Helping Your Child Name Feelings When Emotions Get Big
When your child is upset, they might shout, cry, freeze up — or even go quiet and disappear into their own world. What they often can’t do in that moment is explain what’s going on inside.
That’s because before we can tame a feeling, we have to name it.
But naming emotions is surprisingly tricky, especially for kids who feel things deeply, intensely, and sometimes out of the blue. That’s why this week in Thera-Scholars, we’re focusing on one foundational skill: emotional literacy.
Why Is Naming Feelings So Hard for Kids?
- Emotions are fast — the feeling often shows up in the body before the child even realises it.
- They may not have the words — “mad” and “sad” are just the tip of the iceberg.
- Big feelings can feel unsafe — especially if kids worry that certain emotions are “bad” or might get them in trouble.
- They‘re still learning what feelings do — emotions have jobs, but kids aren’t born knowing that.
So when your child says “I don’t know what I feel,” they’re not being defiant — they’re being honest.
And that honesty is a wonderful place to start.
What Helps?
This week, your downloadable resource is Dash’s Feeling Wheel — a colourful, playful tool to help kids identify, circle, and talk about feelings in a way that feels safe and empowering.
You can use it:
- In the morning before school as a quick emotional check-in
- After a meltdown (once your child is calm)
- At bedtime to reflect on the day
- In drawings or stories (“Which feeling did Dash have in your comic?”)
And remember — you don’t have to push it. Start by modelling your own feelings:
💬 “I’m feeling a little nervous about this appointment. I might colour in the nervous part today.”
Kids learn by seeing, hearing, and doing — and Dash is here to help make that journey fun.
🔁 Coming Up This Week:
🖨️ Tuesday: Printable Feeling Wheel to colour and use at home
📝 Friday: Reflection tool to help your child explore how it went
💬 Dash’s 3 gentle questions to wrap up the week:
1️⃣ What tool or feeling did I try?
2️⃣ What went well when I used the tool?
3️⃣ What could I try differently next time?
📌 Join the Community
Download the weekly tools and connect with other carers in the private group.
🔗 Autism Thera-Scholars Carers Community
📧 info@succeedhealthcare.com.au
🌐 www.succeedhealthcare.com.au