Telling a trusted adult about your feelings — even when it is hard — helps you feel less alone and helps them understand what you need. You can share by talking, drawing a picture, or even just pointing to a feelings chart. The important thing is that you do not keep big feelings all to yourself.
Create regular check-in times where children share one feeling from their day. Use a feelings mailbox where children can draw or write about their feelings privately for the teacher. Practice different ways to share — words, pictures, gestures — so every child has a way to communicate.
Sharing your feelings with a trusted adult helps you feel less alone. When you tell someone you love — like your mom, dad, teacher, or grandparent — about how you feel, something special happens inside you. The feeling becomes a little smaller, and you know someone cares about you.
Here is something important: sharing your feelings is different from tattling. When you tattle, you are telling on someone else to get them in trouble. When you share your feelings, you are telling about YOU and what is inside your heart. "I feel sad," "I feel angry," "I feel scared" — these are sharing. And sharing is always okay and always good.
Another important truth is this: trusted adults WANT to know how you feel. Sometimes you might think "They do not want to hear this" or "I will upset them." But that is not true. The people who love you want to understand you. Your feelings do not burden them — they care about them. When you tell them how you feel, you give them the chance to help you and love you better.
You do not have to say things perfectly when you share your feelings. You can say things simply, like "I feel bad" or "I feel sad" or "Something happened and I feel yucky." Trusted adults will listen and help you find more words if you need them. Your feelings matter even if you cannot say them perfectly. Any way you can share is good enough.
There are many ways to share your feelings — you can talk with words, you can draw a picture of how you feel, you can point to a feelings face chart, or you can even just let your body show what is inside. Find the way that works for you. The important thing is that you do not keep big feelings all to yourself. Let your trusted adults know. You deserve that help and love.