Book Review
A short overview of this book
Talking About Feelings by Jayneen Sanders will help children to unpack, understand and manage their feelings and emotions in an engaging and interactive way.
This book can be used by parents, caregivers, teachers and/or health professionals who may have specific concerns about a child, or who simply wish to ‘check in’ to see how their child is fairing, and is an ideal addition to their ‘toolkit’. The author suggests that the book is used over a number of sessions, working through it slowly and at the child’s pace; ensuring they have sufficient time to respond. This book should be thought of as a series of stimuli designed to initiate discussions about the child’s feelings. It is NOT a series of questions that must be answered in a linear way. Be prepared to stop and listen to the child and be flexible in the use of this book. It is also important that the adult is an active listener, i.e. taking the time to ‘hear’ what the child may be trying to convey. Children, particularly young children, do not have the vocabulary or the experience to draw upon to express exactly how they are feeling. This book has been designed to assist parents, caregivers, teachers and health professionals to help children understand what they are feeling and why they might feel that way, and to encourage them to talk about and describe their feelings and emotions in a non-pressured, guided and safe environment. The questions in this book are suggestions only. The adult who is using this book with the child needs to follow the child’s lead in order to have a meaningful and authentic discussion. Talking about challenging emotions and accumulating a ready bank of ‘feeling’ words helps a child to better express their emotions rather than act them out through negative behaviours. Providing children with the skills and words to express their feelings is key to helping them move forward in a positive way.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 4 to 10 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Talking About Feelings by Jayneen Sanders from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. On my YouTube channel and website, I review books that help parents with sex education conversations. If you’re interested, check out my website for more info. Today, I want to talk about a book called Talking About Feelings by Jayneen Sanders. Jayneen writes books on various topics related to emotional intelligence, body safety, and more. This particular book focuses on feelings.
We all have feelings, including you, your friends, and the people around you. Jayneen is always mindful of diversity in her books, so you’ll find characters with different skin colors and disabilities. It’s important for children to feel included and comfortable when reading, and diversity helps with that.
Sometimes you might feel happy in the morning because you can play outside, but then feel sad in the afternoon because you can’t. Feelings can change, just like this child’s feelings in the book. They experience happiness, worry, bravery, fear, and many other emotions. What color do you think represents happiness? How about sadness? The book encourages you to explore and express your feelings.
Sometimes our feelings can be so overwhelming that we don’t know what to do. We might feel sad, worried, or angry. The book suggests talking to someone about your feelings. It also asks questions like, What color is your feeling today? and Where do you feel it in your body? These questions help you recognize and describe your emotions.
If you could touch your feelings, how would they feel? If you could draw them, what would they look like? The book guides you through these activities, which can be the first steps in understanding and managing your feelings.
This book is a little different from others because it doesn’t just explain different feelings. It actually gives you structured activities to help you think about and understand your own emotions. It’s a great tool for recognizing, identifying, and understanding your feelings.
I hope this review was helpful! Cheers!
