Helping Your Kids Deal with their Emotions

Caitlan Rangel (and her children) find Christine Gibson’s books for Catholic kids helpful in navigating big emotions.

Every parent (or guardian) and child needs tools for navigating big emotions like sadness, fear, and anger. Christine Gibson and OSV Kids have done a great job putting together a series to help Catholic kids understand and navigate these emotions. Three books comprise this series: Andrew is Up All Night (addresses fear/anxiety), Jane’s Dismal Day (addresses sadness), and Alex Blows His Top (addresses anger).  

The books remind me of case studies. They open with a relatable story of an event a child goes through that provokes a certain emotion. Next, the books make connections between that emotion and our faith (Scripture and lives of saints). Finally, the books provide practical tools for moving through the emotion.  

The illustrations by Michael Rogers capture the particular emotions well and allow the reader to enter more deeply into the books’ contents.  

These books provide opportunities for us to connect with our children in meaningful ways. I think they are particularly helpful for children ages six and older. My children and I read the books one at a time and allowed for organic discussion time as we read. My children wanted to share with me as we read, and the books lend themselves to talking about our emotions, experiences, and faith.  

I don’t know about you, but even as an adult I don’t always navigate my emotions well. So these books were also helpful to me. They gave me language for things that can be difficult to name.  

Finally, after reading these books my children have been putting some of the tools to use on their own. For example, my son told me he needed to stop and take four breaths because that can help when he starts to feel angry: “The book told me about it, Mom, and it really does help!” 

Ask for these books at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, OSV Kids.

Copyright 2024 Caitlan Rangel
Images: copyright 2024 Caitlan Rangel, all rights reserved.
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