18 Comments

  1. Melissa, this has been helpful in better understanding the place where anger is coming from concerning a child’s perspective. By the way, I love the eggs too!

    • melissa

      I’m glad the article was helpful! Anger is not a primary emotion for adults either. So when we are mad at our children or spouse it’s important to find the underlying emotion for us too!

    • melissa

      I’m glad you found the post beneficial. It can be so easy to only see the mad and complete miss the vulnerable emotions underneath. When that is understood is helps increase our empathy for the child! Thank you for reading and commenting! God Bless!

    • melissa

      The eggs are certainly a hit in the office. I’ve had plenty of parents take a picture of them to remind themselves to think about the emotions underneath the anger. I’m glad you enjoyed the post! Thank you for reading and commenting! God Bless!

    • melissa

      It absolutely does! When a child feels heard they are more comfortable to talk. When a parent sees the vulnerable emotion they stay empathetic and connected. Thank you for reading and commenting! God Bless!

    • melissa

      Thank you! It’s a great visual for both the kids and the parents and helps everyone to focus on the underlying emotion. Thank you for reading and commenting! God Bless!

    • melissa

      Anger can be productive in certain situations as it is defensive. But it can too often reach beyond the realms of self-control and restraint. That then leads to harming relationships and potential shame or pride. Thank you for reading and commenting! God Bless!

  2. Those eggs are amazing! I can see them being very helpful in explaining emotions to kids. And I love all of your explanations about each emotion. Very helpful but with understanding my own emotions and my kids. Thanks!

    • melissa

      The eggs are definitely a hit! I have many parents taking pictures of them to remind themselves and their children to look for the emotion underneath. I’m glad the article was helpful! Thank you for reading and commenting! God Bless!

  3. It’s amazing how anger can be so easily misunderstood. Some parents I’ve seen have shrugged their shoulders and said that they have tried everything to address their child’s anger, but a lot of times it is because parents don’t understand that it’s used to cover up an underlying emotion. When we become aware, then we can deal with anger in a much more productive and effective manner. Thanks for sharing!

    • melissa

      I’ve also explained this to parents and they say “No, he/she is just angry. There’s nothing underneath it. They are just choosing to be angry.” That breaks my heart. Thank you for stopping by and commenting! God Bless!

  4. This article is truly amazing! I treasure it for the insight it gives us. Written with professional experience, expertise, and wisdom, it is deeply seated in love and respect for the children and clients that you work with. May it reach many!!

    • melissa

      Thank you Tammy! I use those little eggs in my office on a daily basis to help teach clients of all ages about emotions. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. God bless!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *