Helping your child develop self-control requires patience and understanding.
- Knowing how to understand and control your emotions takes time and practice.
- The child must first learn to recognize them physically and identify them.
- Self-control is then the ability he develops to think before reacting impulsively.
The development of self-control in children is a crucial stage in their development. Knowing how to understand and control your emotions takes time and practice, for which parents play an essential role.
Recognize and express your emotions
Even before mastering their emotions, each child must first learn to recognize them physically and identify them. Self-control is then the ability he develops to think before reacting impulsively.
Before the age of five, the development of this skill is complex due to the continued growth of the part of the brain responsible for managing impulses. As they grow, the child will be able to express their emotions in a calmer way, by adapting their gestures and reactions to the situation.
Promote necessary learning
If at the age of five, the child acts according to his needs, gradually he will be able to control himself better and react more appropriately to different situations. The path to greater emotional control involves learning patience, tolerance for frustration, the ability to calm down and listen to others.
As parents, your positive influence and ability to model emotionally balanced behavior play a crucial role in his learning. So, in the event of a crisis, do not hesitate to stop his aggressive actions while remaining calm and once the emotional storm has passed, comfort him and discuss the incident calmly to promote mutual understanding.
What daily practices to develop self-control?
To help him strengthen his self-control, you can:
• Help him to wait by giving him clear clues about the waiting time, using visual cues and offering choices of games or activities.
• Help him tolerate frustration by naming his emotions, encouraging communication after calming down and setting limits while directing his attention.
• Help him listen to others by encouraging eye contact and practicing listening through stories or observations.
Find out more: “Journey into the world of emotions: 28 tales for developing little hearts” by Hervé Rangapen.