Teaching kids how to feel proud of their accomplishments

 

This is Everyday Feels, a podcast about emotions for kids and their grownups. In each episode, Nakita Simpson and Dr. Lockhart explore a new emotion, breaking down what that emotion is and why we may be feeling that way.

 

Nakita: Dr. Lockhart, what do you do when you feel an emotion that actually feels pretty great? 

 

Ann-Louise: We're going to discuss that today. 

 

Nakita: Yes, we will discuss feeling proud today. Are you ready? 

 

Ann-Louise: I sure am.

 

 

 

Nakita: I think it's time we heard from Jonah, who has a story to share about feeling proud about a goal he reached.

 

Let's listen to his story.

 

Jonah: I was proud when I reached a hundred subscribers on my YouTube channel, because this was my first time actually doing a YouTube channel and I grew a lot. …I started a YouTube channel because I got bored and I thought I could try something new out. So I thought it would be fun to try out a YouTube channel.

 

It was very fun. It has been sometimes challenging for the haters, but there are always going to be people that hate.

 

I’m proud of all the nice people on my YouTube channel, telling me nice things and saying good job. So I'm happy that they're here for me, for my journey. 

 

I hope in the future that I can grow more popular and maybe someday reach a million subscribers.

 

Nakita: Thanks Jonah for telling us about how proud you were when you reached your goal of growing your Youtube channel to one hundred subscribers! Congratulations Jonah!

 

It always feels great to make a goal for yourself and make it happen, no matter how big or small it is. And it’s even more rewarding when you try something you weren’t even sure of and it turns out to be a success.   

 

 

Ann-Louise: I agree, Nakita. Congratulations Jonah! Feeling proud of yourself for an accomplishment is one of those ‘feel good’ emotions. 

 

It can be mixed with doubt, because not everyone will be happy for you when you achieve that success. That’s the tough part. 

 

You know, as a kid, you're still learning about feelings and your brain is learning about what to do when you feel them. It's a lot to learn. 

 

Nakita: So much to learn. Emotions we feel as grownups can feel just as strong as when we were kids, so learning more about them and how they show up over time happens often. It doesn't automatically get easier just because you grew up. You know, Dr. Lockhart, I'm wondering if there are other names used to describe feeling proud? 

 

Ann-Louise: Absolutely Nakita. Now there are words we can use to describe the emotion of feeling proud. These are called synonyms. Other words for proud are: pleased, overjoyed, thrilled, delighted, and happy. 

 

Nakita: Dr. Lockhart, I love that there are so many other words to describe the same word. Language is so fascinating. 

 

 

Ann-Louise: I agree with you, Nakita. Our language is important, because it tells people what’s going on inside our world. Since people aren’t mind-readers, they will know more about you when you tell them. Using our language to communicate our feelings gives people a glimpse into our mind and into our world. 

 

Nakita: You’re so right Dr. Lockhart. It's important to remember that learning how to talk about our emotions is just as important as learning what they mean to us.

 

You know, I remember feeling proud when I won first prize in an art contest at school. It felt so good knowing the hard work I put into something I loved was appreciated by other people.  

 

Ann-Louise: Oh, that sounds so awesome. I remember feeling proud when I did my first reel on Instagram. Well, not my first one. That was pretty terrible, but the second one was amazing or maybe it was the third. Anyway, at first I couldn't figure it out, but I asked a friend for help, and the rest is literal history.

 

I cannot be stopped. I'm really proud of that accomplishment. 

 

Nakita: Dr. Lockhart, before we wrap up, are there any important things to remember about feeling proud that you think would help our listeners, and even the grownups? 

 

Ann-Louise: Absolutely Nakita. I have two really helpful tips. 

 

First...and this one is important. When you feel proud about something, big or small, do not dim your light so that other people can feel comfortable. Do you know what that means? That means, don’t feel bad about the amazing thing you’ve done just because other people aren’t there yet or they get jealous of you because of it. This one is important. Don’t dim your light. Shine even brighter!

 

Second...when you do something you’re proud of, write it down or draw it, record it, journal it, frame it, post it on your bedroom wall. You don’t want to forget it. Because, other emotions will come and go in your life. When those uncomfortable or icky emotions show up, it will be so easy to forget about those proud moments. Don’t. Record them and hold them close to you. That way, you can remind yourself that you’re pretty amazing even when you don’t feel like it.

 

 

Nakita: That was wonderful. I loved that so much. Thanks again to Jonah for sharing with us about how proud he felt when he accomplished a big goal he set out for himself on his Youtube channel. And thank you, Dr. Lockhart, for talking to us about feeling proud and for not dimming our light when we do. 

 

And thank you for teaching us the importance of celebrating our proud moments to remind us of how amazing we are.