Veronika had a tough day today. My hunch is because of teething, or perhaps a Wonder Week, but sometimes babies just have fussy days and we as parents just ride them out.

But it was a good reminder to focus on emotions, not just teaching her the positive ones, but also giving her words for the sad ones. So today, when I felt happy (or Veronika did), I made a big show of it on my own face.

And when she was sad, I mirrored that. “You’re feeling sad,” I commiserated.

You can do the same throughout the day (or any day!) with surprised, angry, scared, tired, or any other emotion that crosses your baby’s face. Here she is a bit worried by loud noises.

If you’re looking for inspiration, flip through some children’s magazines or books together and point out the various emotions.

Either way, it’s healthy for your little one to learn about all these emotions. And maybe a happy face in a book will cheer Veronika up!