How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7

Just accept the feeling. Often a simple acknowledgment of the feeling is enough to defuse a potential meltdown. For those times when it’s not enough,

kids can’t behave right when they don’t feel right. If we don’t take care of their feelings first, we have little chance of engaging their cooperation. All we’ll have left going for us is our ability to use greater force.

All feelings can be accepted. Some actions must be limited!

But a child’s emotions are just as real and important to him as our grown-up emotions are to us. The best way to help a child “get over it” is to help him go through it.

Having their feelings acknowledged actually helps children accept that they can’t always get what they want.