The Magic of Inside Out: How Emotion Coaching Can Enhance Your Parenting Skills
If you’re a parent, you know that emotions can run high in your household. Whether it’s a tantrum at the grocery store or a tearful outburst at bedtime, dealing with your child’s emotions isn’t always easy. But what if there was a way to not only handle those emotions but also help your child build emotional intelligence for the long term? That’s where Inside Out comes in.
Inside Out is a Disney-Pixar film that delves into the emotions of an eleven-year-old girl named Riley. The film personifies her emotions as characters: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, who all work together to shape Riley’s experiences. Despite their sometimes conflicting personalities, these characters can teach us a lot about how to handle emotions in our own lives -and in our children’s lives.
One concept the film introduces is emotion coaching, which simply means helping our children understand and regulate their emotions. This skill is essential for success in life, as emotional intelligence has been linked to better mental health, interpersonal relationships, and even job performance. But how can parents use emotion coaching to enhance their parenting skills? Let’s ask some of our favorite Disney characters.
Joy and Sadness
Joy and Sadness are two of Riley’s primary emotions, and they have a lot to say about emotional intelligence.
“Emotions are what make us human,” Joy says. “Without them, we’d be bored stiff.”
“But sometimes, it’s okay to be sad,” Sadness interjects. “It helps us process what’s happening.”
That’s the key to emotion coaching: helping our children understand that all of their emotions are valid and have a place in their lives. We can start by validating their feelings when they express them, showing them that it’s okay to feel a certain way.
Disgust
Disgust may not be the most sentimental of emotions, but she does have a role to play in emotional intelligence.
“Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’,” Disgust advises. “You have the right to set boundaries and protect yourself.”
As parents, we can teach our children to trust their instincts and not be afraid to speak up for their own needs. This can set them up for success in situations where they need to assert themselves, such as in relationships or in the workplace.
Fear
Fear is an emotion that can easily get out of control, but it has a purpose.
“Fear helps us stay safe,” Fear reminds us. “But we also need to learn how to face our fears.”
As parents, we can help our children build resilience by encouraging them to face their fears in a safe and supportive environment. This can help them develop a sense of confidence and self-efficacy, which can serve them well in all areas of life.
Anger
Finally, there’s Anger – a powerful emotion that can be difficult to handle.
“Anger is natural,” Anger asserts. “But it’s important to find healthy ways to express it.”
Parents can teach their children healthy coping mechanisms for when they’re feeling angry, such as taking deep breaths, going for a walk, or talking about their feelings. This can help them avoid lashing out and damaging relationships.
Bringing it All Together
As you can see, Inside Out offers a wealth of wisdom when it comes to emotional intelligence and parenting. By helping our children understand and regulate their emotions, we can set them up for success in all areas of life. So the next time your child has a meltdown, take a deep breath and think about what Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger would do. You may be surprised at how much you can learn from these Disney-Pixar characters.
The Disney-Pixar film Inside Out can teach parents about emotion coaching and helping children build emotional intelligence for long-term success in life. Validating emotions, setting boundaries, facing fears, and healthy coping mechanisms are key takeaways.
“Emotions are what make us human. Without them, we’d be bored stiff.” – Joy, Inside Out