Emotional Development: Supporting Children’s Worries

During their early years, children embark on a journey of emotional exploration, experiencing a myriad of feelings that shape their understanding of the world. Among the most common feelings in children as their emotions grow is worry.

Supporting children’s emotional development requires patience and empathy. By understanding children’s worries, we can help them recognise their emotions and cope with each day positively, developing resilience and coping strategies to overcome worry. A practical method is teaching them the distinction between things they can control and cannot, focusing on what’s controllable instead of fixating on the uncontrollable to teach resilience and healthy coping mechanisms.

Providing a gentle and nurturing environment that fosters emotional growth is crucial, helping children understand feelings and teaching them ways to cope with managing worry effectively.

A Things I Can and Cannot Control Poster gives clear examples to children about what they can and cannot control, encouraging them to focus on the present and remove themselves from situations out of their hands. Giving children a sense of control and coping mechanisms makes them more likely to be settled, confident and happy.