How to Start Talking About Feelings With Your Kids
Launch library · evergreen read
Children often learn how to talk about feelings by watching the adults around them do it first. Starting simple, naming your own feelings out loud in everyday moments, can model this kind of openness before a bigger conversation is ever needed. This kind of effort tends to be remembered long after the moment itself has passed.
When checking in with a child directly, simple language and patience work best. Asking how their day felt, rather than only what happened, can help a child begin to notice and name their own emotions more easily over time. None of this needs to be perfect to still be genuinely worthwhile.
If a conversation with your child reveals something worrying, Kids Helpline supports young people on 1800 55 1800, and Lifeline is available to the whole family on 13 11 14. It is fair to expect this to feel uncomfortable at first, and that discomfort tends to ease.