Tips for Managing Negative Emotions in Early Childhood

Ms Chan Hoi Ching, Bianca (Clinical Psychology)

This health article is available in Chinese only.

許多家長擔心幼兒經常哭鬧或發脾氣，會影響日後情緒發展，但其實負面情緒本身並非壞事，關鍵在於幼稚園階段能否協助孩子及早學習察覺、表達及管理這些情緒。若處理得宜，可大大減低情緒積壓至小學階段突然爆發的風險。

家長本身是孩子最重要的情緒示範者。當父母能在日常生活中自然展示如何察覺自身情緒，並以適當方式表達，例如說出「媽媽現在有點失望」或「爸爸覺得有點累」，孩子便會潛移默化學會情緒並非需要壓抑，而是可以被覺察及說出來。這種「以身作則」是建立孩子情緒能力的基礎。

當孩子出現負面情緒反應，例如哭泣或鬧脾氣時，家長可先以簡單而準確的詞語標籤他們的情緒，例如「你現在很生氣」「你好像覺得傷心」「你感到不開心對嗎？」研究顯示，單是父母能精準說出孩子當下的情緒，已能顯著減低其情緒強度，讓孩子感到被理解，情緒得以緩衝。

除了標籤情緒，家長亦需主動提供機會讓孩子學習用自己的語言表達感受。可在日常對話中多使用開放式或半開放式的提問，例如：「你今天的心情是怎樣的？」「你現在有什麼感覺？」「你是否覺得有點不舒服？」這些問題能引導孩子逐步用詞語描述內在狀態，逐漸建立情緒詞彙庫。

在整個過程中，最核心的態度是「聆聽與接納」。家長需讓孩子清楚知道：有負面情緒是正常的，父母不會因為孩子哭或生氣就責怪他們。當孩子感受到情緒被無條件接納，他們才願意坦誠表達，而不會選擇壓抑或以攻擊行為發洩。相反，若家長經常否定或壓制孩子的情緒，例如說「不要哭」「男孩子不應這樣」，孩子會學懂隱藏感受，長遠增加情緒積壓風險。

總結而言，幼稚園階段是建立情緒表達能力的黃金期。家長透過以身作則、精準標籤情緒、使用開放式提問，以及重要是全然接納孩子的情緒，就能有效幫助孩子在小學前掌握管理負面情緒的能力，減低日後情緒問題爆發的機會。

The content of this article is for reference only and does not constitute final diagnostic or treatment advice.

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