Session 5: Perspective Taking & Feelings

Has your child ever had difficulties expressing their emotions or difficulties expressing their emotions without yelling, screaming or stomping away?

When we mindfully practice perspective taking we become more skilled at interpreting what is going on around us. The increasing ability to consider a situation in multiple ways has social benefits, such as reducing conflicts and helping group work.

Try Out #1
• Ask your child to go over the feeling rules and how you will try to follow those rules with them. Encourage them to “Own it” and then “Rate it” from 0 to 10.

Try Out #2
• Watch Inside Out with your family. This movie is very highly regarded by mental health professionals as a child friendly way to introduce the feeling rules.

Try Out #3
• Engage in a discussion about a situation that occurred or a recent family example to facilitate communication. Think about the situation in multiple ways, particularly focusing on how other people may feel.

Try Out #4
• Keep doing the Three Good Things at the end of the day with your child. The idea here is to help your child notice the good things and for them to see you notice them, too.