1. SESSION 2
Children’s needs
2.1

2. SESSION PLAN Children’s emotional needs
Children need to know they are loved
Love languages
Emotional bank accounts
Praise
2.2

3. THE GOAL OF PARENTING Our goal is to ensure that our children:
Feel loved, accepted and safe
Enjoy their childhood
Embrace childhood for what it is
2.3

4. THE GOAL OF PARENTING
We are also trying to prepare our children for adulthood. We want them to become adults who can:
Function in the outside world
Cope with the knocks of life and bounce back
Make good relationships
Add something to society
2.4

5. CHILDREN’S EMOTIONAL NEEDS
Acceptance
Appreciation
Approval
Attention
Comfort
Encouragement
Love and affection
Respect
Security
Support
2.5

6. BREAK
2.6

7. CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE LOVED
“In modern society, raising emotionally healthy children is an increasingly difficult task… If children feel genuinely loved by their parents, they will be more responsive to parental guidance in all areas of their lives”
Gary Chapman and R Campbell The Five Love Languages of Children
2.7

8. THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES
The way we express love can be divided into five different ways – we call these ‘love languages’.
2.8

9. THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES Words of affirmation (Words)
Physical touch (Touch)
Quality time (Time)
Acts of service (Actions)
Receiving gifts (Gifts)
2.9

10. EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNTS
2.10

11. PRAISE “You are amazing!” “You did really well.” “You are so kind.”
2.11

12. REFLECTION
We have explored the emotional needs of children and how we can meet them
We have looked at the five love languages
We have considered the idea of the emotional bank account
We have looked at the importance of using praise and encouragement
2.12

13. FOCUS FOR THE WEEK
Choose one emotional need that you want to actively meet for your child this week.
Identify specific ways you can try to meet this need.
Think about what your primary love language might be. How does this affect how you give/show love to your child?
Think of ways you can demonstrate love for each of the five love languages and see if you can do them this week for your child.
2.13

14. NEXT WEEK
Next week we will be looking at children’s feelings and listening skills.
2.14