Big Feelings are Clues: Teaching Kids to Listen to their Bodies

A Paw-tection Pointer from Tiger 🐾

If you’ve ever heard a child say “my stomach hurts” right before school…

or watched a normally talkative child suddenly go quiet…

or noticed big emotions that seem to come out of nowhere—

Those moments matter.

At the Warren County Children’s Advocacy Center, we often remind caregivers, educators, and community members of an important truth:

Big feelings are clues.

Children don’t always have the words to say, “Something isn’t right.”But their bodies, emotions, and behaviors often tell the story first.

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Why Big Feelings Matter in Child Safety

Big feelings are one of the earliest ways children communicate stress, fear, or discomfort. In child abuse prevention work, these signals are important clues—not problems to dismiss.

Big feelings in children may show up as:

• Sudden anxiety, fear, or tearfulness

• Stomach aches or headaches with no clear medical cause

• Changes in sleep, appetite, or mood

• Withdrawal, irritability, or emotional outbursts

• Avoidance of certain people, places, or activities

These reactions aren’t “bad behavior.”They’re information—and often a child’s way of asking for help.

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Teaching Kids to Listen to Their Bodies

Helping children understand and trust their own bodies is a powerful tool for prevention and protection.

Caregivers and trusted adults can help by:

• Naming emotions out loud: “It looks like your body feels worried right now.”

• Letting children know all feelings are okay—even uncomfortable ones

• Encouraging kids to speak up when something feels confusing, scary, or “off”

• Reinforcing that they can always talk to a trusted adult

When children learn that their feelings matter, they’re more likely to share concerns and ask for help when they need it.

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How This Connects to the Work of a Children’s Advocacy Center

At the Warren County Children’s Advocacy Center, we support children and families during some of the most difficult moments they will ever face. Many children we serve didn’t—or couldn’t—use words to ask for help right away.

Instead, their bodies spoke first.

Recognizing big feelings as clues—not inconveniences—helps adults respond earlier, reduce trauma, and create safer pathways to disclosure, support, and healing.

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From Tiger 🐾

Tiger, our facility dog, has a special talent for noticing emotions before anyone else does. He may quietly sit closer, offer a paw, or simply stay nearby when a child feels overwhelmed.

His presence reminds us that listening doesn’t always require words.

This is the heart of Paw-tection in Practice: practical guidance, prevention education, and compassionate care—shared one Paw-tection Pointer at a time.

Because every child deserves care, courage, and protection. And it truly takes a Village.