Some children show more joyful, friendly emotions, while others tend to express worry, anger, or fear. The amount of stimulation needed to bring out an emotional response is determined by the sensitivity of the child. Children differ in intensity with which they usually express emotion. A highly intense child may scream with anger in the same situation which would cause a low intense child to merely grumble or frown. Emotions shape our experiences of the world, and they exercise a pervasive influence throughout development.
Infants are also sensitive to the emotions of others and they try to understand their meaning.
For the preschool child, basic emotions have become supplemented by self-conscious emotions like pride, shame, guilt, and embarrassment. By middle childhood, children have become more effectively managed through cognitive means as well as behavioral strategies. Children this age are capable of genuine empathy and greater emotional understanding of others than ever before. In adolescence, it appears as if the emotional swings of infancy have reappeared. As parents and teachers, we need to assist our children in developing their emotional intelligence.