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Expanding the Emotion Lexicon
Teach your child 50 feeling words (not just "sad": frustrated, hopeless, let-down, broken). Precision = regulation.
Goal
Expand child's feeling vocab from 5-10 to 50, building emotional granularity linked to better mental health.
Steps
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1
Post Plutchik's emotion wheel on fridge — 32 core emotions.
Expected Outcome
Immediate
Child uses a feeling word never used before.
Evidence base
School: Constructed Emotion + Atlas of Emotions
Founders: Lisa Feldman Barrett · Paul Ekman (2017)
Feldman Barrett in "How Emotions Are Made" proved vocabulary creates emotions, not just describes them.
Keywords
#أبوّة#middle-childhood#emotions#granularity#feldman-barrett#plutchik#emotion-wheel#specific-praise#checklist#parenting#feelings#vocabulary#mental-health#paul-ekman#50 كلمة شعور#خذلان#atlas-of-emotions#constructed-emotion#precise-feelings#character-emotions#إحباط أم خذلان#كلمة الشعور بدل بخير#frustration-vs-disappointment#no-fine-or-tired#how-emotions-are-made-book#story-character-feelings
Frequently asked questions
How long does "Expanding the Emotion Lexicon" take?
This exercise takes about 15 minutes, practiced with another person in a Written reflection format.
When will I notice the effect of "Expanding the Emotion Lexicon"?
Child uses a feeling word never used before. In the short term: In a month, vague "I'm angry" drops, precise words rise.
Is "Expanding the Emotion Lexicon" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on Constructed Emotion + Atlas of Emotions (Lisa Feldman Barrett, Paul Ekman (2017)). Feldman Barrett in "How Emotions Are Made" proved vocabulary creates emotions, not just describes them.
Is "Expanding the Emotion Lexicon" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Intermediate. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.
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