Children and Emotional Resonance: Discussions and Reflections Among Primary School Students in Bucharest

How can you teach your child to express what they feel if you do not even know where to begin? Emotions cannot be taught like multiplication tables, but they can be learned through conversations, gestures, and the tone of our voice. At Iepurașul Bocănilă, in our primary school in Bucharest, we talk about emotions every day—not because we aim to teach formal psychology lessons, but because we want every child to feel seen, heard, and understood.

Emotional resonance, or empathy—the moment when you are able to feel and understand what another person is experiencing—does not appear out of nowhere. It is built over time. As a parent, you play the role of a guide in this journey of self-discovery and understanding others. Discover below how you can have deeper, more meaningful conversations with your school-aged child.

How Emotional Conversations Develop Emotional Vocabulary

At school age, children begin to express their feelings and needs more clearly. However, to do this, they need to hear and use the right words. Systematic conversations about emotions, whether at home or in the classroom, play a decisive role in expanding their emotional vocabulary.

According to research conducted by Denham and Burton (2003), experts in the field of children’s emotional development, school-aged children who learn to name emotions also learn how to recognize, express, and regulate them more effectively.¹ Moreover, these children feel more emotionally secure and tend to display fewer aggressive or avoidant behaviors. The ability to put an internal state into words reduces emotional tension and encourages cooperation with others.

At the level of primary schools in Bucharest, teachers who integrate these types of conversations into their daily routines have noticed that children communicate more openly, experience less frustration, and show greater empathy toward their classmates. Parents can support this process at home by asking questions such as: “How did you feel today when you were chosen for the team?” or „What did you feel when someone told you no?” By learning to name their emotions, children become better able to understand and manage them.

Emotional Resonance and How Children Learn to Put Themselves in Someone Else’s Shoes

Empathy is not an entirely innate quality; it develops gradually through real-life experiences and interactions. Emotional resonance appears when a child understands another person’s feelings as if they were experiencing them personally. This deeper form of empathy grows when children are encouraged to think about what their classmates may be feeling and to reflect on the consequences of their own actions.

Neuroscientific research conducted by Decety and Jackson (2004) shows that consistent exposure to situations involving emotional reflection activates the same brain regions associated with empathy.² In practice, a neural bridge is formed in the child’s brain between observing another person’s emotion and experiencing their own emotional response. As a result, children become more sensitive to the subtle signals of those around them and learn to regulate their own reactions according to the social context.

At Iepurașul Bocănilă, within our primary school in Bucharest, discussions about daily behaviors and reactions help students reflect on their experiences through questions such as: “How do you think your classmate felt when you talked over them?” or „What could you do differently tomorrow?” In this way, children learn to truly connect with the emotions of those around them and develop a deeper understanding of empathy and social relationships.

Emotional Journals and Guided Reflection: Useful Tools in School

A simple yet effective method is the emotional journal. Children can write down or draw what they felt on a particular day, without being evaluated or corrected. This reflection exercise not only develops emotional vocabulary but also provides children with a safe space to process their feelings and experiences.

Studies show that expressing emotions through writing can reduce stress levels and support emotional regulation.³ Moreover, these practices encourage emotional awareness and help children develop healthy patterns of thinking and self-regulation. Children who keep an emotional journal become better able to identify the causes of negative feelings and develop constructive strategies for responding to them.

In our primary school in Bucharest, teachers who use this method have noticed an increase in children’s self-confidence and improved cooperation within groups. You can apply the same principle at home by asking your child questions such as: “What did you enjoy most at school today?” or „What upset you, and what would you like to change tomorrow?” When children regularly reflect on their own feelings and experiences, they learn to understand and manage their emotions more effectively.

Shared Emotions Predict the Success of Future Relationships

Children who know how to talk about emotions are more likely to build healthier relationships. According to Marc Brackett, professor at Yale University and author of Permission to Feel, authentic emotional expression is a powerful predictor of relationship success and mental well-being.⁴ Brackett emphasizes that emotional validation from adults is a key component in building trust and developing a healthy emotional identity. When children feel that their emotional voice matters, they are more likely to create positive, stable, and balanced relationships.

At Iepurașul Bocănilă Primary School in Bucharest, we are very open to discussing feelings, and we see how children become more cooperative, more receptive to feedback, and more empathetic. This approach supports the development of a strong foundation for self-confidence, collaboration, and resilience.

Raising a child who understands their own emotions is an act of emotional responsibility. Just as in a primary school in Bucharest, where reflection and empathy are nurtured, your child learns not only to think, but also to feel and understand. And sometimes, that is more challenging than it seems.

You will notice that, over time, your child becomes more attentive, more open, and more confident in expressing themselves. Not because you told them how to be, but because you truly listened. That is what resonance means: being present, connecting, and responding with understanding. And if the same happens at school, you have every reason to feel encouraged—your child is growing beautifully, from the inside out.

References:

¹ Denham, S. A., & Burton, R. (2003). Social-emotional prevention programs for preschool children. Springer.

 ² Decety, J., & Jackson, P. L. (2004). The functional architecture of human empathy. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, 3(2), 71–100.

 ³ Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162–166.

 ⁴ Brackett, M. (2019). Permission to Feel. Celadon Books.