In our house, we are very honest about our feelings. This past year and this past week, the adults in this house had a great deal of feelings. Instead of covering them up, we talked about those feelings openly.
This week was tough. My husband and I didn’t realize the emotional weight the current events in our country held until we both realized we weren’t present. It affected just about everything we did….including engaging with our kids.
Once we realized the impact, we talked about it out loud. We were feeling sad, frustrated, mad, and worried. We talked about what happens to our bodies and minds when we have those feelings, and we talked about things that might help us feel better.
I think this was an important time for me to practice what I preach and I’m glad my husband felt the same. It felt right to share our feelings with our kids even though they had no idea what was going on. My 3 year old offered to read our feelings book with me and hugs….he gets it.
Having conversations like this builds on the language and vocabulary our little ones need to help express themselves and build life long skills for their mental health.
Maybe we can raise a generation of humans that are able to express themselves and be productive with those feelings in a safe and healthy way!
Another lesson for the small ones? Never stop striving to make the world better. Start by caring for all people and aim for love and respect.
Building Better Speech and Language 