Emotionally healthy children out-perform their peers academically, enjoy more success as adults, and lead happier lives. Well-rounded children are extremely likely to have a vivacious future.

Follow these strategies to enhance your children’s emotional mindset:

1. Show your emotions freely. The world isn’t always positive, and you may have struggles. It helps your children understand your feelings if they see the reality of the world unfiltered.  

• Children imitate their parents, so they’ll mimic your approach to emotional aspects of life.

• As an emotionally transparent adult, you’ll show your children that it’s okay to have both positive and negative feelings. If you’re open about them, your child will be able to glean insights from your example.

• You may be tempted to shield  your children from your true emotions. However, you won’t help them this way, and you’ll miss a teaching opportunity. 

• Avoid judging feelings. Parents sometimes criticize others and their feelings. Your children are always watching, as a result, they will  judge others too.

• When you judge and criticize the emotions of others, you show your children that it’s okay to make fun of or mock other people. They can become insensitive and lack empathy for others or become scared to show their own feelings.

• It’s also important to avoid labeling feelings as good or bad. Sometimes you may be happy, and sometimes you may be sad, but both are legitimate emotions . Children shouldn’t feel ashamed of their feelings.

• Avoid telling your children how to feel. When you try to control a child’s emotions, it is counterproductive.

• You can’t control every aspect of your child’s life. If you try to tell children how to feel, they become reluctant to demonstrate their true emotions. They learn that they can’t be honest about their feelings, so they suppress them.

• When you tell your child they have to be happy, you prevent them from figuring out why they don’t feel this way, and ultimately frustrate them.

• Parents often feel that their children are an extension of their personalities and expect them to act and feel the same way. However, each child is a unique individual. You can’t expect them to feel the same way as you.

• Resolve your emotional wounds. You’ll find it difficult to teach your children how to handle their feelings when you’re visibly struggling with your own. Children are discerning enough to recognize your  emotional traumas.

• Take care to prevent the emotional wounds from your past or present from carrying over to your children.

• Ask questions and listen. Children benefit from opportunities to discuss their emotions. Ask questions and find out how they feel, rather than assuming what they’re feeling.

• When you ask about their feelings, your children will learn to express them. They’ll become accustomed to expressing their thoughts and emotions.
  

Children who are in touch with their emotions  grow up to be resilient and well adapted adults. They’ll also be able to use these skills when they get older and face challenges. The ability to be emotionally available and knowledgeable is a powerful tool. Your children will enjoy great advantages from learning about their feelings and comfortable expressing them.