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SHARING FEELINGSSHARING FEELINGS We stopped sharing our feelings so long ago that many of us can't remember ever doing so. Most of us had little or no emotional support growing up. We were on our own, as far as emotions and feelings were concerned. We never talked to our parents when we were upset, scared, or insecure. We learned to suppress our uncomfortable feelings until we hid them from ourselves as well. We have only recently begun learning to identify feelings and sharing them with others. We want our children to feel comfortable and safe talking to us about their fears and insecurities. As we learn the vocabulary for putting our emotions and feelings into words, we want to share it with our children so they will be able to express, rather than repress, their feelings. We are learning to create safe places for our children by listening to the silence as well as the words. We reassure them that we will not scold, tease, ridicule, or even question their feelings. We create this safety by being available when they seem unusually quiet. By turning off the TV or putting down our reading, we make sure we don't discourage them from talking to us. After a comfortable silence, they'll often start a casual conversation that tests our attention. When we listen carefully, they will open up to us. I listen to the silence as well as the words to help my children share their feelings. Click here to listen to this meditation.
This excerpt is from Daily Meditations for Parenting Our Kids by Thomas Wright. Click below for more information. Back To Meditations
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