Some are really nice feelings that make me feel good inside.  These are called positive emotions.  Everyone likes to feel happy and safe.  I like to feel generous when I share.  I like the excited feeling I get when we go to Knoebel's or ride in an airplane.  I feel proud when someone tells me I did a good job.  There are other nice feelings.  Let's name some more good feelings.

 

Some feelings make me feel yucky inside.  These are called negative emotions.  When I am sad or mad that makes me feel bad inside.  When I am jealous, that makes me unhappy and uncomfortable inside.  Are there other bad feelings I can think of?

 

Everyone has feelings.  Both nice and yucky, or positive and negative emotions.

 

Whether they feel good or bad to me, all emotions are ok to have.  They are a message to me about a situation.  If I feel good, I might want to do it again!  If it's a yucky feeling, maybe the message is that I need to get out of the thing that is making me feel bad.  Or maybe the message is I need to talk to someone about feeling bad and how we can fix it.

 

Emotions are never good or bad, they just are.  Everyone feels happy or excited or generous sometimes, and that feels great.  Everyone also feels sad or mad or jealous sometimes.  Mom and dad, my teachers, everyone has these negative emotions!  Although that feels bad, they are ok emotions to have and I should talk about them.  I can talk to mom or dad, grandma or a teacher.

 

It is only when I act out because of negative emotions that I get in trouble.  If I hit someone or something, or if I argue or refuse to do what a parent or teachers tells me to do, I might get in trouble.  It is the action that gets me in trouble, not the emotion.  So I should talk about the emotions to help fix the situation before I lose control.

 

When I learn to talk about my emotions and recognize them, I will be more and more in control of my actions and I will be happier.