Sometimes, when our kids are shy, laid back, or simply not wanting to open up, knowing what they’re feeling emotionally and what’s on their mind can be tough for parents to figure out. But, not only does dance class make this a bit easier, but here are some tips and really good advice on how to properly read your child’s body language, so you can better understand them.
The first and most obvious way to learn how to read your child’s body language so you can better be there for them is, of course, to study and know body language. When you study up on typical body language from children your own kid’s age, you’ll better understand what their movements mean.
Here are a few examples:
1) A toddler flapping their arms could mean that they’re upset and don’t have the words to tell you what’s going on. At that age, their response system is immature and they don’t know how to properly express themselves. So, the flapping of the arms is the flight or fight response taken too seriously. A way to handle this is to calmly talk to them to try to help them work through these intense emotions that they don’t know how to properly deal with.
2) From ages four to six, if they’re clinging to their legs or burying their head in your leg or body a lot, it means they have a lot of anxiety. At that point, you can meet them at eye level and offer comfort in the form of a hug and reassurances that you’re with them and that they’re going to be okay.
3) From ages seven and older, every child has a specific action that they do while they lie. It could be staring at their toes because they’re too guilty to lie and meet a parent’s gaze, biting their lip, or something else. By knowing when they’re lying, you can slowly work to break them of this habit and help them develop a healthy habit of telling the truth.
