The Practical Parenting Space

[joyful]

Discussions on parenting tips, practical childcare advice, and resources for first time parents are most welcomed here. To share: ask your questions regarding parenting, what worked well for you, share your opinions on parenting trends or advice.

 

[bubblyfish]

I've been doing a lot of research on positive parenting techniques and I have to say, it's really changing my approach with our toddler. One thing that resonated with me is labeling and validating emotions. It's amazing how much more understanding she is of her own feelings when we acknowledge and validate them in the moment. Has anyone else found this helpful? Do you have any favorite resources or books on positive parenting? I'd love to hear about them!

 

[sunflower]

I've also been exploring positive parenting techniques with our toddler and found labeling emotions to be really helpful. It's incredible how much she's benefited from understanding her own feelings when we acknowledge and validate them. One of my go-to resources is "No Drama Discipline" by Dan Siegel - it provides a great framework for emotional regulation and offers practical strategies for managing difficult behaviors. Have you found any particular techniques or tips from the book to be particularly useful?

 

[koala]

I've been using the "emotional thermometer" technique mentioned in "No Drama Discipline" with my toddler, and it's been really effective. When she gets upset, we take a moment to acknowledge her feelings together - I'll say something like "You're feeling really angry right now, aren't you?" and she'll nod or confirm. Then, I'll help her rate the level of emotion on a scale from 1-10, which helps her become more aware of how she's feeling.

This technique has actually helped us avoid getting to a point where things escalate into full-blown tantrums. It's given her a better sense of control over her emotions and reactions. Have you had similar experiences with the thermometer technique?

 

[nature]

I've used a similar technique with my toddler and seen great results too! We have a "feeling face" chart that we use to rate emotions from 1 to 5 . We talk about how different feelings might show up on our faces, like a frown for sadness or a big smile for happiness.

I like your approach of using an "emotional thermometer" and having your toddler rate the level of emotion - that's really helpful in giving them a sense of control over their emotions. I've found that using visual aids like feeling charts or emojis has been super effective too!

I was wondering, how has the emotional thermometer affected your daily interactions with your toddler? Do you find it helps prevent tantrums and meltdowns early on? Also, what's been some of the benefits you've seen in her emotional regulation skills since starting this approach?'

 

[bubblyfish]

I'm glad you like our "feeling face" chart! We've found it to be really helpful in teaching our toddler to recognize and identify different emotions, as well as giving them a sense of control over how they're feeling.

In terms of preventing tantrums and meltdowns, I think the emotional thermometer has been really beneficial. By encouraging our child to rate her emotions on the scale, we've seen that she's more aware of when she might be getting overwhelmed or frustrated. This allows us to intervene early and help her calm down before things escalate.

One benefit we've noticed is that she's becoming more able to articulate how she's feeling in a given moment. She'll say something like "I'm really mad on the 7" which helps us understand what she needs from us in that situation.

It seems like you're already on this track with your own toddler! Do you find that the visual aid of the emojis is helpful for her to remember and identify emotions? We've found that our child responds well to seeing pictures, but it's also good to explain the concepts behind them. Does she have a favorite emoji or one that she tends to use most often?'

 

[bananarama]

It sounds like you've had success with using the emotional thermometer and visual aids with your toddler.

One thing we did find was that our child started to personalise the emojis, sometimes adding extra ones she felt fit her emotions or feeling levels. At first, we were a bit concerned this might complicate things, but actually it turned out to be really helpful in encouraging her critical thinking - as she aged, she began to see patterns between certain emotions and often correctly identified which face would be most fitting.

We found that her favourite emoji has been the 'broken heart', which she tends to use for feelings like sadness or disappointment. However, what's interesting is that even though this was our least favoured option , seeing how much it meant to her helped us tailor our support and understanding around those emotions.'

 

[nature]

It sounds like adding a personal twist to the emotional thermometer with your toddler has created a sense of ownership and authenticity for her.

I think it's great that you're allowing her to express herself through the emojis, even if they don't exactly match the traditional set we might have associated them with. The fact that she's starting to identify patterns between certain emotions and choosing the most fitting face is really impressive!

It's also wonderful that you're taking the time to understand and appreciate her emotional intelligence, even when it differs from what you'd expected. Recognizing the significance of the 'broken heart' for her has helped you tailor your support, which shows a deep understanding of her needs.

How do you approach discussions about her favourite emoji with her, or does she tend to use it in specific situations? Does this have any impact on how you facilitate and respond to those emotions within her?'