Big Feelings, Little People, The Power of Naming Emotions
All feelings are valid. Happy, sad, angry, scared, frustrated, embarrassed, excited, overwhelmed. None of them are wrong. They are all part of life's rich tapestry, and children who grow up knowing this are better equipped to navigate everything life brings them.
Here's something remarkable that neuroscience has shown us: simply naming a feeling can reduce its intensity. Research including studies from UCLA has found that when we put a word to what we are experiencing, the brain's alarm system quiets down. The overwhelm doesn't disappear, but it becomes more manageable. Name it to tame it.
For children, this is transformative. A child who can say 'I feel scared' or 'I feel really angry right now' is no longer at the mercy of a feeling they can't identify. They have taken the first step towards understanding it. And a child who learns early that all of their feelings are welcome, that nothing they feel is too big or too bad to be named; grows up with a foundation of emotional resilience that will serve them for life.
Building emotional vocabulary
Most of us grow up with a very limited emotional vocabulary. Happy. Sad. Fine. Angry. But feelings are far more nuanced than that, and the more words a child has to describe their inner world, the better they are able to communicate their needs, regulate their responses, and connect with the people around them.
Building this vocabulary doesn't have to be complicated. It starts with the basics: happy, sad, angry, scared ...and grows from there. Worried. Disappointed. Excited. Embarrassed. Proud. Lonely. The richer a child's emotional language, the more seen and understood they feel.
And for children who struggle to say the words out loud, writing or drawing feelings can be just as powerful. Getting a feeling out of the body and onto the page... even as a scribble, even as a single word, creates distance between the child and the emotion. It says: this feeling exists, I can see it, and it is not bigger than me.
What actually helps
Stay as calm as you can. Your nervous system regulates theirs. Connect before you correct, a hand on the shoulder, a quiet presence, before any words. Name what you see without judgment: 'You seem really overwhelmed right now.' Give them a way to release the feeling through movement, drawing, or a safe space to be loud or physical.
And when the storm has passed, that's when the conversation can happen. Not during. After.
Building the skills between the storms
The most effective work happens in the calm moments...building emotional vocabulary, creating rituals for expressing feelings, practising what to do when things feel too big. The more tools a child has access to in the quiet moments, the more likely they are to reach for them when things get hard.
Highs and lows are part of life's rich tapestry. We are here to support young children as they bravely navigate big emotions, in big moments, so they know they are seen, heard and loved. All feelings are welcome. We'll hold them together.
Where The Good Witch Global fits in
Indi the Dream Cat and Rune the Brave Dog were created for exactly this. Each carries a hidden pocket, a safe place where small hands can tuck the feelings they aren't quite ready to say out loud yet. Through quiet play they help children feel grounded, gently opening the door to bigger, harder conversations.
For children who carry big feelings through their day, a simple ritual of writing or drawing a feeling and tucking it safely away can help discharge what they've been holding. It's not therapy. It's a gentle daily practice that says: your feelings are safe here, and so are you.