What Can We Do? (continued)

Helping School-Age Children

• Work for the child’s trust: Always be truthful and only make promises you can keep.
• Label emotions and make it okay to talk about them openly. Explain and model empathy for others. Teach and model positive self-talk. Use books and educational programs focused on emotional development.
• Validate the child’s emotions, but maintain consistent boundaries. For example, acknowledge that it is okay to feel angry but it is not okay to hit people. 
• Offer safe ways to express feelings: play, drawing, storytelling.
• Promote safe outlets for anger and stress, like naming feelings, breathing, and exercise.