Children and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
As parents, teachers and caregivers we are not always able to know and understand how events affect our children emotionally.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a tool that children can use to feel happy and calm anytime they have feelings of being hurt, lonely, sad and angry. EFT is a way we can empower children to manage their own emotions so that they can be in control of themselves in all kinds of situations. Younger children can be offered EFT with words such as: “I know a way to help you calm down quickly”.
If we teach children to tap on their own we offer them the possibility of clearing whatever is bothering them at the time the upset is happening, be that at home or at school or in a public setting. It can also help to clear issues in different areas of their lives including learning, studying, playing sport and challenges they have with their peers.
EFT is an amazing tool for teachers, parents and caregivers to have at their fingertips and to be able to use it directly to help children. There are times however where it would be really useful for children to be able to clear their own issues that relate directly to their parents and siblings. Children get upset and angry with their parents for all kinds of reasons, even if the family is balanced and loving.
There are also times when children do not want to discuss their problems with an adult. If they have a way to resolve their issue and return to a place of balance in themselves, they can move on with life. In this way issues and emotions do not have to be buried to show up later as bigger challenges or be “acted out” with inappropriate behaviour.
For further information on the variety of issues that EFT can be effective with in working with children, please visit www.eftuniverse.com . There are hundreds of examples of the results people have had with children using EFT and there is a free manual available that can be downloaded from the website. Another resourceful website is www.tappybear.com.
The EFT Academy of Southern Africa (operating in Rivonia, South Africa) is now also presenting EFT workshops for children called Confident Kids through Emotional Balance.
