Music & Emotion: 3 Songs to Help Your Child Ask For Help
At Harmony Music Therapy, we strive to help clients overcome challenges, including those presented by children learning how to cope with their emotions. Learning to cope with emotions is an important skill in developing emotional well-being, so we wanted to share some songs you can use in everyday life to help your children recognize and embrace emotions.
Today, we’ll focus on ways to help your child ask for help.
1. Take a Step Back and Ask for Help by Daniel Tiger
Daniel Tiger is one of our favorite resources, as they work hard to address and normalize these difficult topics. The tune of this song is very catchy and can become a great resource to remind your kids that it is okay to “take a step back and ask for help”. Listen to this song with your child and encourage them to sing along as they hear “take a step back and ask for help”. Then, when you see your child struggling with something difficult, remind them that Daniel Tiger needs help too sometimes, and sing this catchy tune to show them how to ask for help.
2. Ask for Help by Pep and Perk
Children often learn best by observing adults, so it’s important to show your children that adults need help sometimes too. As an adult, practice asking for help in various situations and show that you are happy to be receiving help. An easy way to do this is by asking your child to help you put folded socks into a drawer, or to help you carry a box of pencils to their desk. Listen to this song in the background while working together with your child on something that may be difficult. Hearing the encouragement of these words can help your child to remember that asking for help is a good thing.
3. I Need a Break by Stephanie Leavell
Sometimes when a child is frustrated by a task they can’t complete, it can be helpful to walk away before asking for help to finish. This song teaches that it’s okay to ask for a break and take a minute to calm down. It is important to always listen to your child’s request for a break, and give it to them whenever possible. This will help your child regulate their emotions, as well as teach them that “powering through” is not always the best option. Try teaching this to your child by taking a break from your own task and listening to this song with them. After the song is over, say something like “I’m glad I took a break. Now I think I’m ready to finish what I was working on”.
Teaching your children to ask for help when they need it builds their problem solving skills, as well as their confidence. This teaches them that it is okay if they don’t know everything, because trusted adults are happy to help them out when they need it. As your child receives help in a positive way, they are more likely to ask for help in other settings such as school or playing at a friend’s house. We encourage you to incorporate these and other songs into your daily routines, so you can help your child learn how to ask for help when they need it, and to help them understand that asking for help is a good thing.
Wishing you and your family the best this week.
Warm Regards,
Sarah Wilson and The Harmony Music Therapy Team
P.S. If you or your child need help with managing emotions and feeling emotionally healthy, contact us to schedule a music therapy session. We’d love to work with you!
