Welcome to Tip Tuesday and day 12 of my 30-day podcasting posting challenge.

Today we’re starting a two-part Tip Tuesday series on helping children understand and move through big feelings.
There was so much information I wanted to cover that I decided to split it into two shorter episodes.
I like to keep each episode under 10 minutes so the information stays easy to take in and easy to use in real life.

So today is Part 1, and next week you’ll hear Part 2.

This episode is inspired in part by The Whole-Brain Child by Dr. Dan Siegel.
I’m not teaching his full model — just one small idea and making it practical for everyday life.

⭐ What Emotional Awareness Means

Before we jump in, I want to define emotional awareness in a simple way.

Emotional awareness means:

• noticing when something is happening inside of you
• understanding that the feeling has a reason
• knowing there are things you can do to move through it

Emotional awareness does not mean:

• being perfect
• naming every feeling correctly
• staying calm all the time

Emotional awareness is simply:

• tuning in
• noticing the shift
• responding with care

When we help kids understand what’s happening inside of them, we give them clarity, calm, and confidence.
They feel safer, more understood, and more capable of managing their emotions.

Step 1: Notice a Shift

The first step is simply noticing that something changed.
We are not naming the feeling yet.
We are just bringing awareness to the moment.

For kids, the shift might look like:

• clenched fists
• stomping feet
• getting quiet
• getting louder
• tears starting
• tense shoulders
• stomach aches
• or sudden aggression

For adults, the shift might feel like:

• irritation rising
• breathing changing
• thoughts speeding up

Awareness is always the first step.

Step 2: Describe What You See

This step helps kids understand how emotions show up in their bodies and behavior.

You might say:

• “Your hands got tight.”
• “Your voice got louder.”
• “Your face looks sad.”

Naming the behavior helps a child slow down and understand themselves better.

Step 3: Describe What You See + Name the Emotion

This is where clarity really begins.
We pair the body cue with the emotion in a simple, calm sentence.

You might say:

• “Your hands got tight, and it looks like you’re feeling angry.”
• “Your eyes look watery, and it looks like you’re feeling sad.”
• “Your shoulders dropped, and it looks like you’re feeling left out.”
• “Your voice got louder, and it looks like you’re feeling overwhelmed.”
• “Your face changed when the game ended. It looks like you’re feeling disappointed.”

If naming emotions feels hard in the moment, you can use simple phrases like:

• “This feels big.”
• “This seems hard.”
• “This feels like a lot right now.”

These phrases still help a child feel seen and supported.

A Simple Practice You Can Try Today

Here’s something you can try today with your child or even with yourself:

Choose one small moment and walk through the first three steps.

It might sound like:

Step 1: Notice the shift

“Something changed. Your voice got louder.”

Step 2: Describe what you see

“Your eyebrows went down.”

Step 3: Pair it with an emotion

“It looks like you might be feeling frustrated.”

If you’re practicing on yourself, it might sound like:

• “My shoulders just tightened. Something shifted for me.”
• “I think I’m feeling overwhelmed right now.”

You are not trying to fix the emotion yet.
You are simply noticing, describing, and naming.
That alone builds emotional clarity and confidence.

⭐ Closing

These three steps give you a strong foundation for emotional awareness.

In Part 2, we’ll talk about:

• what to do with the emotion once it’s named
• and how to model emotional awareness in small, everyday ways

Thank you for joining me for Part 1.
I’ll see you next Tip Tuesday for Part 2.