ABSTRACT
Children's emotions are a very real part of their life, just like for all of us. They will be experienced positively and negatively during early childhood as they begin to experience them and learn to manage them. In this chapter we are going to look at this fundamental aspect of a child's sense of security. We will look at how and why children's emotions are developing from day one. We will consider the purpose they serve and how you can best support them. And we will consider the impact of environment and attachments as you learn to understand the ways in which a baby is responding to you. Having read this chapter, you will:
Know how we experience our emotions and the ways this affects children and their sense of security
Understand the process going on inside children when they experience strong emotions and understand what happens when these are not effectively managed
Be supported in developing the early stages of emotional intelligence as you help babies to manage stressful moments without fearing negative consequences.
