5 Steps of "Emotion Coaching" for Preschoolers
Transcript
Title: 5 Steps of "Emotion Coaching" for Preschoolers
Heading: 5 Steps of Emotion Coaching for Preschoolers
Narrator: 5 Steps of Emotion Coaching for preschoolers.
As your child grows, his emotional expressions become more varied, while his temperament and preferences become more distinct. As your child enters the preschool years, you can refer to the 5 Steps of Emotion Coaching to address your child's emotions positively, provide guidance in emotion regulation and effective problem-solving. This helps your child's physical and mental wellbeing. The 5 steps include:
Super: Be aware of the changes in emotions of your child and yourself
Narrator: Be aware of the changes in emotions of your child and yourself.
Super: Shift your perspective to see this as an opportunity for connection and teaching
Narrator: Shift your perspective to see your child's expression of emotion as an opportunity for connection and teaching.
Super: Listen with empathy, understand and accept your child's feelings
Narrator: Listen with empathy, understand and accept your child's feelings.
Super: Help your child express emotions in words
Narrator: Help your child express emotions in words, and -
Super: Set limits and work with your child to solve problems
Narrator: Set limits and work with your child to solve problems.
Now let's take a look at how parents can apply the 5 steps.
Subheading: Emotion Coaching; Practical Applications
Narrator: Emotion Coaching. Practical Applications.
Parents and caregivers are waiting to pick up their children outside the kindergarten. A little girl is excited to show her grandfather her drawing.
Girl: Grandpa! Look!
Narrator: Her grandfather responds with no interest.
Grandfather: Yes, yes. Hurry up! The bus is leaving!
Narrator: The little girl is disappointed on hearing her grandfather's cold response. Meanwhile, a boy from the girl's class also shows his mother his drawing and says,
Son: Look, mum! I drew this!
Super: Be aware of the emotions; Shift Perspective; Listen with Empathy; Help Express Emotions in Words
Narrator: This mother is able to "be aware of the emotions" of her son and notices her son is happy, but she is also feeling rushed as they are in a hurry. However, the mother reminds herself to "shift perspective" and take this opportunity to rejoice with her son. So the mother's frown is turned into a smile. She "listens to her son with empathy", and "helps express emotions in words" by saying,
Mother: You're so happy with this drawing, aren't you? But we have to go now, tell me all about it when we get home.
Super: Set Limits; Solve Problems
Narrator: The mother then "sets limits and works with her son to solve problems" and takes this chance to connect with her son using Emotion Coaching.
Let's look at another situation.
This little girl arrives home from school and grumbles,
Daughter: I'm not going to school tomorrow!
Narrator: Upon hearing this, the mother tries to downplay her daughter's negative emotions and asks,
Mother: It's so much fun at school, right? Of course you want to go.
Super: Be aware of the emotions; Shift Perspective
Narrator: Meanwhile, the father remembers he has to "be aware of the emotions" of his daughter and notices how upset she seems. He then "shifts his perspective" and reminds himself that his daughter cannot regulate her emotions well yet, so he tries to find out her reasons and comfort her. His daughter looks upset while she stares at the floor. The father approaches her and asks,
Father: You look upset. Is there something at school tomorrow?
Narrator: The girl looks at her father and replies,
Daughter: I have to tell a story tomorrow. I'm scared the class will laugh at me when I make mistakes.
Super: Listen with Empathy; Help Express Emotions in Words
Narrator: After "listening with empathy", the father expresses his understanding by "helping her express emotions in words",
Father: Oh. I know how you feel. I would be scared too!
Super: Set Limits; Solve Problems
Narrator: The girl nods. Her father then tries to "set limits and work with her to solve the problem" by discussing solutions with her.
Father: How about we practise together a few times? Or what if you take teddy to school with you? What do you think?
Narrator: The girl thinks for a while and says,
Daughter: I want teddy to go with me.
Narrator: And that's how the father applies the 5 steps of Emotion Coaching.
As long as you attend to, understand and accept the emotional changes of your children at different developmental stages and apply the 5 steps of Emotion Coaching, including Be aware of the emotions, Shift perspective, Listen with empathy, Help express emotions in words, Set limits solve problems, you can support your child's healthy development and build a close parent-child relationship!
Super: Be aware of the emotions; Shift Perspective; Listen with Empathy; Help Express Emotions in Words; Set Limits; Solve Problems
Narrator: To learn more about children's social emotional development and how to respond to the emotions of infants and young children, please watch the videos on "Feelings and Connections Matter" and "Tips on Emotion Coaching".
To understand more about the 5 steps of Emotion Coaching, please visit the website of the Family Health Service - Department of Health at www.fhs.gov.hk and refer to the corresponding pamphlets.
This video is produced by the Family Health Service of the Department of Health.
Produced in March 2021