Today, my 4 yo woke up in a bad mood. He threw three tantrums before we even had breakfast. When we sat down for breakfast, he looked cross and pushed his food away. “Why are you angry, Eassa?” I asked him gently. “I AM NOT angry, mum. YOU are the one angry!” He replied with conviction. After some fruitless discussion concerning facial expressions, I snapped a quick photo of his face and took a selfie. I showed the images to him. “Who is angry in the photo?” He was silent for a few seconds, with a look of shock. He demanded I give him my phone and he took several selfies. The final one had a broad smile on his face. “See mum, Eassa is happy.” …And all was good after that.
So sometimes kids (and adults) need help in recognising their feelings and facial expressions. They also need help to distinguish the difference between reality and their own perception. Emotional development is an ’emotional’ and tricky aspect of growing up!