Parent Resources

Helping Little Hearts Navigate Big Feelings

Welcome to the Lulabelle and Friends Parent Resource Center — a place created to support parents, caregivers, teachers, counselors, and families as they help children understand, express, and navigate emotions in healthy ways.

At Lulabelle and Friends, we believe every feeling matters.

Children experience big emotions every single day — happiness, excitement, frustration, nervousness, disappointment, anger, sadness, overwhelm, and everything in between. Our goal is to help children understand that feelings are normal while also giving families tools to help children work through emotions with confidence, kindness, empathy, and support.

Whether you are reading together at bedtime, navigating a difficult moment, helping your child through a transition, or simply wanting to strengthen communication with your child, we hope these resources encourage meaningful conversations and stronger emotional connections.

Why Emotional Learning Matters

Children are not born knowing how to process emotions.

Emotional learning helps children:

• Build confidence and self-awareness
• Learn empathy and kindness
• Develop healthy communication skills
• Navigate friendships and social situations
• Improve emotional resilience
• Strengthen problem-solving skills
• Build trust with parents and caregivers
• Learn healthy coping strategies

When children feel safe talking about emotions early in life, they often become more confident communicators as they grow.

Conversation Starters for Families

Sometimes the simplest questions open the biggest conversations.

Questions to Ask Your Child

• What made you smile today?
• Did anything make you feel frustrated or upset?
• Did you help someone today?
• Did someone help you today?
• What was the best part of your day?
• What was the hardest part of your day?
• What emotion did you feel the most today?
• What helps you calm down when you feel overwhelmed?
• What makes you feel safe and loved?
• Is there anything you want to talk about?

Helping Children Through Big Feelings

When Your Child Feels Angry

• Stay calm and patient
• Help them name the emotion
• Encourage deep breathing
• Allow space to cool down safely
• Talk through the situation afterward
• Focus on problem-solving instead of punishment alone

Helpful phrases:

• “It’s okay to feel angry.”
• “Let’s work through this together.”
• “Take a deep breath with me.”
• “Tell me what happened.”

When Your Child Feels Sad

• Listen without immediately trying to fix everything
• Offer comfort and reassurance
• Validate their feelings
• Encourage them to talk openly
• Remind them emotions come and go

Helpful phrases:

• “I’m here for you.”
• “It’s okay to feel sad sometimes.”
• “Do you want to talk about it?”
• “You are loved.”

When Your Child Feels Overwhelmed or Anxious

• Help slow the moment down
• Encourage breathing exercises
• Break tasks into smaller steps
• Create calm spaces and routines
• Offer reassurance and support

Helpful phrases:

• “One step at a time.”
• “You don’t have to figure everything out at once.”
• “I believe in you.”
• “Let’s do this together.”

Simple Coping Skills for Kids

These are easy tools children can practice every day:

Calm-Down Ideas

• Deep breathing
• Counting to ten
• Taking a walk
• Drawing or coloring
• Listening to calming music
• Journaling feelings
• Talking to a trusted adult
• Stretching or movement
• Reading a book
• Quiet time

The Power of Journaling

Journaling helps children:

• Express emotions safely
• Process difficult situations
• Build self-awareness
• Improve communication
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Reflect on positive moments

As children grow older, journaling can become a healthy lifelong habit for emotional wellness.

Family Activities to Encourage Emotional Wellness

Feelings Check-In

At dinner or bedtime, have each family member share:

• One feeling they had today
• One thing that made them happy
• One challenge they faced
• One thing they are grateful for

Create a Calm Corner

Set up a quiet area in your home with:

• Pillows or blankets
• Books
• Coloring supplies
• Stuffed animals
• Calm-down jars
• Journals
• Headphones or calming music

This teaches children healthy ways to self-regulate.

Emotion Drawing Activity

Ask your child to draw:

• What happiness looks like
• What sadness looks like
• What excitement looks like
• What worry looks like

Then talk about the drawings together.

For Teachers & Counselors

Lulabelle and Friends was created to support social emotional learning in classrooms, counseling settings, libraries, and group discussions.

The stories and activities can be used to:

• Encourage emotional vocabulary
• Promote kindness and empathy
• Foster classroom inclusion
• Help children discuss emotions openly
• Encourage peer support
• Support SEL lesson plans

Story Time Visits & Events

We are excited to bring Lulabelle and Friends to schools, libraries, bookstores, classrooms, community events, and organizations through interactive story times.

Story times may include:

• Live book readings
• Feelings discussions
• Parent & child engagement
• SEL activities
• Question-and-answer sessions
• Meet-and-greet opportunities
• Book signings

Interested in hosting a story time?

Please visit our Contact Page to request an event.

Coming Soon

We are excited to continue growing the Lulabelle and Friends world with:

• Journals for children
• Backpacks inspired by the characters
• Activity printables
• Classroom resources
• Emotional wellness tools
• Additional books in the series
• Parent guides
• Teacher discussion kits

A Note from Jenny Leigh

As an educator for more than 25 years and a mom myself, my hope is that Lulabelle and Friends helps children feel safe, supported, loved, and understood.

Sometimes the most important thing we can teach children is that they do not have to face big feelings alone.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping raise kind, compassionate, emotionally healthy children.

With gratitude,

Jenny Leigh