Emotion Coaching is not just a parenting style. It is also a tool developed by John Gottman to not only help and teach our children to handle challenges, but also as a means of developing a relationship with our children based on trust and mutual respect. Emotion coaching helps parents guide their children through life’s ups and downs in a way that builds confidence, resilience and strong relationships. Developed by Dr. John Gottman, author of Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child, this process helps children learn how emotions work and how to behave in healthy ways when their feelings are strong. It also teaches the skills that help children to thrive both socially and academically.What Is An Emotion Coaching Parent?
Emotion Coaching parents have a strong awareness of their own emotions and the emotions of others. They recognize that all emotions serve a purpose and need to be expressed. They understand and accept that emotions are neither good nor bad, but that they are just normal! Gottman’s research has found that Emotion Coaching parents respond to lower intensity emotions before they escalate, guide their children through their experiences of emotions, and help with problem solving.

The Result: Children who believe their feelings are important, have good problem solving, high self esteem, ability to connect socially, and control and regulate their responses to a variety of experiences and stressors.

What Do Emotion Coaching Parents Do?
There are Five Steps to Gottman’s Emotion Coaching:

• Emotional Awareness
• Recognize the emotion as an opportunity for connection and teaching.
• Listen empathetically & validate your child’s feelings.
• Help your child identify and label their emotions.
• Set limits while helping your child to problem solve.