Helping Children Navigate Emotions
Isolation, quarantines, and lockdowns have slowed down our everyday lives and intensified our feelings. But it’s not just us – children feel it too! How can we help them make sense of their emotions? How can we teach them to manage their reactions in a healthy way? We’ve put together this special reading list to help you address these meaningful questions.
Reading List
For kids ages 5 and up
Alfred the Zebra and Johnny the Monkey are playing ball, but Nico the Jackal makes fun of them. Perhaps he is a little jealous? Wouldn’t Nico like to be a part of their group?
It is not always easy for children (or adults!) to healthily express what they want and admire. Here is a way to help them understand how to communicate without conflict and transform their jealousy into a positive emotion.
La Jalousie, ça suffit!, by Virginie Aladjidi, Caroline Pellissier, and Kei Lam, Casterman
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For kids ages 4 and up
At home, Léonie is a happy and relaxed little girl. But when she plays with other kids or has to speak to an adult whom she does not know, she panics! Why is Léonie so afraid of people she doesn’t know?
This book takes a look at children’s inhibitions and provides helpful ways to better understand and overcome them.
Mes P’tits Pourquoi: La timidité, by Sophie Dussaussois & Tristan Mory, Milan
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For kids ages 3 and up
Victor woke up in a great mood this morning. Unfortunately, his friend Timéo is not in the same boat: he misses his parents and gets very sad. Luckily, Victor’s positive outlook is there to console him!
This lovely story was written by a sophrologue to teach kids how to appreciate all the small pleasures of daily life.
Le livre de mes émotions: la joie, by Stéphanie Couturier and Maurèen Poignonec, Gründ
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For kids ages 4 and up
Why must we always obey our parents? Where do these annoying rules come from?
Here are three short stories to help kids understand the usefulness of rules and the familial contract. Each section is followed by a short psychological commentary that explain what happens in each situation and provides simple tools for expressing needs and avoiding crises.
L’autorité et les règles, by Isabelle Filliozat, Nathan
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For kids ages 5 and up
Shame is a complex emotion. When we are ashamed, we want to make ourselves as small as possible. However, we all become ashamed from time to time – even the most important of us – and it does a lot of good to talk about it.
La honte, by Catherine Dolto & Colline Faure-Poirée, Gallimard jeunesse
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