Every child experiences “the blues” every once in a while, but when the sadness becomes relentless, it could manifest into depression. Depression can affect a child’s personal life, school work, and social or family life. Children, versus adults, can develop depression based on additional factors like peer pressure and changing hormone levels. It’s important to be alert and supportive of our children in order to help them.

Symptoms

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) recognizes the following symptoms as warning signs of depression in children:

• Feelings of sadness, irritability, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Decrease in interest in activities once found enjoyable
• Decrease in energy
• Difficulty concentrating
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Changes in sleeping habits
• Talk of suicide
• Poor school performance

If you recognize any of these symptoms in your child, there are ways you can help:

Support

After an initial diagnosis of depression, the best thing you can do is become informed, for you and your child. Jumo Health, a digital health resource for families, offers a depression discussion guide which provides questions to help foster conversation with a doctor after a diagnosis.

Moreover, there are productive ways to create dialogue between you and your child. Start by letting your child know why you care about how they are feeling. Ask your child about their feelings, but don’t expect them to completely understand or have all the answers. Follow up with connections and examples of some of your own feelings so that they feel relatable. It’s important for children to know that they are not alone.If you want to help your child even further, we previously suggested the “Three L’s”:

• Logging thoughts in a journal
• Laughter
• Long walks

Have your child interpret thoughts through writing. They can use a journal to keep track of moods, visualize patterns, and even write down inspirational thoughts. Journaling is a great way for your child to get their thoughts down on paper to clarify and reflect on their feelings.

Better yet, help your child combat sadness with its opposite: laughter. Activities such as watching a funny movie or show can use humor to play an important role in depression management.

Lastly, utilize the curative effects of exercise. Physical activity has healing benefits that release endorphins in order to relieve stress.

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According to recent research, 25% of children have problems with their emotional intelligence, which can negatively affect their academic performance, social relationships and self-confidence. Increasing emotional intelligence can significantly improve children’s emotional and social development.

Let’s discover the secrets of managing emotions

Express their feelings through drawing

Children often have difficulty expressing their feelings in words. Drawing can be a great way for them to express their emotions and moods. Through drawing, children can better understand and manage their emotions.

What can parents do?

• Encourage your child to draw their feelings.
• Create a special time and space for painting.
• Be prepared to listen and understand what they are drawing.

Conversations and Expression of Emotions

It is important that children have the opportunity to talk about their feelings. Through conversations, they can learn to express their emotions and understand how to manage them. It is not necessary to scold the child for expressing emotions, but to encourage them to share and discuss their feelings.

What can parents do?

• Take time each day to talk to your child about their feelings.
• Use open-ended questions to help them explore their feelings.
• Teach them that all feelings are important and acceptable.

Games to develop emotion management skills

Games can be a great way for children to learn and develop their emotion management skills. Through games, children can understand how to express their feelings, how to interact with other people, and how to overcome difficult situations.

What can parents do?

• Choose games that encourage cooperation and understanding.
• Organize game nights with the family.
• Discuss children’s emotions and how to manage them during games.

Happy and confident children

When children learn to manage their emotions, they become happier and more confident. These skills help them overcome difficulties, improve relationships and achieve their goals.

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Conflicts may be inevitable in a child’s life, but by teaching them coping skills, you can help them become stronger and more confident. Here are some tips and steps to help you support your children in this process.

It is important to understand how others feel

Children should learn to understand and accept other people’s feelings. This will help them to be more sensitive and understanding. Talk to them about how they feel in different situations and what they can do to understand others. For example, if a child has had a fight with a friend, ask him how the other child feels and what he can do to improve the situation.

Use games to develop cooperation and respect

Games can be a great way for children to learn the value of cooperation and respect. Choose games that require teamwork and mutual respect. Through games, children will learn how to cooperate, share and respect others. For example, group games and team tasks.

Talk to your children about conflicts and teach them how to resolve them

Talking about conflicts can help children better understand their feelings and learn how to solve problems. Talk to your children about how they handle conflicts and what steps they can take to improve the situation. For example, teach them to ask how the other person is feeling, to offer solutions, and to cooperate.

Learn problem solving skills and understanding

Problem solving skills are important in any situation. Teach your children how to analyze problems, find solutions, and accept compromises. Understanding and problem-solving skills will help children overcome conflicts and cooperate better with others.

When children learn to deal with conflicts, they become stronger and more confident. Support them in this process and follow us to learn more.

Children’s communication skills can greatly affect their quality of life. Here are some steps and tips that can help children develop their communication skills.

Regular conversations with children

Regardless of age, conversations with children are important. Conversations help children express their feelings, thoughts and understand the feelings of others. Take time each day to talk to your child and ask them questions about their day, feelings and thoughts.

Games and interactive activities

Games play an important role in the development of children’s social skills. Games teach children to cooperate, share, understand and respect the feelings of others. For example, play therapy can be a great way to improve children’s communication skills.

Team work

Group work helps children learn how to cooperate and understand the feelings of others. Group projects, games, and interactive lessons can go a long way in helping children develop their social skills.

To read a book

and discuss

Reading and telling stories is not only fun for children, but it also helps them understand and express their feelings. Choose books that tell stories about friendship, cooperation, and feelings, and discuss those stories together.

Meditation

and yoga

Meditation and yoga can help children relax and focus. These activities teach children to manage their emotions and better understand their feelings, which can greatly improve their communication skills.

When children develop these skills, they will become happier and more confident.

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If you are not yet familiar with the emotional intelligence class for children, you can call 098-255-594 (WhatsApp) or write to our Facebook or Instagram pages for a free consultation.

The importance of children’s emotional development cannot be underestimated. For about 15-20 percent of children, difficulties with emotional intelligence (EQ) can have serious consequences, both in their social and academic lives.

What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, refers to a person’s ability to understand, control, and express their own emotions, as well as to understand and respond appropriately to the emotions of others. This ability plays a major role in a person’s social relationships, overall success in work and life.

EQ difficulties in children

Children who have difficulty understanding and expressing their feelings often have social problems. Such children may have difficulty integrating into group games, avoid social interactions, or have conflicts with other children. This can negatively affect their self-esteem and overall development.

What steps to take?

Creating support systems. Children should be provided with psychological support both in schools and in families. Teachers and parents can play a big role in the process of emotional development of children.

Skills training. Through games, art, and interactive activities, children can be taught how to express their feelings and understand the feelings of others

Regular chats. By regularly talking to children about their feelings, we can help them understand and regulate their emotions.

The goal is a Happy and Healthy Future for Children

Developing children’s emotional skills greatly contributes to building a happy and healthy future for them. By helping children develop these skills, you can ensure they have better social and academic opportunities, leading to success in any field.

Summary:

The importance of developing children’s emotional intelligence cannot be underestimated. By supporting them and taking appropriate measures, you can ensure that your children have a healthy and happy life.

We recommend reading the “How to improve children’s communication skills”