Understanding Toddler Emotions

As parents of toddlers well know, a toddler’s emotional life is vivid. It is the source of great joy! And it is also often the source of the challenging behaviors we associate with this stage of life. Learn about what drives a toddler’s feelings from a developmental perspective. What is behind the tantrums? The indecision? The testing? And how do we support toddlers as they learn to understand and express their emotions? Let’s embrace the intensity of these years and find our own voices as guides for our children.

Topics will include:

-understanding the toddler mind

-tantrums: why they happen and what to do

-indecision

-testing: holding limits and boundaries with respect

-sharing (and not sharing)

-how to acknowledge feelings

Melina Gac Levin, M.S.Ed.

Melina is an infant and toddler developmental specialist with over a decade of experience working with families and children. Her passion lies in supporting young children and their families to find joy and comfort in themselves, each other and their community. She is enjoying experiencing things firsthand as the mother to an active and curious toddler.

Melina holds a dual Masters in Infant, Toddler and Family Development and Early Childhood General & Special Education from Bank Street College of Education. She is certified to teach children yoga through Asana Alphabet, and trained in infant massage through Loving Touch International. Melina has presented workshops at Bank Street’s Infancy Institute and at the NYSAIS Diversity and Equity in Curriculum Conference. She is looking forward to teaching graduate students in Bank Street’s World of the Infant class this Spring.