Get beyond
"Mad, Sad, Glad"
Made specifically for children with wounded attachment due to early childhood trauma, this emotional intelligence tool depicts 28 facial expressions of feelings commonly experienced and expressed by traumatized children as well as positive feelings which parents want their children to develop, namely: Bored, Creative, Arrogant, Lonely, Confident, Overwhelmed, Courageous, Proud, Annoyed,
Confused, Scared, Embarrassed, Calm, Insulted, Loved, Worthless, Furious,
Nervous, Ashamed, Envious, Safe, Hopeful, Grateful, Disgusted, Shocked,
Vengeful, Obstinate, Grieved.
IDEAS: Download and print this tool for your family. Laminate it or put it into a plastic sheet protector. Hang it on a fridge, bedroom door or bathroom mirror. Place it on the dining table or add it to your child's journal.
APPLICATION: When your child is displaying an emotion, have the child choose at least one face from the list on the page which they think matches their feeling. Ask what the child thinks the feeling wants to say. Discuss what feelings you see in the child or what feelings you are having as a parent.
The Feelings Faces tool is discussed and used in the Game Changer Parenting program by Strong Love Parenting.
Feelings are Signals
Feelings are signals we must learn to recognize, interpret, and responsibly respond to. Provide the Feeling Faces illustration to help your child identify their feelings. Then ask your child, "If your feeling could talk, what would it say?" From there you and the child can evaluate together the extent to which the feeling is telling the truth or misleading the child as well as the best way to respond to it instead of letting it take over!
Help your child become the boss of their feelings.