Build It in Layers

You don't hand a child every feeling word at once. Add them in tiers as they grow:

• Ages two to three — happy, sad, mad, scared, surprised
• Around age five — worried, excited, proud, jealous, disappointed
• Around age eight — overwhelmed, embarrassed, grateful, anxious

Keep a simple feelings chart on the fridge. When your child seems upset, walk over together: "Can you point to how you feel right now?" Pointing turns a swirling inner experience into one concrete choice they can actually handle.