“I fail to understand why my child hits other children!”, or “Why does my child cry in the middle of the night?”, or “I am confused: One minute my infant is giggling, another minute crying.” Do any of these instances resonate in your parenting life?
Before we start analyzing these signs, let us understand the basics of moods in children.
When do babies learn about moods and emotions?
Research says: Infants as young as four months differentiate emotions. By five months, they can discriminate between the vocal expressions of different emotions. By the time they are two years old, children frequently express their moods and emotions. A 3-year-old child can label emotions.
Why is understanding your child’s mood vital?
By understanding your child’s mood, you can learn how to help them express their preferences, desires and feelings appropriately. The knowledge of independent dimensions of temperament may help you and psychologists understand the behavior judiciously. In case the mood swings in children are uncontrollable, the child's treatment plan and psychotherapeutic management can be effective.
These ten signs give you an idea of your child’s mood, the inference you might draw from them and what action you should initiate.
How is the mood of your child? |
Signs your child gives! | What is your child’s mood? | What do you do? |
Smiles, laughs, or giggles. | Happiness | Join the laughter scene with your child. Your involvement will add to their happiness. |
Cries, coos, or sobs. | Sadness | It is an alarm! Different cries and facial expressions indicate hunger, tiredness, discomfort, or overwhelming situations. Figure out the problem by softly talking to your child. |
Throws temper tantrums, uses foul language or throws things around. | Frustration | Be empathetic toward your child. Validate their reason for anger. Praise them for completing their hard-to-do tasks. |
“Ew! Mom’s hair in my soup!” | Disgust | It is a cognitive limitation and taught like toilet training. |
“Oh, wow! Mommy? Daddy? Did you see this?” | Surprise | Encourage your child to describe the event and find if the surprise was positive, negative or neutral. |
Plays peek-a-boo or expresses emotions with great verbal enthusiasm. | Anticipation | Be warm, loving and responsive. Express your love and delight in their achievements. |
Not able to look at others, has sunken body posture, cheeks blush and sweats. | Shame | Don’t overreact, accept children seriously, praise positive skills, welcome discussion and model their behavior the way you want. |
Bites, demands attention, or whines about things they don’t have. | Jealousy | Don’t expect them to be over-competitive, don’t compare and gently talk to them in a receptive mood. |
Runs to you for comfort or wants your approval. | Love | Go for small gestures to show unconditional love to them. |
Sucks a thumb or has difficulty achieving in school. | Stress | Listen to them intently and support them to use their strengths. |
Complains about the teacher’s methods. Doesn’t talk about school or friends. | Boredom | Try new hobbies that interest your child. |
Expresses suicidal thoughts, runs away from unfamiliar situations, or suffers ailments. | Fear | Share facts. Create opportunities to confront their fears. |
Decides without help, enjoys responsibility, or takes risks. | Confidence | Stop praising them frequently. Teach children to accept criticism. |
Has strong memory, high reasoning ability, or learns fast. | Focus | Plan creative expeditions for them. |
Testimonial
K. Sreeja from Hyderabad shares, “I was depressed before doing the Medha Yoga program. Now I don’t suffer from mood swings and lack of concentration issues. ”
69% of children reported a decrease in emotional problems with the Medha Yoga program.
To sum up
Children reveal different signs, according to their age and biological makeup. When parents attend to the different moods of children, skilfully and quickly, the above guidelines can gradually help children regulate moods in a better way. Eventually, children understand the origin of their frustration. Overall, developing new communication strategies such as role-play regulates the negative moods and enhances positive moods in your children.
Reference links
Early emotion understanding: When do babies learn about emotions?
Temperament and its implications: A review. The temperamental differences influence children’s behavior towards their environment. This article provides an understanding of the concepts of temperament and its dimensions.
Related links
“How yoga can help control mood swings” -
Yoga, pranayama and meditation calm the mind and reduce stress, which is the main factor in aggravating mood swings.
“5 key tips on how to control emotions” -
Know how not to be carried away by negative emotions.
Based on inputs from Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Written by: Pratibha Sharma
We’d love to hear from you!
Write to us @artofliving about what you feel about the signs of the child’s mood discussed in this article and the associated action a parent is recommended to take
