himself.

The parent or educator can also explain the emotion to the child and make him talk so that he can understand and explain what he feels himself. It is therefore important for the child to name that feeling, to identify and differentiate it, and to address negative emotions as well.

“Why are you sad?” or “Are you angry today?”, these simple questions can help him cope with what he feels and understand.

Recommended books

The colors of Anna Llenas’ emotions:

The monster of colors has mixed emotions and now they can no longer be distinguished! How to do? The monster is confused and cannot understand them but with the help of a child he will be able to put everything back in order.

Age of reading: 3 years

That anger! By Mireille d’Allancé:

Roberto is very angry today, he responds badly to his father and does not want to eat. That anger! At least until a monster materializes in his room and realizes how frightening that monster of anger really is!

Age of reading: 3 years

The emotions of the children of Isabelle Filliozat:

Isabelle Filliozat, psychologist, helps us understand the meaning of our children’s words and behaviors and advises us on the best ways to respond.

See you next time!