Feelings Are the Heart of Raising Mavericks

Feelings are at the core of our human experience, especially for our children. How we, as parents, respond to their emotions shapes their future emotional health. This week, we’ll reflect on how to validate our children’s emotions, helping them build emotional intelligence.

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Task 1: Reflecting on Your Child’s Emotions

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1. Think about the last time your child was upset. How did you respond?

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2. How do you think your response made your child feel?

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3. Have you noticed patterns in how you respond to your child’s feelings? Which of the following best

describes your typical reaction?

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• ( ) Repressing: Pushing away strong feelings with quick dismissals (e.g., “Shush” or “Don’t make a fuss”).

• ( ) Overreacting: Feeling just as upset as your child and mirroring their emotions.

• ( ) Containing: Acknowledging and validating their feelings without being overwhelmed.

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Task 2: Validating Your Child’s Emotions

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1. The next time your child is upset, try validating their feelings. Describe how you can use this approach.

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Example:

Child: “I don’t want to go to school.” Response: “It sounds like you really don’t want to go today. What’s going on?”

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2. How can you be a ‘container’ for your child’s emotions? Write down a possible scenario and your calm, supportive response.

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Task 3: Reflecting on Your Own Emotions

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1. Which emotions (fear, love, anger, excitement, guilt, sadness, joy) do you find easiest to handle in yourself? Which ones are hardest? Why do you think that is?

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2. How do these emotions affect how you respond to your child’s feelings?

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Final Reflection

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1. Think about a time you overreacted or dismissed your child’s feelings. How did you handle it afterward?

Did you apologize or try to make it right?

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2. How can you handle things differently next time to strengthen your bond with your child?

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Progress Tracker

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Use this section to evaluate your progress in acknowledging and validating your child’s emotions.

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Quantitative Tracking

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1. How successful were you in validating your child’s emotions this week?

On a scale of 1-5 (1 = Rarely successful, 5 = Very successful):

( ) 1

( ) 2

( ) 3

( ) 4

( ) 5

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2. How confident do you feel in being a ‘container’ for your child’s emotions, without overreacting?

On a scale of 1-5 (1 = Not confident, 5 = Very confident):

( ) 1

( ) 2

( ) 3

( ) 4

( ) 5

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3. How often were you able to catch and manage your own emotional triggers while responding to your child?

On a scale of 1-5 (1 = Rarely, 5 = Frequently):

( ) 1

( ) 2

( ) 3

( ) 4

( ) 5

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Qualitative Tracking

 

1. What was the most significant moment when you were able to validate your child’s feelings? How did they respond?

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2. How do you feel after using validation rather than dismissing or overreacting?

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3. What insights have you gained about how your own emotions influence your parenting?

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