By Franklin Smith, author of HOPEiDONT Books
When I set out to write my first children’s book, I was unaware of the concept of “Social Emotional Learning” (SEL). It wasn’t until I connected with Dr. Michelle Gardner at Boise Children’s Hospital that I realized I naturally crafted a story filled with tools to support SEL.
SEL is designed to help kids and young adults understand and manage their emotions, which creates healthy emotional intelligence. This helps them foster healthy relationships, make good decisions, and empathize with their peers.
So, if you are looking to connect with your kids about emotions, here are ways to navigate these discussions and reasons why it’s important to do so.
Emotional vocabulary helps kids communicate more clearly
Many children act out not because they are misbehaving, but because they don’t have the words to express what they’re experiencing. For kids who are still grappling with the concept of emotions, it’s important to give them something tangible to work with to help them identify how one emotion differs from another.
In my books, I’ve created small characters called HOPEiDONTs that visually represent emotions. They change colors based on how the main characters are feeling and often blend multiple colors as characters move through different emotions. For example, a green HOPEiDONT represents anger, frustration, and impatience (think the Incredible Hulk). When it starts to move from green to yellow, it represents a more relaxed state.
In my debut book, “The Adventures of Buz and Budger: Slime Time Fun,” two young Sasquatches work to clean up the slime they track into Grandmasquatch’s home. Throughout this book, readers will see how the situation unfolds and how one of the character’s (Buz) HOPEiDONT evolves as his emotions change. With the help of his positive friend, Budger, Buz overcomes his anger and finds a sense of accomplishment.
By personifying emotions, you are teaching kids what they mean on a deeper level. They get to physically see how our emotional state changes and learn that moving through emotions is a part of life.
Advice on unique ways to teach emotional awareness
One of the ways you can teach emotional awareness is by reading your children SEL books.
As mentioned previously, the beloved characters in my books experience the full spectrum of emotions as they navigate change, challenges, and life’s transitions. Ranger Rylie, their human guardian, helps children connect with these characters and learn that their feelings are valid and manageable. Together, they create a shared language between children and the caregivers who support them, transforming big emotions into opportunities for growth and understanding.
As emotions shift through these books, kids can see how “negative feelings” can change with support and encouragement.
Another unique way is to teach them about emotions through art and interactive activities. Kids don’t always want to sit and listen to a story—they want to be part of it! Each of my books includes coloring pages that let children explore different HOPEiDONT stages and see how emotions can change and blend. Interactive activities boost learning and memory, and coloring’s calming effect helps kids understand that emotions can be managed through simple, intentional actions.
Talking about feelings helps kids thrive
It’s important to identify how children are feeling, so you can empower them to communicate their feelings and find confidence in doing so. Kids might not always come to you with their emotions, so it’s important to dedicate time to talking about their feelings. These moments could look like reading a book together, connecting at the dinner table, or having a car ride chat. The more you talk about feelings and show you are comfortable doing so, the more they will follow suit.
Overall, the most important way to start teaching your children about emotions is to talk about them. Books can be a great tool to have these discussions at an early age, and making them as interactive and engaging as possible increases the likelihood that a child will grasp the concept. Don’t let your red HOPEiDONT (fear) get to you! Let it turn yellow (relaxed, joyful) as you encourage your kids to explore their emotions!
About HOPEiDONT Books
Franklin Smith is the founder and author of HOPEiDONT Books. HOPEiDONT Books is a character-based social-emotional learning company dedicated to supporting children’s emotional development, confidence, and well-being through engaging stories and evidence-informed curriculum. The team works to help children in all settings—schools, after-school programs, hospitals, YMCAs, swim schools, family support centers, homeschools, service organizations, and nonprofits—develop emotional resilience and the confidence to navigate whatever comes their way. For more information, please visit: hopeidont.com.
