The list of emotions: Understanding and managing feelings for kids

Understanding and navigating through a child’s inner world begins with the ability to have a clear list of emotions that can help you deal with what your child is experiencing.

Every tantrum or giggle is a signal. Kids, however, often lack the vocabulary to explain some of these internal storms which can be very complex.

This article is a road map for parents. We will explore and identify specific feelings as well as how it affects kids and provides tools for healthy regulation.

What are emotions?

Emotions are the internal compasses which guide how we react to the world. Understanding a list of human emotions is the first step in decoding these signals.

Emotions therefore are complex psychological states comprised of three distinct components: a subjective experience, a physiological response and a behavioral expression.

In everyday life emotions serve as a survival mechanism. They help us to avoid danger; seek out connection and make decisions.

For children, emotions are even more important since their logical brain is still developing. A feeling is often their sole means of communicating an unmet need or moment of pure discovery.

Since children don’t have adult impulse control their emotions lead straight into actions. You may observe this influence in a number of ways.

• Behavioral outbursts. Extreme anger or fear may result in “fight or flight” reactions resulting in tantrums or hiding.
• Social interaction. Positive feelings such as empathy or curiosity lead kids to share their toys and have friends.
• Learning and focus. Stress or anxiety may physically interfere with a child’s capacity to absorb new information in school.

When Parents have a good understanding of the list of moods and emotions, they are able to better support their child’s emotional needs.

A comprehensive list of emotions

Alright, then, let’s jump into the fun world of feelings and craft up our comprehensive list of emotion words!

The goal here is to provide you with a firm foundation, which breaksdown the emotions into categories that are easy to understand and talk about with your kids.

Basic emotions

These fundamental feelings are the basis of how human beings respond instinctively.

Psychologist Paul Ekman identified 6 universal basic emotions which can be recognized across cultures from facial expressions:

• Fear. This is a survival instinct. It warns a child of possible danger or unknown situations.
• Anger. Often is a reaction to a perceived injustice or thwarted goals. It gives the energy to stand up for oneself.
• Happiness. A state of well-being and no discontent. It reinforces positive behaviours and social-bonding.
• Sadness. Usually follows some kind of loss or disappointment. It sends the message to other people that a child needs comfort or a break.
• Disgust. This helps children to avoid those things that are harmful or unpleasant. It safeguards their physical and moral limits.
• Surprise. A quick reply to something that we are not expecting. It makes the brain focus and process new information rapidly.

These basic emotions are fast, intense, and universal: perfect starting points for young kids to name what they are feeling.

Positive emotions

Positive emotions lift and motivate. This list of positive emotions help kids to develop confidence, form good connections and to enjoy life.

• Joy. A happy spirited feeling of elation. It commonly manifests itself during play or in achieving a small victory.
• Pride. The pleasure experienced from a job done well. It develops self-esteem and the urge to try new things.
• Hope. The belief that all is going to work out fine. It keeps the children persistent even when a task is difficult.
• Gratitude. Involves noticing and appreciating good things that are provided by others. This helps him to build deep social ties and empathy.
• Excitement. A condition of anxious waiting. It results from an adventure that keeps the children interested.

Encouraging such feelings helps to make one children resilient and positive in everyday life.

Negative emotions

Negative emotions, while uncomfortable, send essential indicators about needs or boundaries.

This list of negative emotions assists kids grasp and manage more difficult feelings without having some sort of shame.

• Guilt. This occurs when a child feels he or she has done something wrong. It serves as a moral compass.
• Frustration. Feeling of being stuck and inability to accomplish a task. It is often a precursor to a breakthrough in learning.
• Shame. A painful feeling around one’s self-worth. Unlike guilt, shame causes a child to want to hide or to withdraw.
• Loneliness. The pain of feeling alienated from other people. It emphasizes the essential need in humans for belonging and love.
• Anxiety. Prolonged worry that you have about the future. It can make a child feel restless or physically sick with no real reason for it.

Understanding these feelings makes it possible to turn these feelings from overpowering storms into waves that are easier to manage.

Types of emotions and how they affect us

Now, that we’ve created a solid list of emotion words; let’s delve into how such feelings are categorised and how impactful they can be on our day to day life.

Emotions are like colors in a painter’s palette. You have your basic, fundamental emotions, and then you can mix and match to get a vast number of other shades (secondary and tertiary).

• Primary emotions. These are the “raw” reactions that we are born with like joy or fear. They occur instantaneously in the limbic system of the brain.
• Secondary emotions. These develop as a child grows-up and begins to think about their feelings. If a child feels “anger” (primary) they may then feel “shame” (secondary) for becoming angry.
• Tertiary emotions. These are highly specifics versions of secondary feelings. For instance, the secondary emotion “disappointment” may be broken down into “disheartened” or “unmet expectations.”

Emotions serve as the filter through which the child perceives his or her world. When in a positive state, a child will be more likely to take healthy risks.

They may try a new puzzle or even share a snack with a peer. This creates strong and trusting relationships and increases their confidence.

However, if a child is overwhelmed with a list of negative emotions, their ability to make good choices disappears.

They may hit a friend out of feeling misunderstood or being lonely. Part of instructing kids on what these layers are is helping them take a pause before taking any action.

It allows the possibility of turning a reactive moment into a meaningful conversation on what they really need.

Simple emotion list for young learners

In the case of younger children, a complex list of emotions can be overwhelming.

It is more effective to focus on high energy and low energy feelings using relatable, everyday language. Here is how you can explain these feelings to a little one.

• Happy. That “sunny” feeling you have when you eat a favorite snack, or when you are playing with a friend.
• Sad. A “blue” or heavy feeling that is experienced when you lose a toy or must say goodbye.
• Angry. A “hot” feeling down your chest when things are not fair, or when you can’t do what you want to.
• Scared. A “jumpy” feeling that occurs when the lights go out or a loud unexpected sound occurs,
• Surprised. That “oh!” feeling if something happens that you did not see coming like a gift.
• Excited. “Bouncy” feeling when you are waiting for something fun, like your birthday party.

These simple words from the list of emotions provide young children with a starting vocabulary to say ‘I feel…’, rather than acting it out.

Why teach emotions to children?

Teaching emotions may not seem even necessary since we all feel them naturally. However, feeling emotions and understanding them are two totally different skills.

Emotional education has life-long benefits that touch on all areas of life. It’s one of the greatest gifts that a parent can give to their kids.

Let’s examine why such a teaching is so important.

• Helps to boost emotional intelligence. Children better identify emotions in themselves and others and this is key in being able to navigate social situations and make good choices.
• Fosters empathy. Understanding one’s own feelings helps children understand that others have feelings too. This basic skill enables them to have deep connections with others.
• Improves social skills. Children that are able to express their feelings are better able to communicate their needs, conflict resolve, and form healthy relationships.
• Enhances self-regulation. By being aware of an emotion in the early stages, children can learn to take time to find a healthy way of coping with that emotion rather than reacting impulseively.
• Avoids emotional outbursts. Giving kids an understanding of their list of moods and emotions gives them the power to articulate their inner state, making out-of-control outbursts much less likely.
• Promotes healthy coping mechanisms. When children know what they’re feeling they will then be able to understand and learn more constructive ways of dealing with those feelings.

Teaching emotions equips children with the confidence and compassion they need to navigate their inner world and the larger world.

How to support safe emotional growth in children?

Supporting the development of a child involves more than just teaching the child a list of emotions; it involves introducing a safe environment to feel them.

Parents play the role of an emotional coach in helping kids get through storms in their inner life. Let us explore how to successfully protect and nurture that growth.

Emotional risks for kids

Children experience significant, unique emotional vulnerabilities while their nervous systems are developing.

Without appropriate support, such risks have the potential to cause long term mental health and social integration issues.

Common risks include.

• Emotional dysregulation. The inability to regulate the intensity or the duration of emotion impulses.
• Social isolation. A sense of lack of connection that could result in long and deep-seated feelings of loneliness or rejection.
• Chronic stress. Exposure to adult level concerns or high conflict situations that result in stunted emotional growth.

According to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics entitled “Global prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents during COVID-19,” researchers have found that environmental stressors have a significant effect on internalizing problems.

The study highlights the fact that in the absence of protective parental intervention, external stressors can cause levels of anxiety in young learners to double.

How parents can help children manage emotions

Parents are the main architects in a child’s ability to recognize, understand and acknowledge their own emotions while sympathizing with the emotions of others.

By going through a list of moods and emotions together you will be helping your child to cultivate the mental muscles needed for life.

• Identify physical cues. Watch out for fists tightly closed (anger) or the avoidance of eye connection (shame). Carefully point these out to help the child to link body sensations with a list of moods and emotions.
• Validate before fixing. Instead of saying “don’t be sad” try to say “I see that you are feeling sad as your tower fell over”.
• Model healthy expression. Let your children see you deal with your own frustration. This shows them that all feelings are manageable on the list of human emotions.

A big component of being emotionally safe in the modern world is being able to handle the digital “noise” that can cause anxiety or fear.

FlashGet Kids is a powerful parental control tool that can help parents to curate a stress-free environment for their children.

By restricting access to inappropriate material, parents can avoid “emotional hijacking” through exposure to scary or mature themes online.

FlashGet Kids offers a number of relatable features including:

• Screen time. Allows you to set daily limits to prevent overuse which may cause frustration or mood dips due to being on the device too much.
• Alerts. Get alerts on specific activities or keywords which may help the parents step in early, should something upsetting arise.
• Recording. Monitor surrounding or audio by using the remote camera or the one-way audio function to make sure their environment doesn’t cause negative emotions.
• App rules. Block specific apps that encourage negativity and ensure that their digital world is under control.

By combining the efforts of emotional coaching with smart technology such as FlashGet kids, you are providing a balanced foundation for your child’s well being.

Conclusion

So, as we came to the end of our ultimate list of emotions, remember that this journey towards understanding emotions is a continuous one, for you as well as for your child.

Equipping children with the language and skills to deal with their emotions isn’t only about avoiding meltdowns, but also about developing empathy, resilience, and positive relationships.

When parents become fluent in the language of feelings, they enable their kids to go through life, and all the ups and downs with confidence.

Blend this emotional awareness with such practical tools as FlashGet Kids to provide a safe and balanced environment and contribute to guiding your children through their emotional sea.